Here we are, Christmas 2020 is only few days away and we are wrapping up the garden work for the coming two weeks for our Christmas break.

 

What a year it was, it is actually hard to put it into words, too much happened in too many different ways. We had to adjust to new ways of working, taking onboard new measures, getting used to restricted movements, not having close contact to visitors to the Victorian Walled Garden, priorities jobs, leaving out non-essential work, still making sure the garden is keeping up its high standards in these uncertain times. We also had to say happy retirement to my former Assistant Head Gardener Dolores Hogan who put all her heart into this garden for over twenty years.

 

The garden team showed great commitment and worked well together as a team which tells a lot about this place.

 

Coming into the garden this morning I realized once again how special Kylemore Abbey & Garden is. The quietness of the Walled Garden on a frosty, sunny and calm day, situated in this unique landscape with  grand vistas to the surrounding mountain range just puts everything into perspective and connects you very much with nature.

 

To finish off this years garden blogs I put few garden impressions from December below and I also want to take the opportunity to wish all my readers a Merry Christmas, Nollaig Shona, Schoene Weihnachten! I will spend this Christmas in Ireland, so I need to adjust to the Irish way of celebrating, well it will be a mix of German and Irish traditions I would say!Warm wishes and more news from the Victorian Walled Garden in 2021!

 

Your Head Gardener

 

Anja Gohlke 

 

 

Pic1 Morning frost on Phlomis russeliana - Turkish Sage  

 

 

Pic2 The last of the Crabapples, view over to the Diamond Hill in the morning sun  

 

 

Pic3 Winter Turnips  

 

 

Pic4 Sorting and cataloging new seed deliveries  

 

 

Pic5 The Vegetable Plots are well covered; bottom left a layer of local sheep wool; bottom right a layer of local seaweed; the top plots have a plastic cover 

 

 

Pic6 The Vinery got scrubbed and cleaned, the walls freshly white washed with lime. All tender plants are housed in here over the next few month.  

 

 

Pic7 View along the Herbaceous Border to the Westgate of the Walled Garden  

 

 

Pic8 First snow in Kylemore Abbey!