Highgrove Gardens... Here I Come!

[wellie]

I can't believe it.... I'm off on a tour of Prince Charles's gardens at Highgrove tomorrow.... and I am SO, SO excited!

It's actually kind of like a dummy run for going on holiday in two and a half weeks' time with Trousers for my Birthday, because I'm going to need to remember in the morning to take my Passport with me (!), but can't take a camera or mobile phone, but can take a notepad and pen I hope!

Comfy shoes, as there's two miles to cover, and the weather is looking fab.

I feel dead privileged to be asked, and am going as part of the Biodynamic Study Group that I've spent time studying and volunteering with when time has allowed in my disorganised and busy life.

I'm taking the 'completely mad as a box of spanners' approach and opportunity, and cooking up some Physalis Jam this evening, to take for Charles and Camilla to sample (you never ever see it for sale, as it's way too expensive to make and sell, unless you Grow Your Own. Clever Wellie, because she does?) and I see it as a nice way to say Thank You for letting me look round your garden.

Wish me Luck!
X

[smallblueplanet]

Cool! Look forward to seeing some photos? Hope they like your jam.

Edit - oops no photos! well do some good sketches!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Have a fantastic time! Want to hear about it all!

[scarey55]

Tidy xx

Wishing you luck, not that you'll need it.

Have the bestest time - but then... I know you will. and have a lovely birthday holiday too.

[wellie]

Definitely 'Tidy'! and no, unfortunately no photos allowed, but that's to be expected, naturally.

I'm just trying to get the sodding jam to set as I type? And unfortunately, it got interrupted with having to get Creamy Tarragon Chicken with baked potatoes and Funny Farm-grown Calabrese, Mangetout and immature Borlotti Bean beans (like runner beans) into Trousers's Tummy.

So - I'll just pop back to the kitchen now, me thinks

[piskieinboots]

ask him when his Ma is standing down and handing over - that'll get him smiling

[Hazel at the Hill]

So you & Trousers are going on holiday with Chas & Cam?

Oh, no - I've read it wrong, haven't I?

[wellie]

Haze - Take more water with it darling? Trousers and I are not sharing this holiday with nobody, and that's a fact!
piskie angel.... I do love a girl with dirty knees - in my books, it shows that you're having a cracking good time, whatever your excuse for the grass stains, and no, ask him yourself - I'm no messenger?

[kirsty b]

Have a wonderful day Wellie. Can't wait to hear all about it

[wellie]

Will do kirsty b - and thank you. X

[lettucegrow!]

You lucky thing you. Looking forward to the report later.

[bramble]

I'm just waiting to hear if Wellie ever got the jam to set.

[kirsty b]

Bet she did.

[di]

So???
Did it set?
Did you have to take a taste before allowing HRH to take it.....and had you made sure the poison wasn't on the top layer???

Hope you had a wonderful day My Lovely....good to see you back!!!xxxx

[wellie]

I'm not just saying this.... but I have loved Prince Charles, ever since he landed in his Helicopter somewhere on The Downs at Brighton, and made a special point of having a chat with my then Mother In Law.... because actually, it not only made her day, but her entire life, if truth be known!
But I digress!

My Biodynamic friend Rachie drove the minibus to Highgrove, and we weren't supposed to arrive the other side of ten minutes before 'kick off' - so we had to drive on a bit further from the gate, killing 5 minutes or so, to turn around in the car park of The Hare and Hounds (which brought back very fond memories from my childhood, as my Dad used to take us on holiday there and visit Westonbirt Arboretum).

So - we finally get to 'The Orchard Rooms', where we were greeted by the most charming guy, who I gave MY JAM to (!) and he assured me that every gift for The Prince does actually GET to The Prince. And he made me feel that I had actually done something rather lovely, rather than something completely 'cheesy', if you know what I mean?

We started the afternoon off with a beautifully put-together dvd of Prince Charles, and how he was inspired to create his gardens. And I'm sure that we're all well aware of how difficult creating a garden from scratch actually is - money or no money!
But what visually unfolded before my eyes over the next two hours of walking through his beautiful gardens, was truly a magical experience, even at this time of year.

I had to keep my wits about me, to turn around and around, to take every single little detail in, and at the same time to keep 'pinching myself' that I was really here at all.

I had seen 'glimpses' of his gardens prior to my visit, and so kind of maybe knew what to expect. But the reality of being there, touching the stonework, sitting on the wooden seats, casually trailing your fingers through the ferns and feeling the leathery leaves of the hostas - it was truly, truly magical, and the feeling of those gardens will never leave me.

There was quite a bizarre juncture for Rachie and I when we reached the entrance to The Kitchen Garden, and we were faced with another Tour Group who were ready to come out of there, just as we were ready to enter. Our anticipation was charged, and completely electric my friends!

The whole of the kitchen garden border hedges had once been Buxus sempervirens, and had recently been dug out because of Box Blight. I cannot imagine how devastating that must have been. I'd of been 'gutted'.

There was a hugely impressive espaliered apple arch walkway, and the pears were awesome, fig tree really healthy, completely top banana Brussel Sprouts, some very handsome Leeks.....
But the actual soil had absolutely no 'structure' whatsoever, and that shocked me - there wasn't anything 'binding it together'......
What I'd give to be let loose in a walled kitchen garden like that with a completely free reign kiddies, eh?!

Having said that, Highgrove only has about 12 gardeners - some full time, and some part time, and I am in huge admiration for the work that they do, because it is terrific.
And, as a gardener myself, I particularly sympathise with them in respect of their outgoing bamboo and incoming tree ferns (!)