What a lovely Open Day we had last Sunday – we welcomed many first time visitors to the Gardens as well as regulars and the rain held off till nearly closing time. The Woodland Trust and Essex Wildlife Trust volunteers enjoyed talking to visitors too and will return for the September and October Open Days. And visitors snapped up the plants and produce: the coppicers’ plant supports, turned wood and of course our vegetables and jam tombola. So we are stocking up again: vegetables are still available for our Open Thursdays and for the next open day there will be more produce, including jelly from the last of the mulberries and more raspberry jam.
Our volunteers spent this week tidying up the Gardens: lots of deadheading in the dahlia border and Italian garden; cutting of the grass which is growing fast after all this rain; and more pruning of small trees.