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What an eventful week! I hope you have all managed to stay safe and warm. For the first time ever at this time of year, we have had to close the gardens for 5 days; The Beast from the East and Storm Emma will certainly be remembered. But the good news is that we plan to open again on Monday.
Although we will be closed this weekend, we are decidedly and doggedly planning for spring. For most plants, snow is no problem and insulates against even colder temperatures and wind chill. When it melts, the snow provides moisture which can be beneficial as we go into the growing season, except of course on already saturated or poorly drained soil.
Most of the damage is from the weight of the snow, so knocking it off trees, especially conifers and other evergreens, is a good idea.
And of course, our nursery plants are being well cared for so we are still fulfilling plant orders and will be sending those out next week. So far this year, the bergenias have been very popular (possibly as a result of Dave's rave about them? ) and our range of galanthus is fairly extensive. If you're an allium admirer, we send these out as potted bulbs and now's the time to take your pick as the more unusual varieties start to sell out.
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The VIP tickets, which include the opportunity to meet Alan Titchmarsh in person on 28th June, are selling very well. We are delighted that Alan is coming to talk in support of the Beth Chatto Education Trust and all proceeds will be going back into the Trust, which was created by Beth to encourage a passion for plants and ecology in people of any age. There are Gold and General Admission options available too.
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Access during early spring
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Once the snow goes, the Water Garden will be open as usual but there is a small walkway that will be closed as it's muddy underfoot: the entrance to the Gardens is currently through the Nursery to avoid this slippery area. The driveway leading into the Gardens is under construction at the moment, so on wet days it can make cars quite muddy, but we hope to have a new and improved driveway shortly. Thank you for bearing with us while we carry out this essential maintenance work.
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Events and courses run by the Beth Chatto Education Trust
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Thank you for reading and we hope to welcome you to the Gardens again soon.
Julia Boulton
Managing Director and Beth's granddaughter
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