On one level early January is the nadir of the gardening year. Days are short, light levels low, temperatures chilly and everything seems deeply dormant. But look more closely and the signs are there that nature's pulse is already strengthening.
Two of our very few native evergreens, holly and ivy, are as seasonally synonymous as Christmas and pudding. For our forebears, these were plants that mysteriously denied the seeming extinction of nature during winter's icy grip and, to this day, we retain the ancient custom of decking the house with these evergreen plants to subdue sprites and goblins over the festive season.
I feel as though I'm in the wrong story- more White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland (its late! its late!) than bringing December news from West Dean on time. Who says there isn't much to do in the garden in winter. West Dean Gardens will remain open until Sunday 21st so there is still time for you to visit our Gardens Shop for Christmas gifts and enjoy the delights of the Gardens Restaurant; best to get in quick as we will be closed throughout January 2015, reopening on February 1st. At this time of year you can take advantage of our reduced entry fees to the gardens too.
Read Claudia de Yong's take on one of her favourite kitchen gardens in her 'places to visit' blog...yes, it's West Dean!
Flint is one of the defining characteristics of our chalk landscape. Over the last decade we have completely rebuilt these river banks as nearly 200 years of flood and frost have left them in a pretty parlous condition.
As temperatures plummet this time of the year the lights go back on in the cold frames at West Dean Gardens. It is essential to provide a minimum of frost protection for those border line hardy plants that are lined out to over-winter.
At this time of year there is a flurry of list-making as jobs to be done in the gardens are arranged and rearranged according to the weather and priority. It's all about housekeeping in November, a case of which glasshouse to empty then clean and in which order.
This is a glorious stroll that takes you from the richly planted ornamental grounds through the simplicity of the landscape park, the arboreal splendors of the arboretum and thence into the upper landscape park with panoramic views of the beautiful South Downs.
There is a wistful softness about golden October, a period that can produce some of our most congenial weather in which to enjoy the less urgent jobs of autumn such as lawn raking!
The dry September with less than 10 mm of rain recorded has been the driest at West Dean in the past 34 years. We could do with some rain, a generous 15 mm right now would suit nicely. Read more in our October blog.