It’s usually the photos that are out of focus. I hope this week’s pass muster: slightly breezy conditions, sun disappearing into clouds and human error all had to be battled with. But the real lack of focus was the attention given to the garden this week. I was lulled into a false sense of security by all the rain we have had lately. I forgot to check the pots and the result was frazzled mint, drying out bacopa and geraniums. Rescue arrived just in time and all seems to have recovered. The newly planted hibiscus also needed an extra can full of water, it’s roots have not yet made it down into the ground. Here’s six from the garden this week.
One
I promise I am saying this for the last time. I will not be spending money on dahlias again. The three new ones bought this year have been stripped to the stems. This one is a real survivor. It was grown from seed last year, left in the ground overwinter and it miraculously survived. It has flowered superbly. It is at one of end of a raised bed, perhaps the several feet of oak sleepers have been deterrent enough, or the tasty lettuce leaves have been more tempting. This will be the only dahlia I grow for as long as it lasts.
Two
The apple trees had their Summer prune this week. When we first arrived here I asked the man from the apple juicing farm to come and reshape our trees. He did such a brilliant job of it that he now comes back every year. He tells me that the season is about three weeks behind. ‘The browner the pips the better the juice’ is the mantra. This tree is laden but one of the cox’s pippins has only one apple!
Three
Here’s the hibiscus before it’s water revival. Just in time I think. I bought a good sized plant to fill the space, there’s still plenty of room for it to spread out but it’s a start.
Four
The roses are making a comeback. This one is ‘Natasha Richardson’. Annoying in focus and there’s no hiding the need for some deadheading!
Five
I had a wonderful collection of echinacea pallida grown from seed that I launched off into the garden earlier this summer. Nah, mistake. The slugs got them. Not entirely to the ground so I hope there’s some hope. Here’s one that has been around for a couple of years now, looking suitably pallid.
Six
Well the slugs may well have kept their focus on the garden while I was distracted elsewhere. Although I wasn’t in the garden, I was thinking of it. The veg plot/paths project is slowly making progress. As you can see the paths are narrow. A contractor has been identified and he is coming next week for a site visit. Ruthless decisions continue to be made. The summer fruiting raspberries have been culled, the loganberries will join them next and then those gooseberries. I will have wide spacious paths along which I will elegantly waft, stooping now and then to pick glorious garden produce!
Here’s wishing everyone else well in their gardening. I have so much to do to finish the summer tidy up, more focus required. Jim, our host, never seems to lack focus. Stop by and be inspired.
n20gardener 
I hear you with the watering, after a couple of dry days I was back watering last evening. Your new project sounds exciting.
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I am a fan of hibiscus. In our area, it blooms over several months and is not a target of disease or pests.
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I’m hoping for the same here. I’m impatient for it to grow in height but the flower display is lovely even now.
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That Hibiscus is a lovely colour. It is surprising how quickly pots can dry out – I almost lost a new primula this week thinking the rain would would have kept it nice and moist.
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You do well to make me think about pruning the apple trees ( summer pruning)… I have the same variety of apples and with very tall stems. I have to clean all that up to give the fruit bigger.
Very pretty hibiscus, I have 4 other colours, but only white is missing in my garden….
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Haha I remember your dahlia vows from last year I think. They are problematic aren’t they. But your survivor is gorgeous. There’s a lot to be said for wider paths, am sure you will enjoy them!
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I think I’ve been swearing off dahlias for about three years! But that’s it. I’m done with them.
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If the lettuce are between the Dahlia and where the slugs spend the night, then I reckon they’ve kept the Dahlia safe. Don’t remove them if the Dahlia is the next nearest tasty plant. I have a couple of Dahlias that are still only inches high and almost leafless. I nearly started on pruning my apples today but it rained. Maybe tomorrow.
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Sacrificial planting! I’ve been mounting a fight back and can report a much decreased slug population. They are so big this year!
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Ah but that dahlia is fabulous!
And that’s one heck of a crop of apples. Great idea to have a professional come to shape them. Ours is hanging quite low this year with so (too) many apples!
As for your roses, I’m just looking at the beautiful green leaves (no black spot)! Fabulous for this time of year.
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Thank you. I do have black spot on another variety of rose. I was pondering the difference yesterday and wondering if those would have to go eventually.
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What a lovely hibiscus. I hear you re the dahlias. I had one foray into growing them and never again (though I do have a couple of the very small Mignon dahlias which have yet to flower this year). They are kept on a patio table which so far the S&S haven’t managed to climb onto!
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I’ve finally got into the borders and the slug population is immense! But decreasing every day😀
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I didn’t use slug nematodes this year and can’t say I have noticed much difference other than like you, finding some big b****ers. Do you have snails too? I find they do a lot of damage.
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Some snails but I have hundreds of slugs. Some are meant to be the good type (!) eating only the detritus but I’m not fully up on my slug types!!
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Leopard slugs apparently even eat other slugs, distinctive markings and pretty large 😨
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Are common hibiscus not so common there? Hibiscus syriacus seems to be more popular nowadays. I would like to grow more of the common sort, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. They used to be more popular than they are now.
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I used to have the same problem with Dahlias until I made a bed just for them. Absolutely nothing else is allowed to grow in there at the same time as them, just bulbs in the early spring. I start the tubers in pots and water the bed with slug nematodes a week before planting out. I grew some lovely Echinacea pallida from seed last year and the slugs ate every single one.
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I did use nematodes one year. It’s such a battle. Everything else I think about growing also seems to suffer. Currently thinking monardas but I think the slugs will have those too.
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Is that a hardy hibiscus? I’ve been meaning to look for a good sized one for the garden, I can’t seem to keep the little houseplant ones alive at all.
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I hope so! It’s in a sunny spot.
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