Bonfires at Shugborough
The pyromaniacs within SSNTV were definitely in their element as the Group burned brash all day, as workday leader Leela reports from her first Sunday in charge at Shugborough….
A smallish, but nicely gender-balanced team were tasked to work on clearing the rhodendron that had already been cut down by staff & volunteers all along the beautiful Lady Walk in the Shugborough ornamental parkland – once the domain of ladies of a certain stature, where they could walk unchaperoned & in luxury across the Estate.
The removal of rhododendron ponticum has become necessary in the Estate’s fight to keep the invasive phytophthora disease off the land permanently and prevent this endangering other established trees and plants. As Gardener Derek explained, after any necessary treatment of the soil, it is hoped to begin planting an understorey of shrubs and bushes to restore some of the area’s former glory and compliment the tree collection – think ornamental Winter Garden was one way he described the possibilities.
There was plenty for the team to do dragging, cutting and burning, with two bonfires going to keep the autumnal chill at bay. Passing showers meant getting some heat established to get the rhodi’ heaps to burn was initially a bit of a challenge – but various forms of man-made breeze did the trick.
Sheltering under the huge beech tree, cake o’clock saw not just one but two types of cake. (Ed: It was cake experiment day, we were told – in which case caramel cake can be marked down as a particular success. Thanks for that!)
There was so much cut shrub that we were not able to finish clearing all of it, even by the end of the day. But we certainly made quite an impression on the task, revealing some potential new beds. As the flames subsided the local wildlife – robins in particular – was already back and I think they and Derek were more than happy with our efforts.
Shropshire and Staffordshire National Trust Volunteers 