Moors Meadow Open Gardens and Nursery - Bromyard

This Month

This Month January 2024 - Saturday, 30 Dec 2023

I have just had a soggy walk, or slither, around the garden to check if there was any damage from the storm that rattled the house and kept me awake last night, luckily only a few very small branches down. There was some water in the sunken garden so it must have rained some as I was only working in there in my boots a few days ago. I decided to move an Osmunda regalis (Royal Fern) from an area which was damp but has dried out over recent years and was overshadowed by a large Viburnum which I didn’t want to cut back. I did leave a larger Osmunda nearby in a more open position. It was hard enough digging the smaller of the two up, made harder by tree roots grown through the rootball. I put it on some sacking to drag downhill but at the same time I decided to move some of the Shuttlecock Ferns from the fernery so it was quite a heavy load to drag. I have also been splitting robust perennials to try in the sunken garden, I do hope they will take as they will add more colour and interest. Now I am back at the computer to do some more writing, housework, yes that is an option but I really must get on with the writing, honest!
In between the, seemingly endless, rain or wind, or both I dash outside to try to get on with the gardening. It entails mostly pruning and happily there hasn’t been too much to do although it will still take all winter. I am removing some plants which need a lot of attention through growing so rapidly every year so decided to cut out the Kiwi fruit. I finished chopping the one down that was planted outside the fruit cage then turned to the one inside the cage. I decided to take this one down to about a quarter of its size, it hasn’t fruited but I thought I would give it a little bit of a reprieve. I was about a third of the way through the job when I spotted fruit but I still decided to cut it back.
I had two big dead trees to take out, both were tricky being surrounded by precious small trees and shrubs so needing a lot of thinking about, weighing up the best way to get them down with minimal damage. We took a small pine out too as it only had a bit of green at the very top and was leaning. It may have stood for several years but I decided to do it now while there is still energy to deal with such jobs. I have been thinking about what to replace that with and feel that as there is a lot of dark green in the area it would benefit by something bright such as a white stemmed Birch. It should grow up straight and not be too big for the space. It was a spur of the moment decision to take the pine out and, coincidentally, I bought Betula Snow Queen a week before but had already planted it in the lower garden. It is in the same area as Betula Jacquemontii and with two white stemmed Birch now there I feel a third is needed, I could just move the new one away but I do like the effect it gives down there. I also would like one by the blue gates where an Acer had died so that is three white stemmed Birch on my list however I may get two white and one pink.
Now you have your new calendars and diaries please not June 16th as a day to come to Moors Meadow for our special event in aid of St. Michael’s Hospice. If you feel able to make cake or a savoury snack for our refreshments please contact me.
Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2024 from the team at Moors Meadow Gardens.

Please Pick a link to view older articles