Lindley Library Lecture

Last night I had the pleasure of giving a talk in Westminster, London.  It was about the last two year of the restoration at Myddelton House Gardens and Edward Augustus Bowles the incredible man who created  the gardens. The evening talk was hosted at the RHS Lindley Library followed by a question and answer session facilitated by Noel Kingsbury. The RHS Lindley Library has started up a new early evening talk series. http://www.rhs.org.uk/About-Us/RHS-Lindley-Library

The evening was really quite special for me, as the talk was held within the RHS headquarter Vincent square somewhere E. A . Bowles spent much time during his fifty years of life membership. The Lindley library houses a large collection of Mr Bowles archival information including correspondence his notebooks,  as well as numerous snowdrop watercolours.

What is the seating capacity of a COW

The answer, a Lot.

Last night I was a member of the audience at the Udder Belly and upsidedown purple cow sandwiched between the Royal Festival Hall and the London Eye on the Southbank to watch a comedy event.

Is was a most wonderful evening of entertainment, from comedy to breakdancing with a little bit of ukelele singalong in the middle for good measure. Tim Vine was one of the comics who somehow managed to perform a 15 min set, full of one liners, a truly remarkable achievement and very funny.

The Udder Belly

The London Eye by night

Ladies’ Day

I was very honoured to be invited to attend the City of London Ladies’ Day yesterday with my good friend Wesley Kerr.

The day started for me with a tour of the Chingford Hub where Butler's Retreat and the new Visitor Centre are nearing completion of a Heritage Lottery Fund project and will be opening early 2012. Both sites are located next to the Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge, built in 1543. This unique and very historical site situated on the outskirts of Chingford has the most marvellous views of Epping Forest from the second floor of Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge.  The original purpose of the building was designed to allow guests to view the hunt or to participate with the aid of a crossbows from this high vantage point. Access is free.

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Leisure_and_culture/Local_history_and_heritage/Buildings_outside_the_City/hunting_lodge.htm

Ladies’ Day traditionally paid thanks to the wives of elected members and staff with a celebratory luncheon, acknowledging their dedication to Epping Forest.  It is now the high point of the Epping Forest annual social calendar. This long established event celebrates the achievements of the committee of Epping Forest and awards from the previous year while thanking all those involved. 

It was a lovely day, with fabulous weather, wonderful food and great company.

 Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge, built in 1543

New Visitor Centre under redevlopment by Contrators Bolt & Heeks 

We embark on another overgrown subject

This is not the first hedge we have renovated during the last two years, however it is one of the most dramatic.

The subject in question this time is a long overgrown yew hedge Taxus baccata which divides the house from the stable block. Over the years the hedge has crept higher and higher, increasing it overall high by nearly double.  Taxus baccata is a conifer which responds well to hard pruning and will show very good signs of regrowth within two years.  

The hedge has been feed with a liquid fertiliser and will continue to be feed fortnightly until early September to help encourage the development of regrowth, we will then apply a general purpose granular feed in March.

A renewed glimpse of the house

Before

After some canopy lifting of the Alnus. Visitors are presented with a glimpse of the house, drawing them in.

Alway be prepared to be amazed!

I have been thinking of developing a garden blog for sometime,allowing me to record and share the ongoing progress at Myddelton House Gardens, where I am Head Gardener.

Today has rather inspired me to finally create an account and start blogging. I am sorry not to be starting with news of the garden's progress. Instead, however, I was rather amazed and shocked by the sight of ten ladies in the gardens today armed with walking sticks hooking fruit from the ornamental Malus on the front drive in full sight of three of our gardeners. I wish I had been able to photograph this. I am afraid I will have to ask you to first imagine the villains in the act and then imagine the look on my face!