The weather is still playing with us. We’ve had some lovely spring weather interspersed with cold winds that have us adding extra layers of clothing. It has been a game of Russian roulette as to whether or not the showers fall on us. They had heavy rain just a few miles away from us whereas we had a pleasant dry day. Most of our rain has conveniently waited until after dark which has meant that we have been able to do lots more tidying on the plot and in the garden.
Martyn prepared the bed that will house our new strawberries while I fertilised the existing strawberries and did more weeding. It doesn’t make for interesting photographs, but one little friend found our activity of great interest.
Beds have also been made ready for planting our onions and first potatoes.
There are lots of native primroses sprinkled around the allotment. Most are self sown.
For the flowers to produce seed, there needs to be plants with two types of flowers. Pin headed flowers like the one below on the left have a stigma held above the petals whereas the stigma of the thrum headed flower – below on the right – is hidden in the petals. This set up ensures that flowers are pollinated by another plant rather than being self-pollinated
Back in the garden, Martyn battled to remove a bamboo. One down and three more to go! I had the easier job of tidying up flower beds.
You may remember that something dug around in the tubs of newly planted spring bulbs. I wasn’t expecting much of a display but some bulbs survived the onslaught. The first of our camelias is also full of flower.
The hippeastrum or amaryllis flowers have opened. It’s a pity that they won’t last long. This is the fifth year that the bulb has flowered and has produced two strong flower stems each year.
Last week, we headed for a new venue for an afternoon’s walk. We visited Hardwick Hall which is just an hour’s drive south of us in Chesterfield. Hardwick Hall dates back to the Tudor period. Bess of Hardwick built two halls on the site. The new hall is still intact but, having Ruby with us, we couldn’t visit inside.
If you are interested in the history of the hall you can read more here.
It was a lovely spring day so we were content to wander around the gardens. As you would expect, the main display was provided by spring bulbs.
A peacock butterfly was making the most of the sunshine.
As well as the gardens surrounding the hall there are a series of garden ‘rooms’. The vegetable garden has been laid out in a pattern although very little has been planted yet. It will be interesting to visit later in the year.
Other than the lavender hedges the herb garden is also bare at the moment.
Hardwick is famous for its textile collection so it is appropriate for them to have an area for plants that can be used in dyeing
Another claim to fame is that the external view of the hall was used for Malfoy Manor in a Harry Potter film
The old hall is , more or less just a ruin. In Bess of Hardwick’s days the two halls were used in much the same way as two rooms in a house but after Bess died the old hall was neglected.
After our walk around the gardens, we headed past the old hall and down the hill to the five row ponds.
The five row ponds were created around the same time as the old hall to provide water, fish and ducks for the hall. In one of the photographs below you can spot the ice house to the right of the first pond.
We set off walking around the ponds hoping that the route would take us back to the car park.
Waterbirds were pairing up for the breeding season. They are no longer at risk of ending up on the dining table.
After a long uphill trek, we eventually arrived back in the car park.
A video of our visit is posted here.
Finally, last week, I used some of our red onions and green beans in a Moroccan-style chicken stew.
More onion and green beans along with some of our squash, were used to make a vegetable curry.
As always, until next time, stay safe and stay well.
I never bother keeping my amaryllis bulbs as I’ve never succeeded in getting one to flower for a second time, you’ve obviously got the golden touch. We visited Hardwick Hall last year, Bess of Hardwick is such an interesting character in history.
Martyn is the pne whp keeps it going Jo
Yes Bess had a very full life.
Hardwick Hall Looks like a lovely place too visit, especially with the old and the new, but I still can’t quite get over all of those empty beds at this time of year, I bet you’re desperate to get growing! : all the best – Steve
Empty beds is a usual sight around here, Steve. Everyone on our allotment site is just starting planting. I think your side of the Pennines has a different microclimate.
it is lovely to see the weather becoming more spring like, it’s been a long time since we saw the sun.
It’s still really cold at night, Debbie