Saturday found me joining an iris dividing party organised through Sue and the WFGA at Norton Conyers just outside of Ripon. I'd never visited or even heard of the place before but I confess it didn't take me long to fall in love with the late medieval manor house and gardens. It is a timeless place slumbering quietly within its old welcoming walls, and has been in the Graham family since 1624. Charlotte Bronte was the governess there in 1839, and upon hearing family stories of the incarceration of a mad aunt in the attic a centuary before, used the manor as the inspiration behind Thornfield Hall in her novel Jane Eyre. Our working party consisted of Giles the head gardener, Alison the current trainee, Alison from Wakefield, myself (Alison of course ), Mary and Sue, that's three Alisons in a group of six, must be something about the name! We soon got to work digging up the congested clumps, splitting them and replanting in a colour scheme devised by Giles and Alison. The rhizomes are left on the surface of the soil, pointing south to maximize the heat of the sun where they will soon grow new roots to anchor themselves in. As you can see we all had a great time and hopefully did a decent job. The visit ended with a guided tour and the opportunity to take home any spare iris divisions, I must go back to see them in full bloom next year. In case you would like to visit, the house is currently closed for major refurbishment until 2012 but the gardens are open Sunday and Mondays until 8th August and 28th and 29th August from 2 til 5pm. Parking and entrance is free but any donations can be placed in the honesty box in the plant sales area where they will go towards the upkeep of the gardens. YOU MUST GO!
"Thou art iris, fair among the fairest, who, armed with golden rod and winged with celestial azure, bearest the message of some god"
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Monday 25th July 2011
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