August 2012 at Chastleton

A very hectic month. Not only were we coping with the wild, wet and windy weather forced on us by the Jet Stream, we were also busy with film crews, a Clutton-Brock family wedding and all the holiday visitors to the property.
In the garden we have been manically mowing, edging and strimming to keep on top of all the lush grass growth and weeds - thanks to the warm, wet weather. Other jobs include:
-weeding
-selling plants and produce to visitors
-garden tours
-sorting and planting in cold frames
-harvesting fruit and veg
-watering and feeding pots and plants in green house
-The croquet club held an in-house tournament
-Hidcote volunteers came to play Chastleton volunteers at croquet
-Dead heading
-clearing and tidying borders
-catching moles
-hedge cutting
-topiary pruning
-cutting back ivy
-spraying weeds with round-up on gravel areas
-reducing the size of very overgrown Mock Orange shrubs
-grass seed sowing
-the West Garden project
-topiary seminar given for garden volunteers by Anna and Julie (this will be rolled out to the public next year)
-Bee keeping workshops with our bee keeper
-picking cut flowers
-croquet engagement with visitors
-weeding and feeding croquet lawns
-summer pruning fruit trees and tying in
-cutting of the wild flower meadow under the orchard
-maintenance of the wormery.
-etc.

The roses have taken on a last blush of flower and leaf and are looking good again before the autumn is completely upon us.

Our lovely rabbit topiary. Our topiary is going through a period of conservation and restoration. After years of being cut by machine it was loosing definition. So the plan is to get a bit of definition of shape into some of the topiaries, while keeping their cloud like shape. We have gone back to traditional methods of cutting with shears. Years of neglect means we are working hard to improve their health by feeding and clipping twice a year - they are already reaping the benefits and greening up on even the oldest wood. 

Our green manure in the Kitchen Garden has finally beaten the battle with most of the weeds and come in to flower and looks very pretty. Red Clover.

Alex and Mary helping me tackle some very overgrown Mock Orange shrubs.

The pumpkins are coming on a treat.

A good onion crop.

We sell plants and produce to our visitors.

The sweet peas look and smell fantastic.

Cosmos and Dahlias - my favs.

Ruth (one of our fab flower arranger volunteers) busy picking to decorate the house.

The peaches have been struggling to ripen in the wet weather and low light levels - we have managed to harvest a moderate crop for sale.

We have just cut down the wild flower meadow under the orchard.

We are preparing for Apple Day at the end of Sept, but it is a poor year for top fruit due to a late frost and poor pollination after wet and windy weather.  However it will still be a brilliant day on Sept 29th with lots going on for everyone. Do come and join us celebrate all the fruit on the property.
Thank you again to my hard working and loyal group of volunteers - much appreciated. Anna