The view below shows the ancient and rather compromised solitary apple tree and the row of bare oak trees in early April 2021. These trees had been grown from acorns by my Uncle, long passed on, and as saplings about four feet tall were planted by me on the Upper Lawn. It was only in April that signs of new growth became apparent.
The ancient and rather compromised solitary apple tree (left) and the row of bare oak trees in April 2021
The copper beech on the front lawn was equally late to bud in 2021.
A visiting cock pheasant struts self-importantly past the still-bare copper beech tree on the front lawn
Adjacent to the upper lawn, there's a very small area of woodland, mainly holly but with a few cherry and birch trees. I have recently decided to call my tiny wood 'Little Wood', as an affectionate tribute to a far more substantial wood called 'Big Wood' some three miles to the south west on the Chillington Hall Estate. At a little under 200 square metres, the name is at least accurate.
View of Little Wood from the Upper Lawn
Little Wood is home to an annual display of bluebells which, year by year is spreading in area.
Brewood Hall Garden 2021: Bluebells in Little Wood in April
There is also one isolated small enclave of bluebells on the Upper Lawn, near a hawthorn tree adjacent to a holly.
Bluebells on the upper lawn (Brewood Hall Garden 2021)
Cherry blossom time appeared, a little late and not quite as impressive as in previous years,
Cherry trees in blossom on the front lawn (Brewood Hall Garden 2021)
During spring, the weather was an odd mixture of bright sun, heavy rain and high winds which seemed to confuse plant-life. There was an unexpected early appearance of fungi on the Front Lawn.
An unexpected early appearance of fungi in May (Brewood Hall Garden 2021)
The Weeping Ash on the Upper lawn shed numerous dead branches during the high winds and showed no sign of life until May and, even then, at first budding appeared only in isolated branches, suggesting that this venerable tree might be failing.
Welcome signs of life in the Weeping Ash in May (Brewood Hall Garden 2021)
And yet, during the following weeks, the tree managed to adorn itself with the usual luxuriant foliage,although becoming noticeably lop-sided.
Brewood Hall Garden 2021: The Weeping Ash, becoming rather lop-sided
During 2020 Foxglove appeared for the first time, as recorded in the post here. In 2021, they became almost rampant, colonising numerous spots around the garden, with a particularly sturdy example near the front wall.
Brewood Hall Garden 2021: Foxglove adjacent to the front wall
In the UK, inoculation programmes using the Astrazeneca and Pfizer vaccines starting early in 2021 gave cause for hope and the government targeted June 2021 for the lifting of restrictions. These hopes were dashed at the last moment as Covid-19 infections from the so-called 'Delta Variant' proliferated and July 19th was then announced as the "terminus date" for legally-imposed restrictions.
My pictures
Pictures in this post can be viewed uncropped, where necessary, by clicking on the image. Selecting from the full 2021 album below allows viewing or downloading in various resolutions:-
Brewood Hall garden 2021
