Spring Garden Blog of the Victorian Walled Garden
Spring is in the air…finally the ground is warming up, and the land is drying off after a long and wet winter and early spring.
We also experienced a bit of frost in February which is no harm and can benefit the soil. The Walled Garden actually looks really nice when it is covered under a white coat.
Walled Garden in February
The poor weather did not stop us from sowing our first seeds in our propagation glasshouse beginning February. The seeds of seventeen different heritage varieties of sweet peas got soaked in water for 24 hours before they were sown into deep pots. After roughly ten days the first stalks peeped through the soil. We moved the plants into our cold frames after about two weeks where they are hardening off since. The pots will be going outside this week and planted into their final position coming week. The supports for the sweet peas got a make-over and are refreshed with new willow. The willow is just growing outside our garden wall, so it is very handy to cut as much as we need whenever we need it.
Sweet peas are soaking in water for 24h
Sweet peas growing on nicely in deep pots
Newly refurbished willow supports
We could welcome our first spring flowers by mid-February, too.
After Snowdrops, Crocuses and Hyacinths are always the first spring flowers ringing in the new gardening season. Unfortunately, both genera are not lasting very long and windy or even stormy conditions can make an end to the flower display rapidly.
Hyacinthus 'Ann Mary', one of the earliest flowering spring bulbs
We have different types of heritage Daffodils following soon afterwards. One of my favourite small Tazetta Daffodil is Narcissus 'Canaliculatus'. The tiny and very delicate looking flower heads are so unique and always a showstopper. They work really well in combination with Snakes Head Fritillarias. They both flower at the same time and can be naturalised. We grow ours together in the long Ribbon beds along the garden wall.
Narcissus 'Canaliculatus' and Snakes Head Fritillarias in our Ribbon beds in March
The Snakes Head Fritillarias are very versatile and reliable. We often get questions from visitors about the type of plant. They are particularly nice when planted on mass like in our Parterre beds.
More Snakes Head Fritillarias
The Bellis are a bit slower this spring, the wet ground had an effect on them. So, it is always good to mix bulbs and bedding plants together. One of them will normally perform better than the other and create enough show. Tulip sylvestris is a lovely early flowering wild heritage variety. The warm yellow works well in combination with all types of spring flowers. Again, it is a good plant for naturalising in meadows for example.
Tulip sylvestris in the formal flower garden
We also planted blueberries in raised beds first time since the garden restoration was done in 2000. Maybe first time ever since we have no references about any blueberry planting here. It will be exciting to see how they perform. Plenty of acidic compost and the wood chippings of coniferous trees will help them along.
First Blueberries ‘Jersey’ in the Walled Garden
We are busy in the Vegetable Garden once again.
The first early potatoes got planted the week of St. Patrick’s Day and the first broad beans and radishes went in yesterday. We have also sown green manure Phacelia in one of the empty plots. This plot is only needed later in the season when the spring cabbages are getting planted in July. The green manure will cover and feed the plot until planting time.
New potato ridges
Frames for broad beans
We always try to inform our visitors about the ongoing work in the garden. The Vinery is a perfect spot for it, especially on a rainy day. All plants overwintered well in the heated glasshouse, soon most of them will move outside again for the summer season. Also, the vines started to grow new shoots, hopefully we will have a nice crop this year.
The Vinery
Jenny, our ever-popular garden cat, used the Vinery as her cosy winter home. She especially loves the heated underground pipes!
That’s all the garden news for now. I am wishing all readers a lovely Easter. We have our Easter trail going through the garden once again! It is a great activity for children of all ages!
