Garden Review 2023 Part 2

 Freshwinds Garden Review 2023 Part 2

August

The summer months were delightful, with many visitors, a dinosaur/fairy day and plenty of great harvesting.

A garden ready for an incredible number of visitors for our open day. It was actually in July. We raised over £400 for charity.

The polytunnel was overflowing with abundance.

Some paths were almost impassable.

The veggies kept coming.

We had some help from my nephews.

The sunflowers were an amazing success and went on and on.

The crafts trolley was also very popular with campers.

September

 

We began to bring things indoors.

I had my first carriage ride with Anne, Hollie and Willow the shire horse. It was delightful.

People were astounded by these sunflowers.

Flowering went on and on, well into the autumn.

The sunflowers were spectacular.

 

We bunched up amazing dahlias to sell at the coffee morning.

 

October

 

Warm days continued.

A scarecrow that needs a make-over in spring was brought in from the cold. Poor old soul.

The home-saved seeds were stored in home-made packets. This year I used old wallpaper.

The pumpkin harvest was brilliant.

We were given some huge log slices to replace the seating by the pond. The present ones have been in situ for over 10 years.

And the sun shone.

 

November

 

Some beds were cleared. Toadstools were slow to appear.

 

The last of an incredible harvest of peppers were picked. 

None were pickled but some were frozen. There were plenty of stuffed pepper meals.

Some beds still needed clearing.

 

December 

 

The guinea pigs had babies ..... ten in all. And such pretty colours.

 

We held our second wreath making workshop and had a great time.

In the evening it was Carols in the Barn .... another successful fund-raising for Farm Africa .... £400 was collected.

A lovely sausage sizzle was held to round off the season. The fire-pit was at last christened.

 

And finally a fairy-light carriage ride through the village as the sun set in glorious pinks, with Colada, mince pies and chocs courtesy of Anne and Hollie.

And Hollie at last got her carriage blanket which I promised her all year.

A perfect end to a perfect garden year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Garden Review 2023 Part 1

Freshwinds Garden Review 2023 Part 1

As I look through my 500 plus photos from the garden, I can`t help but think I could choose any number of themes to run through my review. What I have chosen is quite random but I hope you enjoy it.

Overall we have had a very good year, peppered with family times, sausage sizzles, a lot of laughs and plenty of fun. 

And some hard work.

January

The damson tree which has grown out of all proportion to our tiny orchard, had to go. It has shaded all the other tiny trees. I was sad about it as the damsons were great but the other trees have benefited from more light.

February

The bees were out early exploring the nesting boxes.

The pots of daffodils were a welcome sight.

This flowerbed had an overhaul.

March

The tortoises came out of hibernation. Oh how they are loved by visitors.

Helleborus giving signs of the joys to come.

April

 

The fairies came out from hibernation.

The scarecrows returned.

Only a scrappy selection of dahlias were left, after winter storage went a bit wrong.

May

Poppies began to fill the garden.

The tiny fairy yurt went up decorated with Hollie`s wedding floral rings.

And we found a no-spot ladybird!!

 

June

I planted a rather poor set of sunflower plantlets, little imagining how they would eventually flower.

The polytunnel was in full flow.

Sweetpeas delghted us all.

We were all astounded by the phormium flower in the tortoise run.

July

A new set of willow fairies moved in at the entrance.

Couer de Bue tomatoes on their way to a bumper harvest.

The more roomy area near the polytunnel was a great success.

And we built a new fernery to replace the so-called herb garden. It is in shadow a lot of the time so much more suited to ferns and moss.
 

End of part 1.