SPECIAL GIFTS
HIGHGROVE GARDEN: THE GARDEN NOW
LATE OCTOBER
The last apples are hanging on the trees, with one final collection due; the crab apples have been picked and sent to make jelly; hedge and topiary cutting continues and bulbs have been a focus for all the garden team; October - like its seasonal counterpart May - is horticulturally one of the busiest months of the year!
The hornbeam stilt hedge is a striking feature of the main lawn which frames the Thyme Walk and the golden clipped yew topiary. It is not only viewed from the ground but also from all levels of the House so precision cutting is paramount. It requires a mechanical high-reach lift to do the task, which saves much time and reduces back strain.
Such a bit of equipment also means we can reach those high climbers, or guttering that always needs attention and are just beyond the sensible reach of a ladder.
At this moment when the autumn nights are quickly drawing in, the joys of spring have arrived in the form of bulbs! These small wonderful packages of delight and optimism for things to come are somewhat time sensitive and need to be planted relatively quickly so that they do not rot or deteriorate.
With so many gardening tasks to do in October, we organise two deliveries of bulbs, so that most arrive at the end of September (primarily Crocus, Narcissi and prepared bulbs for pot work) followed by Tulips, Hyacinths and any others near the end of October.
This gives us time to prepare the areas as necessary for each display. This year we a have a few small areas of the Garden which we are clearing of pernicious weeds which will take a few seasons of management, so rather than leave these area empty, or just covered, we will use them for bulbs for cutting this season and then will reuse them elsewhere another year.
This autumn has not been as forthcoming with colour as previous years; the high winds have blown many leaves which have coloured away and desiccated many that remain. Never-the-less, many of the Japanese Maples are looking good, and the wonderful Crimson Glory Vine (Vitis coignetiae) covering the front of the House is magnificent as always. This is a vigorous deciduous climber, which can reach the tops of the highest trees in its native forests of Japan. We manage its ascent of the House by tying in the main stems to vine eyes and wires allowing the new growth to drape the Portico.
The Hostas which have performed well over the year are beginning to die back and also offer rich golden colour to the time of year.
If you could shut your eyes to the season, the scent of autumn would give itself away; from the smell of ripening fruit and fallen leaves to those special trees like the Katsura (Cercidipyllum japonicum) which offer up a most delicious burnt toffee scent in the air as the leaves begin to change colour – this has been evident over the past month in the Arboretum, caught in the air by the last visitors to the Garden for the season.
Autumn may appear to nearly close the year, but in gardening terms it is the start of many important cycles of growth; from harvesting of seeds and preparing cuttings, to collecting the fallen leaves to make leaf mould, to heaping up the compost piles which have grown through the summer, to planting bulbs – next year’s garden is just below the surface we cultivate now.
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