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July and I have a lovely
stand of Digitalis ferruginea. Have grown it before but never as well
as this. The white lavender I planted last year but took cuttings as I
thought it wouldn't last has surprised me and looks great.
June is a lovely month in
the garden and if you look from the house and cannot see the weeds it
looks great.
Gradually the weeds are
being dealt with and the garden has come to life again. Isn't this a
wonderful colour. Silvia in Germany spotted them in a friend's garden
and then managed to get some sent from the nursery for me. A vibrant
orange. There is a chocolate coloured one as well but so far no
flowers.
My Ceanothus (below) is a
big bush now and absolutely covered in blue flowers. Surprising
the difference growing that in The Midlands to the Northeast. It never
thrived further north.
12 Dahlia Roxy are planted
and some tubs and the water feature that the dogs chewed the wiring is
working again but minus the lights.
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Have finally got a little
weeding done this week and it is amazing what a difference it makes.
All of the Dahlia tubers- Roxy- are sprouting in the greenhouse,
Calendulas potted up and the Diascia and Verbena plugs potted on.
Alpine auriculas are flowering sweetly in the boxes Joe's dad made
last year. The Jack in the Green primrose is covered in flower as is
Blue Velvet and Wanda. Green Frills is full of bud as well. I have
never known a garden like this one for growing primroses.
Spring has sprung- we hope
Pretty daffs out and a lovely double primrose I bought- couldn't
resist it.
The hellebores have been
fantastic
Alf's old huge greenhouse
heater actually gave up the ghost at last and fortunately I noticed
before this cold spell took everything out. A new small modern one is
now installed.
The new fence is up to
separate the dogs from the plants- but the pups have managed to dig
out the few remaining violas in the one last tub AND they have chewed
through the wire on the water feature- aaaaggghhhhhh. Winter also
seems to have arrived and the place is saturated.
October 21st. The dogs and
the garden are having a bit of a fall out just now. Someone bit the
head off the Primula capitata I was saving for the seed. Bracken
stands on the barrel, even though it is chicken wired, and snaps the
little crocus shoots and the stones from the water feature are now
scattered far and wide. Oh dear. New picket fencing is to go up to cut
off the plants. In the picture below - the chimneys will be moved and
a gate and picket fence put in. Hopefully it will invite you to
enter the cottage garden. Pictures will follow when the fence is in
place.
Sept 30th. My blog has been
sadly neglected for awhile but the garden has continued to be a
pleasure. We now need a little rain as weeding is hard when the ground
is so dry. I am trying to tidy up before the cold weather comes and
have taken cuttings of the white lavender, the green lavender,
Osteospermom jucundum. Erysimum Mr Bowles Mauve and some Fuschias. I
took green seed from Primula Bulleyana and have a lovely crop of
seedlings ready to prick out. The Cordylines in the chimney pots were
a great success as the extreme drainage did not bother them so I will
have to find room in the greenhouse for 2 big plants to save them
getting battered by the weather.
The perennial pea L. The
Pearl has finally found its feet and is now filling the wigwam and
flowering. Next year it should get going more quickly. Have also
pressed some lovely coloured sycamore leaves as we have lots of them.
I have bought Heuchera
Georgia Peach- gorgeous colour
Autumn colours are lovely
and this is the new cattery for the two cats- they are not happy at
not being allowed to wande at will but much safer. It is a very posh
cathouse
8.8.09 Happy
Birthday Dave on his 40th..
I grew this year
Galactites tormentosum which I hadn't known before. Strangely it looks
very prickly and thistle like but is not prickly to touch. I quite
like it.
 
22.7.09 It has certainly
rained - no need to water but what a battering some of the plants have
taken.
My raised bed has been a
disaster- I should have checked the soil that was brought in. So
everything is coming out and we start again.
After the shoulder problem
from digging that hole I then had a trapped sciatic nerve- what agony.
I have to realise I can't do what I used to. I have been ordered by
the doctor just to 'potter'- fat chance.
22.6.09 Yesterday we
made a trip to Ambleside to meet family for a day out and , of course,
we met at Hayes Garden Centre. My bargain for quite awhile was a
'bronze' birdbath reduced to £8. Beside the Carex testaceae it looks
really good. I also bought a large dark red lobelia with the idea that
as all primulas and shade lovers have done extremely well here , it
might do the same. It was always something you had to take cuttings
each year and provide the right spot. Maybe this garden will be the
right spot. Time will tell I guess. I am suffering intense pain from
the shoulder and cannot even use the pc mouse without shouting out
loud- all due to digging that 2 feet deep hole for the new water
feature. Eileen says it will get worse before it gets better- there's
a cheering thought when I can't even get a tshirt over my head.!!!!
21.6.09 I have made
another water feature under the bridge. Dug down 2 feet to put the tan
in and it isn't until that much down that you start to see some clay.
The soil here is a pleasure to work. Anyway the pump is working. I
will have to go and get some stones to cover the plastic top and then
take a photo.
19.6.09 Pattie's Plum poppy has
flowered- she is such a beautiful colour. I have taken this plant with
me form house to house and it has struggled in a pot and then in the ground to recover
itself. It seems to be back on form at last. I will take root cuttings
and make more plants. My Sweet Peas are moving up the canes and good
old Lavender angustifolia- that used to be officianalis- is producing
a massive amount of free growing flowers. I still like it the best of
all the lavendars.
11.6.09 I have finally got a
wonderful Ceanothus to flower. They are all over the place down here
but I have really wanted one to do well for a long time and really
struggled in Northumberland. I love blue flowers and green flowers and
bought last week a green lavender- Lavandula viridis- seems a bit daft
to have a green lavender as if it wasn't really possible.
1.6.09 The strawberries
finally arrived arrived and were nasty little plants on their last
legs. I have potted them up and they have improved. No strawberries
this year I guess. They will have to go in the ground and wait for
next year. The Celmisia has flowered well- another plant that does so
much better down here. Below that is Verbascum 'Raspberry Ripple' I
love this plant. The plants I have here were root cuttings from the
original one I bought and at the end of the flowering I might do the
same again.
25.5.09 The strawberries
have STILL not arrived. Jersey Direct keep sending me adverts but no
strawberry plants. I have planted a container with scented leaf and
coloured leaf geraniums that I am pleased with, potted up the tomatoes
and planted out most of the annual stuff. Dahlias can go out this week
and I have started to train the sweet pea plants up the canes. Stipa
gigantea is going to be fantastic when all the flower spikes open.
Veronica nepetoides is looking well here. The soil must suit it.
16.5.09 At last I have
decided what to put in the chimneys and I think it works. They drain
off so quickly that ordinary bedding is not happy. I have bought two
Cordylines and just dropped the pots into the top of the chimneys.The
garden seems to be shaping up but everything has slowed down with the
low temperature and the wind. Collected my hanging basket from friend
Yvonne and it is very smart- a wicker one with Busy Lizzies. It is in
the greenhouse till weather improves.
14.5.09 Oh how I wish this
awful wind would go away. The large potted evergreen beside the water
feature is wedged up with a table and friend Delia told me yesterday
she has the two standard Olive trees tied to the Wisteria with string.
Everything is drying out so fast as well. The garden would be looking
quite decent overall is the wind would go away. I might get some up to
date photos.
5.5.09 Went to visit The
Burrows garden at the weekend. Very lovely but a cold day. I bought
Libertia grandiflora. Talked to the owner about his topiarised
Ligustrum delavayii which were very smart. He bought them not far from
where I live at a nursery that does exotics. The owner of the nursery
goes up and down his poly tunnels on a bicycle.
I got the final few bags of
gravel to finish the paths at last- the big dumpy bag was not quite
enough.
3.5.09 The Camassia are coming
out nicely beside the heron ornament (my Evie is called Canonsett
Camassia as she is a blue belton English) The Celmisia is doing well
here although I always struggled with it before and I have never known
primroses do so well.
My homemade standing area
seems to be working- an old pallet from the field with plywood on and
netting round it. Quite proud of myself really and the new rose garden
with its underplanting is looking well- if you can call 6 roses a rose
garden !!!
15.4.09 The strawberry plants
have still not arrived but other things are moving and I went mad and
bought a water feature I have been eyeing in the garden centre for
some time. It has lights in the pots as well for the evening effect
and the brick matches in the the house brick.
We went to a plant sale run by
the local authority gardening people yesterday and it was really busy
so I may take a table at the next one and sell my surplus plants. I
bought several plants to underplant the roses- pinks, geraniums, phlox
and I already had some lavenders but I think probably need a few more.
Must get the rest of the gravel down on the paths and plant the sweet
peas but it is raining today- good in some ways. I might brave the
rain and spread the gravel. In the meantime I and the dogs are sitting
in front of the fire being lazy.
I have moved one of the
Melianthus major to give it more space. I was so used to this plant
struggling in the north I didn't realise how well it does other
places. They have both come through the winter. I never cease to be
amazed how well everything grows down here.
----------------------------------------------------
What a wonderful time of the
year this is. The lettuce, carrots, radish and beetroot are all
sprouting in the planters but I ordered strawberry plants online and
they haven't arrived yet. There are loads of things waiting to be
planted
The blossom on the old trees
around the garden is lovely
and all the little treasures
are showing their noses. My poor Aesculus neglectus ethyroblastos (I
know I am showing off to remember that one) comes out and is
beautiful- a really lovely pink leaf that only lasts about three weeks
and then it looks like any other chestnut. However we got really nasty
cold winds just as it looked superb and now the poor thing is burned
off at the edges and a bit sickly looking. Wind is a real nuisance in
the garden. This is it below before the wind got to it
The greenhouse is bursting now
- some tried and tested favourites and a few new try outs. Pratinia
scabiosifolia is one of those- I think used by Christopher Lloyd in
the same way you use Verbena bonariensis. We will see how it turns
out.
Has anybody else realised that
it costs £28.50 to get into Malvern Spring Show on the first day. I am
absolutely staggered and as the first day was the only day I can go I
shall not be bothering. It's one of the few garden shows I have not
been to and looks like it will stay that way. I shall make Gardener's
World Live as that is only £18.50.
That's the grumble off my
chest. Back out to pot up and pot on and make my new standing out
area.
My new planters are filled
withh compost and it took over 300 litres- wow.
I have turned the potato
patch- then had to rest for quite awhile. Not getting any younger. The
sweet peas are sprouting well and other seedlings are on their way.
Lots of stuff now to pot up and move up to the next stage and still
the rest of the gravel to lay on the paths. Physical exercise is good
for me -I think.
Has spring arrived
here on the 2nd March 2009- the primroses seem to think so and the
picture below is Arum italicum 'marmoratum' given to me by friend
Christine. It grows like a weed for her and she has tried everything
to get rid of it. One man's weed --- I think it looks fantastic.
The sweet peas seeds are sown,
trench is started and with the electricity in the greenhouse things
are starting to happen. I have Hellebores that Eileen bought me 18
months ago flowering at last and have bought 2 new one- a double
flowered and a pale pink and green. They are soooo beautiful. The new
raised bed is done with a few bulbs sprouting and thyme, aubretia and
saxifrage waiting to go in. The new planters made by friend Joe are
looking good and waiting to be filled. I love this time of the year.
Still got a ton of gravel to move though- hard physical work is good
for you !!!! I think.
4.2.09 All the seeds have
arrived lots and lots of the- including some show Sweet Peas. The seed
potatoes are here and I am raring to go BUT the electricity is still
not in the greenhouse. I was brought as a gift from Madeira a Protea
plant. It will have to live in the kitchen for awhile- far too cold
until the greenhouse is heated properly. It will be interesting to see
how it comes along.
10.12.08
I am looking forward to
electricity in the greenhouse and no more topping up the paraffin
heater .Hopefully friend Mick will get this done next week. I still
have a greenhouse heater from the greenhouse in Powburn and I will
also be able to plug in the electric propagator- luxury.
18.11.08
What an age since I posted
anything about the garden With two litters of puppies I have had no
time to do anything other than check the greenhouse. This week,
however, the raised bed I have been waiting to have made was finally
completed- much larger than I first thought but ideal for small plants
and bulbs near to the house. So I bought the last of the small bulbs
from the garden centre which had been almost lost in the Christmas
displays. I planted crocus, Fritillaria, miniature daffs and miniature
tulips and some Muscari. In the spring I will pop some primroses and
saxifrages in between. I have lots of primulas in pots but too late to
plant them out now.
The cuttings in the greenhouse
are growing along well and lots of seedling need potting up.
28.9.08 It has been a bit hard
to garden with 2 litters of pups to see to but I have started to sort
out for the end of the season. Planted two tubs at the door with
pansies, crocus and small daffs. I seeded wallflowers and they are
nearly ready to pot up. The white foxgloves are desperate to be potted
up and my tiny greenhouse is starting to bulge. The cuttings of
Lampranthus, Erysimum Bowles Mauve and Persicaria Dragon's Eye are all
doing well and I have to take cuttings from Pelargonium Palace Regal
today.
Dianthus Doris- an old
favourite has done well - it was a very cheap plant from Morrison's-
but the cuttings have failed me in this case- well you can't win them
all.!!
9.9.08 What can I say- rain
rain and more rain but at least the garden slopes away from the house
and seems to be reasonably free draining. The seedlings are doing well
in the greenhouse. I bought a second hand book this week. I have been
after it for 25 years. Gardens of a Golden Afternoon by Jane Brown. I
had it from a library and loved it but it had gone out of print.
Finally with the magic of the internet I found a copy.
25th August I had
written a few updates and they have been wiped out by some mysterious
anti gardening gremlin.
The garden has produce
some super flowers and everything I plant seems to romp away. I have
my beautiful Alstroemeria psitacina 'Coral Star' in flower. I love the
colour combination of dark red and lime green. The lilies friend
Sharon brought from work because they were reduced to 50p a pot are
the most beautiful creamy colour and two plants I bought of Achillea
'Salmon Beauty' have made a huge amount of growth. I am seeding lots
of Salvia and Digitalis amongst other things and will probably have a
huge surplus in the spring. Anyone out there who would like some just
let me know.
Lilium 'Reinesse'
Alstroemeria psitacina 'Coral
Star'
Achillea 'Salmon Beauty'
Across the garden in August-
what an amazing amount of growth.
19th July Wish the really
strong wind would go away. It bends the plants over and does so much
damage. The poor hanging baskets are punch drunk. I finally sowed my
first lot of seeds in the new greenhouse - Digitalis purpurea 'Alba'.
I love the white spikes in the evenings when they look so lovely and
ghostly. Yesterday I planted a lot of plants in a rush and then the
monsoon type rain has watered them in for me - it also soaked me to
the skin. I bought Dahlia 'Art Deco' which I tried to get 2 or 3 years
ago when it first appeared but couldn't get a supply. Happened to
notice it in the garden centre. It really is a flower arranger's
dahlia. Also I have a pretty dahlia called Mary
Dahlia 'Art Deco'
Dahlia 'Mary'
I priced a dumpy bag of gravel
and was told £90 plus another 90 for the crane to lift it over the
hedge. They have got to be joking. Anyway the garden centre was doing
the same mix gravel in bags at buy one get one free so I await
delivery on Tuesday. It's a pretty mix of white, pink and brown small
pieces and should look rather good on the little paths. All the houses
in this area are made of small red bricks so it should blend quite
well. I will do it bit by bit as I feel strong enough to lift a bag or
two.
14th July All I am doing at
the moment is moving a barrowload at a time of soil and ground elder
root. I can only pace myself very slowly these days. There is a table
and potting bench in the greenhouse now and some plastic shelving- no
plants yet though but I can see cuttings everywhere. Friend Sharon
brought me some Verbascums as they were vastly reduced where she
works. So one pot will go in the ground and one will be used for root
cuttings. I also succumbed to a beautiful wine red dwarf Alstroemeria
yesterday. My Salvia patens is in flower. I must get some photos of
that one.
9th July Been busy with
pups and it has rained a lot but finally took a couple of photos
yesterday. The Lilium longiflorum that I bought when they were twice
reduced so a real bargain, the dark red lily that I grew from bulbs
and annual Cosmos. Cosmos is a lovely annual for later in the season
and I like them but at £3 a plant in the garden centre it seems a bit
ridiculous for an annual. Now I have the greenhouse I will be raising
my own next year.
3rd July I know it sounds
crazy but for the first time in 2 years I can weed on my hands and
knees and it feels wonderful. The soil here is the best I have ever
worked on and somebody long ago once had a garden here. I killed off
the grass and rotovated and now poppy seedlings, Forget me Nots,
Euphorbias and Calendula are springing up in all the beds. I will
leave enough of them to see what sort of flowers they produce. I
wonder how long they've lain there under all that rough grass. There
is a concrete path as you can see in the photo below. It starts at the
very bottom and mysteriously ends a quarter of the way up the garden
and doesn't come near the house. There is bindweed in the hedges, some
ground elder and lots of prickly thistles making their presence felt
as well. Heigh ho things are never perfect. |
