Garden Report 2022
After two years of Covid restrictions it is good to finally see a return to some form of normality. Despite the storms, the Landings is starting to burst into its spring colours and the daffodils are looking bright and perky in the flower beds at the entrance to the estate. Unfortunately the bed to the right of the gate is now completely devoid of bulbs, which have probably succumbed to squirrels and perhaps some over-enthusiastic weeding during the summer. So I will need to re-stock that bed in the autumn to ensure a good show next spring. New bulbs have been planted and replenished elsewhere on the estate to make sure that there is a cheery splash of colour at the end of a drab winter.
Over the course of the year we have replaced the wooden edging to the gravel path behind the houses in Waterside Close, and have also replaced a section in Blackburn Way that had badly deteriorated. There is still more to do but we hope to complete the work in this coming year. Meanwhile, the contract gardeners have been tasked with blitzing the weeds that invade the gravel paths, and where this has been done the results are very pleasing. In Waterside Close we are hoping to maintain a mown grass verge along the top of the riverbank adjoining the path. It is a bit of a challenge to keep some vigorous geraniums under control but I am hoping that between my strimmer and the gardeners' mowers, they will eventually give up the fight and keep their distance.
Despite the various Covid restrictions in 2021, we still managed to carry out our usual work parties and had an excellent turn out for both the March and the October sessions. Very many thanks to everyone for joining in and achieving so much, and thanks as always to Hilary and Bruce for the excellent refreshments. If anyone has noticed a task that would be suitable to tackle at a work party, please do contact me as I keep a running list of jobs that need doing but which are outside the remit of the contract gardeners.
As usual, I have been treating the small areas of Japanese Knotweed that we still have on the estate. These are along a short section of riverbank in Waterside Close and a patch along the stream bank behind no. 18 Blackburn Way. I am happy to say that the latter area has dramatically reduced over the last couple of years, and the Waterside Close section is also losing its vigour.
We keep a regular watch on the condition of the stream in the Landings Wood. In 2020 Tony Draper did a great job dredging the sand banks that had washed in on the floods in February of that year. I am pleased to say that the stream now has a vigorous flow, which in turn helps to prevent the buildup of weed on the stream bed that could eventually clog it. David and I always check the course of the stream after the winter storms to make sure that it is clear of fallen logs, and after Storm Eunice there is quite a lot of debris that will need removing.  However, the condition of the stream has definitely improved over recent years and our Riversearch surveys for Surrey Wildlife Trust show that there is now a healthy fish and riverfly population. The herons and kingfisher seem to think so as well.
We all hope that 2022 will be a year when once again we can socialise and enjoy our lovely riverside environment, which we are privileged to share with a healthy population of flora and fauna. Maintaining the balance between allowing natural wildlife habitats to thrive while keeping the area looking cared for, can be a tricky one, but I hope that you will agree that we do not do a bad job of it.