We opened for St. Christopher's Hospice on Sunday 16th May this year. We had the usual refreshments, a gift stall and a raffle. We sold a few plants and this year we also had a Just Giving page (www.justgiving.com/sandjay) - people are incredibly generous.
Thank you to everyone who supported us!
Including donations we raised a grand total of £1,718.85 (including £500 from HSBC), which was our best ever result so we were delighted.
Most of the photos without people in were taken the weekend before we opened in case it rained (it did a bit), I ran out of time (always do) etc on the day.
Everything was a bit late this year as it had been cold. A lot of the tulips were dying back and it was too cold / early to cut the leaves from the daffs, hyacinths and tulips back and plant the bedding so a bit of an "in between" time. The shrubs and small trees put on a pretty good show for us and there was still plenty of colour around.
We had a gazebo over the gate team, one for the refreshments team and one for our guests in the garden in case of showers. We were quite lucky in that it wasn't too wet while we were open.
The cakes were so popular that there was a queue! Perhaps it was for a warm cup of tea to combat the chilly weather.
Linda admiring the hydrangea bushes. She gets the heads and uses them in her soap making business (for decoration rather than the soap itself).
Now, what's this one called?
The frames on the veg beds are relatively new. The frames made from wooden posts lasted us well but these are much tidier and better for the runner beans to scramble up as there's a tall arch in the middle of the beds (we nicked that idea from Fred and Nina on one of our visits!) The CDs act as scarers against the pigeons and doves who seem to like most of what we plant.
The photo below shows a good recyclng use of an old garden hoe. We weren't sure how to drape a net over the strawberry bed (to try and make sure we got at least some of the fruit this year) then Jonathon had the idea of a "tent type" arrangement and I remembered we had an old hoe in the shed - it works a treat.
Far more interesting than the plants that are for sale. In the end, I sold some of the red basil that was in the greenhouse (but not to this lady)
Intrepid explorers (no grown ups went on this path!)
Apparently they were searching for hippos ... or was it bears?
Not sure what Emily is explaining to Alabama and Albert but they seem very interested. Perhaps she'll be a teacher (like her Mum).
The Tamarisk (pink wavy bush on the right) was the most asked after plant on the day
Last year I wore my hat to protect me from the sun, this year it was against the rain!
The arch on the left is also new - same supplier as the frames on the veg beds. We've got a couple of David Austen roses on either side so we're looking forward to a lovely rose arch in years to come.
The pigs were getting lost in their old home so we've moved them into the bed under the big tree. The squirrels think that's a great idea and sit on them (especially the big one) whilst eating the food we put out for the birds!
The geraniums were overwintered in the greenhouse. I was really pleased at how many survived, particularly with the cold winter we had (dread to think what the greehouse heater did to our electricity bill!)
The Wednesday morning before we opened and we had a real frost. The coldest May morning for quite a while apparently. Nothing I could do about that morning but the following morning was also forecast to have a frost so the white hanging cloths are the "blankets" for my runner beans. Some survived, others didn't. Other casualties were courgettes, tomatoes and even the edges of the potato leaves got crisped. Time will tell what will come back.
... and then everybody went home and we'd finished for another year! The rain came while we were clearing up and we got a bit wet!! We found a friendly neighbour who was opening their garden the following weekend so all unsold plants went there for their charity and we settled in for the night while the garden enjoyed a long, very wet drink.
As always, if there are any photos of you that you don't want to be on the page (except Jane!), please let me know.