#poppies

Six On Saturday: I’m calling it Summer

/ n20gardener / 12 Comments

The first raspberries have been picked, just a handful and I found two ripe strawberries so for me Summer has begun. It’s been rather wet but my garden did need some rain so I’m not complaining. I even spotted the first cucumbers ready for picking. My walk round the garden this morning revealed plenty more jobs to do but here’s six things to enjoy.

One

The hydrangeas suffered so much in the dry spell but this one in particular has responded to the recent downpours. It’s ‘Runaway Bride’. It is really filling out a big space now and makes quite a statement.

Two

I mentioned a while back that I hadn’t tied in the clematis quickly enough and that they had found their own way to spread out. Upwards of course! I like to train these along the fence to hide it away for the summer. But without a few early ties this ‘Etoile Violette’ has managed to romp upwards into my neighbours shrubs. It does make quite a nice waterfall of flowers though.

Three

It was time to mow the grass this morning and the non-gardener was not impressed by the sprawl of geranium ‘Brookside’ that was obstructing the lawnmower’s journey to the lawn. Fortunately I was on hand to sweep it gently to the sides – for a moment.

Four

I have three pots along this border sitting on three concrete slabs that were put in when a soakaway was installed. I’ve tried various things in the pots over the years, one of which was stipa tenuissima. They didn’t do well and so the following year I replaced them with plantings of Hakonechloa macra. They seemed quite happy but this year a remnant of the stipa has made a come-back and is looking much better than it ever did. I think is has bullied out the hak mac!

Five

I get excited at this time of year. The agapanthus stems start to appear. The pot on the left has a miraculous ten stems. The pot on the right looks very sad and is currently producing only one stem. I hope it can come with a few more as the weather warms up.

Six

Another come-back. Thank you to Fred who sent some poppy seeds a year ago. They seeded themselves and this year have really achieved a good height.

There’s a great crowd of people posting their Six On Saturday blogs in the comments section of Jim’s Garden Rumination site. Join in, stop by for a look around, have fun gardening.

Six On Saturday: Spring delights

/ n20gardener / 18 Comments

It’s mid-way through Spring and I am jumping forward to the next bulb order. Gardening does that to you. Always looking for the next excitement, it’s exhausting! I’ve made my notes on the calendar and settled the mind again to concentrate on what’s good at this moment in time. Here’s six from the garden this week.

One

I am sure it will be camassia week for many. These are my first to begin to flower against the trellis of an arch. I have these down as c. leichtlinii. But I am willing to be corrected!

Two

Last November I planted some ‘Cairo’ tulips to flower with the camassias. I think I planted about ten either side of the arch. They have come through just in time and once again I am thinking why didn’t I plant double the quantity?

Three

I’m coming up to completing six years in this garden and this combination of tulips was one the first planted here. Originally they ran the length of the long border but over the years they have become concentrated at the bottom, slightly shadier end. I have topped them up from time to time but now I am thinking it is time to replant the top end of the border with a new combination. This mix is ‘Queen of Night’, ‘Shirley’, ‘Barcelona’ and ‘Violet Beauty’. There are some ‘Purissima’ in the background

Four

Brought from the old garden these geranium phaeums have bulked up over the years and are now providing regular new stock for ground cover in shady corners. Solid, reliable and very lovely.

Five

The apple trees are all in blossom and as I was admiring the pretty mix of pink and white I espied the tell-tale fluff of woolly aphid. Just a few small patches so it was out with a spray of a dilute soap mix which I hope will do the trick before it gets a hold.

Six

Here’s a splash of sunshine to end on. Self-seeding welsh poppies are popping up everywhere. Entirely against my colour scheme but who could turn them out? I read that they can tolerate shade so I am thinking of re-locating a few to new spaces.

Vegetable seed sowing continues to be hit and miss, still no sign of later sown mange tout, but earlier sown cukes have delivered, and I have lettuces that have been hardened off for about a week so I may chance planting some of those out. I’ve seen the very first sign of carrot seedlings sown under cloches – I’m holding my breath and crossing my fingers. The soil seemed to be warming up so I’ve also direct sown some parsnip seed. Hope you are finding joys in your gardens. The Propagator will be sharing the news from fellow SOSers so do stop by for a read.