Tag Archives: Garden diary

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Ednovean’s garden as Spring turns to Summer

View over a formal garden to the sea from a bedroom at Ednovean Farm

The guests in our Apricot bedroom have a view over the sundial garden from their terrace

May and June have sped passed and the Ednovean Farm garden has met the cusp of summer before I almost noticed the passing of time. We’ve been so busy with the Bed and Breakfast this year that I hardly noticed the approach of the longest day – maybe it was the week that I spent glued to the Chelsea flower show, veraciously examining the designs of the show gardens that led me to miss my garden update last month for May.

In this month’s update I’ll show you around the formal gardens softened with wild flowers and share some photos of my favourite garden flowers as the heady days of summer finally approach. Continue reading “Ednovean’s garden as Spring turns to Summer” »

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April garden news from Ednovean Farm

sub tropical planting in cornwall courtyard

Fifty shades of green perhaps! Leaf shapes and textures in our side courtyard

April has succumbed to the full awakening of spring despite the best efforts of the fickle weather. Now at Ednovean Farm our formal box parterres are clothed in a swathe of impossibly vibrant green and I have recorded the progress for my April photo album throughout the month as always to share with you now. But also this month, as well as our garden at Ednovean farm that our house guests enjoy,  I though I would make some suggestion for some extra gems to visit in May from the National Garden Scheme list for Cornwall.

We opened our garden at Ednovean Farm for a few years for this wonderful organisation that raises money for cancer charities and gardeners bursaries amongst other things so you entry fee will be going to a worthy cause. Continue reading “April garden news from Ednovean Farm” »

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Ednovean Farm’s spring garden in March

Spring growth, bright greenleaves

I opened the top door and spotted the climbing Hydrangea had sprung into growth over the last few days

This month I’ve watch the spring develop around me and I’ve celebrated each tiny progress in my weekly blogs charting the burgeoning daffodils that have brought bright swathes of colour in casual drifts under the palms. So for this final blog roundup celebrating the beginning of spring in Cornwall I took one last walk around the garden to record some of the broader views and enjoy the layers of texture of the palms shrubs as the garden moves forward to the next chapter of its life.

Gardening just above the sea in spring, at least has the benefit of the warmer maritime climate keeping the frost away and lending extra light to the garden as the sun bounces off of the water. Continue reading “Ednovean Farm’s spring garden in March” »

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The spring equinox and spring days

early morning dew on spring morning

A spring morning in our garden and the day almost seems to shimmer with anticipation

There has been an almost tangible air of expectation in the air in the days leading up to the spring equinox. I felt it so strongly this week as I walk down through the dew laden morning to feed the brood mares and I stopped to take a snap of the morning magic as each droplet of water magnified the rising sun thrice fold. The very early Easter this year at last coincides with the height of the spring flowers as it always seems rather sad that the very brightest flowers have long finished before our guest arrive for their Easter break.

In this week’s blog I’ve looked a spring changes in Perranuthnoe, the growing momentum of spring in our garden and Danni our Spanish stallions special spring treat –  a dressage course with Jenny Rolfe, just because I thought you’d like to see his picture!

Continue reading “The spring equinox and spring days” »

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My February Garden diary

early spring garden border with spiral topiary at Ednovean Farm

Evening sunshine on a spring border

As February gives way to March the month which brings with it the official meteorological first day of spring, the sunshine still conceals a chill in the air. And yet the garden is leaping into life around me, with bulbs emerging throughout the garden, each flower bringing bright splashes of colour to our lives after the long winter. How carefully I look at the new delicate buds each day, as if they could predict the year for me, as the Jet stream sinuously weaves its powerful spell over the British Isles. It never stays in one place or should I say position for long enough for me to predict my week let alone month and so the unrelenting progress of spring brings its own reassurance of the continuity of the season. Continue reading “My February Garden diary” »

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Storms and Valentines

Cat on a bench in a rfemal courtyard garden Ednovean Farm

After the storm and s[ud-Cat was the first to find a sunny spot in the courtyard for the morning

We have had such a week that ranged from ferocious storms to gentle calm in the run up to Valentine’s day. This week I spotted the first pale pink cherry blossoms starting to break today, as I passed a farmhouse garden on Danni  in Rosudgeon riding along the narrow ancient lanes edged with moss covered banks studded with primroses. I seemed that  no sooner had I written my last blog following the steady step of spring than storm Imogen scorched in to the British isle bringing wind gust of up to 90 miles and hour and sixty foot waves to be seen just off of St Ives.

This time I thought I really would make an effort to captures an impression of the relentless ferocious rhythm to the seas that these storms bring and headed down into our local village of Perranuthnoe to visit the local beach. Continue reading “Storms and Valentines” »

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January and time to plan the garden year

Cornish spring daffodil

The multi headed Narcissi where the first welcome flowers of spring this month

January is a great month to take stock of the garden and plan the direction of the garden year and this year we’ve started work quite early. The mild winter has brought the new spring growth so far forward that now is the time to start, although I must admit I step gingerly on to our lawn sometimes as I feel it gently yielding like a soft green cushion under my feet. As our gardener remarked as we toiled away  “I’m usually still in my winter hibernation now!” still as our garden has been formed over the last twenty five years now, some areas are ready for reassessment and rejuvenation to allow the garden to breath again with fresh new growth. this months diary looks at :-

  • Garden rejuvenation
  • Planning garden changes
  • January photo album

Continue reading “January and time to plan the garden year” »

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November in the Ednovean Farm Gardens

November garden bench and fig leaves

November in the garden and the season changes

November in the Ednovean farm garden and the wind of change blows through the garden towards winter as I’ve come to conclusion that it could now well be winter – in fact I checked the date on Google, yesterday, just to make sure. Sadly they confirmed the inevitable information but as with all things on Google there is a choice. Winter starts on December the 1st. That’s if you’re a meteorological time keeper of course but this version joyously finishes on the 29th of February – for Astronomical followers the start is the 21st December with the Winter Solstice and doesn’t finish not until a tawdry 20th of March. I looked at the dates and decided upon balance, to adopt the 1st of December and found a woolly hat to st out into the garden – just for the time being of course.

This month I’ve looked at the sheltered courtyard gardens where the more formal layout gives structure to our autumn garden and also looked again at the evergreen Italian gardens where the statues defy the elements in their spare architectural enclosures. Finally there’s another chance to see my little garden video, of the wind bringing the whole garden to life in restless motion, if you missed it last week. Continue reading “November in the Ednovean Farm Gardens” »

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October and Autumn approaches in the Ednovean Farm Garden

Miscanthus and Pampas grass

Miscanthus grass in the Italian Garden

We are approaching autumn in our gardens at Ednovean farm now and slowly I’ve noticed the changes in the season as autumn approaches as I’ve watched the birds twist and curl above the garden in a tightly grouped flock with the swift sure movements that are part of the unchanging rhythm of the seasons. Just as surely as I occasionally hear the sound of the sea drifting over the garden with just a little more insistence, or watch Spud with soft white paws treading the golden leaves of autumn that flutter on the lane, as he returns from important cat business abroad. I know each day the signs grow larger that mark the autumn days that lay ahead of us and yet the garden is still full of promise as the flourishing  grasses bring an unexpected tawny-red glow to the borders. Continue reading “October and Autumn approaches in the Ednovean Farm Garden” »

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The September garden

St Michael's Mount at sunset from Ednovean Farm garden

Dramatic foliage framing St Michael’s Mount at sunset looking across Mounts bay from our garden

I think I fell in love with the garden again this morning. The lines of newly emerged pampas plumes became almost iridescent in the morning sunshine in an ever repeating pattern marching down the garden and I was once again instantly smitten by their quiet majesty. This month’s photos were inspired by the play of light and dappled shadows around the garden and of course the beautiful blue of the sea that frames our days here at Ednovean farm. Continue reading “The September garden” »