Last week was mostly dry until the weekend when the heavens opened and the heavy rain was accompanied by thunder. The temperature last week, however, was variable. We continued tidying on the allotment.
Martyn wanted to burn the huge pile of debris he had acquired by cutting back various bushes and I trimmed one of our apple trees and thinned out the raspberries which added to the bonfire pile. We have to wait until an hour before dusk before lighting bonfires. This was particularly ironic as a nearby industrial unit was burning something very smelly all afternoon while we dutifully waited for the acceptable time slot. This meant that we stayed on the plot later than usual and by the time we left, I was frozen. The chicken casserole that had been cooking in the slow cooker was just what we needed.
Another day was spent in the garden. The perennials in one bed and the area under one of our trees were tidied up.
Martyn did a hatchet job on two shrubs that had outgrown their allotted space.
Also having outgrown their desired area is a large bed of hellebores. The original plants have seeded and are popping up in places where they have no right to be. All the seedlings are the same dusky pink so once flowering is over, I’ll try to get the bed back into control. I must remember to label the plants that I want to keep.
The forecast was for good weather on Thursday so, armed with suitable garments for whatever the weather threw at us, we headed for Clumber Park. When we arrived we decided to leave coats in the car and even ended up carrying the fleeces that we took with us just in case the weather deteriorated. It didn’t and remained almost summery. We were interested to see how things were progressing in their walled kitchen garden compared to our allotment.
The pathways leading up to the garden looked very springlike planted with miniature daffodils and chionodoxa.
Last week, the strawberry plants that we ordered for a new strawberry bed arrived. These were potted up to grow on before planting out. 
They were also planting new strawberry beds at Clumber Park but there the tiny plants had been put into the ground. You can only just see the plants.
Their garlic and over-wintered onions were at a similar stage to ours. The difference was that being in a fairly protected walled garden, the plants were more upright. Ours had to survive being battered by the wind. I was surprised to note that some garlic was planted in the greenhouse as I would have thought that garlic preferred the cold.
Clumber Park is famous for its rhubarb collection. We don’t have a large collection but our Timperley Early rhubarb is at about the same stage as theirs.
Like on our plot enviromesh was being used to protect their few brassicas. I wonder whether like us they have a pigeon problem?
Unlike Clumber we don’t have peach trees that need protection.
As is the case on our allotment very little has been planted and the garden looks very bare. 
The greenhouse at ClumberPark is huge and would dwarf ours but, just like in our greenhouse, they have trays of seed potatoes chitting.
A video of our visit to the walled garden at Clumber Park is posted here
That’s where the similarity ends. In their greenhouse fruit trees are trained up a wall. The peach tree is flowering and unlike the trees outside, in here no protection is needed.
They also have beds indoors planted with various vegetables to produce earlier cropping. Something that can be done when space is no problem. It would be great to cover our plot with a glass dome. Here they have something approaching that.
In our greenhouse seedlings are raised in seed trays.
In the ornamental part of the greenhouse, they have amarylis/hippeastrums flowering whereas ours is still in bud.
I’m not sure that I like the colour of the flowers. No doubt it is a more choice variety but I prefer our plain, deep red flowers.
After looking around the kitchen garden we set off for a walk starting with the Pleasure Garden. We spotted birds feeding on a tree stump. Many chaffinches at Clumber Park seem to be prone to a condition called ‘tassel foot’ or ‘scaly foot’. The crusty growths on their feet are caused by a virus or mite infestation and apparently don’t adversely affect the birds too much. Chaffinches are particularly prone to this condition. It seems endemic at Clumber Park as we have noticed chaffinches here suffering from this for several years.
There are lots of squirrels at Clumber Park which interests Ruby. I think she sees them as kindred spirits as they have similar tails. This one was sharing food with the birds.
Quite a few trees have been cut down and the branches have been used to make hedges. It will be interesting to see how this area is developed.
Our visit was completed with a long walk around the lake.
On arriving home there was a treat in store for Ruby as she was due a wash and blow dry. Can you see how impressed she was?
I feel bad for the chaffinches with those things on their feet. Poor buggers. Your garden is inspiring. I am still under snow. That greenhouse is fabulous! Thanks for sharing. It was nice to see things on the other side of the pond.
Apparently the chaffinches are not too severely affected. Bonnie but it does look awful
Enjoyed your observations, as ever. “Chionodoxa”, such a mouthful! I happily call them Scilla. Great stopgap between the crocuses and bluebells (and tulips). Edinburgh has introduced a blanket ban on Allotment bonfires from May to September.
Our new allotment officer is a bit of a power crazed woman, Mal so anything could happen. Apparently Ed Milliband thinks growing your own food is bad for the planet so I shudder to think what he will come up with.
Aah, that little squirrell, so sweet.
We used to get lots of chaffinches visiting with dodgy feet, but I don’t see any at home these days.
Chaffinches seem particularly affected Belinda
Hi Sue, garlic grows well under cover, there’s little if any rust and it’s usually ready 2-3 weeks earlier than it is outside, but it’s a lot of space for a low value crop but as you say thats something they’re not short of. I was surprised to see the potatoes in full sun, I chit mine in shade and they chit very nicely, but without dehydrating : all the best – Steve
I guess that they haven’t had a lot of sun, Steve.