Our Open Day is Looming!!

9 comments

We only have 6 days til our 4th Open Day & still lots to do!
The weather has turned cool & cloudy so although I have been up early most days, I’m not so keen to get so much pre-breakfast time in the garden as I have done over the last weeks when the sun woke me & it was warmer earlier! So this morning I’m finishing this blog that I started 2 weeks ago!

I have a list of things to do(mostly in my head) – lots of new plants have been planted with a few still waiting, filling gaps where the harsh winter killed so many – though some surprises of ones we thought to be dead have put out new shoots. Dieramas are showing new leaves and at least one Liriope is doing the same!

The big surprise is that 2 Ginger Lilies have survived, Assam Orange has a nice new shoot & a rhizome of the lovely Gardnerianum is nice & firm – they only had a medium covering of leaves & a few small eucalypt branches to stop the leaves from blowing away, but amazingly enough to cope with the freezing they must have had!

Another surprise is the survival of my Tetrapanax – I was almost at the point of consigning it to the composting containers, but just the other day I found a tiny new shoot! This plant is in a large pot in a reasonably protected corner but I hadn’t got round to giving it any extra ‘wrapping-up’ last season so was not very hopeful!

We’re hoping visitors will not mind that we have a large dead Eucalypt & an unhappy Arbutus still standing – having them felled earlier was not an option especially as a Collared Dove decided to nest in the Eucalypt!

Sadly about a week after we spotted this their nest was predated by a crow, we think as I chased one off a day or two before, but it obviously sneeked back-so now we have our Tree Surgeon booked for after the Open Day.

Here in the Midlands there’s not been a lot of rain for a long while, but on the last Bank Holiday Monday, we had a whole day of rain – not much fun for those having a day off work – but great for the garden! I took lovely pics of my Stipa gigantea holding the rain drops -

These next two pics are of the wild flower & pond area which is looking good at the moment with lots of pink campion & the owl wisely looking on!

Yesterday evening all of us ‘Open Gardeners’ met up & visited each others gardens. This was something we decided to do in our first year as a way of doing what we wouldn’t be able to do on the day! Also a good time to sort out any last minute questions & to distribute the ‘Passports’, direction signs, posters for last minute advertising & fliers for round the neighbours.

We have a local community magazine and this month we’re really pleased with a whole page article on our Open Day which is also on the magazine website! I wonder how many more visitors we should expect!!
I’ve just thought that I haven’t stocked up on cakes for refreshments – help – I think my early mornings have just been filled with baking time!
I visited my daughter this eve to plant some summer pots & wall baskets for her & ventured to ask if she would help me out with cakes & she said she would so that relieves me somewhat!
Now its just a matter of getting things tidy, pricing plants for sale ………. & may be some sleep would be good too ..

http://www.ashbyopengardens.co.uk
http://www.ashbylife.co.uk

• 6 Jun, 2011
• 4 likes

More blog posts by pixielady