Jewels in an Arid Land - Norton Conyers, Summer 2018

I write in mid July. The record-breaking weather continues; it is the longest and hottest heatwave in the UK since 1976. The country has basked in sunshine, and both sport and weather have dominated the headlines. The weather ran in tandem with the country's growing hopes for the England football team in the World Cup; rain (briefly) came the day after their defeat in the semi-final to Croatia.

Many people are enjoying the novelty of the enduring hot weather. But for the gardener it is a headache and a challenge.

June began warm but unremarkable - Norton Conyers' NGS opening gardens was held on a disappointingly dull day, and we looked set for a typically British summer. Grass was mown every week - a task taking up much of every Thursday - and there was still plenty of other work to be done - hoeing is one of Giles' favourite tasks to delegate.
Driving the tractor for the first time was a particular highlight of mine...

Mowing the lawn outside the house

However, the month progressed with the mercury rising and growing intervals between rain. Much time was spent hoeing the dry topsoil across much of the gardens; weeds are peskily persistent. With large fruit and vegetable plots, and freshly planted borders, watering was the most vital part of our work. Watering in a garden the size of Norton Conyers' takes up a lot of time - especially given the days between work here, where a really good soaking of the earth is required to ensure plants are able to survive in the heat.

The watering paid off - the majority of the plants in the garden have still been able to thrive despite the prolonged heat. There is a remarkably healthy crop of vegetables and fruit, and nothing to suggest the harsh climes in which they have grown.

Cows

Towards the end of June I arrived at Norton Conyers - early as usual to drop my Mum off at work en route - and set out to explore the grounds before Giles opened the garden gates. A relatively cool, but bright and clear start - perfect photographic conditions. I walked towards the house, and then along the external perimeter of the walls. Cows - sometimes heard from inside the gardens - grazed in their herd. I walked along and took pictures of the main border in its summer prime through the gate. I took my time taking shots, but had no sense of what was happening behind me...

I turned - the cows had spotted me and were heading my way in their herd. I stood and took photographs of the creatures as they advanced.  No more than 20ft separated me from them across the ha-ha as they gazed, questioning the reason for my presence - was I a bringer of food?!

Strimming

The day's work began, and I set about hoeing borders. The temperature rose rapidly, and after lunch Giles set me to work with a strimmer on the overgrown land outside the house. Having topped up the fuel and equipped myself with harness, protective helmet and visor, I ambled out of the courtyard and towards the house. Although Alyson had been employed with this task for some time before me, there was still much to keep me busy. In the full sun I soon began to tire. Nettles and goose grass tangled as the base of the machine spun, meaning my efforts were regularly frustrated, and bits of projected debris smarted against my skin. A stop-start job, but one which I managed to finish just in time for lunch; by which time I was hot and achy - my forehead shiny with beads of sweat.
Much more land would be strimmed over the coming weeks, but due to the weather, no one was to be employed doing this job for more than a couple of hours in a single day.

Rosa Iceberg - a favourite of Sir James - outside the Orangery.

Odd-jobs

As the month progressed and dryness began to take hold, the grass - growing at an ever-slowing rate - was left alone. This freed up much time - in other circumstances, time is a luxury to the gardener. But Giles had a declining list of jobs to do given the arid weather. When watering and hoeing were in hand, odd jobs included thinning out pears, weeding around the house and trimming bushes - all worthwhile but not pressing priorities.

Fruit

However, this time would soon be needed as the 'fruits' of our labour were beginning to ripen. I stepped into the peach house in the last week of June - the sweet and intoxicating scent filling the room. The fruits had been thinned out just a few weeks previously, and so I remarked at the fast progress that had been made since then. Given the plethora of ripened fruits, we were able to take some home for ourselves. I baked four in the oven and added cream - divine!

A peach, ripe for the picking

Redcurrants hide themselves amongst the leaves - waiting to be discovered. I had found them a week or so previously - small, white, unappealing. However, on this occasion I found perfectly-formed, glistening ruby jewels. I was struck by nature's enduring tenacity in conditions so unfavourable to life. It's our job as gardeners to assist the natural process, but the relentlessness of the weather could not prevent these plants from producing the largest, reddest currants I had ever seen.

As raspberries and loganberries ripened, along with some of the straggling redcurrants, a glut of fresh fruit was available. I cast my mind back to my first day in the gardens when I helped Giles to install huge wooden supports for the new raspberry plants; on this June day I stood admiring four months of nature's hard work.

Redcurrants hanging like threaded beads

Ripening loganberries

A few coach-parties visited during this period, and we had fruit punnets picked in anticipation; peaches and apple juice ready for purchase.









Arid Land

June turned into July, and - like much of the rest of the country - the effect of weeks of dry, hot weather had yellowed the lawns. The lack of mowing and uneven growth added to the untidiness. This was a shame given the magnificence of the rest of the garden. But there was no practical way of preventing nature's course in this instance. We just had to wait for the rain to come.

Further tractor driving was to come at the beginning of July, as the meadow outside the house was to be mown for the first time in the season. The length of the growth demanded a slow tractor speed - another time-consuming job. I swapped to start clearing up with rake and pitchfork, and several dumper loads of grass were taken into the woods. I was told that the dryness of the grass made this an easier job than in previous years - just as well given the heat! The whole team was involved in this operation, and a convivial atmosphere was enjoyed before lunch.

Alan - dumper commander

Lunch time!

 


















The Vegetable Patch

The vegetable patch is a wonderful sight right now. Earlier this week, huge cauliflowers were picked; I enjoyed some in a home-made vegetarian lasagne today along with peas and courgettes also from the garden. The brassicas sprawl and the onions and beetroots sit proudly in their beds. Not everything has been a success though - our experimentation with Soya plants this year will be chalked up in the 'experience' category (it was largely destroyed by pigeons), and a row of  beetroot didn't grow at all (we think the freshly planted seeds may have been hoed over by mistake...). But overall, we are all delighted with a very healthy crop and another successful year - so far at Norton Conyers - success indeed given the harsh growing conditions. We will enjoy the fat of the land for weeks to come.