September at Hunting Brook
Well it really is all happening at Hunting Book this month, we may be coming to end of the season but the plants in my garden did not get the memo! Hunting Brook is a riot of colour with yellows, cerise, pinks, reds and purples all vying for attention. Tropical foliage plants along with the salvias and dahlias are at their best. The deep velvet flowers of Salvia fulgens never fails to get ‘Oohs and Ahhs’ from visitors and it is a worthy addition to any garden. Dahlia ‘Sunny Boy’ is winning the Best Dahlia competition this year but I am also so happy with many of my own seedlings… many are truly lovely and one or two I will propagate further for next year. Late season is of course time for Canna’s and the best and most reliable for me in Hunting Brook is Canna ‘Taney’… currently hitting 8ft tall, this canna bulks up well and has a wonderful apricot flower.
I am just home from our final garden tour for 2019 (see #jimiblakegardentours for photos) and we ended on a wonderful trip to see Gardens of Normandy. They did not disappoint despite a very hot dry summer. We saw six very different and diverse gardens, each one was so good it would be very hard to call a favorite on this tour. If you would like to join us on next years tours, they will go on general release on the website in January 2021 but I will of course send out an email as well.
This Saturday we have a beginners gardening class with Ciarán Farrelly. In this class Ciarán will cover the basics of gardening including propagation, plant nutrition, plant selection and how to create a new flower bed. This workshop will give you the skills and confidence to start gardening at home and is your first stepping stone to a hobby or career that will give you years of pleasure. There is still one or two places left on this class so send us an email today if you would like to be included.
My book ‘A Beautiful Obsession’ will be available to buy from all good book shops and on the internet from the 19th September. I have held a number of book signing evenings at Hunting Brook, which have proved so popular that I am going to do 3 more on the Wed 11th, 18th and 25th from 6pm for a walk in the garden followed by a cup of tea or coffee and I will be on hand to sign copies for you. This is a free event but if you would like to come along then email me at Jimi@huntingbrook.com to book a place.
Our next ‘Special Event Sunday’ is on September 15th and I would love if you could join us at Hunting Brook when its looking its most exotic ever. There will be a number of free events over the course of the day.
I will be signing copies of his book ‘A Beautiful Obsession’ throughout the day. The book will be for sale in the tea room!
12pm – 12.30 – Exotic Walk – I will introduce you to all the amazing exotic plants that I have growing in the garden this year and talk about how to create displays from overwintering, design to propagation.
2pm – 3.pm – The popular ‘walk and talk’ class. Join me for a walk in the garden and I will point our my favourite plants for the month of September with a focus on the best late summer perennials and flamboyant exotic plants.
Our tea room will be serving delicious home-baked goodies; the garden is open from 11 until 5.30 and plants for sale on the terrace.
No extra charge for events and no need to book a place – just turn up. Entry fee applies. €6 adults, Kids Free
And finally if you get a chance to visit the garden this month do not miss our plant sales area – over the last few weeks I have cleared out the tunnels and I am selling off a lot of plants to make space for the tropicals coming in for winter! The plant sales are packed full of wondrous jewels! The garden is closed to the public at the end of September but my book will be available to buy from Hunting Brook and I would be delighted to sign a copy for you – just call ahead to make sure I am here.
More Details here.
