Garden Blog - Blog Post

The End of the NGS 2023 Season

0 comments

It’s been a while since the last post and that’s mainly because the second half of the season had several NGS Open Days and private group visits packed in. In fact, we had three events in the space of two weeks in the first half of August (who organised that, eh?).

The garden in full “Romantic Style” glory

Now, however, after a final afternoon “do” for the many volunteers that helped us over the course of the season, some on hot days, some in driving rain, the garden is closed for 2023 and the final figures are in:

  1. £3000+ raised for the NGS, who will distribute it to their beneficiaries
  2. 10 NGS events (5 Open Days, 5 Private Group Visits)
  3. 350+ visitors (it’s difficult to keep accurate track of numbers)
  4. 428 slices of cake served, that’s about 43 cakes

It’s been a busy season and the garden – as well as the cakes – have been admired by many people. We’ve had many lovely comments written in the visitor guest book and I hope those who visited came away with memories of a wonderful afternoon, including for those on days when the weather was particularly adverse and we were serving cake out of the poly-tunnel greenhouse to keep it dry.

Trying to stay warm and dry on more challenging NGS Open Days

There’s no doubt the weather put a dampener on some days, but overall, it’s been a spectacular opening year and while we’re unlikely to put as many Open Days in the calendar for 2024, we’re still looking forward to greeting hungry and curious garden visitors next season.

But just because the NGS season is over doesn’t mean the garden has finished flowering, the cannas at the front are in their “show-stopper” phase, the Gaura in the verge are still flowering, the grass paths are covered with plants spilling out from the borders and the Main border itself is looking an absolute picture – the parts that aren’t gaps, that is.

A Private Group Visit by a local Gardening Group

It’s an odd time of year when the weather can still be amazing, and indeed this week is forecast to be hotter than it has been all summer – though that is a rather low bar admittedly – but I’m itching to start putting things away, tidying up and generally getting the garden ready for autumn and winter. This, when the herbaceous perennials are still in mid-flower and the roses are having their second flush.

I guess it’s because after a summer of very light-touch gardening (it’s essentially been left to run rampant all by itself), I know there is a lot of catch-up and pruning and tidying to do, to get the garden back to a state it can start the next season from. I know it takes a long time and I know that I never quite manage to finish it all before Spring and the garden get underway again.

The Typical Garden Menu for the Afternoon

It could also be because this is the first year I’ve no large projects to finish before the weather turns. In previous years I’ve been racing to get the major outdoor jobs done before it gets too cold and too wet – not so this year. The most I’ve got to do at the moment is to repaint the legs of the bistro table, my goodness, what a workload!

and so ends the first year opening for the NGS, on a fundraiser high, a sugar high and an Indian Summer high. I wouldn’t say, “no” to more of the same.

stay up to date

Subscribe

Enter your email address to subscribe to the Garden Blog and stay notified when new posts are available.

catch up

Recent Posts

Don't miss these recent posts.

delve deeper

Garden Blog Archive

Peruse the full Garden Blog Archive going back over a decade.

Visit the Garden

Inspired?

Visit the Garden at 13 Broom Acres on National Garden Scheme Open Days and by arrangement

author & gardener

Sunil Patel

I'm Sunil Patel, this is me. I created the Garden at 13 Broom Acres and I open it to visitors. I also bake and write blog posts giving a "behind the scenes" look into what it's like to maintain such a garden.

Visit the blog, then come and visit the garden. We can have a good sit-down, a jolly chinwag and a relaxing cup of tea with a sinfully generous slice of home made cake.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Blog Post Lucky Dip

Lose yourself in garden history with over a decade of blog posts to choose from.

neighbourhood explorer

Followed Blogs

Here's a favourite list of blogs that I love to curl up with a cup of tea, slice of cake and have a good read.

stay notified

Subscribe to the Blog

Enter your email address to subscribe to the Garden Blog and stay notified when new posts are available.

email address policy

Your email address will only be used for the purpose of sending you email updates to notify you of new blog posts. It will not be sold to third parties nor used for advertising or other marketing purposes.

© Sunil Patel. All rights reserved