Car park very busy at 1030 on a fine Saturday morning. The Nepalese car part attendants were out in force, seemingly working for an agency rather than for the gardens direct. Nepalese whom we have always assumed to be resettled army veterans.
A3 left in the snap above, which also shows that the various new works seem to have taken quite a chunk out of the gardens - and they are keen enough that at least some diggers were on the move on a Saturday. Perhaps the next step will be to consolidate the belt of trees at the bottom of car park 1 into the car park. In the meantime, the large greenhouse, otherwise a splendid place, is full of large Lego animals and rather mixed sculpture continues to decorate the gardens at large. What is the matter with us that we have this urge to throw money at arty types so that they can erect their stuff in our public spaces? A lot of it being pretty bad, leading one to wonder what on earth is inside their inflated egos.
The main event was to turn left out of the main entrance and take a swing over Battleston Hill to inspect the trees, shrubs and bulbs there.
Camellias, Daphne and Witch Hazel all coming along, with the first mentioned snapped above.
Different variety? Plus snowdrops, hellebores, crocuses, daffodils (the ones in flower were mainly small), dwarf irises and winter aconites.
Camelia with witch hazel. Some of these last seemed to be very old, maybe forty years or more, which may be part of the explanation why the five year olds in our garden are still very small, say a couple of feet high and not much bush about them. But I also suspect that our grey soil does not agree with them.
The view from the shed, middle left in the previous snap.
Cabbage trials. Seems a pity to waste so much cabbage, but perhaps part of the trial is to see how well they stand. And nets have come on a bit since my father used to use recycled fishing nets made of black twine. Nets which I once knew how to mend.
In among the redwoods.
In among the grapes. Including lots of north European varieties, the names of which I recognised from north European wines. Like this one, briefly stocked at Terroirs. Slightly taken aback this morning to find that this particular fad dated from well over a year ago. See, for example, reference 1.
The weather station in among the apple trees - with the crystal ball on top of the brick pillar being a contraption for measuring something to do with sunlight.
A handsome, fan trained apple ('Sunset') behind the weather station. We must try to remember to go back when the tree is in fruit and see what it looks like then. Not a variety that I had heard of before but the people at reference 3 clearly know all about it.
An approach to wisteria growing which only works in the larger garden, that is to say, not in ours.
Light lunch in the form of tea, taken with one egg sandwich between the two of us. Much too crowded to go in for anything more complicated.
But altogether, a very satisfactory visit. Plenty of interest and colour, despite the time of year.
But reminded on exit, that this exit is reasonably dangerous, given the speed of the traffic on the A3 outside. Perhaps the proposed works on the nearby junction with the M25 will do something about it.
Reference 1: https://psmv3.blogspot.com/2018/08/wisley-nine.html.
Reference 2: https://psmv3.blogspot.com/2017/11/cheese-home-overseas.html.
Reference 3: https://www.orangepippin.com/varieties/apples/sunset.
No comments:
Post a Comment