At Knapp House we have hosted a handful of weddings for lovely guests and enjoyed sharing a few of their special moments. It is always lovely to see the house and gardens come to life, to be filled with happiness and laugher. But next year the moments will be extra special because we are finally hosting a wedding of our own and will watch our own daughter get married.
Hosting a wedding at home is such a big deal and we are already making lists, lists and lists of lists. The most important thing for us is to get the gardens looking really beautiful. The 100 year-old rhododendrons will be flowering (fingers crossed) and the magnolia but I am starting to plan how we pack the borders, tidy the hedges and weave the willow.
The 200 willow whips have arrived and I am waiting for a break in the weather to get those in the ground. They will create arches and arbours. My nursery shopping list is nearly finished - more magnolias and spring clematis to be planted now and then a tour in May to see what looks good at that time of year so I can plan ahead. I've planted trays of white foxgloves and lily of the valley pips in preparation. and sitting in the polytunnel are 4 very large willow chandeliers which will hopefully grow during 2024 so we can weave in the extra growth and then somehow suspend them from the roof of the marquee. On a typically wet Exmoor day it is hard to look out and imagine it will ever be dry enough and warm enough for a wedding but spring is on the way and then the planning and tidying will begin in earnest.