October in the Walled Garden

 We ended our September report promising Autumn Colour – and here it is! Glorious!

(Above - five photographs of autumn scenes in the walled garden)

The apples didn’t disappoint, either. Here’s our display of some of the orchard apples – all are varieties local to Gloucestershire and the south-west, and many are on the rare’ or endangered’ lists now.

We are still collecting the Bramleys, the most delicious cooking apples that just melt into a puree. For a short while longer, apples are available from the stall near Reception. We have also donated some to ‘Orchard Revival’.

But the warm October days have confused the plants (and the gardeners!) as flowers continued to grow, and seedlings shot up, and the ground was far too warm to contemplate bulb-planting and cutting-back.

(Photograph of ‘confused’ gardeners drinking tea by the Shed!)

Instead, we busied ourselves with little jobs.

We admired the work of Greenfields gardeners, who came to give the Museum wisteria a late summer cut (with thanks to Jane Kilpatrick for her generous sponsorship for this essential work).

Sarah made a magnificent lid for the bowser

Penny discovered Miner Bees in the Mediterranean border

David came to sow seeds of the Bee Orchid and Scented Orchid.

We discovered a hedgehog nest (photograph) in the Garden, where we know we have two adult hedgehogs and four baby hoglets.

The dahlias continued to bloom (Photograph of pink/purple dahlia).

….and on 31st October, we found a friendly little mouse happily watching our activities!

 But now, the real work begins……..