A welcome drop of rain

After many months of dry weather here in Herefordshire we have finally seen a small amount of rain.

Louisa mentioned in our August update that she has been monitoring the rainfall and we have been watching how the garden has been affected. Continuing to monitor how much rain we harvest will definitely affect our choices going forward with garden developments and planting.

In July we recorded just 21 mm, August 25 mm, and as of mid-September we have so far harvested 51mm. Too little too late for some plants?

A roundup from our summer events

Thank you all who came to Sir Roy Strong’s 90th birthday celebrations in the garden. I hope you agree that the music wafting through the garden on those sunny days really felt special and hopefully in the future we can bring more of this to The Laskett for you all to relax to in the sunny afternoons and evenings.

H.Art week was very successful for us. We welcomed many new faces to The Laskett and with the additional three artists on site we felt more footfall. If you missed h.Art week, the artwork by Clair Hodgson (our Artist in Residence), David England, Jan Bruce and Jane Farrington will be on display until we close on 30 October, so there’s still a chance to view their work and of course buy a piece for your own home.

Topiary trimming

Shane, Louisa and John are in full swing, working room by room picking the shaggiest looking pieces of topiary to cut back and tidy.

With the heatwave comes slow or no growth, which slows the task down as we will have to hold off until we see a suitable amount of growth. As the rainfall increases in the autumn, with lovely sunny days we will see an increase in growth and we don’t want to be cutting twice, so keep that in mind before you start your hedges and topiary.

Does anyone have a topiary peacock or other funky shape? Please share them on your Facebook or Instagram channels and tag us in: @thelaskettgardens

Experiencing other gardens

Recently we welcomed Sian Allen to The Laskett. Sian is one of the trainees from York Gate Garden and joined us to gain experience working in a different garden. It’s such a delight meeting new fresh people in horticulture. Sian took on the task of the peacocks in the Serpentine; we have many different designs across the garden and also a topiarised bay tree, which can take some time but smells amazing.

Apple harvest

Apple picking is normally early to mid-October but most of the varieties are ready to go now so we will be picking sooner than normal. It’s always a great time in the garden, with the majority of our volunteers getting involved. It’s a lovely social day, with the teams mixing and have a chat whilst harvesting this precious fruit.

What do we do with the apples? We take them to a local press where they are turned into scrumptious apple juice – keep an eye out in all the Perennial gift shops and take some home to try for yourself.

Season end…

Whilst we will be closing the gates for the end of the season on 30 October, there’s still plenty to see before then. Autumn marks a great change in the garden, with the colours shifting and the structures really standing out against their background. The way the evening light falls on the Nymphaeum is stunning and the sedum in the rose garden is now in full song, producing a lovely pink as a final splash of colour.

Now that the nights are getting colder, it’s time to start thinking about cleaning your greenhouse before you bring all your tender plants back in. Warm water can be enough to dislodge any nastiness but if you want to be extra sure, there are many natural products on the market.

Winter workshops

The Laskett will be open 13-14 December when we will be hosting two wreath-making workshops in the conservatory.

Using as many materials from the garden as possible, Louisa will guide you through creating your own special wreath. Places are limited so book today to add your personal touch to the festive season.

For those not attending the workshops, the garden and tea room will be open to enjoy, as will the shop for those who need to fill stockings with glee. Check out our new tea towel and dry up in style! This has been specially designed by Clair Hodgson to capture the essence of The Laskett.


Every visit to Perennial’s gardens – The Laskett, Fullers Mill in Suffolk or York Gate near Leeds – directly helps Perennial provide crucial assistance to the horticultural community during challenging times. You can further support Perennial by making purchases from our garden shops or online store, buying tickets for our Exclusive Garden Tours or making donations. perennial.org.uk