Last year was challenging in many ways for the gardening team with extensive furloughing and essential tasks which took priority. In her own words, Robyn has put together a review of the year to document what 2020 was like for the gardening team and its impact on the gardens.
Life before lockdown
On the week beginning 16 March 2020, my to do list included any number of jobs to get things growing again in the kitchen garden. The winter was spent preparing all the beds ready for the season ahead. It looked perfect; all the plots covered in a beautiful blanket of mulch ready to nourish the soil. There were spring onions and lettuces to direct sow, rhubarb to harvest and brassicas to start off under glass.
By the end of the week, following the news of a national lockdown, the to do list included removing picnic benches, taking away the plants from the café, and talking staff who live on site through watering, venting and heating in the nursery. Years of training had to be condensed into a quick overview.
It was a slightly chilly but glorious day, and we tried to keep positive and think ‘this might just be for three weeks, we’ll be able to keep on top of everything if it’s just three weeks…’
Life during lockdown
During the start of lockdown, Ashley remained as the sole gardener at Packwood. After joining us just a year before, the responsibility for maintaining this gem of a historic garden and keeping the plant collection alive now lay with him and a dedicated skeleton staff team, all of whom had to make sure Packwood was safe and secure. For two months he mowed lawns, potted on annuals and helped ensure our precious plants didn’t keel over in the heat of an unusually warm spring.
Looking after a garden with a reputation such as Packwood’s is no mean feat. A team of committed and experienced gardeners are required, with a wide range of skills and training. All of this knowledge is put towards developing and maintaining a beautifully crafted place, rooted in history but always looking forwards and trying new things. Now though the focus had to be on essential tasks only, keeping the garden and wider estate safe whilst preventing significant deterioration.