Zen trees on the move

Buildzone's diggers, poised for action on the forecourt 

An early start yesterday – the third of the site buildings arrived at Betley Court, and was carefully positioned alongside the other two that arrived last week. The building was quickly plumbed into the mains sewerage, and also the electrical supply.

The new site cabin, complete with mains plumbing!

Mechanical diggers have arrived on site too, along with the contractors who will be doing the hard work. Even this morning, a large amount of timber had been removed and dumped on the forecourt. A lot of this will be disposed of, but first Shane will through it to sift out pieces of molding, carved wood and examples of joint in the wood. These will give our architect, Mark some idea of how the building was constructed, and inform his design for the rebuild. We also collecting pieces of ironwork for the same reason. All these items will help the conservation experts advise us.

Molding, panels and carved beams

Part of a wooden staircase, saved for the architect to inspect

We’re putting 14 charred beams aside, as we want to make an artwork in the gardens at a later date. The 14 will represent the fourteen households of Betley Court on the day of the fire. 

Charred roofing beams

Down in the garden by the new visitors’ hub, I’m continuing sowing the native woodland grass seed. Thankfully, we had a huge cloudburst on Saturday night, that quenched the sunbaked soil. It’s made working the ground so much easier, and will improve the chances of the seeds germinating.

Down by the visitors' hub, not much to see - yet!

Now that Buildzone are occupying the Peace Garden, we’ve started moving certain choice plants and relocating them elsewhere in the grounds. So, in our own little way, we’ve been reenacting what William Barron did, when he moved the semimature Cedar of Lebanon (Cedris libani) to its current position in the centre of the lawn. Only on a much smaller scale. On Saturday, Nigel helped me dig up two Japanese maples (Acer japonicaum ‘Aureum’ and A. ‘Attaryi’).

Acer 'Aureum'

Acer 'Attaryi'

They had been growing in wooden planters in the dog pound yard, but since the fire, as no one is able to water and feed them anymore, they were really beginning to suffer. I’ve relocated them down beside the temple. Americans refer to Japanese acers as ‘Zen trees’ due to their use in scared gardens, and it seems quite fitting to rehome these pretty little trees by our temple feature. Shane spotted a nice Acer purpurea ‘Crimson Queen’, one of the red filigree leaved ones, and suggested it could join the other two, and they make a lovely trio.

Acer 'Crimson Queen'

The temple in the 1920s, we think. No idea who the woman is though

Area by the temple - our Zen area.

The acers have been underplanted with hostas from home that I’ve divided, and I hope to propagate Soleirolia soleirolii, a moss like ground-covering plant to clothe the bare earth.

Melvyn barrowed down spent compost from the planters down to the flowerbeds by the visitors’ hub. I’ve raked it around the woodland plants we bought from Bluebell Cottage Nurseries.

They’ve settled in very nicely, and thankfully, the rabbits don’t seem to be nibbling them! The area is starting to settle in after the hub-building work and plants always anchor a new building into the landscape.

Finally, a funny picture. I captured this photo of Nigel’s shoes – don’t worry, I didn’t let him go out like that. He still juggles a full-time job whilst managing the rebuild at Betley Court. This is him, mid-change between a site meeting with contractors at Betley Court, and rushing off to his business premises in Runcorn, where he is supporting colleagues in Arvia’s lab and rig hall during the COVID19 pandemic. He could really do with a time machine to get around!