The Lakeland Gardener

On this magical New Years Eve my mind wanders to a circle of fungi that until recently could be viewed in the grass in front of my house - my own Fairy Circle. Now that a sprinkling snow has arrived why has the fungi vanished?   This distinct ring of toadstools arrived in October, disappeared in December.   Was it Mr. Pheasant who, with his hareem, regularly pecks away at the sward?   Maybe the frosts eat away the fungi?   Toadstools and mushrooms have survival structures to withstand harsh weather conditions.   Perhaps an elf took away my fairy ring?    Today in bright sunlight when snowfall has obliterated the grass, I look at many Beatrix Potter's illustrations to see whether she drew toadstools in snow.    A captivating collection of 250 illustrations by Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) can be found at the Armitt Museum and Library in Ambleside, Cumbria.   Today I look online at www.armitt.com .  Exquisite bot...

A beautiful but chilly day.    A hoar frost covers my garden, descends upon my valley.    The feathery frost has the appearance of white hair.    The word comes from the olde English and refers to the aged, the old.    When an above freezing atmosphere comes in contact with a frozen, solid surface water vapour changes to ice and becomes a hoar frost. The plants in my garden take on a mystical appearance.   The wintry scene is enhanced by a  flock of Herdwick Sheep.   The Cumbrian mountain sheep much loved by Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) - writer, illustrator and farmer.   She bequeathed 14 farms, approximately 4000 acres of Cumbrian land, to England's largest conservation charity.    The National Trust, because of Beatrix Potter's legacy, have an obligation to protect her beloved Herdwicks. Frequently we see Helvellyn (a mountain Fell 950 metres/3120 feet high) from the garden.  Today the mist obscur...

The gardens of Cumbria's Lake District National Park do not have many species that truly belong.   The people who introduced plants to the county searched throughout the world for rare and unusual species to place in the gardens of England.    Native evergreen species include Box, Holly, Juniper, Scots Pine and Yew.   Trees and shrubs that have established themselves without the hand of man.  When the temperatures drop below freezing, as they have today, the evergreens still look sensational.    This year, for the Christmas holiday, I clipped evergreen shrubs from the garden.  Arranged leaves and branches in a variety of containers, positioned them on windowsills.   Conveyed the outdoors within.    Joining the native species were Choiysia ternata, Osmanthus, Ligustrum, Eleagnus pungens, Virburnum tinus and Hedera. Moving the garden into my home gives a sense of wonder during these long winter days.  Our resident ...

Loving wishes for the changing of the season. The Solstice brings an end to the darkest days of winter.   Welcomes the increasing light.  Helps us all to keep heart. The word solstice comes from the Latin words for "sun" and "to stand still".    Our agricultural roots remind us that even the earth must rest in winter. Soon we will have an end to these dark days.    Open your hearts for it is not long before this difficult time will end. Ancient traditions remind us to bring fragrant evergreens indoors.   To warm ourselves by the fire.    Light candles.    Give gifts. The Battle of the Holly and the Oak Kings A rivalry  many centuries old  since ancient times the tales were told Of two great kings, one dark, one light who twice a year     would heroically fight  the Holly King,                              ...

Friday, 18th December 2020 -   news that Newton Rigg College, Penrith, CA11 0AH will be no more.    News did not break until Friday morning.    The college campus will be sold in July 2021.    Many of the staff only discovering the closure this morning.     This is terrible news. Newton Rigg has been provider of specialist land-based further education since 1896.    Originally named the Cumberland and Westmorland Farm School the college became Newton  Rigg College in 1992.    The first building, a farmhouse, is still used for administrative and educational purposes.   The campus, gardens and arboretum spread over a vast site close to the M6 Motorway. 1998 the college was merged with the University of Central Lancashire  2007 the University of Cumbria took control. 2010 a grant was received for £3,000,000 to establish a National Centre for the Uplands to lead training, research and dialogue in hill ...

Beginning two gardening courses at Newton Rigg College, Penrith, was the most sensible decision of 2020.   RHS II Practical Horticulture and Garden Design with Plants.    Every Monday and Friday, since October, I have joined fellow gardeners on campus.  Tomorrow is our last day  of the Autumn term.    We hope to carry on in January 2021 through to Summer.   Over 9 weeks I have learnt much.   Identifying 15 weeds and naming them in Latin springs foremost in my mind.    Did you know that most common of weeds the dandelion has the sophisticated name of Taraxacum officinale? I have drawn plans, painted and discovered creative skills.  Pruned hedges.    Split and divided, hostas.   This exercise required help from fellow student Jack, aged 17, who jumped on my spade, broke it on two 😂 but achieved my objective five Hosta plants  from one.  We have turned compost and spread mulch.   ...

A strange day to begin writing a blog about gardens - howling winds, torrential rain outside my fellside home. December in Cumbria limits the amount of gardening possible. Yet the house next door, a typical Lake District farmhouse has landscapers developing a new driveway of gravel and stone. Peering through the window I see waterproofed lads soaked, wet, working diligently. Trees swaying in the wild wind. In the words of that great English gardener Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932)  "in winter when work is slack or impossible, an important matter in the economy of the garden, is to find the right sort of sticks or stakes.....By the plan of preparing all in winter no precious time is lost, and a tidy withe-bound bundle of the right sort is always at hand."    So my project for the day to find straight stakes for Dahlias, Hollyhocks and bean-poles.    Maybe some kindling for the fire too? A view from my garden on a threatening day in the darkest times of winter.