Gardening

Moving to Fernhurst

When we moved to Fernhurst just over 6 years ago, we left a formal a very flat ‘outer suburban’ garden, all straight lines and formal flower beds – and lots of lawn.

Now we have a garden which goes up and down in all directions and where there are no straight lines and not much grass, lots of shrubs particularly clematis, roses and wisteria, the latter being a ‘super-thug’ in gardening terms.

What I have to do this Autumn is decide what needs to be removed from the garden and what to keep; there is an acute over-crowding problem, starting with removing the three D’s – the ‘dead, diseased and damaged’. The only thing I miss not having is our old bonfire area – simply not room - but it is more compensated for our enviable view over the South Downs.

So, bizarrely, busy Autumn has started in much delayed but glorious summer weather!

Pruning what remains after the clear out, will take up a lot of time but it is very worthwhile cutting most shrubs back by about a third and removing weak shoots will make spring pruning much easier. I try to follow the guidance available from the RHS and elsewhere but with clematis I simply cut them all back to knee height in the autumn and they seem to appreciate it and flower in the next season.

I have also extended the space for vegetables with a new area in full sun which I may regret. It will also be also be more expensive as the price of timber has gone through the roof.

Talking of rooves, I have two sheds, each with leaking rooves that need replacing. More cost, but if winter is bleak, cold and wet, a shed and/or greenhouse are a real bonus.

We can all look forward to looking through the plant seed catalogues as a respite from hard graft and (probably) wet and cold weather.

I also want to check on a gap under the hedge with next door. This currently being used by next door’s cat, some churchyard rabbits, Mr Brock the badger from the field and, when he find it, probably Digby, our daughter’s dachshund, but I don’t want to close it to any itinerant hedgehogs who may be on the prowl, particularly as none of the current users are doing any damage in the garden.

I am quite sure as I plunge into the undergrowth, I will find many more things that need dealing with.

John Hargrove