Views around the grounds - 24/10/2012

After the successful Food and Craft Festival here at Wallington, last weekend. I was expecting to help clear up in the Courtyard. The double marquee had gone and the only things left on the grass were the wooden boards for the tents. All of the catering units were gone and all you could see were the marks on the grass, where they had been sited.

The contrast in the weather could not have been more different. The weekend was fine, sunny and warm which brought over 20000 visitors to the Festival. Today was grey cloudy and damp. A few visitors had braved the wet weather to visit the House and Walled Garden.

East Lawn was my project for the day. The trees are shedding their leaves very quickly now and I was instructed how to use a petrol leaf blower to tackle the large area covered by the fallen leaves. It certainly is a lot quicker than a rake! I managed to clear a large area and collect and dump the leaves in amongst the trees. One thing is certain? It will be covered again tomorrow!!!!!

I took the following photographs before I started work this morning:

The leaves on East Lawn.

East Wood.

Garden Pond.

Garden Pond.

Garden Pond.

Garden  Pond.

Views around the grounds and Walled Garden - 19/10/2012.

The day before the popular Food and Craft Festival was to be very busy for the staff and volunteers at Wallington. Two large marquees cover a large section of the grass in the Courtyard, and throughout the day there was a steady stream of vehicles fetching generators and mobile catering units.

Visitors will be able to sample such delights as divine burgers, hog roasts and fish and chips. As usual there were some last minute jobs to be carried out: setting up the overflow car park, putting up tents, general tidying up of the property and for us, the volunteers present today - raking up the newly fallen leaves.

The weather forecast for today was correct. Fog and mist early morning clearing away with sun early afternoon with a temperature of around 12 degrees C. Our work hopefully will ensure Wallington is at its best, at this time of year though all of the leaves collected in one day could be replaced by others if the wind gets up!

My next visit to Wallington be be on Sunday as a visitor to the festival. Good weather is forecast, this hopefully will ensure a record attendance for the National Trust property.

I took the following photographs before I started work this morning:

Marquees on the Courtyard grass.

House entrance.

House from East Lawn.

View of the newly laid paths in East Wood.

Looking up to the Portico.

Autumn's colours beside Garden Pond.

After the damp start to the day in the Walled Garden.

Potting Shed door.

In the Blue and Yellow border of the Walled Garden.

Upper Terrace beside the Peach Houses.

View across the Lower Terrace of the Walled Garden.

Views around the grounds and Walled Garden - 10/10/2012

Clock Tower across the Courtyard.

Garden Pond.

Garden Pond.

Lower Terrace.

Lower Terrace.

Frost on the ground.

.

Hard frost.

Hard frost.

Views around the grounds and Walled Garden - 19/09/2012.

The year marches on and Autumn approaches. The days are getting shorter but the work required at this historic National Trust property continues. Seasonal tasks continue and the property continues to provide a wide variety of events for the visitors. The temperature was in single figures as I reached Wallington and the sun was shining with a bright blue sky. The 'Indian Summer' has not materialised yet!

It was another busy day working on the path beside West Lawn and along Lime Avenue towards the children's Adventure Playground. I have been working on the paths for three days over the last three weeks, weeding and edging the lawn. It is slow work but it is good to look back along the stretch I have finished to see how well it looks. The gardeners were cutting the grass on East and West Lawn and the grounds are looking in great condition.

Autumn colours are starting to appear in small patches around the House. The weather remained sunny and dry for all of my time here today and I managed to finish a good stretch of the path. Visitor numbers are starting to drop off as the year comes to a close.

I took the following photographs before I started work this morning:

Clock Tower and Courtyard.

A piece of the Giant's Causway on East Lawn.

Griffin Heads in the early morning sun.

Griffin heads on East Lawn.

Garden Pond.

A touch of white in the Walled Garden.

Colour in the Walled Garden.

Looking over Garden Pond towards Portico Walk.

Before and after my work.

Views around the grounds and Walled Garden - 12/09/2012

It did not look as though it would be a very good day with early rain and dark looking clouds. The closer I got to Wallington the sky got slightly clearer and there was some blue sky. The rain had stopped as I reached the car park and I made my way through the property to the Walled Garden.

This week at Wallington there was a group on a working holiday and I was to continue edging and weeding the path on the south side of the House and West Lawn. A school party were out about all day with their teachers and helpers. 

At one point during the morning, I had to put on my waterproof clothing to continue working on the paths. It stayed dry during the afternoon and there was some bright sunny spells. Apart from the school party the property was not very busy. I managed to edge and weed about 100 metres of the path and I am expecting to continue with this next week.

The following photographs were taken before I started work this morning:

House entrance.

House from East Lawn.

Colour beside East Lawn.

New paths under construction in East Wood.

Serpentine border.

Scaramouche - Walled Garden statue.

Mary Pool in the Walled Garden.

Centurion - statue in the Walled Garden.

Upper Terrace in the Walled Garden.

Gate to River Walk.

Rain in the Walled Garden.

Lower Terrace in the Walled Garden.

Views around the grounds and Walled Garden - 07/09/2012

My first visit to Wallington in September was to be on a Friday this week. On my journey over, the sky looked very black and threatened rain. It was quite breezy all day which helped to keep any rain away. With the schools returning back from the Summer holidays this week, the property was very quiet. 

Continuing on from last week, I was given the task of edging the Jubilee Border on the south side of the House. This was to take all of my time here today. All of the lawns have been cut again this week and the edging work really sets off the grass against the paths and borders. 

The work takes a great deal of time and as you look at the great expanse of grass and paths, you wonder will it ever be finished! Even when it is all complete, it will be time to start all over again, if the warm wet weather continues. 

I took the following photographs before I started work this morning:

Courtyard and Clock Tower.

House and South Drive.

Jubilee Border.

Jubilee Border.

Looking along South Drive towards West Lawn.

The Four Griffin Heads on East Lawn.

Walled Garden Colour.

After the Roses.

Looking over the Mary Pool to the Lower Terrace.

Mary Pool stonework.

Mary Pool.

Lower Terrace of the Walled Garden.

Lower Terrace of the Walled Garden.

Plum Border in the Walled Garden.

Garden Pond.