The first thing I noticed as I walked through the gate was how full the garden looked, totally different from our first glimpse back in May last year.
The beds were overflowing with produce, every bit of the ground was being put to good use.
I fell in love with these gorgeous old coldframes on our last visit and my heart gave a little leap when I saw them again. How I'd love to recreate something like this in my own garden, if only I had the space.
This is a wonderful example of an espaliered tree, so many branches coming off the main leader.
As you can see, it's dripping with fruit at the moment.
There are many types of fruit trees and bushes in the gardens, apples, plums, cherries, gooseberries, currants, hazelnuts, peaches, nectarines, quince, strawberries and raspberries, however, the pears are most prominent. There's almost forty varieties of pear, the most extensive collection in the North of England.
On Sunday the 22nd of September 2015, Cannon Hall will be celebrating its pear harvest with themed fun and activities in the garden as well as tastings and pear inspired refreshments. I'm sure that would be a great day out, weather permitting.
I enjoyed seeing how the garden differed at this time of year to when we were last there. The walls were just about totally covered by foliage from the trees this time, and of course, there was fruit dripping from the branches too.
One thing which did spoil the experience was the number of fallen fruit on the floor which had just been left there and was being allowed to rot. This fruit was attracting wasps and the garden was buzz buzz buzzing with them, not a very nice experience at all. You can just about see the number of wasps on this one fruit alone, it's a poor photo, I didn't want to get too close.
I did enjoy seeing other wildlife enjoying the garden though, there were butterflies on calendula and bees on scabious.
I don't remember seeing this fellow on our last visit, he must be new as I surely can't have missed him.
The clematis was flowering on the arbour when we were there last time, this time it had gone over. It just goes to show that different things are at their best at different times of the year.
I like how this large walled garden has a good mix of vegetables, fruit and flowers. There's areas devoted to each, but other areas where there's a mix of all three. Here's just some of the flowers growing there.
I have to say that one of my favourites was this beautiful hydrangea.
As we left the garden I looked back over my shoulder and was amazed to find branches from the espaliered trees had broken through the walls.
Cannon Hall is a great garden to visit and I'm pleased I've seen it around harvest time but the wasps were too much for me, I'd go a little earlier in the year in future.
I wish my pear tree were "dripping with fruit"! I wonder how old that espaliered tree is. It looks ancient.
ReplyDeleteIt does look old. It's a beautiful specimen of an espaliered tree.
DeleteA most enjoyable post and lovely pictures. Needless to say the pot marigolds caught my eye, especially the one with a butterfly.
ReplyDeleteWasps are a real nuisance at this time of year so I try to keep out of their way.
Walled gardens like this are real appealling and this one looks well worth visiting at this time of year.
Flighty xx
There was so much wildlife in the garden, a good combination of plants draws them in, though I could definitely have done with fewer wasps. Cannon Hall is a great place for a day out, so much to see and so well kept.
DeleteLovely photo's
ReplyDeleteI always take so many photos on days out, it takes me ages to decide which ones to use on the blog.
DeleteI also love revisiting garden at different times. I hate to see good fruit being wasted, surly it would be worth while an employee picking them up and then selling them as windfalls rather than wasting them.
ReplyDeleteThere's always big differences in gardens at different times of the year so it's worth spreading visits out like this. There was so much rotting fruit on the floor, as you say, they could be sold, but I would say it would be worth picking them up just so that the visitors had a nicer experience without so many wasps flying about.
DeleteWhat a wonderful garden - I would have loved to putter around in it. Except for the wasps that is - it doesn't seem like it would be too arduous of a job for a couple of people to take a half hour each day or so to pick up the dropped fruit so that visitors could have a much more enjoyable experience.
ReplyDeleteThose cold frames are a thing of beauty, aren't they? A cold frame is on my "to do" list, but I doubt it will be that nice - probably just the simple wooden version, which would still be a big step up from nothing ;)
That's my thoughts about the fallen fruit exactly. I love those coldframes, they look great in the garden as well as being functional. I've never had a coldframe myself but I wouldn't mind one like those.
DeleteGreat post and all that fruit. You could just live on it alone. The morning glory looked lovely growing up its tripod, but over here it is notorious for being a noxious weed, as it takes over huge areas. Thanks for the tour and take care.
ReplyDeleteThere was lots of fruit but unfortunately, lots going to waste too. I've tried to grow Morning Glory but the slugs seem to like them more than I do, I can never seem to get them going before they're munched.
DeleteReading your post it struck me just how few wasps I've seen this year. Maybe the weather has put them off too. I hope I am not speaking too soon..
ReplyDeleteI think they're all buzzing around Cannon Hall. They were certainly having a good feast there.
DeleteWonderful visit, Jo. Like you I love those coldframes. It is gratifying to see all pollinators too. P. x
ReplyDeleteI think there's something about brick constructions, especially when they're made out of old bricks. The mix of plants certainly seemed to be bringing the pollinators in, the buddleia had lots of different types of butterflies on it.
DeleteThat buddleia seems late - ours has gone over now. The advantage of so many fruit trees is that there should be no pollination problems.
ReplyDeleteThe buddleia was still going strong and attracting lots of different types of butterflies. I don't think they have any pollination problems at Cannon Hall, the trees were dripping in fruit.
DeleteSome lovely photo's here Jo, thank you.
ReplyDeleteThose pears look great and a nice theme for Harvest.
All the best Jan
I think the Pear Day will be a great success, they've got so many varieties for visitors to try.
DeleteOh well worth a return visit Jo. Wasps have been very much in evidence here over the last couple of weeks or so. I imagine that picking the dropped fruits off the ground could be a bit risky and at least whilst they are busy munching the pears they would be less interested in tasting human flesh. I would like to see that pear collection.
ReplyDeleteI certainly kept well away from the dropped fruit, I don't think the wasps would have appreciated my intrusion. Cannon Hall has a wonderful pear collection, it's so interesting seeing all the old varieties.
DeleteThat's beautiful! I like the kitchen garden!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a productive garden, there's so many things growing and they know how to make use of all the space.
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