3 QUESTIONS FOR: Nick Fraser
Senior Gardener
Nick has worked for the National Trust for over 19 years and now looks after the teams that care for the gardens and grounds at Nunnington Hall, Rievaulx Terrace and Ormesby Hall.
What do you love about the garden at this time of year?
Magic May is my favourite month. Not only are our gardens filling up with colourful blooms but it’s also the best time to see native wildflowers. Look out for wild garlic, bluebells and purple orchids in local woods. Bees and butterflies will be searching the garden for nectar, birds are happily breeding and you might just see my favourite bird – the spotted flycatcher, back after a long migration.
What garden jobs can people do be doing now?
My top tip is something not to do, rather than something to do. Join in with ‘No Mow May’ by leaving some areas of your lawn uncut, or cut areas of grass at different heights. Get to know and love the different wildflowers and grasses that appear when the grass isn’t cut, and then see which bees, butterflies and insects visit.
Any advice on creating a garden in tubs – to enjoy outside or inside?
There’s always something you can grow in tubs, pots or hanging baskets, from colourful bulbs, to flowering plants and herbs and vegetables. I’ve enjoyed growing micro-greens on my inside window sills all winter. Lots of different plants can be sown and cropped within two weeks on an indoor window sill, just like cress. They are all highly nutritious, delicious and versatile in the kitchen.