We are expecting!

 

Stunning reticulated veination demonstrated by one of our Brunswick Figs. 

There is a real tangible momentum building in the walled at present, the earlier plants are flowering such as this marvellous Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow' (Left).   Lots  of plants are still at seedling stage like many of the incumbents of the vegetable patch.  Some of the more pampered greenhouse residents even have embryonic fruits forming behind the botanical equivalent of a neon sign such as the Cucumber Cucumis sativus 'Telegraph Improved'(below).  These developing fruits can also be found on some of our Tomato plants and even an indoor grown Broad Bean plant.

As the plants continue to do their thing a familiar sound has returned, one that is intrinsically imbued with summer warmth, it's the sound of the Swift.  Arriving daily from their sabbatical in Africa and treating us to their aerial displays  the Swift's share the Holkham airspace with colurfull squadrons of Goldfinch out searching for weed seed heads our gardening team may have missed.

A few weeks ago we sowed seed for our Giant Pumpkins and after a false start (bad batch of seed), we can safely say that we are underway.  I'm hoping for a modest 250lbs sized pumpkin from the plant below which will be pampered throughout the summer in the hope of a monster fruit.

 

 

 

 

Earlier this week we were privileged to be joined by a group of 75 students from Alderman Peel high school. They spent the day with us in the walled garden helping plant thousands of bedding plants in our events room. The students made light work of a task that would have doubtless taken our gardening team days to complete. The planting was interspersed with a little weeding and a 'History and Vegetable Tour'. We would like to thank the students for all of their efforts.

There is much to see at Holkham walled garden at the moment but there is so much more still to come, the wet but mild weather is perfect for pushing on our plants and we hope you get to enjoy them as much as we do.