Six On Saturday: Branching out

May 5, 2018May 4, 2018 / n20gardener / 22 Comments

I foresee blue sky photos for this week’s sixes. And about time too! Here are mine.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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IMG_E2256 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.

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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!

Wishing you all a great gardening weekend – and the extra day in the UK. More time to read all the sixes on show at The Propagator’s blog. Blue skies all the way.

More rain but a new project is in the planning

April 30, 2018 / n20gardener / 12 Comments

A new border was created in the garden last November. What was really not more than some space under a hedge was widened to allow for some roses to be planted. Three Darcy Bussell and one Jaqueline du Pre. It’s going to be a very cultured bordered. A mixed planting of tulips was also added and these have just flowered.

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The tulips are Angelique, China Town – with the white edged leaves and Spring Green. You may also have spotted a couple of rogues! If Queen of Night could ever be called a rogue. I’ll have to try to lift those two very carefully and relocate them.

After the border was extended two new paths were laid this year and I can now walk down the garden and round to the compost heap in relative safety.

The edges have been filled with soil and weeding, in between the regular bouts of rain, is an ongoing task. But as parts of the garden begin to take shape others are calling out for some attention.

The walk round to the compost heap leads to the back of the garden which is given over to an assortment of gyo spaces. There are some very productive soft fruit bushes: gooseberries, blackcurrants, raspberries and loganberries, and other beds that have been allocated to allotment staples such as potatoes, onions, parsnips and carrots. There is also this.

Anyone familiar with The Rivendell Garden blog might understand why I have come to think of this as my very own edifice. It bears no comparison to John K’s beautiful structure and nor will it be home to such an impressive collection of plants. But there are plans to beautify it.

It is in two sections separated by a gap which was, on arrival, half full of garden rubble. A year or so later and I have nearly filled it with all the various bits and pieces that I have come across as I dig, dig, and dig in my futile attempts to rid the garden of weeds.

The bag of sand to the right comes in handy for preventing miniature rock falls.

I have decided the time has come to take the situation in hand. The cardboard that had been used to suppress the weeds has been removed. I’ve dug it over, making good friends with Tony Toad in doing so. Now one half is covered with a good length of black weed suppressing membrane and the other is providing home to some perennials due to be moved out to the main garden, when it stops raining. A recent trip to a nearby fencing supplier provided me with the inspiration. I decided I could face the whole thing in timber slats and finish off the top edges with more wood to give me a solid top to work from. No more wobbling on the frost shattered brick edges. Yippee! I have got as far as receiving a quote for the work – for it is beyond my meagre skills – and all is looking good. But guess what? My chosen supplier is behind with his work, due of course, to the rain! I’m in the queue, patiently waiting my turn, and trying to keep on top of those weeds which are, like the toads, loving this weather.

Six on Saturday: The race is on

April 28, 2018April 27, 2018 / n20gardener / 27 Comments

Aah, what a gentle occupation gardening is. Full of quiet moments pottering among the flowers, pulling carrots, picking strawberries. Or are you, like me, engaged in the mad dash to get it all done before June!

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The cold and the rain delayed much of my gardening efforts but this week I finally finished cutting back the hydrangeas. In my defence there are seven of them and only three have been waiting patiently. Here you can see that the first flowers are forming.

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Seed sowing for vegetables is happening almost daily. Leeks, carrots, red cabbage, spring onions, climbing french beans are all in the greenhouse. Some carrots have been direct sown along with parsnips, radishes and lettuce. The rocket sown in February is now out in the ground. And the last of the potatoes – Sarpo Mira and Belle de Fontenay have finally been planted. Phew!

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The onions and shallots planted out in November are enjoying some warmth. I have been very interested to see that many people plant their onions in modules and don’t move them outside until later. I am going to try this next year. I did protect these against the birds but that was all removed this week.

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Seed sowing for flowers is ongoing. The teeny tiny seeds of antirrhinum White Giant have produced teeny tiny leaves. Tithonia and nasturtium look a little stronger, but does that mean finding time for potting on? Zinnias and calendulars have pushed through. But I have yet to sow any cosmos! How is this possible I ask myself? I’m not panicking. Last year I direct sowed some in early May and planted some in modules as late as the end of April . . . Ok, brief panic!

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It has felt a little frantic but it is important that we take ‘time to stand and stare’ and I have really enjoyed the tulip display, the result of a mass November planting. These are Queen of Night, Shirley, Barcelona and Violet Beauty. I love them!

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And these are Angelique – a pink double, Spring Green – a viridiflora and China Town – a shorter viridiflora with white edged leaves, beautiful. These were quite tightly planted in two groups in a new border to leave space for some bare root roses that were arriving later. There is definitely room to spread them out a little, which is the plan, unless of course, I am tempted by some lovely perennials that I know will be featuring in a couple of local plant sales in May. Have space, will fill it!

And whilst standing and staring I noticed the irises and alliums are just about to open, and the first strawberry flowers are showing. Oh yes, we will soon be pottering!

If you’d like to stare at a few more Six On Saturday posts stroll over to The Propagator’s blog for all the links. Sit back and enjoy the display.

Six on Saturday: Counting the cost

April 21, 2018April 21, 2018 / n20gardener / 25 Comments

I’ve waited hopefully, cut back hard, watered optimistically but the time has come to admit defeat. Well almost – I will be making one or two last ditch attempts to prevent the inevitable flatline. Okay, let’s reveal the damage caused by my neglect, lack of experience or possibly the oh so harsh winter.

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Fred, Fred, I think the lemon tree is dead! The move to this new garden was all the more exciting because there was a greenhouse. Oh what exotics I would be able to grow. Fred will remember the melons that succumbed to red spider mite. And now the lemon tree, after one summer of delivering beautifully scented flowers, looks very sickly. It was stowed in the greenhouse for winter, fleeced when the temperatures fell and an extra layer added when -7 degrees was imminent. It was watered and fed but as the temperatures rose and the fleece was removed the outcome did not look good. I am, on Fred’s advice, going to cut back all the brown leaved stems and I’ll wait a while to see if any new growth emerges. But I have a feeling another lemon tree will be bought and perhaps a greenhouse heater!

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Fred may have some advice for me here as well. The French Lavender received as a housewarming gift also looks dead. I am going to cut this back to the base of all the stems and do some more of that optimistic watering and waiting. If not, another Lavender will be bought! Or maybe this is this space for a small daphne?

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For this one I am going for the very cold wet winter as cause of death. But I suppose it also comes under the heading of right plant, wrong place. These straggly stems are the last remains of Stachys byzantina ‘Silver Carpet’. I don’t think they are going to make it at all. Perhaps this is the place for some hellebores.

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A few more greenhouse deaths: a pelagonium cutting – underwatered, and a salvia cutting – I think, but of course I didn’t label it. This was doing fine until I went away for a few days and the greenhouse temperatures hit 40 degrees. At least I know the automatic vents work.

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Yes there’s more. This rose came with the garden. I released it from bindweed, pruned it, fed it and enjoyed a profusion of pinky apricot flowers. It really performed and then it died. I think I didn’t water it enough. It takes a while to work out the intensity of the sun in a new garden. I cut it back as ruthlessly as I could bear and waited but there is not a sign of new growth and it has to go. This is quite an interesting opportunity as I plan to extend the other end of this border which will make R.Natasha Richardson the centre point. Time to work out what will go either side, something that likes it hot and dry I think.

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I am being philosophical. It’s all part of getting to know a new garden and understanding the physics of greenhouses! I couldn’t bring myself to provide a completely dead six and of course the tulips are coming out. So here’s what is zinging in the garden (for now): Unknown tulip and Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii. Perfect when accompanied by sunshine and blue skies!

I am sure there will be some more cheerful sixes in this week’s #SixOnSaturday collections. All the links will be at The Propagator’s blog. Take a look and be inspired, as I know I will be, to enjoy your garden this weekend.

Six On Saturday: Exciting times

April 14, 2018April 13, 2018 / n20gardener / 22 Comments

Cold, wet and gloomy is the summary for this week but undeterred nature pushes on. On a particular dull morning my eyes fell up on a treat. A small twinkle at the end of the garden:

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The first blossom has appeared on one of the plum trees. It caught my eye and also that of a passing ant!

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The magnolia tree also sprang into life this week. It’s full of beautiful blossom and I love it but I think it needs to have someone who knows what they are doing come and prune it. It is full of water shoots growing away from previous pruning cuts. Something for me to research.

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The last time I had someone who knows prune a tree we talked about moving an apple tree that had been planted hard up against a fence in a dark corner of the garden. The wet spring delayed the job but finally a moment was grabbed and the tree was moved to its new spot. It’s in amongst the redcurrants which might be moved next year. And for a bonus item, the patch behind is where the potatoes finally got planted. First earlies Ratte and Arran Pilot went in this week.

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The first of the tulips came into flower this week. Yippee! It’s Tulipa ‘Nicholas Heyek’, a
triumph tulip. It’s not one of the many that were planted last November – I’m still waiting on those. These were planted out in the first year in the new garden and left in the ground over the summer. This is their second year of flowering.

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Not so exciting is the damage that comes with all the exciting new growth. The slugs and snails are active and the Thalia that looked so lovely a week ago have been shredded.

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I too was stirred into life and began sowing some seeds. This tube contained 30 seeds of Antirrhinum White Giant. They were tiny. Here’s hoping they love the warmth that’s heading our way next week. I also sowed Calendula ‘Indian Prince’, Zinnia pale mix, Nasturtium Alaska, and Tithonia Torch. Still more sowing to be done. Yes, exciting times.

There will plenty more gardening life on show at The Propagator who hosts the internationally famed #SixOnSaturday meme. Enjoy your garden.

Six On Saturday: Stepping up a gear

April 7, 2018 / n20gardener / 18 Comments

Suddenly I have that feeling that I won’t get it all done in time. But roses have been fed. Seeds have finally been sown: Tithonia and nasturtium, carrots and leeks this week. More annuals will be sown next week and those potatoes will be planted. Here’s what’s in my garden today.

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A border was extended in November and I dug up a batch of bulbs to make way for the roses that will be the star attraction. Impatiently I threw all in the bulbs in a corner of the border and forgot about them. Of course with no care to the planting they have emerged as a perfect clump of colour.

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Continuing the yellow theme, the cowslips planted in a damp corner last year have spread themselves out and look very settled.

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More spring colour on a subtler note comes from these Thalia narcissi. I love the multi-stem format. I’m mentally planning for next year and more of these are on the list. I also want to plant some Paperwhite and White Lady narcissi together with a couple of clumps of Leucojum – now that I’ve perfected the planting in clumps technique.

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I thought that I had lost these fritillaries when all the work on the path was done. But the new path is slightly narrower and these were just outside the trample zone. The slightly wider border is going to allow me to plant more of these too.

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The garden is full of birds and bird song at the moment. I was planning to cut back the Verbena bonariensis but a charm of goldfinches were breakfasting on the seed heads this morning so I have been persuaded to leave that for another time. Sadly the free version of wordpress doesn’t allow video content so I can’t share the bird song, including the resident woodpecker, with you. I’ll see if I can post to twitter (lol).

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Back down to earth: the inside of my shed! The blackcurrants and gooseberries are all in leaf and I need to start thinking about how I protect them from those wonderful birds. My favourite netting is the twisted coil of soft net but my local nursery has stopped stocking this one. Last year I bought lengths of semi rigid plastic net which was easy to cut and fix to bamboo canes to make something resembling a fruit cage. What do you use? Do you have a favourite?

It is so amazing that so many are sharing their garden news under the Six on Saturday meme. Go along to The Propagator and feast your eyes. And keep gardening!

Six on Saturday: Rain delays

March 31, 2018March 31, 2018 / n20gardener / 22 Comments

It was a no show here for snow but the rain fell insistently most of the week. I would love to be planting out the first early potatoes but the soil is cold and wet so this week’s six starts in the greenhouse.

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Just in time, I have potted up the new dahlia tubers. My dahlia wish list consisted of Arabian Night, Magenta Star, Cafe au Lait and Mary’s Jomanda. But I bought Thomas Edison. Six of these will go into the borders and a combination of Blanc y Verde and Furka will go into three terracotta pots. They are resting in the greenhouse for now.

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Settled in the greenhouse I gave the strawberry plants a tidy up and donated them a bag of my recently acquired council compost. I am on a steep learning curve with the greenhouse. Red spider mites made themselves known last year and the soil feels very depleted. I have manured and mulched, added chicken pellets and another bag of council compost has gone on the other side, even so I may grow the tomatoes in grow bags again this year.

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A gardener’s dilemma: mystery seedlings. Are they from something I grew in the greenhouse last year? Or a throwback to something the previous owner grew? They look interesting so I have left them for now.

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It really was time to release the autumn sown sweet peas from their pot. These are from seed collected from last year’s plants. I am curious to see how well they do. The plant in front is Weigela ‘Florida Variegata’, just coming into leaf.

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And as I walked down the path I noticed that my ailing euphorbia is showing the very slimmest glimmer of life. A few new shoots at the end of one stem. I’m keeping that one too. Perhaps it will catch up with its neighbour!

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Planting out the recently purchased Clematis armandii ‘Apple Blossom’ will also have to wait a while. I need to have some sturdy trellis installed and then grab a break in the rain. Thank you to all those who shared pictures of your clematis in flower. It convinced me that this was a necessary addition to garden. I’m looking forward to next year’s flowers and their scent.

For more inspiration visit The Propagator’s blog. The links to other #SixOnSaturday posts will take you on a gardening journey around the world!

Six on Saturday: Limbering up

March 24, 2018March 24, 2018 / n20gardener / 33 Comments

There have been the occasional forays out into the garden over winter but I have been mainly gardening from my armchair or computer. That’s all about to change and it is important to make the right start. It’s time to limber up, get those muscles going again and really importantly, stretch them out after your gardening session. Take care of your back! The warmer temperatures lured me into the garden and here is what I found.

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It’s not all flowers and veg out there. I uncovered this creature whilst turning over a pile of turf that had been left to rot down. He was buried under the soil and he quickly pushed his way back down again. It reminded me that the wildlife have pretty much had the run of the garden over the winter and I need to go carefully as I start to make my presence felt.

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The landscapers who laid the path left some free gifts. I have two pieces of 6 x 2, which I am sure I will put to good use – or they can join the rest of my ‘might come in useful one day’ collection. I do have more immediate plans for these sections of re-enforcing grid. I’m going for the industrial chic look and will use them as supports for a climbing rose. I will let you know how I get on.

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The hydrangea buds are bursting forth. I think I’m pretty safe to cut back the old flower heads now, but I’m going to leave it another week – after I’ve seen what the next beast brings.

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Sweet pea update: Gwendoline is just coming through, Black Knight is about an inch high, Midnight Blue is definitely making a show but Anniversary is a non starter at the moment. All were sown on 15 February. My pot of autumn sown sweet peas need to be planted out but I’m trying to get hold of some hazel poles. Request made, response awaited.

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The mahonia in the front garden is about to shine forth. The bees love it, the smell is great and it is one of the few yellows that I like in the garden.

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By contrast, a yellow I’m not so fond of: the forsythia. I find it just a bit too much to take en masse. But a few branches in a vase are a definite statement of spring.

For more news of spring explore The Propagator’s blog. I spied a lovely tulip bud there. Happy Gardening: In the UK it’s time to spring forward with the clocks!

Six on Saturday: Growing things

March 17, 2018March 16, 2018 / n20gardener / 23 Comments

The work on the paths was delayed by the wet weather but finally it is finished. Sort of. I have to add in soil where I have gained a few extra inches of border and of course sorting out one corner throws up uneven levels in another area. But that is for another time. I have got the garden back – just in time for the arrival of the mini beast from the east. A cold weekend is expected. Here’s what I spotted as I walked round.

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So this is the path looking shockingly new but I will soon get that sorted out with a few trips up and down with the wheelbarrow!

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IMG_2054 (2) The clematis pruned before the last batch of cold weather has survived and is surging onward. It will soon be covering the trellis again.

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A sure sign that everything is growing. This is most likely an ash tree seedling. Neighbouring gardens are well forested and every year I have to be super vigilant to pull up all the seedlings that come my way. Ash and sycamore are the most common and then the odd oak courtesy of the squirrels.

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The tulips are coming through. This beautiful pink edged leaf could be from China Girl or Angelique. These two were planted along with Spring Green in a mixed clump in November. They should be in flower come April/May.

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Right plant, right place I think. I planted half a dozen cowslips in a very wet border last year and this year there is a great crop of seedlings. I shall gently separate them and spread them around this border and elsewhere. Lovely free plants!

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Don’t they look tempting. The first lush shoots of the delphiniums. I can just hear the slugs smacking their lips. More vigilance required.

I am feeling excited and frustrated. So much new growth but such a cold weekend forecast. And I’ve still got the nerines to plant. Patience is a virtue…

Check in with The Propagator to see what else is growing this weekend. Gardeners from both hemispheres take part so there is always something to enjoy. Happy gardening.

Six on Saturday: Paths

March 10, 2018 / n20gardener / 11 Comments

The much welcome higher temperatures are having their effect and growth in the garden is very apparent. Roses, irises, phlox and clematis are all pushing out new shoots. But I’ve not been doing much gardening this week. I’ve been observing the garden through the window as the new path is being laid.

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My old path was broken, uneven and collected water. The new path will be well drained, carefully sloped and smooth. But I am already missing the patina and idiosyncrasies of the old path’s age. The builders are taking great care to keep the new path clean but I will be out there soon rubbing in the mud and possibly some yoghurt!

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In another area of the garden I am replacing a very broken up brick path and here I am using brick again. I’m slightly curious about the brick with the number on it but I feel much happier about this path as the clay bricks already have an aged feel. This was the most dangerous path in the garden, twisted ankles beckoned at every step. I am looking forward to striding down this path with confidence.

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IMG_2030 (1) The laying of the paths sadly means that some things in the garden get trampled on or have been dug up to allow for the base to be laid. I don’t think I will see any fritillaries this year and I know that one or two tulips have been snapped off. As I always say ‘you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs’. And of course I will have the chance to add something new to omelette! On the upside I will lose the ugly concrete edges and gain a precious couple of inches of border.

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I managed to get out the greenhouse this morning and was very pleased to see that the rocket seed sown on 16 February has germinated. The sweet peas sown at the same time are only just breaking the surface but they too are on their way.

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My daffodils are still in bud, the pheasant eye narcissus are coming along but the pulmonaria is definitely in flower. The clump was planted last year from divisions given to me by a friend. I think I’m going to divide this up again this year and use it to soften the edges of that new path.

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And here’s a couple of new ingredients for that omelette. Some nerines – bowdenii Ostara, and dahlias. The dahlias are a combination of greeny whites and are destined for pots. The path should be finished by Wednesday, whereupon I will become a gardener again.

I hope you have all been able to get to your garden and observe all the changes taking place. Pop along to The Propagator to see what else is going on in gardens around the world.

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