Views around the grounds and Walled Garden - 23/11/2011

November is shaping up to be one the warmest and dryest months on record. It was about 12oC when i got in my car to travel to Wallington. The day remained dry and we spent our time in the Walled Garden, beside the Mary Pool clearing up the borders and paths.

It was a year to the day when the snow started here at  Wallington last winter. It was hard to believe the difference in the weather today, compared with then.


The leaves are nearly all off the trees and the majority of work here at the present is preparing the garden for winter and planting seasonal colour around the borders.


The following photographs were taken before I started work:

Clock Tower from the Courtyard

House from West Lawn.

House Entrance.

Looking towards West Lawn.

House from East Lawn.

Griffin Heads on East Lawn.

Lower terrace of Walled Garden.

Edwardian Conservatory.

Views around the grounds and Walled Garden - 16/11/2011

The forecasters are predicting that the recorded temperatures in November are going to break records. The frosts of earlier in the month have disappeared and although the sky is cloudy and overcast it remains dry.

This week on my visit to Wallington there was a group of 12 people on a working holiday in the Walled Garden. They have come at just the right time to help with the clean up of the garden, planting and other jobs preparing for winter.

The leaves are rapidly falling and autumn colours are starting to disappear. There are some areas that stand out in the woods and garden.

The following photgraphs were taken on my walk from the car park to the Walled Garden:

House from East Lawn - 16/11/2011.

East Wood - 16/11/2011.

East Wood - 16/11/2011.

East Wood - 16/11/2011.

Lower Terrace of Walled Garden - 16/11/2011.

Lower Terrace of Walled Garden - 16/11/2011.

Plum Border in the Walled Garden - 16/11/2011.

Potting Shed and East Lawn of Walled Garden - 16/11/2011.

A single splash of colour in the Walled Garden - 16/11/2011.

Railway Border and Yew Circle of the Walled Garden - 16/11/2011.

Views around the grounds and Walled Garden - 09/11/2011

Hard frosts started the week, but on the day I came to Wallington, there was no sign of any! The weather forecast was for rain and an overcast sky. We were lucky it did not rain, and I was given the job of clearing up the leaves around the path of East Lawn in the Walled Garden. 

It was a calm still day with no wind. This made the job easier and the path remained clear after clearing.

There were a few visitors to the Walled Garden today. I spent the majority of my time with this part of the garden to myself. 


The following photographs were taken before I started work today:

Clock Tower and Courtyard

Courtyard and cottages.

House from West Lawn.

View through to Courtyard.

East Wood.

East Wood.

Part of the area, I had to clear on East Lawn, Walled Garden.

Views around the Grounds and Walled Garden - 02/11/11

The clocks have gone back and we have now moved into November. The House is now closed, but the grounds and Walled Garden remain open for visitors. As usual I journeyed to Wallington for another Wednesday volunteering for the National Trust.

Reaching Wallington at about 8.40 a.m. I parked the car and could hear a leaf blower in operation beside the property entrance. Was this a clue to what I would be doing today?

On my way to the Walled Garden, I took my usual photographs. The trees are shedding their leaves and with the rain they make a mess and any wind takes them to corners of buildings, hedges and borders.

It was to be a day of collecting these leaves, I spent the morning clearing the hedge bottoms of Courtyard cottages and around the Clock Tower Restaurant. It was very busy with a National Trust Coffee Shop walk starting at about 10.30 a.m.

In the afternoon I moved across the Courtyard to tackle the fallen Horse Chestnut leaves on the grass. I was very surprised on moving the leaves, to see daffodil shoots poking out of the grass!

It remained dry and sunny at Wallington today, although some gusts of wind across the Courtyard took leaves onto the areas I had tidied earlier. Well there's always next week to have another go.

Photographs taken today:

Clock Tower

Clock Tower and Courtyard

House frontage and path to West Lawn and West Wood

Autumn colours on East Lawn

House entrance and East Lawn

Mary Pool in the Walled Garden

Autumn's colours in the Walled Garden

Path in Walled Garden to Mary Pool

Lower Terrace Walled Garden

Courtyard and Rear of House