Views around the grounds and Walled Garden 28/08/2012

Having missed my day at Wallington last week, I made my usual early morning trip to help in the grounds and Walled Garden today. The weather still remains unsettled and I am hoping for a drier September and October. Over the course of the day, we got some bright sunny spells and some overcast sky. It looked as though it would rain, but the strong breeze made the dark clouds pass over quite quicky.

As the school holidays are coming to an end the property was still busy with many children running around the Courtyard and playing on the other grassed areas. My task for today was to try and get the lawn edges back into shape around East Lawn. The warm wet weather is still making the grass grow quickly. I spent all of my day edging and weeding the path and managed to get all of East Lawn completed before 3.30 p.m.

Grass cutting will take place later in the week, weather permitting. The grass has been too wet on some days during the last few weeks so it has not been able to be cut. At least the edging has been done in preparation for the cutting, hopefully!

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

Clock Tower.

Clock Tower.

China Pond.

China Pond.

Garden Pond.

Looking towards the Mary Pool.

Hot Border and Conservatory.

Blue and Yellow border.

Upper Terrace of the Walled Garden.

East Lawn.

Garden Pond.

Views around the grounds and Walled Garden - 15/08/2012.

After some wonderful sunshine for the last two days, the morning started with thick mist and it continued all of the way on my journey to Wallington. Reaching Wallington at about 8.45 a.m. it was not really good photography weather! The mist still shrouded the property and it was feeling quite damp.

The weather forecast for the next few days is for heavy rain and strong winds. The mist cleared before lunch and you could feel the temperature start to climb, as the sun came out for the afternoon. Our work for the morning was to cut back a wayward Rhododendron bush and cut some branches off a yew tree. The work was needed to ensure the contractors can get their equipment along the paths when they start to lay the new paths around the property.

After lunch we went into the Walled garden and edged the lawn on the Lower terrace. The sun ensured there were quite a few visitors and as usual, we got the very positive comments about the condition of the Walled Garden.

Leaving wallington at 3.30 p.m. the rain was nowhere to be seen but this was short lived, as it started as I reached home.

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

Clock Tower.

Courtyard.

Garden Pond looking through to Portico walk.

Garden Pond in the mist.

Pale Border.

Mary Pool.

Blue and Yellow border looking up to Upper Terrace.

Cut Flower border.

Walled Garden planting.

Walled Garden colour.

Walled Garden colour.

Blue and Yellow border looking towards the Yew Circle.

Views around the Grounds and Walled Garden - 08/08/2012.

Back to volunteering at Wallington, after my week's holiday in Suffolk. It was great to be back and get to work all day without any rain. The sun also made an appearance early afternoon. 

The job for today needed two other volunteers, as we were sent to Portico Walk to sort out some scaffolding and cut back the laurel arch in preparation for the contractor's equipment to be able to pass through it when they start on laying the new paths around East Wood.

It was hard work cutting back the laurel that was last trimmed back about ten years ago. We had removed enough of the wood before lunch to get to the problem areas of the scaffold that formed the original arch. After lunch we removed two 6m long scaffold tubes and replaced them. It was then a short job to remove the last of the laurel and tidy up.

Taking all of the tools and equipment back I asked for another job in the Walled Garden to finish off my day here. The job was to cut back some geraniums in a border with the hope that they will get to flower again - weather and growing conditions allowing them to do so!

The Walled Garden was very busy during my time there and I spoke to many visitors from around the country. It has been another ejoyable and productive day at the historic national Trust property.

Took the following photographs before I started work this morning:

Colour in the Car Park borders.

Clock Tower and Courtyard.

House Entrance.

Mary Pool.

Railway Border.

Blue and Yellow Border.

Plum Border.

Beside the Peach Houses.

Hot Border.

Hot Border and Conservatory.

Colour in the Walled Garden.