Walled Garden, Luton Hoo – Early Summer

Well, there looks to be a chance of some settled and more Summer-like weather this week, with even the potential of lasting into the weekend. I have not had much of a chance to visit the Walled Garden of late as I have had to contend with preparing my own garden and surroundings to improve my chances of selling the house. But having made some corrections to the new Estate Agents’ work on the brochure, and my desk being clear I dashed out for an hour to see what was on show.

I never tire of seeing the leaves on the erstwhile Garden Manager’s Office, as they start green and then change to red and white, so after some shots of that I made my way into the garden itself and whilst close to the wall and capturing a close-up, I heard the somewhat unusual twittering of some young Mallard ducks, and they then tentatively emerged from the back of the garden beds onto the path towards the grass beneath the fruit trees. A short time later a male pheasant also skittered away from near me, and not long after took to the air and departed.

The layout of the gardens has changed from earlier years, with much more fencing appearing, and unless I am mistaken a different range of plants. I spent just on an hour wandering around occasionally patiently watching bees doing their job of pollinating, and just before leaving taking a shot of the beekeepers working around the hives behind the potting sheds. Overall there were a lot of volunteers this Wednesday almost certainly due to the improved spell of weather.

Heritage Open Day Saturday at Luton Hoo

I drove to the Walled Garden to see what I could cover at the event, taking only one camera, my trusty 5D MkII and 24-105mm lens. I was surprised that there seemed to be far fewer visitors than I would have expected since entry to the event was free. But after only ten or fifteen minutes many more arrived. I must have arrived at around many people’s lunchtime!

I had been here only last Wednesday afternoon so I was not expecting to see too much of a change, I was soon disabused of that, as many more blooms were present than earlier, and weeding had continued unabated, and there were still even some volunteers working away as visitors wandered around. Deborah who designed and manages the Apothecary planting was constantly surrounded by enquiring visitors. The visitors were a mixture of individuals of both sexes, couples young and old and several family groups. I also spotted a few in guided tours learning of the history of the gardens and the plans for its restoration and regeneration.

The encouraging sign as had been the case on the Wednesday, was how many honeybees were to be found on the flowers; a welcome profusion. I was saddened by seeing that one of the greenhouses had suffered a serious collapse, I just hope some form of support can be arranged before the onset of winter.

I spotted a daytime moth which had made one particular flowerhead its territory, and was fascinated by its complex wing structure. I cannot find a name for it, it has a mark that is similar to the Silver Y moth, but it did not have the distinctive Y structure.

Windy Wednesday in the Walled Garden

I had had too much grief in front of the computer; I needed to get out, so even though I knew it would be rather late, and it was both dull and very windy, I took myself off to the Walled Garden at Luton Hoo.These winds were the precursor to autumn, or as the Americans would say Fall. I prefer autumn to the the more prosaic description to just the single aspect of the dropping of leaves. Autumn evokes the colours of the season, and today despite the inclement weather still had the colour of late summer flowers, and the leaves have yet to fall.

My patience was somewhat tried as some shots took several minutes of waiting for the lull in the wind, and nothing could be grabbed as I had little margin of error due to the low light level. And at the best of times patience is not really my strong suit, and these last few weeks have not been the best of times. I persevered, and the end result is more colourful than I had expected. Many of the volunteers had already finished, but there were still several hardy perennials determined not to be defeated by the weather, and they had obviously worked hard clearing the weeds and thinning out the plants and flowers that had past their best.

The handcart is nearing completion, and the next in line for refurbishment, now that most replacement parts have arrived, is the Drag Saw. It is hoped the handcart will be ready in time for the Pumpkin and Apple Gala Day, and certainly the Apples and Pears are the best I have seen, having suffered less from the ravages of wasps and the like.

August in the Walled Garden

Because there was some sunshine, I was hoping that the weather might be conducive to the sighting of the elusive humming bird hawkmoth in the walled garden at Luton Hoo, hence my visit this Wednesday afternoon. It was not to be!

There was however a riot of colour, and some of the time there was clear sunshine at others the cloud cover increased, but the one constant was the oppressive mist heat, with only the occasional respite of a gentle breeze (always when I needed it to be still either when very close or simply to ensure a good composition – I believe there is a law governing this with gardening connotations!)

It would have been an ideal day for painters, I felt somewhat sorry for the toiling volunteers in the heat.

Sunshine and Showers in the Walled Garden

The morning was dull with very few bright spells, but the afternoon improved enough for me to consider visiting the Walled Garden at Luton Hoo, even though it was already mid-afternoon.

The first port of call was to see how the restoration of the hand cart was getting on, however there was no one there, but I took a quick few shots. I took a stroll around the garden and found quite a few beautifully scented roses, and wonderful rich red lilies, and some rather small sunflowers. There were a fair number of bees, though few were honey bees.

The newly replanted strawberries were being carefully protected from any marauding birds. I also noted that part of the potting shed roof between two chimneys was under reconstruction.

There was a very sharp, but shortlived shower which brought a stop to that work for a while and brought me into the shelter of the greenhouse where I spotted a beautifully formed fig leaf. This afforded me a a chance to catch water droplets on leaves and flowers, which always adds charm, and also offered some dramatic clouds against a rich blue.

Hardworking Volunteers at Luton Hoo

Volunteers at Luton Hoo's Walled Garden Project do not shy away from either hard or dirty work, and it is true regardless of sex or age. The stalwarts I came across this afternoon before taking photos in the warmth of the Conservatory Marquee, were in the case of two ladies – barely above ground as they were in the void outside the front of the Boiler room that gave onto the windows from the cellar, digging out the accumulated soil of decades and filling several loads for the wheelbarrow.

Round at the rear at the bottom of the stone steps to the boiler room itself one man was on his knees and the other standing, as they tried to unblock the drain sump of greasy sludge, once again, hardly an enjoyable task.

I did pay a visit to the restorers of the handcart, but they were tackling a different task – that of repairing the projector stand for the upcoming Art Exhibition, so the hand cart was put on the back burner!

Still Very Much PreSeason at Walled Garden

On this my second visit to Luton Hoo’s Walled Garden this year, it is obvious that the weather has taken its toll; some of the polythene covering on the greenhouses has been shredded by the winds, and the incessant rain has puddled much of the roads and paths, and growth has been held back. Despite this there are the signs of Spring, and the volunteers have done sterling work in clearing the beds for the new season. There is also new paving for the tree-lined path to the greenhouses.

In the former Mushrooom House, the handcart restoration is progressing from the stripped-down kit of parts I saw on my earlier visit; the wheels have been treated for woodworm been filled and were being sanded down, and a new end piece for one of the sides was being shaped. Next door, a staging was being prepared for one of the propagating sheds; it was taking shape from reclaimed wood and later being trimmed to fit against the large pipes.

The sun was very intermittent, but in a brighter moment I brought the previous year’s restoration project, the Apple or Egg Cart, out into the courtyard to record it in all its glory.

In the greenhouse, which had been Rosetti’s Studio in the TV film ‘The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood’ a couple of far more recent garden benches were being given a new white coat. In the gardens, raspberry canes were being dug up and consigned to the smoke and flames of a bonfire just outside the walls of the garden. Along the Potting Shed wall the first signs of Spring growth were to be seen below the windows, and along the tree-lined walk were some flowers from last season alongside snowdrop clusters, and soon with a bit of warmth the daffodils will come into bloom.

Luton Hoo Walled Garden January

January is nearing its end, and so I paid a visit to Luton Hoo’s Walled Garden for the first time in 2011. England’s recent weather has done it no favours, but it was still very obvious that both employed and voluntary workers had cleared the detritus of the past season readying the garden for next year’s growth. Taking photos within the walled garden in the gloom and fine drizzle would not have shown the efforts, but simply filled a viewer with sadness.

As I walked around beyond the wall towards the Boiler House and beyond, I could hear animated conversation. As I came to the former Mushroom House I met the team who over at least the last two years had restored the Apple Cart. I learnt that the next projects were to continue work on the dragsaw, and start on a small handcart. I was shown some of the parts, and the start being made, but there was nothing beyond a series of early faded photos that showed how it had once looked during its former working life.

In the smaller room next door a parcel from America was being slowly unpacked to reveal some goodies rescued from a ‘Bone Yard’ – what we English would describe as a ‘Scrap Yard’! However the contents revealed a delightful cornucopia of parts that could bring the dragsaw back to energetic life. I heard it described as a Christmas present! They would still require work, and in some cases could only become patterns for newly machined components such as the crankshaft, but all were very welcome.

Meanwhile in the small courtyard, work was proceeding trying to lift a large grating, which did seem to be resisting all efforts to being opened. Soon two of the volunteers were turning their attention to some of the smaller connected grilles and then one of them set to removing some of the gloop in order to rod the pipes to clear them; this task was still ongoing by the time I came to leave, so I do not know the final outcome. What I do know is that it was hard and dirty work that was being done with enthusiasm.

A Bright Wednesday in the Walled Garden

Having missed the Sunday event at Luton Hoo, I wanted to see how the team restoring a Dairy cart were getting on, and now the days were getting both sunnier and warmer, see whether some of the plants were catching up.

There was still a cold breeze when I first arrived, and there were a good number of volunteers judging by the number of vehicles, but oddly it did not look crowded with people, I later gathered there was a meeting discussing future plans.

The restoration team were not due till after one, so I wandered around the greenhouses and garden first. And later met the three main restorers who were now cleaning up the springs for the cart, then later was shown a room I had never been in and found an old bus sign and odd finials. There was discussion this might well become a tea shop.

I also recorded some very obvious signs of subsidence damage evident in the brickwork of the potting shed outhouses.There was an abundance of tulips many yet to open, but still snowdrops, daffodils and bluebells and some blossom appearing on the fruit trees.

The sun had brought out the bees and they were once again swarming around a water trough.

Quick Afternoon Visit to the Walled Garden

The morning was grey and cold for this time of year, so it was easy enough to be persuaded to keep working inside at the computer, but once the sun came out and I had cleared the work, I gathered a couple of lenses, and set off for Luton Hoo.

Many of the volunteers had already completed their work by the time I arrived.

I just wanted a record of what had changed since my last visit. The cold grey days were evident in the paucity of real growth, but I was also lucky enough to spot a group of the bee keepers tending the hives, so there are two separate galleries of images of what I saw this afternoon; one mainly floral the other of the bee keepers.

Walled Garden Big Lunch – Rain does not stop play

The forecast was sunshine and showers, and the day certainly started out in keeping, but it was not long before it flipped – to showers with breaks of sunshine, and boy did it come down! But this is Britain, and remarkably, everyone I saw wore a smile, and shrugged it off..

I could see that I somehow had to choose views that made the place look busy, so I would angle myself to find one group with another in the background! Once I had got a few shots like that in the bag, I then spent a few minutes in the Alchemy garden, where hoverflies and bees were busy…

I also visited the Cacti again, and some of the musicians, the Steel Band Drummer, and A Different Beat; with Bongos, since both were under cover, the entire time rain or shine, was accompanied by the rhythm of drums.

I managed to get stung by a bee outside the Cactus house whilst photographing some hemlock. This gave me my introduction to the St. John's Ambulance group, and one of them some paperwork to complete! An ice pack soon eased my pain, so thank you guys.

It was a good-humoured time, and water droplets adds something to flowers.

Hot Wednesday in the Walled Garden

Arriving late, I strolled round outside the wall, and visited the potting sheds; I had decided beforehand that this was to be a day when I made use of flash, and I felt there was a good prospect of capturing honey bees at work.

My surmise was correct, and despite a few failures, I managed to capture some, but I have yet to succeed in getting both a good balance and no double exposure consistently, but perhaps this is where I need to invest in ringflash and let the flash take over more completely.

I was able to record a rather unusual 'straggly' poppy, and I also spotted that one of the water troughs had become an ad hoc hive for some of the bees alongside water boatmen rowing across the surface.

Several Delayed Galleries

For a number of reasons, such as preparations for a Business to Business Exhibition, several shoots have been held back before I could get around to creating galleries. Probably the earliest was when there was distinctly some sunshine and showery conditions and I chose to make the most of capturing two tractors at work.

I also paid a couple of very quick visits to Luton Hoo and Maydencroft Manor, at the Walled Garden, I met up with Chris Wilmott who is doing an Art Project, and the St. Albans Movie Makers who are recording much of the dilapidation in the greenhouses. On a calm day I took a few shots of the windsurfers at Brogborough Lake.

On another day blessed with beautiful light I took some landscape shots, some of which captured a rainbow, from which I also stitched a panorama. All these latest galleries preceded the exhibition at which Trevor Baylis appeared.

Snow at Luton Hoo

Opening the curtains to a snow laden scene was quite a surprise this morning, especially since it was still flurrying down. All I wanted was for the sun to come out, and as I breakfasted, my wish was coming true. I made sure the camera gear was ready and was soon on my way to visit the Luton Hoo Estate and see whether there was anything attractive to photograph.

As I entered the long avenue, I spotted a car in the first of the passing places, and later spotted that someone was of the same mind as me, but he was leaving having taken some shots of the derelict building alongside the avenue. I called into the Estate Office and wished everyone a Happy New Year and then hailed Alex Hines to check that she was happy for me to wander around and take pictures. I was later able to capture her hard at work with the small truck moving hay from the stables.

Snow has the ability to beautify dereliction, especially when the sun is out, and I hope I have captured images that prove the point. I have tried to shoot some of the plants with the buildings beyond so that the location is obvious. Tracks in the snow also have a fascination, as do the patterns formed by the underlying tiles on rooftops. I enjoyed the time, I hope it comes across in the shots I have chosen for the gallery.

Anyone any idea how tyre tracks can simply come to an end without the presence of the vehicle making them?