Wet and Dry

Wet and Dry

Wet weather in recent days has slowed work down in the Genus garden, but in between the torrential downpours and scudding showers we have managed to make some progress.  During the heaviest spells of rain we stayed dry by taking shelter in the greenhouses, tidying up the pots and sweeping the floors of a summer’s-worth of debris - each leaf and seed packet a stark memory transporting us back to those long arid days so far removed from this November’s offering.

Tomato plants with their desiccated limbs and shrivelled fruits were consigned to the compost heap along with their roots and the contents of the pots.  Some polythene sheeting and sheets of horticultural mesh were folded and packed away in a large builder's bag, and canes stacked and sorted.

We like to feed the birds at this time of year, offering a menu of fat-balls, sunflower hearts, and peanuts, each species having a favourite and some grateful for the discarded scraps that fall to the ground.  For the first time squirrels have discovered our offerings and are now frequent visitors to the feeding station, amusing us with their antics and surprising us with their increasing bravery as we press our inquisitive faces against the kitchen windows.  An extra sack of peanuts is already added to our next order!


Wildlife in the garden - the tawny owl

The tawny owl (Strix aluco), is a medium-sized owl species widely distributed across Europe and western Siberia.  It’s a common sight in woodlands and has successfully adapted to urban environments...
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Gardeners' notes - what to do in November

Clearing Borders   With many plants now beyond their best it’s time to consider clearing your borders.  Although an operation that many are choosing to leave until the spring, we...
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Plant folklore - blackthorn

The blackthorn or sloe, scientifically known as Prunus spinosa, is a well known countryside plant and appears frequently in Celtic folklore and mythology.  This thorny shrub is intrinsically linked with...
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