What's Going on in the Garden this Month

What's Happening in our New Forest Hotel this October 

Autumn has arrived; the mornings have a freshness to them that we all recognise and the leaves are slowly starting to fall. 

The garden still has a wonderful display of flowers which is currently showing no sign of slowing down. The lawns are healthy, still receiving a couple of cuts a week and the evergreen hedges have been pruned for the last time this year. 

Whilst October brings a little relief from the busyness of summer, there is still plenty on the job list for our gardeners, with some new jobs that autumn brings. 

Here's a few of the tasks our gardeners, Matt and Pete, will be up to as we progress into October;

•    Collecting leaves each day to make nutrient rich leaf mould, but also creating hidden leaf piles behind our rows of hedging to provide warm shelter for hibernating bumblebees and various mammals such as hedgehogs.
•    Deadheading regularly to continue the display of flowers for both colour and vital nectar for pollinators.
•    Taking more cuttings from plants such as salvias, fuchsias and pelargoniums.
•    Digging up clumps of forget-me-nots to divide and replant.
•    Dividing herbaceous perennials such as day lillies and japanese anenomes 
•    Planting out dozens of bulbs ready for a spring time display
•    Sowing seeds in the greenhouse for an early display of flowers next year, such as sweet peas, cornflowes and ammi
•    Mulching flower beds with compost and wood chippings as foliage starts to die back. This will be broken down and worked into the soil by worms 
•    Turning the compost heap
•    Cleaning and sharpening tools
•    Cleaning the greenhouses
•    Insulating the greenhouses with bubble wrap

We encourage you to visit our New Forest garden to welcome the change in seasons, watch the leaves as they change colour and gently fall to the ground, admire the last of the summer roses and find a quiet spot in the sun before the days become shorter.

It's been a busy summer for our gardeners and they would like to thank all of our guests that have taken time to speak with them, praising their work and discussing what the future plans are for our wonderful garden. The recognition of their hard work is always appreciated and they look forward to welcoming you all back. 

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