End of Season Weeding

Final Weeding for first season herbaceous planting

The herbaceous perennial beds just inside the gates of the walled garden have had a successful first season providing plenty of colour and interest to the visitors as they first step into the garden. The volunteer gardening group have been giving the beds a final careful weeding, leaving areas around the plants to self-seed.

The group blitz the garden every other Thursday and volunteers are most welcome throughout the winter months to help prepare the garden for reopening to visitors in April. 

After finishing the flower beds they moved on to the 'veg patch' , tidying up the beds in the late autumn sunshine.

Final weeding for the first season veg patch

Volunteer Army

The Holkham Walled Garden restoration is moving on apace thanks to the efforts of the volunteer gardeners who join the main gardening team every other Thursday and who work with the Deputy Head Gardener, Jonathan Taylor. Here they are working on the 'Arena of Plants', which will be a planned walkway through interesting specimen plants. The plants in this area are still being protected from the rabbits by chicken wire while in their early stages of growth whilst the smudges in the photographs are evidence of the rain showers which were ignored by the intrepid team. It seems that Winston the dog is not amused or impressed with Jim Dowdy's haul of weeds.

The volunteering team are a cheerful group who enjoy the restoration work in the garden whatever the weather. Nick Martin and Linda Rogers bring Winston along with them, Barbara Oliver enjoys working in the garden whilst her husband is a volunteer in the Bygones Museum over in the Hall. Suzanne Duston is one of the volunteers along with Jim Dowdy, known for his beautiful garden in nearby Wells, and who brings a wealth of gardening knowledge with him. In the third photograph is Jonathan Taylor, Deputy Head Gardener (right) with Jake Hill(left) who is on work experience from the Alderman Peel School in Wells.

Volunteer Day in the Garden

Volunteer gardeners joined us for a day last week and their hard work was really appreciated. The 'Veg Patch' is now in pristine order and (if and when) the rains come, the vegetables will reap the benefit. Tim Marshall, Head Gardener, is always keen to encourage volunteers to help out with the restoration of the Walled Garden.

 If you  have an interest in gardening and would like to spend some time in this wonderful location and don't mind getting your hands dirty, please give Tim a call on 07884 183543 to find out when the next volunteer day is being arranged. We can offer you a packed lunch for your troubles and you get the satisfaction of being part of the special five year project of restoring the Walled Garden at Holkham.