The nursery at GD is a rather small business when you talk to Jonny about some of the nurseries he has had anything to do with in the Netherlands but I think this is a large part of the charm of the nursery. A lot of the plants sold come from the stock in the garden. I have enjoyed looking through the cuttings while watering them in the morning, the glasshouses are warm, quite places.
This week most staff are off for the holidays, there are a few of us working , well watering and do little bits in the nursery. For me the highlight is going down in the morning and seeing the pattern on the glass made by the ice, you do not see it till you have lifted the fleece off and there it is. Always good to have a reason to get out of a warm bed.
We have now got to the major holiday season of the year. A good point to have things in order. It is always hard to be ready to get back to the work after a break at this time of of the year but after the holidays it is time to start getting things ready for the spring. Happy holidays all.
It is great to be on point with the winter work up in the vegetable garden. Most of the areas that are going to be dug are now dug I am very happy to report. We had the weather on our side. There is still a lot to do but I am happy to have the digging behind me by Christmas.
Today was a psychologically great for those of us in the northern part of the world, we have made it to the shortest day, now the light levels will start to get longer. I know it is not by much at this moment but like in a lot of things it is better to be at the top of the hill and now going down the other side. I had a good day out in the garden digging while Miscanthus was out hunting under the compost heap. I love these little dogs.
Be careful what you wish for at this time of the year because it may come. I have wanted rain for a while and today we had lite English rain most of the day, I was not in the mood for it. I am also not too sure the sun was seen. We still have a few more days of digging up in the vegetable garden so rain was not on the plan. The rest of the week does not look too bad.
It is hard to have a new subject to write about at this time of the year. All I seem to be doing is digging. This maybe is what I like about this time of the year, when you get up you know what you are doing, it maybe the same as getting dressed when you wear the same cloths each day as I do.
The chutney pan does not seem to have had a chance to cool this year so far. I do think I have never made so much. I am just pleased that I still have some great beetroot in the garden that I can use. It does not take long for the smell of it to get right through their house.
Today was a great day but also a sad day. For the past six months or so I have had my friend Ellie help me in the vegetable garden. I had needed her help one day a week to keep things in good order and today I had to let her go for the winter, my money ran out. Ellie has got herself another job, I just hope it only lasts till the spring when I want her back if the money comes through I am hoping for. Today was the cleaning out of the bamboo at the end of the garden, a great job done which made it a good day.
Growing something well makes you want to try some new things with it because you have a good crop and room for loss. I am feeling this about celeriac. I have not grown such a great crop before and so I want to try something new and so my new thing is to bake it like a potato, it does take longer to cook but it really is great. This is something I will be doing in winter and looking forward to when planting the young plants out.
Great Dixter Vegetable Garden 