Spring is bursting out all over the garden but my attention has been on Doris! A disaster called Doris This End of the Month View I plan to update you on last week’s post.
You will recall that storm “Doris” had caused considerable damage to an old apple tree. Despite the very poor weather this week we did manage to start the process of clearing up.
Removing the mass of Rosa Rambling Rector was not very pleasant and needed very good gloves and protection.
A few logs will be added to our log pile
and a large amount of rose and apple twigs destined for the shredder in the potting shed. Actually this is what was left after about five hours of shredding.
So looking at the tree from the house it does not look too bad.
From the east side it not great but probably will fill out a bit.
From the south looking towards the house it is not bad.
But from the main garden looking east we can really see the damage done.
You can see on this photograph where the branch came from. Also you can see that the tree is showing signs of aging and rotting from the inside. Given that the tree is probably around 100 years old this is not surprising.
What next?
We are not going to rush into removing it completely but will live with it for a while and see how it developed. In the meanwhile we will be looking for mature apple trees to be a possible replacement. So the future is yet to be determined. Its very sad but gardening has never been totally predictable. I guess that is part of the enjoyment.
End of the Month View
Do have a look at Helen The Patient Gardener’s blog where you fill find links to other gardens at the end of February. Thank you to Helen for hosting this meme.
Glebe House is just into area one and we were expecting high winds. The garden is very exposed to the south west, the direction we would expect the wind to come from.
On inspection it is probably worse with a second branch being split and almost certain to be lost.The tree is an old apple tree and had a splendid Rosa Rambling Rector growing up it. 
Actually the rambling Rector was part of the issue as it made the tree too top heavy.
This is the tree in June with Rambling Rector looking incredible.
And in winter the tree was a real focal point.
On a much happier note we had two other annual visitors.Each year Mallard Ducks turn up in the garden looking for good nest sites. Some years they have been successful and reared a batch of chicks. They then disappear from the garden only to be back the following year.
For the last three weeks we have been away from Glebe House staying in the 
I often think that a the percentage of guests who have stayed before is a good measure of how good a hotel is. This was our third visit and I would estimate that 50%of the guests had been before. This is despite the fact that it is not an easy hotel to get to. We flow from London Heathrow to Mumbai, then from Mumbai to Mangaluru and finally a two and a half hour car ride!
We first stayed about six years ago when the Hermitage was relatively new. Since then the gardens surrounding the villas has grown significantly and are still being developed.
Being next to the beach the soil is very sandy and unless watered plants soon dry out. At this time of year the temperature is typically 33c with no rainfall.
The gardener explained that they plan to clear this area of dried up plants and plant the area with pineapple plants which would then provide fruit for the restaurant. Needless to say in this temperature I did not volunteer to help him.
The garden is kept alive watering and the cattle egrets love it as the water brings the insects out.
Around the garden there are a number of small pools which as well as providing attractive features bring more wildlife to the garden.
This part of the Kerala coast is very underdeveloped and the wildlife is stunning.
The pool has become part of the garden as well as providing a fantastic amenity for guests.
At 7 o’clock in the morning the air temperature was around 26c and the water was perfect for a swim looking out over the infinity edge to the beach.
Itea belongs to the Grossulariaceae to which Escallonia and Ribes also belong. There are fifteen species of Itea – fourteen from East Asia and one deciduous species from North America – Itea virginica. They are useful shade loving shrubs or small trees.
Rather lax in habit, Itea ilicifolia is most often grown and trained against a wall where the reflected heat encourages more flowers and better growth, although in warmer parts of the U.K., Itea ilicifolia grows to be a striking standalone plant.
There is no doubt that Garrya can make a striking small bush and also has similar tassels.
However when grown against a wall and requiring pruning to shape I fine the tassels are considerably reduced in numbers.
Furthermore the leaves are not as clean and glossy. The main advantage of Garrya elliptica over Itea ilicifolia is that it will cope with north facing walls.
Glebe House Garden 