August at the Castle

Apologies for the delayed blog.....  Guilty of being totally wrapped up in the Olympics - how inspiring were all those athletes?    

The rose garden is slowly recovering from the downpours of June and July and a few blooms are bravely reappearing.  But the morning we arrived the fountain had packed up.

With many weddings planned from now through to autumn, the fountain is a lovely addition for some great photo shots.  So it was out with the waders, sleeves rolled up and a clothes peg!  As with most ponds, debris collects and filters end up clogged, so it is a good idea to check them regularly.  As you can see the stone looked like new by the time we finished.

The Band Stand  - Belvoir Castle

During out visit this week some volunteers were working in the gardens.  It is always a treat when they come, as usually there are many of them (this time 12) and they get so much done.

Many of the walls surrounding the castle have become dislodged either by torrents of water, or just wear and tear over a period of time.  So dry stone walling was their task, and look what a fantastic job they have done.  

A Big Thank you to all the volunteers.

The Spring Gardens are now in their full glory; the root house that is usually so visible is now nearly hidden from view.  

The heavy rains have given all the new trees planted here in spring a perfect start, and they are all looking very healthy.

Finally, just look at the beautiful hydrangeas showing off their magical blue colour on the acid soil...