Catherine’s monthly photo blog: August

The first two weeks of August saw a continuation of the scorching temperatures and drought that we had experienced in July.  The Gardens became parched, with our beautiful lawn turning crisp and brown. We had to work hard to keep the cottage garden and key specimens watered and mulched. It was so hot and dry that even the Gunnera wilted, which I had never seen before. You may have seen our Head Gardener, Pete White, on the BBC news giving gardening advice for coping with the rising temperatures.

A key job that I undertook this month was to cut back shrubs and vegetation which had encroached on some of our small paths in the centre of the Gardens.  I like to think of these as secret paths.  Next time you visit Furzey, be sure to wander off the main paths and see what you can find.  I came across a beautiful Fuchsia bush and wild mint which were both flowering.  Neither could be seen from the main paths.  They were hiding, waiting to be found.  I had a dramatic encounter with a very angry wasp who kept dive bombing me.  I ended up having to run away, flapping my arms, which must have looked very comical.

A different kind of comical drama arrived at Furzey this month in the form of a wonderful production of The Comedy of Errors.  The play is set in 1922, the year that Furzey Gardens opened, so it was the perfect choice to celebrate the centenary.  I was fortunate enough to go, and spent a very enjoyable evening watching the show.  This was the first time that I had been at Furzey in the evening.  It was wonderful to see the Gardens transformed with atmospheric lighting, and to hear music and laughter ringing out across the lawn.  If you get chance in the future, I highly recommend attending a performance.

I was working in the Gardens on the 16^th August, when the rain finally arrived.  It was wonderful to hear the thunder rolling across the New Forest.  We really need weeks of non-stop rain to restore balance to the water table, but it was such a relief to finally feel both the downpour and the significant drop in temperature.  It almost seemed as though I could hear the soil thankfully slurping up the water.  I took shelter under a Gunnera leaf and looked up to see the stunning leaf architecture.  The leaves have the most beautifully complex cell structure.  Photosynthesis is carried out by these chlorophyll-containing cells.

August was my birthday month.  I really enjoyed sharing cake with the garden team, under the shade of our ancient oak trees.  It is actually possible for you to sponsor one of 100 oak saplings that will be planted this year to mark our centenary year.  The saplings are around 60cm tall when they are planted, but will grow to be 20 – 40 metres tall once the trees are mature.

A bright and cheery flower which looked stunning this month was the Rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan).  Their showy, yellowy-gold flowerheads sparkled against the dark green foliage.  They should flower well into autumn, which is something to look forward to.  Indeed, the first signs of autumn were visible toward the end of August with some leaves starting to turn.  I’m anticipating a stunning autumn display, so I hope you can visit in September to enjoy the colours.