Quite contrarily is my answer! After the slug onslaught the aphids have arrived. Blackfly on the dahlias, nasturtiums and echinops and greenfly elsewhere. It hasn’t rained here in yonks, the onions are ‘delicately’ sized and the parsnips are refusing to play ball. They are tempting me with one or two possible cotyledons but maybe I am deceiving myself. I continue to water in hope rather than expectation. Let’s see if there are any silver bells or cockle shells to be found:
One
The containers, planted up in May, are coming along well. Cheering me up on the whole, until I realise they are verging on the dessicated!
Two
The carrots, that were also proving a little reluctant, finally came good in a third direct sowing. This time I cast them onto the soil and sprinkled a little potting compost over the top. Who knows why they decided to germinate this time! I just have to keep them watered now.
Three
The courgettes, bought as small plants from the Finchley Horticultural Society plant sale, are no trouble. Oh, I forgot. They do need watering. But maybe the drought conditions will keep them on the manageable side. The lovely flower and yellow fruit cheer me up on the way to the parsnip inspection.
Four
The gooseberries had quite a late pruning and the crop does not seem so bumper this year. But is this because I have yet to net them from the birds? Sigh, I do have a lot of netting to do. The blackcurrants, which I really took in hand – thinning them out ruthlessly – are doing well. They are beginning to ripen, but you guessed it, they haven’t been netted yet either.
Five
Contrary, but in a good way, is the lemon tree. Looking for all the world like it was dead and gone after a good chilling in the greenhouse over winter, it was subjected to not one but two cut backs and has responded well. The glossy green leaves and the beautiful scent coming from the one or two flowers it has put out more than make up for the odd shape. Good to see.
Six
A rose, Scepter’d Isle. Absolutely lovely. These are my pretty maids all in row!
I hope your plots, veg patches and gardens are giving you joy. There are lots of superb photos of the strawberry crop out there on twitter, which are underlining the need to replace my tired specimens, inherited from previous owner and cropping poorly. Visit The Propagator, our host’s blog for more gardening encouragements: good things we can aspire to and duff things that we share the pain of. No grammar corrections please! 🙂
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 