On the whole it was a gloomy, wet and windy week here but a little milder than of late. It was with some trepidation that I ventured out into the garden to collect this week’s six but gardens have a great way of taking care of themselves and providing a few surprises.
One
One of the major projects of this year was the laying of the garden path. It was laid on top of the old path which worked well in most places but as the path rounded the corner to meet up with the lawn the height differential came into play. The weather was so hot and dry that plans to build up the lawn height were put on hold until about a month ago. Part of the lawn was stripped off and the soil level was built up. My lawn is a patchwork quilt of grass, creeping buttercups, wild yarrow, clover, daisies and much more. The stripped off turves did not hold together and when re-laid there were several scrappy patches which needed seeding. I had given up hope of the new seed germinating but I really was very excited to see that the first new shoots have appeared.
Two
This new growth reminded me of one or two other things in the garden that had sorted themselves out. Last winter I lost a French lavender plant given to me as a house warming present. It had done so well over its first summer but winter was just too much for it. Or so I thought. A few weeks ago I noticed new shoots of lavender appearing alongside the English lavender I had planted in its place. This is the strongest of the bunch and I’m hoping that sheltered by the English lavender it might make it through this winter. There are a couple of smaller seedlings that I am going to lift and overwinter in the greenhouse. I would love to report back to the giver that I do still have the French lavender.
Three
This young yew tree was given to me by the birds! I can’t bring myself to pull it out and would love to find a corner of the garden where I can nurture it along into something significant. Maybe I can start up my own wild hedgerow along the back fence. I’ve got a few wild blackberries that need to be taken in hand. Throw in a dog rose and some years of patient waiting and I could be onto something.
Four
The back fence is already home to Iris foetidissima and these have helpfully self seeded very successfully. The orange berries glow brightly through the gloom and a good colony of these in the dark corner will provide a much welcomed lift to the spirits through winter.
Five
I collected some Hollyhock seeds to bring with me to the new garden and now the seeds from those plants are starting to colonise well. I have had to take a few in hand as they managed to get themselves going some distance from the main site. I never know what colours are going to appear which is part of the fun.
Six
Another great self seeder is the foxglove. I did not have any in the garden so I bought a packet of seeds and did some sowing around the end of August. There was a good success rate and I have moved some out into the garden and left some to overwinter in the unheated potting shed. I’m hoping this belt and braces approach will give me a reward.
The fireside keeps calling me but the garden won’t let go just yet! Have a look at what everyone else is up to by visiting The Propagator’s blog – there’s no way Mr P will be putting his feet up just yet!
n20gardener 
I love a self seeder!
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A self seeding yew would be RAD! They are so expensive to buy!
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Foxglove, maybe not so much. There is too much of a good thing.
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I have about 20! But of course may inadvertently kill some off over the winter.
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I liked them more in the Santa Clara Valley, where I actually had to take care of them. Now that they toss seed and naturalize, I watch them to make sure they do not get too far. I still like them. I just do not want them to become a weed.
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Your Iris foetidissima picture is gorgeous !
If your french lavander fails one day, I could send you some…. Don’t hesitate
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Thank you so much. Do you cut yours back much or just take off the flowers?
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Just the flowers (black pen on the image) or with up to 1/3 of the new shoots but still in the green (red pen)! If you cut too much, the stem will die and the plant later …
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A lovely diagram. This is what I have been doing. I think the English lavenders can take a bit more of a cut back.
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I hope your french lavender does okay. Ours didn’t make it through its first winter. I should try it again. It looks like you’ve had more success with your grass seed than me!
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The magic of seeds! I love the berries of the Iris at this time of the year but don’t like the plant for the rest of the year.
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I do like the summer flower but here they grow in very shady places so they can be overlooked.
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Love the bright orange berries of the stinking iris.
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A plant that was completely new to me but I inherited a couple of colonies and I also like its less out there summer flower.
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I love it when plants self seed: they seem to do so much better than the ones I plant myself. I’m glad your French lavender survived as it’s a nice memory of a friend, plus it’s a hardy no nonsense plant- well it is here, but I don’t have damp soil to contend with.
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What a great story about the lavender. Hope it does well. Love all these seeds & seedlings. Promise of next year’s garden.
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I wasn’t around to trim my lavender this year, and I see it is all woody and scraggly. I hope it makes it through this year. The story of your lavender is heartening
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I didn’t enjoy telling my friend that I had lost it, so I am hoping this will have a good ending!
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What a wonderfully optimistic six. At this time of year when nothing much appears to be happening except sog, you have shown us self-seeders and rejuvenators! Lovely. 🙂
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Thank you!
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You have reminded me. I must cut back this year’s hollyhocks. They were still flowering until a week or two back.
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Interesting that you’ve got grass germinating this late in the year. I’m waiting until the spring to seed an area of what was lawn, then wasn’t and now is going to be again. Good luck with the French lavender with the lovely backstory. For some reason I can never succeed with any type, French or English. I thought it might be down to soil type/waterlogging/shallowness but tried some in one of my carefully-soiled-right edifices without joy. But not to worry as I can’t stand the smell of the stuff.
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