Jo's November 2021 News and Views
Hello Everyone
Well, I really thought Autumn was short lived this year so I am pleased to say that the colours stayed in the garden all through November. In fact they became even better so here is a selection of all that I enjoyed throughout November.
Starting with the car park. The beech hedges surrounding this area always look so beautiful in Autumn, photo 1. On the edge of one area is this delightful Acer griseum, or Paperbark maple, photo 2. The samaras, called helicopters by the young at heart, hold the seed which has its own little wings that allow it to spiral downwards and plant itself in the soil below, photo 3. Opposite the Visitors Centre is this splendid Tilia x europaea, a Lime tree, covered in mistletoe, photo 4.
Then on the Front Lawn we have the magnificent Cedar tree, covered in cones. It seems determined not to be outshone by all this Autumn colour around it, photo 5.
Walking along the path towards the pond is the colourful Parrotia persica, the Persian ironwood tree, photo 6. The arching branches made the perfect frame for the Kniphofia, red hot pokers, in the bed outside the Old Conservatory, photo 7. When you look at the leaves closely you can see how they give the tree it's overall beautiful Autumn colour, photo 8.
On the other side of Bowling Green Lawn is the Sunken Lawn area and the elegant Ginkgo biloba, also known as the Maidenhair tree. Seen here on the 7th November, photo 9, then its leaves had all turned yellow by the 18th November, photo 10 and unfortunately the show was over by 25th November, photo 11. Good job I didn't blink and miss it!
Behind this area I strolled through the Bamboo walk which in the afternoon sunshine took on a fairy glade feeling, photo 12. Running along the New River Lawn is this stately row of Taxus baccata, photo 13. These ancient Yew trees are hundreds of years old. In his book "My Garden in Autumn and Winter", Mr Bowles wrote about scrubbing the trunks in winter, an exercise that warmed him up, so that the red bark would shine like a beacon during the cold winter months. All the Yew trees in the garden are covered with berries this year, photo 14.
Retracing my steps I walked through to the Kitchen Garden and stopped to admire the Colletia paradoxa, called the Anchor plant or Jet plane plant, photo 15. These names come from the very distinctive shape of the leaves. It flowers in Autumn and is covered with tiny white flowers whose scent reminds you of lilac, photo 16. Outside the Peach House I checked to see if there were any more snowdrops in flower but I didn't find any. But the Anemones planted amongst the wild flowers there have started flowering, photo 17. This one was so beautiful and I hope it survives the cold weather that is on it's way. On the edge of the Cut Flower Bed area is the third Liquidambar tree to be found in the garden, photo 18. This one behaves differently again from the other two trees but is equally handsome in its own way. Further along the path in the Kitchen Garden was this display of Chard, photo 19, the colours of the stems were lit up by the afternoon sunshine.
Leaving the Kitchen Garden and walking towards the Rock garden I noticed the impressive Metasequoia glyptostroboides, the Dawn redwood tree, photo 20, in the Alpine meadow area. Basking in the sunshine that day proving that it can show off in Autumn too. On the lawn behind the Pond Terrace is the Liquidambar I mentioned last month. This has now turned a fabulous burnished copper colour, photo 21. Finally, I could not leave without stopping to admire the Taxodium distichum, the Swamp Cypress, photo 22, across the other side of the pond. I wonder if Mr Bowles realised just how wonderful the Pond Terrace and the view across the Pond would be more than a hundred years on. It really is a perfect place to sit and while away some time whilst enjoying all the Autumn colour here.
Finally, my fauna selection. The smaller birds in the garden are proving to be quite elusive at the moment so it was left to the big boys to show themselves this month. First of all I found a Jay enjoying himself foraging along the edge of Bowling Green Lawn, photo 23. They really are a striking bird and normally quite shy so was pleased to see this one out in the open, photo 24. Then in amongst the mistletoe in the Lime tree outside the Visitors Centre was this beautiful Mistle Thrush, photo 25. The Mistle Thrush takes its name from the fact that it is very fond of mistletoe berries and it is often seen high up in the Lime tree here at Myddelton, photo 26.
I hope you have enjoyed this wander around the garden with me.
Best Wishes
Jo
