Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2013 | Page 58

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.

Autumn is well on the way
With the chill in the air, the changing
leaf colour and the abundance of
berries and wild fruits in the gardens
and hedgerows, it’s apparent autumn
is well on the way. We really can’t
complain though as it really has been a
great summer for growing produce.
This year looks to have been a success
in the vegetable plot, the allotments
and the farm shop too. We have
recently launched our own range of
jams and chutneys. The homemade
range is made by chefs from both the
abbey and tea shop kitchens using our
own Quarr Abbey produce.
We had a quota of mixed produce to
set aside for the project, but we were
still able to supply the farm shop with
plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables
too. With a bumper crop of apples and
pears weighing down the boughs, we
are busy picking and collecting fallers
ready for our next batch of preserves
and as for the apples that won’t keep,
well, we’re having a good munch on
those!
We are teaming up with the Wight
Squirrel Project as we are keen to
find out more about the red squirrels
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that reside at Quarr Abbey and the
surrounding area. The group will carry
out monitoring through the woodlands
to gather data on movements, health

and population numbers. We feel very
privileged to have red squirrels on our
land and we want to help to keep it
that way.
The work on the ground is starting

to shift priority. More emphasis now
needs to be put into the estate work
such as woodland and tree works,
repairing and erecting fences, logging
and hedging. Since the start of
September, the end of the bird nesting
season, we have been able to crack on
with cutting back and ‘facing up’ our
hedges. Some have been lowered to
improve the views across to the abbey
and also down to the shore from the
bridleway so everyone can enjoy the
beautiful scenery.
The Heritage Lottery Fund works
have started in the old courtyard,
converting it into a Visitor Centre.
Work has also begun on the roof of
the barn near the abbey ruins and the
bell tower of the church. These are all
very important projects that will help
maintain Quarr Abbey’s heritage.
Two new volunteers have joined the
Quarr Abbey volunteer programme in
the gardens recently. The programme
very much seems to be a dual purpose
scheme. We really do appreciate the
help we get while the volunteers get
job satisfaction in the work they do.