Notes from Russborough Garden

By May Maguire

Working in the glasshouse provides the opportunity to grow plants that require protection. The Aluminium House sits to the north west side of the garden and is known as the Lean to Glasshouse. It measures almost 4m wide and 3.5m tall and a pitch of just 27 degrees. Currently replacement of the panes of perspex with glass and repainting of the framework is being undertaken.

Inside, the bed along the wall contains the Pelargonium collection. They provide a wonderful colourful display for most of the year and dead heading by the volunteers encourages plenty of blooms. Three grape vines grown on the wall are, according to our records, Alicante, Vanessa and Himrod and summer pruning is underway. There are also climbing plants Asarina, Chilean Glory Flower, Plumbago white, Passion Flower and the beautiful Rhodochiton.

In the beds tomatoes Tim’s Taste of Paradise and Galina Siberian new for this year along with favourites Brown Berry, Sungold and Sweet Apertiff are growing. Cucumbers Tamra, Pointsette and Passandra. Melon Emir. These are grown up bamboo canes. Finally, Aubergines Leonide and Diamond along with various peppers. The seeds were sown in March in the propagation house and planted in the glasshouse in early May. The beds are irrigated by soak hoses attached to a battery-operated timer on the tap in the glasshouse.

The glasshouse is also used to overwinter some of more tender plants like Cannas and Salvias and in spring to start dahlias into growth. Bedding plants are also grown on before planting out. A good spot on a wet day.

May