Jo's News and Views No 9 September 2024

Hello Everyone 

Yet more rain for us all! What a shame we don't have more reservoirs in the country. We would never have a hosepipe ban again, would we?! I do hope you have all escaped any flooding and you are all ok. 

Before I start with the garden news I wanted to mention Terry Gilmour, a gardener at Myddelton. Terry is a Level 2 RHS student at Capel Manor. He was recently awarded a Silver Merit and the People's Choice Award for his garden "Fancy a Cuppa" at the BBC Gardeners World Autumn Fair. Well done Terry, an amazing achievement, photo 1. 

Members of the Committee attended the House on September 21st for Open House London. A time when houses around London that are normally closed to the public open their doors so everyone can have a look around them. We had a very good day with 344 visitors. My thanks to Holly Curtis at the LVRPA for the brilliant publicity she organised. This occassion leads me to my first photo. The weather was perfect for people to stroll around the garden and the Front Lawn looked beautiful. The photo are such good quality from my phone, that I won't be so concerned if I forget my camera in future, photos 2 and 3. 

Walking around to the back of the house I stopped to inspect the Campsis radicans, the Trumpet vine, that grows up a wall here, photo 4. It is a self-clinging woody climber which needs plenty of space and warmth so this south facing wall is perfect. Even though I have missed the peak flowering moment, the remaining flowers are beautiful, photo 5. 

I moved on to the Kitchen Garden next, stopping on the way to admire this Mespilus germanica 'Nottingham' or Medlar 'Nottingham' as it is also known, photo 6. It is covered in fruit which, I believe, is an acquired taste. A group of Dipsacus fullonum, or teasels, near by caught my eye, photo 7. So striking against the blue sky in the sunshine. The Kitchen Garden is full of produce at the moment, photo 8. Nearby in the cut flower bed was this lovely clump of Rudbeckia, photo 9. 

Into the Glasshouses next. This lovely display of air plants sat on a log looked stunning, photo 10. So did all the Glasshouses overall. The Aristolochia grandiflora is still flowering, photo 11. Gary really does a good job nurturing all of these tender plants for the visitors to enjoy. 

Walking onto the New River Lawn I stopped to enjoy the area around the Wisteria Bridge, photo 12. The Ostrich seems to be standing at quite a jaunty angle, as if to say "look at me". Behind it I noticed a new shoot of Wisteria making its way along the wall and the splendid Collectia paradoxa, the Anchor plant. The stems of the Colletia paradoxa bear blue-green flattened triangular spines that look like tiny anchors and small clusters of fragrant white flowers appear in Autumn, photo 13. I am so pleased to have seen them. 

Walking along the New River Lawn to the Tulip Terrace the displays there are still looking lovely, photo 14. The young Paulownia tomentosa, the Foxglove tree, planted in the centre of the beds were catching the sunlight, photos 15 and 16. There was also a cheeky squirrel in the foreground of photo 16. 

Making my way through the Rose Garden I noticed the leaves of the Vitis coignetiae had turned into beautiful shades of red, photo 17. Then walking through to Bowling Green Lawn I thought that the bench in front of the Eremurus Border looked very inviting, photo 18. So I sat for a while soaking up the atmosphere of the garden. 

My next stop was the Old Conservatory, photo19. In the corner there was a beautiful plant, Senna septemtrionalis, known as the Arsenic Bush. The flowers are a delightful yellow colour, photo 20, and mildly toxic rather that deadly! 

Finally, my fauna round-up for September. First of all a lovely bee enjoying the flowers in the Annual Flower bed, photo 21. Next a Large White butterfly, photo 22 and a Speckled Wood butterfly, photo 23. Then a large fungi, known as Chicken of the Woods, on a tree near the Rock Garden, photo 24. 

That's all for now. I hope you have enjoyed my wander around the gardens with me. 

Best wishes 

Jo