Bio Diversity – Easton Lodge

We are blossoming!

March 7, 2019

It was a cold, windy day but there were sunny spells when it was warm in the Italian Garden and in other sheltered spots. And the early blossom on the trees shows spring is here! As we are returning more Japanese features to the Gardens, is there a case f ...

Strictly pruning

December 7, 2018

Pruning beautifully in synch, even without music! A wide range of tasks were completed this week – here are a few of them. The compost bins in the walled kitchen garden were emptied into the new raised beds. Roger trimmed the lavender hedge along th ...

Our triffid mullein is still flowering!

October 25, 2018

Mulleins self seed in various places around the gardens but in the walled kitchen garden the plants have often been completely devoured by the caterpillars of the mullein moth. This Italian garden one escaped that fate and is flowering still: its flower s ...

Heave ho!

September 27, 2018

Our volunteers are not in training for a local tug-of-war competition, but were moving a heavy rock to the stumpery in the Glade! It was a gorgeous day – blue sky and warm from early morning. On arrival I scared off a heron from the Italian garden a ...

Bugs in the Gardens

June 14, 2018

We are counting our bugs…come and help us on our Open Day, Sunday 24 June, when we will have help on hand to identify them. This one, on fungi on a tree in the Glade, stumped us … it appears to be eating the fungi. Local expert, Jono Forgham, reckon ...

Broad-bodied chasers and blue damselflies

May 24, 2018

Although busy with volunteers and a team from GSK and a group of U3A visitors, the Gardens were tranquil today, with hares in the Glade and dragonflies and damselflies darting around. Each week there are different colours in the Italian Garden – and ...

Ready for the agile and not so agile

May 17, 2018

The agility ring is in place for visiting dogs for this Sunday’s Fun day for Dogs; the weather is all set fair so there are no muddy paths; the Rock Choir are no doubt as well-rehearsed as ever; and Carolyn is ready with the bacon, cakes and other c ...

Well we complained it was too cold and wet….

April 19, 2018

We are keeping our fingers crossed that we will keep this wall-to-wall sunshine for the Open Day on Sunday – but we wouldn’t mind if it were a bit cooler! The plants are probably confused too ….the grass is growing apace, which makes it ...

A really good day…

March 22, 2018

After that second blast of cold weather, it was so nice to welcome new volunteers to our Volunteers Day in sunshine and with the ground workable again! The daffodils are starting to come out and the blossom on the peach and nectarine trees is showing pink ...

Should be cosy….

March 15, 2018

Birds and bugs can now find new homes, thanks to David’s amazing carpentry skills. His beautiful bird and bug boxes are on sale from the Trust – at our next Open Day on April 22 or by contacting us through our enquiries line. Meanwhile volunt ...

Before and after the Beast from the East

March 8, 2018

Back in February, we celebrated the coming of spring, with two fantastic snowdrop open days and lots of visitors. The RSPB joined us and will return later in the season. We thought, then, that it was cold …. …but it got much colder – it& ...

Snowdrops are such a welcome sight

February 1, 2018

Our main snowdrop area is at the front of the gardens, but they are also looking stunning in the walled garden and in many other areas, such as here under the trees at the top of the glade. Cleaning/touching up the painting on Daisy’s and the Archiv ...