I know it seems absurd to lead with a photo of Dahlias when I’m sending out this email on Bonfire Night but the truth is we have one more weekend of glorious summer colour before winter closes in!
Last year it was the last Monday in November before frosts came to the Cutting Garden – this year the forecast is for clear frosty weather next Saturday so we will be picking the last Dahlias next week.
Why not come along this week to dine in the glasshouse and admire what has been one of our most glorious Dahlia displays for years while eating some delicious food? The settled high-pressure this week means that the fisher-folk of Cornwall have been out on the waters after the first winter storms. We have had a great delivery of fish – perfect Plaice, Monkfish tails and plump St Austell Mussels are all on the menu to complement some returning Autumn favourites such as Cream of Mushroom Soup, Roast Pork Vindaloo and Poached Quince.
So one last hurrah of summer colour this weekend followed by lots of Dahlias for sale next week as the Cutting Garden is switched to Tulips. Some 7000 bulbs have arrived over the last week or two and although it will be sad to say farewell to such a glorious summer, planting the bulbs that should start next Spring with a riot of colour will be an optimistic moment.
