So Monty Don recently said ‘Gardening is easy. Stick it in the ground the right way up and most plants will grow perfectly well.’ Which is essentially true but every now and then strange things happen:
One
I think I know why my rhoddy looks like this. It’s possible that the tree was planted soon after the house was built, which would make it about 100 years old. I think it had been left to its own devices and being on a north facing border it had reached forward for some sun. I think the previous owner then cut it back hard at the bottom to regain some of the lawn. My evidence: when we moved in I discovered a large pile of wood stashed behind the foliage. Since then the bottom of the tree has regenerated and this year has put out some fabulously healthy flowers and more luscious green leaves. But the top of the tree struggles on with yellowing leaves and smaller and much later flowers. My guess is the bottom is sapping the energy of the top. So do I radically cut back the top, probably reducing the height by half – which feels like vandalism, but if it needs to be done….or do I lightly prune the top every year until the tree balances itself out again? It has plenty of water and although north facing it does get early morning and late afternoon sun so I think the conditions are okay. Any thoughts?
Two
This beautiful iris came free, picked up from the allotment sharing bench. I think it is ‘White City’ and last year they were all the palest blue colour fading to white. This year there is an interloper. Now since it was a large clump divided from an even larger clump maybe the purple iris has been there all along and has only just flowered. Or has it been cross pollinated? Either way I am enjoying them both.
Three
Is my Sneezeweed trying to tell me something? I bought some last year with the aim of adding some late colour to the borders but it has been in flower since May. Label says ‘Flowering period: late summer’. My, the year is going fast!
Four
Back to some normal happenings. These stunning Siberian irises came as several divisions from a friend’s collection. This is their second year in the garden and they have multiplied amazingly, definitely a case of growing perfectly well.
Five
The equally successful Astrantia ‘Claret’. I did try to grow some from seed but that didn’t happen so I happily bought some 9cm pots which have bulked up well in their second year. The roses in bud behind are ‘Blush Noisette’ – so close to popping but not for this week!
Six
I must give a shout out to the growers at the Finchley Horticultural Society who also seem to have the knack of making gardening easy. I decided to diversify my tomato growing this year. Instead of 15 plants of one variety grown from seed I have six plants of three varieties bought at last week’s plant sale. I’ve missed the roller coast ride of raising them from seed but I’m going to enjoy the variety: Marmonde, Golden Crown and Alicante. I was also tempted by some chilli plants and a couple of Romano peppers. I’ve taken the plunge this year and planted them direct into the soil instead of in grow bags. Let’s see what the greenhouse soil has got in it! I have grown my own basil which I’ll be planting around the tomatoes.
There’s an extra gardening day again in the UK. Will it be hot and sunny, hot and thundery or a wash out? Let’s hope we can all find a way to enjoy the weekend whatever. More gardening stories can be found at The Propagator’s blog. The contributors also seem to be growing very easily.
The trees in the garden are beginning to put on a show. First up is the persimmon tree. There was a bumper crop last year but I’m not a fan. I inherited it with the garden and it does look fabulous in winter when the leaves have dropped and the orange fruits remain.
I also inherited a number of apple trees and here is some delightful apple blossom from one of them. Again, there was a bumper crop last year, we don’t store the apples and there are only so many we can eat so the majority of them are taken off for juicing. We are still drinking the 2017 vintage.
The leaves on the fig trees are just opening. Not such a good year for figs for me last year and the squirrels always get the best of them. I managed to bag a handful!
And after my winter pruning efforts it is always a great relief to see new leaves on the vine. It does produce grapes but so far they have split before we get the chance to taste them. The grape variety is Black Muscat, which I understand is also known as Black Hamburg. Again, I was fortunate enough to inherit this well established vine which shades the pergola.
There is a great foaming wave of Choysia in one sunny corner of the garden. It’s perfectly lined up with a view from the window. Many thanks again to the previous owner.
Finally, all my own work! The white triumphator tulips are still hanging on and are a great companion to the irises that have just begun to flower. There is also a glimpse of the almost open allium ‘purple sensation’ – something for next week!
n20gardener 