Volunteer view: Janes notebook April

2 May 2023

Jane Pownall, one of our welcome hosts, shares notes from volunteering during a couple of her volunteering days in April.

Jane joined the volunteering team in 2022, but is well known to Furzey Gardens having previously written articles and worked with the Furzey Gardens team in her previous role as Head of the Minstead Study Centre. Jane enjoys volunteering as a Welcome Host as it often gives her the opportunity to observe the nature and wildlife around her.

20 & 27 April

A beautiful blackbird is singing by the entrance to welcome the visitors into the garden. The sun is shining but the wind has quite a nip to it which can damage the new fragile growth.

The large leaf rhododendron, Sino Grande caused quite a spectacle as it was moved around the site in preparation for the Beaulieu show garden. The trial plot has been assembled out of view, to finalise the perfect layout.

The plant sales have been a huge success with our visiting U3A horticulturalists, being much praised for the quality and value for money.

The wind is playing strange tricks in the car park, whipping up the dust into mini tornados. All the cars are covered with a fine red sand.

The bluebells have taken over from the drifts of daffodils. The leaf cover increases day by day and there’s ever more blossom throughout.

The Solomon’s seal and candelabra primulas are in flower and the gunnera reaches gigantic proportions.

The wonderful staff in the café keep me plied with hot drinks when they have a spare moment.

King Charles sits in state in the vegetable garden and is welcomed by a “Good Morning your Majesty” much to everyone’s amusement.

The volunteers are weeding and mulching the area by Furzey House with aged woodchips to suppress weeds and retain moisture. Someone found the most beautiful, blue eggshell discarded from a song thrush nest. This proved a great fascination for our young visitors. A firecrest has been spotted in the polytunnel gathering moss for its nest….

Birds seen:

Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue tit, Great tit, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, Nuthatch, Song Thrush, Robin, Wren

For more information about joining the Furzey Welcome Team please get in touch! Volunteers@MinsteadTrust.org.uk