Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2014 | Page 60

GARDENING

Matt Noyce is head gardener
at Quarr Abbey, and is
responsible for the 200 acres
of gardens, pastureland,
vegetable plot and private
woodland on the estate.

Hopefully we are through worst

D

are I mention the
dramatically wet, windy and
generally awesome weather
we have been experiencing
recently? I dare, but only in the hope that
we are through the worst of it now. We
have suffered waterlogging and landslip
but our thoughts go out to all who have
been affected.
With the Heritage Lottery Fund works
in full swing, we have started this year
with a good pace. The visitor information
centre now has a watertight roof and is
being fitted out inside. A new roof has
been attached to the old piggery and
repairs, including re-pointing, have been
made to the historic barn near the old
abbey ruins. Work is also continuing on
the Abbey roof. New roads are being laid
and drainage ditches are being dug. We
are looking forward to the works finishing
in the summer this year.
Recently we were fortunate enough to
welcome a volunteer group from the Isle
of Wight College to help on a project to
tackle an overgrown hedge. The group
of over 20 electrical students and their
tutors volunteered their time as part of a
community work experience. Although
many had not carried out this type of

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work before, the result was a tired but
content group of students and a very tidy
hedge revealing far reaching views from

the bridleway across the fields to the sea.
We have decided to engage in a Poultry
Project within the Abbey grounds. The

plans are to re-home ex-battery hens and
give them a truly free range existence
where they can roam and forage in
the orchard. We have a keen team of
volunteers who will tend to the hens on a
daily basis and will collect the eggs which
will be on sale in our farm shop and for
use in the Abbey kitchen.
On the ground we are preparing for the
next growing season. With the growing
plan drawn up we have a steer on what
was successful last year a nd what new
varieties we will try this year. Along with
growing the staple crops I really enjoy
continually trailing different and unusual
varieties and having new surprises with
the results.
For example, the yams have yielded
really well and the result is a bright,
exotic looking tuber that we will grow
again this year. Various cuttings from
last year are becoming more established
and seeds have been sown in plug trays
undercover to get a head start. Also,
pruning of the apple trees and mulching
is well underway. The care of the orchard
has paid off as the apples have returned
in the form of juice and I can vouch
for the multitude of varieties creating a
wonderful blend of flavours.