The frost is thick on the lawn in the garden this week. Still, we're harvesting. The last of the lemon balm has been rescued from the cold and brought to the drying room. Thankfully, the glasshouse allows us a longer growing season, so the plants in there are safe from frostbite. The lemon balm, sweet woodruff, lemon verbena and even a few mallows and violets are still being harvested.
The juniper berries are in their element and don't mind the current baltic weather. Harvesting the juniper berries require heavy gloves and - more than anything - patience with all the little creepy crawlies living in the shrubs. Spiders of all sorts, stink bugs and earwigs amongst other things proudly call the juniper woodland their home. Once the berries are in the drying room, we need to separate the good quality berries from the berries that have gone over and all the needles that inevitably come along. The constant warm temperature in the drying room allows the berries to be preserved through dehydration and then they can be stored for use in our ultra-premium gins next year.
Another task in the garden this month is to protect the more tender plants. The lemon verbena in the polytunnel has been tucked in. A layer of wool around the base and hessian cloth to keep it in place will see them safely through the winter. Amazingly, the sweet peas are still flowering in there. The garden is truly an example of different seasons at the moment.
Until next time ....
Erika Haeggman | Head Gardener
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