As we say goodbye to an extremely dry summer, the holiday makers rejoice but the garden sends out a small cry for help with only 18.5 millimetres of rain during August (at the time of writing, 28th)*, an unseasonably low amount compared to the average of around 60 millimetres.
The garden has definitely suffered a little and although the Hydrangea Valley remains beautiful, the lack of rainfall paired with strong easterly winds has turned some flower heads a little crispy.
Telltale signs of an approaching autumn are appearing slowly. The sweet scent of the Cercidiphyllum japonicum is slowly spreading around the entrance to Tarzan’s Camp, the smell often compared to burnt sugar or candy floss.
Hydrating the Hydrangeas
The name Hydrangea is derived from Greek origin with meanings ‘water’ and ‘vessel’ or ‘pitcher’; possibly referring to the shape of its tiny seed capsules, although also appropriate to the shrub as it does requires large quantities of water to survive.
With such an importance on water that it is quite literally in the name, you may sympathise with some of the blooms this year looking a little less perfect than normal, given our unusually dry summer.
In order to aid the Hydrangea Valley this year, we have occasionally been using water pumped from Mallard Pond to try and help bring them back to life. We are very conscious at Trebah to use very little irrigation and usually allow our abundantly damp climate run its course; sadly this year, measures have had to be taken to prevent our famous blooms from becoming permanently damaged. Thankfully, all the ponds through the valley are fed from a natural spring at the top of the garden.
Tremendous Tressie
If you regularly visit Trebah, you may have noticed that Tressie was beginning to look a little bare and bedraggled after a long summer posing for photographs.
We have spent some time sprucing up our resident pond monster and he/she is back to full health just in time to hibernate. Using hand-collected moss from our lawns, we took out a small boat to gain access onto Dinky’s Puddle to restore Tressie, helping put on a few extra pounds to keep him/her warm over winter, whilst also getting rid of any weeds – full monstery ways restored!
Wading the Water Garden
Throughout spring and summer, the Water Garden is at its peak. The steady flow of water creates an almost therapeutic environment, though the water has been more of a trickle as of late.
Every month or so we get on our wellies and walk the rill, de-sliming the surface and cutting back any overhanging foliage that dampens the watery tones.
At the top, an unused section of the rill had become covered in a layer of leaves and soil, so the satisfying job of exposing it was completed!
De-brambling Davidia
Every year we let the wildflowers grow natural and wild on the slopes of the garden; the bad news is they are not the only things that grow! With a nice, open area with plenty of sunlight, sadly the brambles flourish on the bank above Davidia Walk. We have been working almost daily to hand-pull the brambles from here before it is tidied up with the strimmer.
A tireless task but well worth it come next spring when the campions return!
So as we wave goodbye to the last of summer, we hope for a September filled with sunny days and rainy nights. Although the Hydrangeas and Gunnera are coming to their end for the season, there are so many exciting things that await us in autumn… beautiful leaf colour, hot chocolates on a quiet beach, and sweet-smelling cercidiphyllum.
* Last night (Thursday 28 August) we received the entire amount of August’s rain so far in one night…let’s hope that helps!
Wildlife sightings:
- Privet Hawk Moth Caterpillar
- A selection of amazing Fungi
- Toads and toadlets
- Stick insect
- Some close encounters with Barry the Buzzard and what may possibly be a baby Barry, affectionately named ‘Squeaky’ by the team, given you often hear it before you see it.
