Christmas Wishes from Betley Court

This is the last post of 2020 from Betley Court Gardens. What a strange year it’s been! For the Brown family, it came hot on the heels of 2019, when THAT disastrous fire destroyed our beloved Betley Court. We barely had time to adjust to our new circumstances when COVID19 arrived in the country via a cough or a handshake, and new terms such as ‘social distancing’, ‘Lockdown’, ‘tier system’ and ‘Covidiot’ became part of our everyday vocabulary.

One of the highlights for me in the gardens this year was undoubtedly the arrival of the new visitors’ hub. It’s hard to believe the transformation of that area of the gardens since February, from dense woodland to wildflower and native grassed area. Whilst Covid19 has put paid to any chances of open days yet (Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough is under Tier 3, currently the second highest tier of Covid19 restrictions), this area is ready to receive guests when we are finally allowed to open our doors.

Our lovely new visitors hub, set in its own wildflower and native grassland area.

Another success was the arrival of our trainee tree surgeons and forestry students from Reaseheath College, our local land-based college. They brought their youth, energy and burgeoning tree knowledge to our woodlands, all under the watchful eye of their tutor, Alan. It’s been brilliant to see them restore some of the vistas through the trees, whilst retaining the secluded character of the romantic woodland walk around the dingle and pond.

Our Reaseheth students, working in the gardens

We’ll be joined by another Reaseheath student next year. Steven is studying horticulture, and will be adding to his work experience with us for his course.

He’s already helped plant around 100 heritage King Alfred daffodils along the edge of the long path, and helped me repot over a dozen bulb planters that had been languishing, neglected since spring 2019.

Congested daffodil bulbs awaiting Steven's attention

Steven already has a lot of experience working in some larger gardens, and brings a wealth of knowledge with him. My favourite piece of advice so far, was when he was separating pot-bound roots of assorted spring bulbs. With an air of confidence, he broke off the more densely congested roots, and announced, “they can put up with a bit of violence!”.  I’m sure they will, and I’m looking forward to seeing the fruits of his labour next spring.

Tulip pots, ready for springtime

We’ve got around to some big jobs too, in 2020, that have been nagging away at the back of our minds for years. Dave Griffiths, a Betley-based tree surgeon has expertly felled some challenging and problematic trees. He’s ‘dropped’ the leaning maple, whose roots threatened to cleave apart the dam that retained the fishpond, and taken out a towering, but dead elm tree in a difficult to reach part of the garden, next to the stream. The trunk has now been installed, artfully, as a nature highway across Tanhouse Brook.

Melvyn and Shane our handymen continue to undertake the Sisyphean tasks of care around the grounds, from mowing grass, spraying paths and collecting leaves, to all those maintenance jobs that crop up weekly. Thanks largely to them, the gardens are looking cared for, even if the house is a ruin for now!

The footings for the new temporary protective roof

As 2020 draws to a close, more scaffolding arrives to create the new, temporary protective roof over Betley Court. Its an act of faith by the Brown family that we can one day start the rebuild. Hope and optimism mixed with anxiety sums it up for me. With the first villagers in Betley also starting to receive their Covid19 vaccinations, there are glimmers of hope that we are beginning our recovery from this invisible peril.

I’m taking a week off from Dead Gardeners Society next week. Thanks for the messages of support over the year. Wherever you’re reading this, have a good Christmas, and take care. See you in 2021!

From myself and the Brown family of Betley Court,  

All best wishes, Ladybird Su & Nigel

Fingers crossed for 2021!