Withdrawal symptoms

I haven't done anything in the garden since I last posted mainly because it's been too cold but also due to lots of visitors over the festive period. Why do they always come on the best gardening days?

The picture shows the rearranged patio with the new Skimmias in front of the scented Pelargoniums. The plants are well protected and shaded by the Jasmine above.

For Christmas I was given two pots of Narcissi - Paper White and Tete a Tete - to grow indoors. So I've planted them up and I'm looking forward to them scenting the kitchen in about 6 weeks or so. I also got a wooden seed box, more seeds (!) and a handy soil thermometer. But by far the best present was a new digital camera. I've not taken it outside yet but I'm looking forward to trying out the macro mode for close ups of flowers.

Results of my efforts to follow.

Georgie

A bit of gardening done today

Well it's been nearly a month since I've managed to do anything of note in the garden - apart from potting up the bare rooted Hostas - because it's either been too cold or too wet. So I was determined to get out there for a couple of hours today, even 'though there is a cold wind. The photo is of the Photinia plant I bought last month.

The first job was to sweep up the leaves which gave me a chance to see what's out and and what's coming up. The first surprise was to note that the small patch of grass I re-seeded about six weeks ago is coming up. I didn't expect them to germinate until spring. Then I noticed that the Vinca minor, Rosemary and Fuchsia Lottie Hobby are flowering which is very late and the Pelargoniums in the window box are continuing to flower too. In the veg area the Alpine Strawberries are still growing and I picked one ripe fruit. And it was good to see that the Peas are still doing well.

My first Snowdrop is in bud (they usually flower in January) and there are a number of Primroses out now. Lots of the Narcissus are poking through as are most of the Dutch Iris! And the Aquilegias have plenty of new leaves. I dead-headed the Pansies and Cyclamen and rearranged some of the pots on the patio now that the Heliotropes have completely died back. They have been replaced by the Skimmias.

Then it was matter of cutting back some of the herbaceous perennials which were looking untidy such as Geranium and Digitalis and pulling out some self-seeded Briza Maxima which can take over if I'm not careful. I topped up the water feature but left the bell cloche in place because there are still some leaves yet to fall. I also watered some of the plants in the greenhouse and picked off a few yellowing or mouldy leaves. The parsley seedlings are just getting their first true leaves - they seem to be taking forever - so they can be potted on soon.

It was great to get out there again but I'm glad to be back in the warm.

Georgie

In the beginning

This is how my garden looked in April 2005 after I'd widened the border, mulched it with cocoa shells and started to cover the concrete path with pots. As you can see, all I had then was a few established shrubs by the fence and about 20 pots. Three years on it's like a jungle and I still can't stop buying plants!

I went to the local nursery yesterday and fell in love with a beautiful Photinia x fraseri 'Little Red Robin'. It is a mature specimen and is going the brighten up the shady border no end over winter. I also bought two good sized Skimmia confusa 'Kew Green' plants and then I spotted that the spring bulbs were reduced to half price. Not one to miss a bargain I picked up some English bluebells, Hermodactylus Tuberosa and Allium Schubertii. Where am I going to put them all? Goodness knows! Finally I couldn't resist a quick peep at the seeds and spotted an annual herb called Madia Elegans. According to the blurb the foliage smells like a tropical fruit salad so I couldn't resist a packet.

We had a very light covering of snow first thing but it soon melted. It's been very cold though so it was not a day for gardening. I had a quick walk around and I was pleased to see that the Peas are all looking sturdy under their cloche. I picked and ate 4 Alpine Strawberries - they are still flowering/fruiting - and noted that lots more Snowdrops and dwarf Iris are emerging above the soil.

I hope it's a bit milder tomorrow because I need to pot up the three bare rooted Hostas I ordered which arrived yesterday. Then all I need to do is find somewhere to put them!

Georgie

A few more jobs done

It's mild and murky here today so I managed to get quite a few jobs done. It's just as well I took this photo when I did because today I noticed all the seed heads on the Fatsia have dropped off and the snails have been eating the petals of the Chrysanthemums again. I'm assuming the snails are also to blame for all the buds on Pineapple Sage being eaten. Such a shame.

I emptied lots more pots of things that have gone over in the veg plot - a boring and break-breaking job - and had a good sweep up of leaves. All the brilliant red leaves on the Acer have now dropped but it's good to see there is still plenty of autumn colour, particularly on the Cotoneaster and Jasmine. I had a bit of a tidy up in the sunny border and put some more Pyracantha cuttings down where plants have died down for the winter to stop my cat from scratching up the soil.

On the edibles front I was pleased to see that the Peas I sowed on 2 November have germinated and the Chilli Thai Hot on the kitchen windowsill is covered in flower buds again. The Alpine Strawberries are still flowering/fruiting and surprisingly all the autumn Raspberry canes which have been cut down have new shoots! The Parsley seedlings in the greenhouse are still tiny though so I couldn't prick them out.

Flower-wise the Laurentia continues to look colourful, the winter Pansies and Cyclamen are well established, the Primroses are out, there are still plenty of Fuchsias around and I have leaves poking above the soil on two Narcissus - Tete a Tete and Chinita.

I reorganised some of the pots again - more heavy work - but it's nice to be able to bring things to the fore that are at their best whilst hiding others behind them. I'd like to take some more photos but my camera is playing up. I might have to write a letter to Santa!

Georgie

Wildlife gardening

Hurrah it's been fine here today so I managed to get into the garden for a few hours. I took this snap of the Chrysanthemum which is brightening up the shady corner and at long last found room to plant the Allium Purple Sensation bulbs in the sunny border. Then I cut back the three remaining outdoor tender Fuchsias (Swingtime), potted them up and popped them into the greenhouse for over-wintering.

As I was sweeping up leaves and picking them out of the pots etc I hit on a good idea: I've put a bell cloche over the water feature to keep the leaves out. I'll only leave it in place until the leaves have finished dropping and meanwhile there are two other sources of water for birds and wildlife - another ground level dish by the Ivy and a dish on the bird feeding station.

Having cut back the Sunflowers I made two shelters for beneficial insects made up of a mixture of hollow stemmed plant stalks. The first I tied in a bundle and fixed in the Forsythia by the fence and the second I put inside a terracotta pot and placed it at ground level under the Ivy. Then, inspired by an article in a garden magazine, I made a bumblebee pot which I half buried in ground by the fence in the sunny border. It's just an inverted terracotta pot stuffed with dry grass with a bit of moss by the hole (inside the pot) which will allow access but keep the grass dry.

Georgie

More autumn colour

This is the best year I can remember for autumn colour in the garden. The photo is of part of my Jasmine which is a picture at the moment as are many of the other deciduous shrubs. The Chrysanthemums are out in all their glory and the seed heads on the Fatsia and Ivy are very attractive too.

Minor disaster on the Tagetes experiment front. Two out of the three seedlings in the shady greenhouse have been eaten by slugs. So I've put the remaining one in with the five in the sunny greenhouse which are standing in a gravel tray and have so far been unaffected.

It was too wet to do anything in the garden today so I'm hoping for a better day tomorrow. I've got lots of pots to empty now that things have gone over and all my Lilies need re-potting or at least top dressing. I also need to bring the Sunflower seed heads into the greenhouse to dry off and then tie the stems into bundles to hide in the Ivy to provide homes for over-wintering beneficial insects.

Georgie

Tidying up and a bit of planting

This is one of the Alpine Strawberries which is still fruiting as you can see. They are great little plants and a must for next year. I potted up some new autumn Raspberry canes today (a gift from a friend) and sowed some Lester's Peas in a half barrel which I covered with a bell cloche. (The Peas were also a gift). I've not tried growing Peas over winter before so this is a bit of an experiment. I just hope they do better than the Broad Beans I tried last year which gave me the sum total of three pods!

There was a fair bit of tidying up to do following the snow earlier in the week. For instance it snapped some of my Verbena Bonariensis stems which had reached over six foot high. I cut all the stems back to about four feet so they can continue to provide nectar for any late insects and shelter for them over the winter months in the hollow stems. I gave the Aquilegia vulgaris leaves a good trim back too as these had also been flattened. The Tree Spinach (Chenpodium giganteum) had shed all its leaves so they were pulled out and all the Lily stems had gone brown so they were cut down to ground level.

I had a bit of reorganisation between the two greenhouses. There were aphids on the spring onions again (now squished) but I was pleased to see that the Parsley seeds are beginning to germinate. I've lost a couple of Aquilegia seedlings but the rest are fine, and the Dianthus and Tagetes seedlings are looking healthy. The shelves are packed with cuttings - Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, Hebes, Box and Lavender - all of which appear to have taken as they are putting on new growth. The Lemon Grass I grew from seed earlier this year is also in there, along with a Strawberry runner I've potted up in the hope of early fruits. There are also a couple of Hesperis plants grown from seed sown in the summer and some of the tender Fuchsias which are still in flower. And I've still got to make room for the remaining tender Fuchsias.

Georgie

Cold snap

We had snow on Tuesday evening and it was cold yesterday and today but despite this some of the annuals are continuing to flower and the hardy Fuchsias, like Beacon in the picture, continue to put on a good show of colour. The first of the Chrysanthemums are out now although some of the petals have been nibbled by snails which is a bit annoying. And some of the Pineapple Sage flowers are out too.

I harvested the remainder of my outdoor Chillies today, 8 Sicily and about double that of Trifetti. Most weren't ripe so they are on the kitchen windowsill where they will turn red in a matter of days (with a little bit of luck). So that's it for the edibles this year apart from a few remaining Alpine Strawberries and some of the herbs.

It was too cold to stay outside as my garden gets very little sunshine at this time of year so I busied myself cleaning about 200 used plant labels ready for next year. I always use pencil and it never fails me: in fact it took a fair amount of rubbing with a cloth and cream cleaner to remove the writing! I've also been sifting the Tree Spinach seeds which must be the messiest seed to harvest. Either that, or I'm not doing it correctly.

Georgie

More winter colour

I planted up this simple arrangement of Carex and yellow Pansies a couple of weeks ago to bring some much needed colour to the garden over the winter months. I have another one in a slightly smaller pot, three with Pennisetum and Pansies and one with a Hebe cutting and Pansies too. This just left the window box to sort out so, despite the pouring rain, I took myself off to the nursery. I decided to buy a new, deeper window box and bought 3 Solanum pseudocapsicums (Winter Cherry) and two Ivies to plant in it. The whole lot came to just over £12 which I thought was a bargain. I know the Solanum are not fully hardy but I'm hoping the spot they are in will provide sufficient shelter for them to survive. Watch this space!

Very early this year I had a problem with whitefly and aphids in the greenhouse. So I've decided to experiment by over-wintering Tagetes as a deterrent. I sowed some seeds two weeks back and they were ready for pricking out today. I got 8 seedlings from 10 seeds. Five are now in individual 9cm pots standing in a gravel tray in the sunny greenhouse and the other three are in the shady greenhouse. My biggest concern is that they will get eaten by slugs/snails before they get a chance to establish but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Georgie

Chillies and other things

It's been a good year for the majority of my Chilli plants and despite the lack of sunshine most of the fruits have ripened (but there are more to come). For the first time I'm growing two small fruited types for drying. The one pictured is Thai Hot (I think) and the other is Trifetti. My bigger yellow Chilli has been quite prolific and I have a nice bag of fruits in the freezer. It's on it's second flush of flowering and fruiting now and I hope it will continue to flourish on the kitchen windowsill. The only disappointment has been Sicily which bore very few fruits. I won't be growing it again next year.

I've harvested more seeds in the last few days including Tree Spinach, Allium Tuberosum and Sweet Basil. The only seeds left to harvest are from Coriander,Fennel and Parsley and I hope to gather these at the weekend. The Alpine Strawberries and Physalis continue to produce the odd fruits but I've eaten the last of the Tomatoes. I've cut down the autumn Raspberry canes and planted a thornless Blackberry and both have been given a good mulch of leaf mould.

I still have a number of annuals flowering including Heliotrope, Laurentia, Thunbergia and Nicotiana and there is colour showing on the buds of the Pineapple Sage and Chrysanthemums. And one of my spring bulbs has poked its head about 1cm above the soil. It's in a mixed pot of Eranthis and Snowdrop so I'm not sure which it is yet but it's probably the Snowdrop. I also have Primroses and Toad Lilies out, along with hardy Fuchsias which are putting on a good show of late colour. So it still looks good out there.

Georgie

A few more jobs done

This is part of the patio area showing the pots I made up yesterday. In the background between the Box plants the Heliotrope is still going strong and Blue Fescue grasses either side complete the arrangement. The Cyclamen in the front are plants I managed to keep from last year.

I started the day sowing seeds of Garlic Mustard, Parsley, Cyclamen, French Marigolds and Agapanthus. I pricked out the Dianthus and Aquilegia seedlings and these will be over-wintered in the greenhouse. I potted on two lots of ornamental grasses, Eragrostis Spectabilis and Pennisetum, and planted the remaining Violas, Carex and Tete a Tete.

The only thing remaining to plant this year are the Allium Purple Sensation bulbs and I still haven't got space for them in the border. I'll also need to find some plants to put in the window box to replace the Pelargoniums when the temperature drops. I was going to use the pansies but I ran out. Oh well, looks like another trip to the nursery beckons!

Georgie

Pottering

My day started with a trip to the local nursery. I went for more compost and some Violas but as usual came back with considerably more. The first bargain was 10 bags of decorative stones reduced from £3.99 to 50p each. I'll use them as I need them to top off pots of perennials. I picked up a tray of 24 yellow Violas, then I spotted some very healthy Carex grasses. I thought these would look good with the Violas so I popped 5 in the trolley. Well, that was until I came across some lovely dwarf conifers (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Snow White) for an amazing 99p each and some gorgeous Cyclamen with deep magenta flowers. So I got three conifers and six Cyclamen. The trolley now full I decided that was enough for one day (apart from the compost of course which they helpfully carry to the car for weaklings like me).

Back home in the garden the first task was to plant up the remainder of the spring bulbs in pots. I did two with Tulip Praetens Fusilier and Narcissi Tete a Tete, one with Leucojum and Tete and Tete, one with Hyacinth City of Haarlem and one with Narcissi Chinita.

Looking over my purchases I then planted up three pots, each with a conifer, a Carex and two Cyclamen. This leaves me with the task of planting up the two remaining Carex plants with some of the Violas and Tete a Tete in two more containers tomorrow. The rest of the Violas will go in the windowbox.

The picture is of Gladiolus Callianthus which I've grown for the first time this year. It's a very attractive flower but sadly the blooms don't last very long and I couldn't detect the scent that was promised. It certainly doesn't earn its keep in a pot and I think it would be more suited to the back of the border. I gather the bulbs are a little tender so once the foliage has died down I'll over-winter them in the shed and see if I can find a spot for them in the sunny border next year.

Georgie

Review of flowering annuals

I grew ten different flowering annuals this year with varying degrees of success. The most disappointing was Ipomoea Alba, the Moon Vine, which failed to flower, probably due to lack of prolonged sunshine. Also poor was the Calendula, which I'm certain was down to seed quality and Swan River Daisies which were neither prolific nor scented as promised on the packet. But everything else has earned its keep. The Nicotiana Affinis white (pictured) is still flowering well and coping with the difficult conditions I mentioned yesterday. I've saved seeds for next year. As ever the Laurentia Axilliaris has put on a wonderful show and is still producing lots of buds. The self-saved Nasturtiums - trailing mixed and Milkmaid - have looked good in a hanging basket in the wild area and continue to flower. The Sunflowers didn't last very long but were attractive whilst they were out. I'll be saving some seed for next year and leaving the rest for the birds. The Thunbergia was something new and I've been very pleased with it. Next year I'm growing a scented variety. And finally Heliotrope Marine was my favourite of the lot. The scent hits you as soon as you open the kitchen door - and that's with only three plants - the dark foliage is very attractive and there are new buds on it yet to open. So that's another one I will definitely be growing next year.

I said the other day that the only thing left to flower in the garden was the Chrysanthemums and the Fatsia. How did I manage to forget my beautiful Pineapple Sages? I've got three of these plants which are about three to four feet tall growing in pots in the semi-shade. Walking round the garden this morning I noticed that one of them has got a number of buds on it. The flowers are one of the brightest scarlets you can get so I can't wait!

Georgie

No gardening, just thinking ahead

The picture is of the top end of my sunny border which I struggle to keep looking good. The problem is that at the back there are all sorts of old roots which I can't get out due to lack of space and the fence means it's in rain shadow. The Nicotiana has managed to thrive somehow but the climbing Nasturtiums I sowed behind it did nothing. And let's face it if Nasturtiums won't survive, it's an uphill battle. So next year I'm going to try Centratherum, watch this space.

I've had a good sort out of my seeds and will be sowing Calendula, Parsley and Garlic Mustard tomorrow. I've also received my first seed order for next year. This includes climbers Thunbergia fragrens, Passiflora edulis and Clitoria ternatea and flowers Asclepias incarnata, Heliotrope 'Marine' and French Marigold 'Hero'.

Georgie

Autumn is setting in

I just love the colouring of the leaves on this Tree Spinach and it is such an excellent value annual herb. As I posted earlier in the year it starts off with the most gorgeous mauve/purple leaves which mature to a deep green and it puts on growth so quickly - my plants have reached 6 feet tall and they are only in 12" pots! The flowers are not particularly impressive (although they look set to make plenty of seeds for next year) and the autumn leaf colour is spectacular.

There is still no sign of the tadpoles but a friend has suggested that they might be hibernating in the silt. This seems a little early to me but fingers crossed. I'll keep an eye on the water feature over winter to make sure it doesn't dry out or freeze over.

The Hebe and Lavender cuttings I took a couple of months back have all rooted: an excellent result. I don't use rooting powder, I just pop three or four cuttings around the edge of a three and a half inch pot and water them in. I only need one lavender so I've given the others away. I'll keep the rest of the plants in the greenhouse over winter.

I've planted up six containers of spring bulbs so far. Two have white and yellow Emperor Tulips with Wallflowers I grew from seed earlier in the year, one has Narcissi Tete a Tete and Tulip Pieter De Leur (scarlet and Lily shaped) and three contain Narcissi Jet Fire. I'm very careful when I plant my bulbs in pots to ensure that they are well drained. I start with a good covering of crocks in the bottom, add a couple of handfuls of Perlite to the compost and sit the bulbs on a thin layer of sharp sand.

The seeds of Dianthus 'Siberian Blues' I sowed about a week ago are starting to germinate. I'll prick them out when they are large enough then move them to the greenhouse until late spring. I'm sure there are plenty of other things I should be sowing now so I'll have to have a rummage through the seed boxes.

Georgie

Introducing Timmy Tiger

This is one of my cats, Timmy Tiger. He was a stray and came to live with us four years ago. He loves 'helping' me in the garden as you can see from the picture. I think he's saying: 'Please don't plant those bulbs. I don't like it when you put those nasty sharp Pyracantha cuttings on the borders to stop me digging them up.'

But I did plant the Dutch Iris and Crocus Ruby Giant. I couldn't find a space for the Allium Purple Sensation though, so I'll have to wait until some of the perennials have died down. The rest of the spring bulbs will be planted in pots over the course of the next few weeks.

I had a good tidy up in the veg plot today. I picked my final Crystal Lemon Cucumber and had it with my lunch; discarded the Tomatoes Tiny Tim; moved the Chilli pots onto the half barrels so they catch more sun; and took a few leaves of the Physalis plants to help the final fruits ripen.

All the plants in pots got a thorough watering which gave me chance to examine them at close quarters. There are lots of buds on the Chrysanthemum and the Fennel, Coriander and Fatsia are beginning to set seed. All five of my Cyclamen have survived over the summer and have lots of healthy new leaves with two in flower. And the Berginias have new glossy leaves too but they are all nibbled - I suspect snails.

The sad news is that I could see no sign of the tadpoles today. I moved the pond weed around a bit but nothing. I'll check again tomorrow but it's not looking good.

Georgie

Elusive butterflies and other musings

I've said it before but I think it's worth repeating, it's been a dreadful year for butterflies here. The picture is of the only Red Admiral I've seen and it certainly didn't want its picture taken! But I quite like the composition of the Verbena Bonariensis and blue sky so I'm sharing it anyway.

I had to move the Tree Spinach today. I have two plants in 12" pots and they have grown to a massive 6' high. Currently flowering they were just too top heavy and kept falling over so I've put them by the fence and tied them to it. The leaves are now turning to brilliant yellow, orange and red and looking great. I'll certainly be saving seed for next year.

I picked one of the last of the Richmond Green Apple Cucumbers, more Tomatoes, Physalis and a couple of Alpine Strawberries. Apart from the Strawberries the plants are all looking a little worse for wear now and I suspect it won't be long before I gave to pull them out. Just as well really because I'm going to need the pots for the spring bulbs.

The hardy Fuchsias - Alice Hoffman, Beacon, Hawkshead, Lady Boothby and Tom Thumb - are still flowering their socks off, but most of the most tender ones (apart from Swingtime and Carmel Blue) have finished flowering, so I've cut them back and popped them in the greenhouse for over-wintering.

There are still plenty of bees around and some of the biggest garden spiders (and webs) I've ever seen. I've read that lots of spiders means a healthy garden; I do hope so. But I wish they'd learn to build their webs lengthwise down the garden rather than across it - it breaks my heart when I have no choice but to destroy them.

Georgie

Time for more planning

This is how the garden looked yesterday. There wasn't a great deal that needed doing so I took myself off to the local nursery armed with a shopping list. But the best laid plans are soon thwarted when you notice that there's a sale on - on this occasion 50% off terracotta planters. Five minutes later I'd bagged three good quality 30cm containers - two square and one round - which I've earmarked for spring bulbs.

But back to the shopping list. The first thing I needed was spring bulbs to replace some of those I lost last year. I ended up with 30 Narcissi (Jet Fire and Chinita), 30 Tulips (White Emperor, Yellow Emperor and Pieter De Leur), 20 Dutch Iris, 20 Crocus Ruby Giant and 5 Allium Purple Sensation.

The other thing I wanted was some plants for winter hanging baskets. However the selection wasn't very inspiring and in the end I was tempted by ready made baskets. There was a good selection but in the end I decided on five, each of which contained three white Cyclamen, three trailing ivy-like plants and one fine grass - probably some sort of Carex - in the centre. At £9.99 each I think these were a bargain.

There were a few other things on my list that they didn't have but no matter, there's plenty of time to get my annual flower seeds for next year, more river stones to top the pots and a new pair of shears in the coming months when it's too cold or wet to work in the garden.

Georgie

Another lovely day

We've had lovely weather again for the last few days and it was good to spend the day in the garden pottering around. The first task, which was well overdue, was to cut and edge the lawn. Then I rearranged some of the pots to make a more balanced display and hide things that have gone over.

Plenty of things are still looking good including the Heliotrope (pictured) which I'm growing for the first time this year. I love the dark foliage and the flowers smell gorgeous so I'll definitely be growing it again. Most of the Fuchsias are still flowering well too although rust has been a problem which I'm putting down to the weather.

The only thing left to come into flower is a Chrysanthemum which I had as house plant and put outside when it had finished flowering indoors. It's got plenty of buds on it so it will be a welcome splash of late colour later this month.

The seed catalogues are starting to drop through the door now so I've started my 'wish list' as I can't resist the temptation! It's not that I need anything but it's fun to try something new.

Georgie

Glorious Afternoon

After a cold and damp start the sun came out this afternoon and it's been glorious. I started in the front garden cutting back the Pyracantha, Lavender, Rosemary and Choisia, all of which had grown out of hand with the recent rain. I also weeded the driveway - a back-breaking and pretty much thankless task - before I sat down for breather in the sunshine.

I moved into the back garden to harvest more Raspberries, Chillies, Physallis and Tomatoes and gather seeds of Garlic Chives and Mustard. All the Sunflowers are out now and the first Toad Lilies and one of my Cyclamen are also flowering. Then joy of joys I spotted a Red Admiral and Comma butterfly on the Verbena Bonariensis. I took a few snaps but they refused to pose for me and were too high up anyway.

The photo is of my ripening Passiflora fruits. Strung across the garden on wires they make a nice splash of colour over the shady corner housing the Fatsia, Ferns, Arum and Fennel.

Georgie

Sunflowers but little sunshine

Despite the lack of sunshine most things in the garden continue to thrive. This is the first of my Sunflowers to come out. It's a dwarf one at only 4' tall but I think it's ideal in the 'wild' area of the garden and I hope the birds will enjoy the seeds.

I am harvesting so many Physalis and Cucumbers now I'm having to give them away! And considering I'm only growing three of each plant I'm getting an excellent return. I'll certainly grow both again next year. I'll also be growing more Strawberries, Raspberries, Chillies, Micro Tomatoes and Spring Onions in 2009, along with Watercress and a variety of herbs. That's more than enough for my tiny plot (and I have all the seeds already) but no doubt something else will take my fancy and I won't be able to resist giving it a try. For instance I'm taking part in a seed swap soon and I'm hoping to get a couple of courgette seeds. The last ones I was given failed to germinate but I'd like to have another go. On the other hand I will not be growing dwarf Broad Beans or French climbing Beans as both failed miserably this year.

Georgie

Happy Wedding Day

Well the Fuchsia plant did us proud - opening to order - and it was indeed a happy wedding day: the sun shone and a good time was had by all.

Yesterday I took lots of Pelargonium and Fuchsia cuttings and potted on my Licqorice plant which at long last seems to have taken off. I've started harvesting Physallis, Tomato and Chilli seeds and I'm going to try saving my own Cucumber seeds this year as well.

On the flower front my Toad Lily and Gladiolus Callianthus are in bud and the first of the dwarf Sunflowers is just beginning to open. I have some fantastic looking seed pods on the Tweedia and the fruits on the Passiflora are just beginning to ripen.

I'm still getting a good harvest from my salad and fruit plants and I've started to think about what to grow (and what not to grow) next year. More about this when I've drawn up my plans.

Georgie

Daughter's wedding day approaches

My daughter is getting married on Saturday 23 August so I spent yesterday having a good tidy up after all the wind and rain of late. I'm hoping that all my Fuchsias will put on a good display on the day, particularly 'Happy Wedding Day' which I am growing from a cutting sent to me by a friend last year. (The one pictured is Royal Mosaic which was a freebie.)

Apart from cutting the grass, edging it, pruning some of the larger shrubs, staking perennials and moving some of the pots around I've been gathering lots of seeds for next year. I've also been harvesting more Cues, Toms, Physallis and Raspberries, all of which continue to do well.

And pottering around I was surprised to see Kerria, Cyclamen and Primroses in flower for the second time this year. Proof that there are advantages to a cooler summer!

Georgie

Rained Off

It's been raining most of the day here and as much as it is needed it's a bit annoying because I'd hoped to do some potting on and sow some Beetroot, Mooli and Spring Onions for autumn crops.

The picture is of my Eucomis, the first time I've tried growing it. It's aptly known as the Pineapple Lily and I think it is rather splendid. It's a shame it isn't scented. However, the Heliotropes are in full flower now and smell absolutely gorgeous so that makes up for it, now that the scented Lilies and Jasmine have all but finished. Also in flower this week are Agastache and Fuchsia Happy Wedding Day - this biggest flowers I've ever seen on a Fuchsia! And at long last I've got buds showing on my dwarf Sunflowers.

On the edibles front the Alpine Strawberries are cropping well. I've got lots of Cucumbers developing - Burpless Tasty Green and Crystal Lemon - and Micro Tomato continues to flourish unlike Tiny Tim whose fruits are disappointing this year. I'm getting a few ripe Physallis every day and I've picked the first of the autumn fruiting Raspberries.

I've just read in a magazine that died lavender flowers and leaves spread around plants deter slugs and snails (I assume it's the oil the don't like) so I'm going to give that a go next time I plant out anything vulnerable. If it works I suspect Rosemary leaves might also be affective. So as I have to keep my huge bush in the front garden well pruned I might try those too.

Georgie

Harvest

I've picked this crop for a picnic tomorrow. At long last I have my first Cucumber of the season, Burpless Tasty Green, and also pictured are Micro Tomatoes, Spring Onions, Physallis and two Alpine Strawberries. There are a few more Strawberries that are nearly ripe so I'll check again tomorrow before I leave.

I spotted a few tadpoles swimming around today but they are still showing no sign of developing their back legs. And once again the only Butterflies I spotted were whites. On the plus side the Bees and Hoverflies continue to work the flowers and thankfully there is little sign of pests or diseases .

New flowers out this week include Fuchsia Tom Thumb, Milk Thistle and Eucomis. The Agastache is now in bud, I've got two Chilli Thai Hot fruits ripening and the Passiflora is covered in the biggest fruits I've ever seen on it: they are the size of limes!

I am continuing to collect my own seeds and some that I sowed last week, including Chives and Hesperis, have started to germinate already. All of the Wallflower seedlings I pricked out have survived and are looking healthy. They each have four true leaves now so I'll pinch them out soon in the hope that I get nice bushy plants.

Georgie

Everything's looking good

This is a close up of the herb Tree Spinach, which I just adore for the vibrant colour of the new leaves. My Thyme, Oregano, Pennyroyal and Basil are all now in flower and there are buds on the Milk Thistle and Mint.

I pricked out the Wallflowers today - very sturdy little seeds - and sowed two more types of Aquilegia and Chives. I had my own Tomatoes and Spring Onions with my lunch and picked my first ripe Alpine Strawberry of the season - delicious.

There are lovely fat buds on my Fuchsia Happy Wedding Day and since I last wrote Galtonia candicans, Silene Jack Flash, Crocosmia George Davidson, Cala Lily, Heliotrope Hybrid Marine and Lily Arena have all come into flower.

I moved some of the pots around again today to make a bit more room and try out different combinations. For example the Freesias had finished so these were replaced with pots of Heliotrope, whose dark leaves and deep purple flowers look good in front of the lighter green foliage of the Agapantus and Galtonia.

Georgie

Sunshine and showers

I've spent a lot of time in the garden this weekend but I don't feel that I've achieved very much. These are my first ripe Chillies of the season and I've been nibbling Tomatoes as I pottered. I planted out a few more Basil Purple Ruffles plants into the sunny border to replace the Garlic Mustard which had run to seed. I potted up the Tree Spinach into 10" pots and sowed more Spring Onions, Greek Cress and Radish.

I cut the lawn and tidied up the edges and did a fair bit of pruning back and dead-heading. I collected seeds from Honesty, Chives, Hesperis, Garlic Mustard and Aquilegia, sowing some for myself and saving the rest for seed swaps. I also sowed some more Lady's Bedstraw and Arnica as there was no sign of germination from the seeds sown in May.

Georgie

Scented Lilies now in bloom

The first of my scented Lilies are flowering. The one pictured is 'White Heaven', which I bought last year, and the other one out is 'Nipon'. Also out this week are blue Laurentia, Garlic Chives and Fuchsia Carmel Blue. It's all looking very colourful.

The garden is still full of bees who are enjoying the Jasmine, Lavender and Fuchsias in particular. I've spotted on painted lady butterfly and a few small and large whites but no other species. There are plenty of hoverflies around too, but precious few ladybirds.

I'm picking a few Tomatoes each day, still getting the odd Strawberry and the Chillies are getting bigger with a number now ripe. The Cucumbers are very slow and there is no sign of any ripe Physallis fruits yet. The French Beans are climbing well but there is no sign of any flowers yet. Nearly all of the herbs continue to flourish with the exception of Basil Purple Ruffles which remains tiny and weak looking.

The Wallflower seeds I planted at the weekend have germinated already so they'll need pricking out soon. I must check through my seed boxes because I'm sure there are other things I should have sown but have forgotten about!

Georgie

Tadpole update etc

Well the tadpoles are alive and seemingly well although as you can see from the photo they still have no sign of any back legs. I've heard that sometimes they don't develop in the first year and this looks increasingly likely. I really hope they do though because I think it's most unlikely that they will survive the winter in the water feature. I'll have to seek some advice from a nature forum.

This weekend I sowed some Wallflower seeds to grow with my Tulips. I love the smell of Wallflowers and I just hope they don't go all leggy and floppy like the last lot I tried.

I've potted up my scented Pelargoniums into 10" pots, taken some Lavender cuttings and planted Fuchia Devon Dumling and Royal Mosaic into hanging baskets.

Georgie

Chillies etc

I am so pleased with my Chillies this year. Pictured is a close up of 'Thai Hot' which I am growing on the kitchen windowsill alongside a yellow one, variety unknown, which has three fruits ripening. In the garden, 'Trifetti' and 'Sicily' are also thriving and producing lots of fruit. We've had a lot of rain this week but not much sunshine so whilst the other edibles are coming along nicely, ripening is taking longer than expected. So I'm only picking the odd few Strawberries and Tomatoes at the moment and the Cucumbers are still tiny.

I've got Agapanthus, Galtonia Viridiflora, Nicotiana and Borage in flower and new into bud this week are Nasturtium Milkmaid, Heliotrope and Laurentia. My Oriental Lilies are still not out, nor is Fuchsia Carmel Blue or Crocosmia George Davidson. The Jasmine still smells gorgeous every night though, so that sees me through.

Georgie

Between the showers

Well today we have had some much needed rain but I have managed to squeeze in a few jobs between the showers. I took a few photographs including this one of Fuchsia Royal Mosaic which was one of my free plug plants from J Parkers. They are not a company I would normally use but the free offer (not even any P&P to pay) was too good to miss. All three plants are doing well.

I've had to reorganise the veg pots because some things like the Physallis are trying to take over the garden! With a bit of juggling around I've managed to give them a bit more room and moving things around afforded me the opportunity for a bit of tidying up, tying in and dead leaf removal.

The Hyssop, Purple Basil, Cuckoo Flower and Swan River Daisies were all potted on into 5" pots and I pricked out the seedlings of the ornamental grass, Eragrostis.

I'm still waiting for my oriental Lilies to flower but in the meantime the garden is full of the heady scent of Jasmine and (when you get close to them) Freesias.

Georgie

Bargains

This is Lily Emporium, the second of my Lilies to flower this year. It's not scented, but I love the markings. I have a number of Oriental Lilies which are not far behind and they are scented, so I can't wait. In the meantime I have the Jasmine and the Freesias to keep me going!

My Alpine Strawberries are flowering now which is good news and the first fruits are setting on my Chilli Thai Hot. I picked three Micro Tomatoes today which were tasty, but not as good as Tiny Tim in my opinion. I also picked the first Spring Onion of the season - just the one so far - so it's lucky I have plenty of chives to add a bit of bite to my salads.

I've potted on the Tree Spinach and Bronze Fennel and put Blue Fescue and Milk Thistle in some swanky pots I picked up for half price at the nursery. I also bought a lovely little white Thunbergia - a good size with plenty of buds and only 50p - to grow up the obelisk in the sunny border as the Tweedia was looking pathetic.

What a good day.

Georgie

Lovely day

It's been a mainly dry, warm and windy week and everything in the garden is looking parched. I watered every pot this evening really thoroughly and I gave the border area housing the recent plantings of Agastache, Basil Purple Ruffles, Fuchsia Hawkshead, Nasturtiums and Nicotiana a good soaking too.

In flower since I last wrote are Fressia, Fuchsia Swingtime (pictured), Fuchsia Rocket Fire, Honesty, Lily Emporium and Vinca minor. In bud are Agapanthus Lilliput, Crocosmia, Fuchsia Carmel Blue, Galtonia viridiflora and Nicotiana Affinis White.

On the edibles front I'm still picking strawberries and I've had two ripe Tomatoes (Tiny Tim) so far. There are buds on my Raspberries and I noticed a few tiny Cucumbers on Crystal Lemon and Burpless Tasty Green. There are lots of small purple Chillies on Trifetti and the Physallis are covered in flowers.

My herbs are doing really well this year, even my mint, which I usually struggle with. I let the herbs flower to attract beneficial insects and currently have Parsley, Par-cel, Sage, Thyme and Chives in flower and Garlic Chives and Catnip in bud.

Georgie

Warm and windy today

My lovely Ox-eye Daisies have taken a bit of a battering in the strong winds we've had today but thankfully there's no real damage in the garden.

After my busy day yesterday I've spent most of today enjoying the garden rather than working in it. I noticed that the Lavender, Ilex crenata and Jasmine are all flowering and it was good to see that the Borage and Galtonia candicans are in bud.

Sadly I've lost some of my Lilies that were over-wintered in their pots. L. Stargazer didn't come up at all and L. Orania came up blind. Careful inspection of the bulbs offered no clues: the bulbs were firm and there was no sign of any pests so I have no idea why this has happened. I had a similar problem with some of my Narcissi earlier in the year so I think the solution has to be to lift the bulbs and store them until it is time to plant them again. The Lily of the Valley also failed to flower this year but a friend had kindly agreed to pass on a clump from her garden.

There were lots of Hoverflies and Damselflies around today but far fewer bees than of late. I still haven't managed to identify the insect which is boring into the decaying piece of Jasmine wood. I spotted it and it looks a bit like a large ant with wings so I must do some more research. There was not one Butterfly today which is disappointing given the amount of plants I have which they are supposed to like. I read somewhere that it would be a poor year for them due to the wet summer last year and sadly this seems to be the case.

But to end on a high note I picked 12 Strawberries today - my record so far!

Georgie

Edibles update and more potting on

I'm picking about half a dozen Strawberries from my six plants every day now, much to the delight of my granddaughter who wolfs them down and doesn't allow anyone else a look in. I also have two Alpine Strawberry plants which I grew from seed this year. They are putting on plenty of growth but there is no sign of them fruiting as yet. Perhaps they won't this year.

At last one of the Tomato Micro fruits is ripening so I expect the others won't be far behind. The fruits on the Tomato Tiny Tim on the other hand remain stubbornly green, even 'though there has been a fair amount of sun this week.

Chilli Sicily is now in flower but weeks behind my other varieties. As this one has the largest fruits I'm a little concerned that they won't have enough time to ripen.

The three Pineapple Physallis are looking really strong and healthy with a good number of fruits setting. These were grown from self-saved seed and I'm beginning to think that there is something in the idea that self-saved seed fairs better because it has been 'reared' to grow in the conditions it which it finds itself.

The Cucumbers are shooting up but there is no sign of any fruits as yet. I've also had to remove a number of leaves that were looking sickly with powdery mildew which is a bit strange because the plants are certainly not dry at the roots.

My Raspberries are about 4' tall now and looking very lush. There is no sign yet of any fruiting trusses but I'm not concerned as these are an Autumn fruiting variety. I've started tying them in now.

I'm not pleased with the climbing French Beans to date. Only two out of six of a variety called Blue Lake germinated then promptly keeled over and died: I suspect slugs or snails. Mr Fearn's Purple Podded have had a much better germination rate but again I've noticed a number of signs of slug/snail damage but I'm hoping they will pull though.

And finally to the potting on. Today it was the turn of Heliotrope, Laurentia and Pennisetum on the ornamental side plus Calendula, Rue, Coriander, Lemon Grass, Licquorice, Mustard, Greek Cress and Soapwort on the herb front.

Georgie

Making a bit more room

These are my two Chilli Trifetti plants. They have very attractive foliage and the fruits, which are just beginning to form, are a really dark shade of violet. I think it looks great next to the Chives.

My new hanging basket brackets which attach to fence posts arrived this week so I assembled them today. It only took a matter of minutes and I'm very pleased with the result. So I now have seven hanging baskets in total, mainly containing trailing Fuchsias.

Talking of Fuchsias my first to flower this year is Lady Boothby. I bought this variety for the first time last year and it reached an impressive seven foot tall in pots in the shady border. The first buds on F. Alice Hoffman also opened today and a number of other varieties are not far behind.

I have a few flowers out on the Passiflora Caerulea which I am training on wires - extended across the garden from the Forsythia to the top of the fence - to make a sort of pergola effect. I did this for the first time last year and it worked quite well. The beauty of this is that the flowers are produced at a height of about six feet so you really get to appreciate their beauty. I also have Passiflora Constance Elliot which I grew from seed last year. It seems less rigorous than P. Caerulea but has the advantage of scented flowers. I hope it blooms this year.

I had to prune back the Jasmine and Buddleia today as they are attempting to take over! Both are smothered in buds so the garden should soon be full of their heady scent. I rearranged some of the pots to make a bit more room and after harvesting some seeds, cut back some of the Aquilegia Vulgaris.

Georgie