I am now convinced more than ever that Dunsfold is a little microclimate all of its own. As other areas of the southeast experience thunderstorms and deluges of rain, we have had virtually nothing over the past week. Driving from Dunsfold to Godalming via Hascombe and seeing the accumulated puddles on the road was deeply disheartening as our lawns brown, leaves begin to fall from our deciduous trees and our herbaceous borders slow their flower production. They have simply given up from the stress of the +30 degree temperatures and drought. This year has convinced me of the need to re-examine my borders and identify those plants that can tolerate these conditions. I am a firm believer that plants have to be able to survive on their own apart from the initial settling in process. So I will be taking my notebook and camera around on my morning and evening strolls around the garden and documenting what needs to be rectified in the autumn once we get some lasting rainfall.
Notwithstanding my complaints about the weather, I have appreciated the beautiful weather and bounty of my garden over the last few months. It really has just kept giving and seemed to pull out all the stops in the early days of the summer as if in recognition of our need. We have started to cut hedges, prune shrubs, tidy perennials that will give a second flush if cutback and remove poorer performers. I love pruning and have to confess that it gives me immense satisfaction to see freshly cut hedges that have now been tamed back into tidy blocks or balls. These seasonal changes and resultant jobs help to give some structure to my time. Like children, gardens can be demanding but they are often easier to read than people and reward you for your effort.
We are delighted to announce that we will be hosting our first lecture on the topic of ‘Making the Most of What You Have’ with garden blogger and full-time gardener, Benjamin Pope. We will be observing social distancing and current government guidelines and as a result numbers are limited so pre-booking is essential.
EGM & LECTURE
‘MAKING THE MOST OF WHAT YOU HAVE’
THURSDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2020
5.00pm
THE WINN HALL, DUNSFOLD
40 MAXIMUM – DHHS MEMBERS FREE
BRING YOUR OWN CHAIR & REFRESHMENTS
PRE-BOOK dhhsevents@gmail.com