Only it wasn't winter. It was March, almost Easter, and a time, I'd supposed, of primrose lined paths, sparkling sunshine and hosts of nodding daffodils. But in Northern England this year, March was decidedly still very much winter. Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk is an almost 200-mile path from St Bees on the Cumbrian coast … Continue reading Wainwright’s Coast to Coast … In Winter
Countryside
Cows In The Asparagus
As I parked my car this morning, I saw a black and white figure lurking beneath the hornbeams and obviously up to no good. But what on Earth .... ? Ah. I see. Great. Super. As they had long-planned, Margaret's cows had broken into the garden. A frantic phone call to Margaret, "Help!" and a … Continue reading Cows In The Asparagus
Charleston Manor
In a quiet crease of the South Downs lies Charleston Manor. It is somewhere I have long wanted to visit and so, when I heard that the gardens were open, I almost fell over with excitement. After a pub lunch in nearby Litlington, we trundled up the yew-lined drive, to the house. The house itself … Continue reading Charleston Manor
Cutting The Mixed Hedging
There are three 'Priory Big Jobs' punctuating the summer: the cutting of the mixed hedging, the cutting of the beech hedging and the cutting of the meadow. Last week, I set aside two days to tackle the first of these. The Priory drive is a third of a mile long and lined on either side, … Continue reading Cutting The Mixed Hedging
An Arum By Any Other Name
Were you to visit The Priory at this time of year, and were I to gently push your nose under bushes and hedges and into shady, damp corners you would certainly notice Arum maculatum. You might not know it by its Latin name but perhaps you call it Lords and Ladies. Or Cuckoo flower - … Continue reading An Arum By Any Other Name
Let’s Build A Compost Bin!
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the compost bins at the Priory (see "Composting the Priory") and was inundated with one request for more information on how I built them. So, for what my carpentry skills might be worth, here we go. A couple of years ago, I picked up a copy of … Continue reading Let’s Build A Compost Bin!
The Anxious Gardener 