February

I was thinking that perhaps there wasn’t much to report this month, but how wrong I was! It’s actually quite hard to keep up with all the goings-on. A cold, calm, February day in the gardens reveals activity all around. We’ve finally had a run of dry weather so grass is being cut, borders dug and rearranged, trees planted, shrubs pruned, cottages restored, sheds re-roofed, vegetables picked, all with the enticing smells of great cooking wafting about. A walk around the fields discloses more noises, and smells, namely the pigs munching organic barley, the cows chomping hay from the wild-flower meadow, cockerels crowing, hens foraging, hedge rows all a-twitter, dogs barking…..

The Fruit Garden
Above the yellow and purple carpet of miniature daffodils and crocuses, two almond trees have just come into flower. They have the most delicate, pink-tinged blossom which, at this time of year, is susceptible to late frosts. Also the bees required for pollination need warmer weather to lure them from their hives, so whether we get any almonds is doubtful. Let’s wait and see.

The Vegetable Garden
Found hidden away through a small copse of trees, this is a fabulous ‘potager’, or ornamental vegetable garden, the beds laid out in triangles and diamonds, creating a satisfying, geometric design. Vegetables, herbs and flowers are planted in neat rows of contrasting colours and varieties to create a beautiful and useful garden. At the moment, our own organic compost is being added to the empty beds, in preparation for the new season’s planting. The paths have been washed of their wintery grime so we can appreciate more the beautiful herringbone brickwork.

Willow Structures
At this time of year, before the leaves come out, you can really appreciate the form in the twisting, gnarled stems of the Willow Tunnel. The sculptural qualities are extraordinary and it’s amazing to think that, in only a few years, such a feature can be created. Every year the new growth has to be woven back into the main shape, or pruned back, creating an ever-evolving structure. Willow is also a great asset to wildlife and is second only to the oak in housing over 200 species of insects, including over 90 species of moth caterpillar. These feed on the leaves, thus attracting mammals such as bats. To find out more about native trees and how many species they harbour go to this website.

 

The Glasshouses
As the name implies, this acre of greenhouse is made up of hundreds of panes of glass. The panes are being cleaned this month to increase light levels as much as possible, which is very important for growth at this time of year. Within the newly cleaned glasshouses the fleece has been lifted off the new lettuces to reveal thriving plants, the leaves of new spuds have appeared at the top of neat ridges where they are planted deep to produce a good crop, the broad bean seedlings have been planted out in their bay, each with a supportive cane, and garlic is growing away happily in neat rows. These glasshouses provide year round the diverse range of salad leaves and herbs needed for the Cookery School, the stall at Midleton Farmers Market and the Farm shop . 

Things are speeding up on the growing front and this journal will have to become more efficient to keep up!