Spring Walks Amongst Snowdrops and a Visit to Lancelot “Capability” Brown’s Birthplace

Well, I am sorry to say that my attempt at growing winter vegetables has not produced enough edible greens for a decent meal (see blog https://mirandasnorthumberlandgarden.blogspot.com/2022/10/autumn-colours-and-trying-new-things-in.html).   Despite keeping the plants protected and undercover, growth has been slow and weakly, but at least our pet guinea-pigs have enjoyed the leafy greens.  Therefore, I have decided that to stick to growing only fruit as I seem to be quite successful at it.

February brought with it the flowering of spring bulbs and in our small wood the winter aconites, cyclamen and native snowdrops have been brightening up overcast days.

In the courtyard area whilst the roses are asleep my small snowdrop cultivar collection is looking pretty.

G elwesii Grumpy (bought for T as a birthday present)

G Sandersii (originates from Northumberland)

T and I had a lovely trip to nearby Belsay Hall and Gardens on Valentine’s Day.  It was a beautiful sunny day and the grounds looked lovely in the spring sunlight.  We explored the main house; the local stone used in its construction helps it sit comfortably in the surrounding landscape.

Inside the ravages of dry rot have meant that no furnishings remain and rooms are left either unplastered or with peeling wallpaper.  The house is now used for hosting art installations and events.

In this room, the alcove is not a built in wardrobe but a space for a bed; the alcove forming a small area where it would be slightly warmer than the rest of the room.

The quarry garden was created when the local sandstone was quarried out and used in the construction of the Greek-revival style Belsay Hall.  The quarrying was carried out in a deliberate route in order to form twists and turns and towering cliff faces.  Small trees, shrubs and vegetation cling to the vertical walls.  We noticed that since our last visit in 2020 a great deal of clearance has taken place. 

 The trunks of large rhododendrons form interesting shapes and colours.

Approaching Belsay Castle we found clumps of crocus, snowdrops and winter aconites.

 

Belsay Castle and adjoining medieval house (both roofless shells) bask in the spring sunlight. The local sandstone is a stunning contrast against the blue sky.

Inside the Castle, the great hall is lit via large windows where sunbeams create a cathedral-like atmosphere.

At the back of the quarry garden a footpath leads one back to the winter garden,  it is bordered by sandstone walls to the left and fir trees to the right, carpets of snowdrops line the route.

 

The winter garden has undergone major renovation work; fir trees have been thinned and a great deal of rhododendron ponticum removed.  Underneath the remaining trees the ground has been replenished with fresh compost then planted with groups of shrubs and perennials.  Groups of ferns, hamamelis and hellebores will now provide winter interest in this area.

Due to the extensive renovation works being carried out to some of the buildings at Belsay, the on-site café was closed and replaced by a travelling food cart.  For lunch, we decided to drive further north along the A696 to Kirkharle as it is home to an extremely good coffee house. 

The Kirkharle estate was the birthplace of Lancelot “Capability” Brown, and where he lived until he was 23.
 
In 1980, the estate’s owners came across plans drawn up by Brown for the landscape surrounding Kirkharle Hall.  The plans were most likely to have been drawn when Brown stayed at the Hall in 1760 but were not actually implemented.  In the mid-2000s the owners then decided to implement the plans so permissions and funding were gradually secured and in August 2009 excavation work began. 

The appearance of a serpentine lake was achieved by excavating two large bodies of water separated by a thin strip of land.  Large trees and saplings were then planted around the lake and in 2010 a 1km fully accessible path was installed.

The walk around the lake takes about ½  hour and is easy to do.  Whilst walking the circular walk one can see how the local landscape helped influence Brown’s particular style of landscape architecture -  the surrounding fields of grazing sheep, singular trees and the rolling hills far in the distance.
 
If you are in the area, I would recommend a trip to Kirkharle; the walk around the Lake is enjoyable as is lunch or coffee at the Courtyard coffee house.

February, Flu and Day Trips

Wow, it’s February already, January seems to have whizzed by, and I haven't posted any journals for nearly two months.  In my defence for much of that time I was laden down with flu, my symptoms started in mid-December and lasted until mid-January.  Even now, at the beginning of February, I am still left with occasional uncontrollable fits of coughing but I am pleased to say that these are becoming less frequent as the weeks go by.

Last weekend I participated in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch which I do every year.  It was lovely to sit down, armed with mug of hot coffee and binoculars and watch and count the birds as they visit my garden.  Here is my first serious attempt at using my camera and its zoom lens so apologies for the grainy quality.

Despite being laden down with flu, we have had some lovely trips out over the past two months.

Christmas at Beamish (Living Museum of the North) is always beautiful and atmospheric. 

We visited two volunteer run steam railways and had trips on their steam trains – Tanfield Railway and Stephenson Steam Railway, their mince pies and hot chocolate are always delicious.

Tanfield Railway

Stephenson Steam Railway

For Christmas Pippin was given a new woolly jumper (I think the picture speaks for itself).

I ordered and received crataegus laevigata Paul’s Scarlet (bare root). I potted it up quickly as its new home will be the wildlife hedge (on our east facing boundary) and the soil will not have warmed up sufficiently until March.

Well, I think that just about covers the last month or so. 

I do hope you enjoyed the photographs.  I always think that images will hold one's attention for longer than lots of words.

Happy gardening and New Year to you all.

December Creeps

 December is creeping across the land covering all before it with a blanket of dampness.

In the garden everything is slowly winding down for a long winter sleep.  The bushes in the fruit cage have finished producing fruit and are now hibernating, building up energy for next season.  There are very few leaves left on the trees, the beautiful yellows, oranges and reds, which once covered every branch, are now decorating the ground like a multi coloured carpet.  Soon I will be raking them up and adding them to the leaf mould pile. 

For weeks, the valley has been shrouded either in mist or a low cloud base; some days I have had to turn on the house lights shortly after lunch.  This gloom has made me stay indoors and do ‘inside’ jobs as there is not a lot to do outside except tidy.

One by one the eating apples we carefully stored away are beginning to taste a little ‘woody’ so are now being given the birds.

On cold dark evenings, it is good to put ones feet up and relax in front of a roaring fire with a mug of coffee in one hand and an up-to-date latest seed catalogue in the other.  I am planning several new experiments in the garden for 2023.

We are fast approaching the longest day and the festive period and I, for one, am looking forward to Christmas lunch and spending quality time with the family.

A Patchwork of Autumn Colours and Plus an Update

Here in the Tyne Valley the autumn colours in the garden are glowing in the morning sunlight whilst in the distance, on the opposite side of the valley, the trees form a patchwork of yellows, oranges, browns and greens.

View from bedroom side window

View from house looking south-west with River Tyne running in the middle of the photo

View from house looking south east,  River Tyne is hidden in centre of photo

At the beginning of October, I made a start on growing some winter vegetables.  I sowed pak choi, red kale, wild rocket, spinach, winter peas, corn salad and cos lettuce. I also put in pots some small plants of curly kale, cabbage and spring onions.  Surplus kale plants went into the beds underneath the Japanese wineberry. 

A month later and I decided to check on the progress of all the above.  Firstly, you can see the difference in growth between the two kale plants (the right hand plant is growing in the soil).

The pak choi, wild rocket, spring onions and cos lettuce are nowhere to be seen whereas the remaining vegetables including the winter peas and corn salad had successfully germinated and were thriving.  As the kale had flourished in their containers, I planted any healthy young seedlings in pots filled with fresh compost.

I also earthed up the potato plant then put another sprouting potato in a second pot.

The lawn is finally slowly greening up after a few intermittent sunny days and awful lot of rain.

Despite it being late in the year to be deadheading, I have made a start on cutting back the lavender plants which grow around the house.  Despite the lavender still blooming I have not seen many pollinators feeding on the flowers so have decided to neaten them up.

I have also been busy in the kitchen making preserves out of surplus apples from the garden and from vegetables reduced in the supermarkets.

Apple and pepper relish

Runner bean chutney

Beetroot relish

I do hope for everyone’s sake that the coming winter will be a mild one therefore making the energy bills smaller.

Do take time out to enjoy the season’s colours and happy gardening.