Little London Garden

Wish I could do some gardening

2010-03-07T09:14:00.000-08:00

For the first time this year, the weather has been clement for a few days on the trot and the garden is drying out a bit. Ideal gardening weather then, but sadly I haven't been able to get out there due to a virus which has made me incredibly tired. All I've done is keep the bird feeders topped up and made regular checks of the pond to see if there is any frogspawn: there isn't yet. I also took a few photos of spring flowers including this Primrose.

Apart from the Primrose, the other things out at the moment are Snowdrops, Pansies and Crocus with some of the early Narcissi buds beginning to show some colour. There are plenty of other signs that spring is just around the corner too with fat buds on many of the deciduous shrubs and new leaves on some of the perennials such as Aquilegia, Verbena, Fuchsias, Dicentra and Tradescantia to name just a few.

I haven't sown one seed yet! But now the days are getting longer and brighter I must get around to sowing Tomatoes, Chillies, Physallis and Sweet Peas as soon as I have the energy. Hopefully that won't be too long away.

Georgie

Happy New Year

2010-01-14T07:54:00.000-08:00

Like many other parts of the country (but unusually for London) we've had snow on the ground for over a week and only today is it beginning to disappear in the garden. So needless to say I've done nothing in the garden apart from top up the bird feeders and put out water for them. I haven't got any early bulbs out yet but hopefully it won't be long before the first Snowdrops and Narcissus come into flower.

I'm not sure if I've said before but I hope to plant a native tree as soon as the ground is workable. After a lot of thought I've decided on a Rowan (Mountain Ash) and I'm hoping to get one from my local nursery. I've never planted a tree before so I'll have to do some reading up before hand.

Another thing I was thinking of doing this year was putting in a slightly bigger, deeper pond. But thinking about it I'm convinced that I won't be able to dig a deep enough hole in the space available due to the many shrub roots. This is probably bad news for the frogs as I very much doubt the tadpoles will survive in the current pond if last year's experience is anything to go by. I suppose the alternative would be to install a raised pond, perhaps in a lined half barrel, with some sort of ladder for access? Looks like I'll have to do some research.

Finally I've joined the London Wildlife Trust and my membership pack arrived today. I haven't had a chance to read any of the literature yet but I'm hoping for lots of inspiration.

Georgie

Season's Greetings

2009-12-20T12:44:00.000-08:00

The snow is melting so I brought the tree in and decorated it today and here it is, nicknamed 'George' by my daughter! No idea why!

Wishing everyone who reads this a happy and healthy 2010.

Georgie

Winter wonderland

2009-12-18T00:43:00.000-08:00

This is how my garden looked first thing this morning. The plant in the foreground is my Christmas tree which is waiting to come into the house at the weekend. To be honest, nature has done a lovely job of decorating it and I'm tempted to leave it.

I haven't done any gardening for weeks and it doesn't look like I'll be doing any in the coming days either. Hopefully we'll get some drier weather over the festive season.

Georgie

Nature knows best

2009-11-15T11:56:00.000-08:00

This year I have been toying with removing the Buddleia from the sunny border. I bought the plant back in 2003 from J.Parker, who I have since learned is not one of the most reliable suppliers, particularly for shrubs. But way back then I was impressed by the photo of the plant which was grafted onto a three foot standard trunk and was billed as ideal for a patio. However, it didn't thrive in a container so I moved it into the border where it proceeded to rocket to ten feet or more in height (that's seven foot long branches on a three foot stem), no matter how often I pruned it in a season.

Anyway, I had been dithering so last night nature intervened. We'd had very gusty winds and heavy rain all day and when I went out in the garden today (bright sunshine and clear blue skies) the plant was at a 45 degree angle. That's it I thought, it has to go! First I cut off all the branches to a height of about 5 feet and filled three garden sacks. Then I broke/sawed off a few more of the thicker branches and then I started rocking the plant to expose the roots. The border is very closely planted and I didn't want to dislodge other plants so this was a tricky task and very hard work. As the roots broke through the soil I severed them and eventually got the thug out. And wow, what a difference it has made, the garden looks twice the size! But don't worry about the butterflies, I have another self-seeded Buddleia in large container next to the compost heap and shed. That one is not in the way so it can stay - for now.

The photo is of one of the blooms on the Pineapple Sage. It's so vivid and is a firm favourite of mine at this time of year. In fact I'm very fond of a number of plants in the Salvia family. It's a shame I don't have room to start a national collection but removing one Buddleia isn't going to crack it I'm afraid.

Georgie

Still lots to do

2009-11-07T09:49:00.000-08:00

I took advantage of the sunny, if cold, weather today and spent a good few hours working in the garden. But before I started I had a walk around, camera in hand, and took this photo of my Fatsia which is now in full flower. These blooms put me in mind of Myrtle (although they are not scented, unfortunately) and they provide much needed nectar for any insects that are still around. Indeed, just after I took the photo a bee came for a feast.

The most pressing task was to empty some of the summer containers to make room for planting more spring bulbs. So Tomatoes, Chillies, Tree Spinach and Basil made way for Narcissus Spring Dawn and Tete a Tete, all topped off with the Pansies I've grown from seed. I've still got some Tete a Tete left to plant as well as Tulips and Wallflowers but these will have to wait until more containers become available as the Heliotrope and Laurentia finally give up the ghost.

I thought I'd lost my Crocosmia 'George Davidson' as all the leaves went brown and it failed to flower this year. But as I tipped the gravel out of the container, I noticed lots of little green leaf tips coming out of the corms. So I potted it up into a new, slightly larger container, and hopefully it'll flower next year.

The Pansies I sowed in late September needed pricking out into individual pots so I selected a dozen of the largest seedlings and composted the rest. I'm hoping these will be the beautiful lavender blue I grew by chance earlier in the year. One of two had a spot of powdery mildew so I gave them all a good spray of bicarbonate of soda solution.

The Sweet Peas have finally finished flowering so I collected the remainder of the seed pods. I'll keep the seeds and sow them in spring rather than risk sowing them now and putting them in the greenhouse where they will be a tempting treat for slugs/snails or failing that get powdery mildew.

After this I was getting cold and tired so I called it a day. If it's nice tomorrow I'll be out there again as there is still plenty to do.

Georgie

A wet and windy weekend

2009-11-01T05:14:00.000-08:00

Although it is unseasonably mild, quite heavy rain over the last couple of days has meant that there was little scope for gardening (and probably just as well as I'm only just over the 'flu). But the sun did come out yesterday afternoon so I was able to go out and potter for an hour as well as take some photos.

Many of my containers have a number of fungi in them in gorgeous shades of cream and brown such as the one in the photo. They are tiny but so beautiful. I know nothing about fungi so I'm on the look out for a good illustrated book to help me identify them.

I picked the last of the Tomatoes and Chillies and thought that was the last of the edibles as I cut the Raspberry canes down to soil level. But no. As I was tidying up the Alpine Strawberries, one plant had about half a dozen fruits just beginning to ripen and quite a few flowers too. I've moved it to the patio area by the kitchen in the hope I get to eat the fruits before the slugs do!

The Fuchsias are showing no sign of slowing down and are a riot of colour with both flowers and the attractive, burgundy-coloured fruits. I've tried eating them but they are pretty tasteless so I just leave them and enjoy the display. The Pineapple Sage flowers are just beginning to open and Salvia 'hot lips' has flowered again.

There were a few bees, hoverflies and ladybirds around but sadly no late butterflies, despite all the nectar on offer from the Centratherum, Verbena Bonariensis and Ivy flowers. I think this has been the worst year ever for butterflies despite my best efforts to attract them. Still, there's always next year.

Georgie

Withdrawal symptoms

2009-10-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken on 11 October, the last time I did anything remotely garden related! We went for a walk in Hilly Fields (which is about ten minutes walk from our house) and I took a number of photos of the glorious trees which at the time were just beginning to take on their autumn hues. It was a beautiful afternoon.

The reason I haven't been gardening is because I've had the dreaded 'flu. I don't know if it was related but it started with my neck seizing up on 15 October, a cold over that weekend and then all sorts of nasty symptoms leading to me being prescribed Tamiflu last Tuesday. It's not the worst 'flu I've ever had but it has meant that I've had very little energy and even 'though the worst of it is now over I'm still feeling weak. I walked around the garden yesterday for the first time since I'd been ill but I had to come in after ten minutes as I felt quite wobbly. And it was the same today. I never thought I'd be so worn out after dead-heading a few Pansies!

In my absence the lawn has grown a good 15cm, there are leaves that need raking up, spring bulbs are still waiting to be planted and the bird feeders are on the low side. But it's all going to have to wait a while until I get my strength back. Perhaps the Pineapple Sage which I noticed is in bud will be the fillip I need to get me back out there and on the road to recovery. I do hope so.

Georgie

Mixed up seasons

2009-10-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

This is one of the hanging baskets I've planted up for winter to add a bit of cheer. The Pansies replace the Sweet Peas, Dianthus and Birds Foot Trefoil which flowered all summer and as you can see from the photo the evergreen trailing ivy-like plant (I must find out what it is) has taken on some nice autumnal hues.

More signs of autumn in the garden this week include some fungi, buds on the Fatsia, lots more seed heads on the Ivy, ripening berries on a number of shrubs and leaves beginning to fall. On the other hand summer is clinging on: the annuals continue to bloom; I have some flowers on the Jasmine (which is very late); the Raspberries and Alpine Strawberries also have one or two flowers and I'm continuing to harvest a few fruits along with a smattering of ripe Chillies and Tomatoes. And it's not only me enjoying all these late flowers, there are still a few bees around too.

I was at a work-related conference on Thursday and Friday where I knew very few of the one hundred or so delegates. Well, I'm not sure if I have 'gardener' stamped on my forehead but only a matter of minutes after I arrived I was chatting to a chap who had just acquired an allotment! Then the following day I got deeply involved in a discussion about composting techniques and the merits of Viper's Bugloss. Gardening certainly brings people together.

Now, I know I said in my last post that I was pretty well made up for seeds but a gardener cannot resist a bargain and I did rather well in the Chiltern Seeds sale (only buying things on my wish list). So on the annual front I bought dwarf Nicotiana 'Nicki Lime' and Tagetes 'Tangerine Gem' which I've read (but don't believe) is slug/snail resistant. On the HP front I bought Centaurea Montana (mountain Cornflower) and Dicentra Scadens 'Golden Tears'. And on the edible front I bought Onion 'Paris Silverskin' and Tomato 'Gardener's Delight'.

Georgie

What a difference a week makes

2009-10-03T09:13:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday was glorious and I spent a very enjoyable day/evening by the Thames in Surbiton where I captured this sunset. Today by comparison has been dull and extremely windy and it's even threatening to rain.

There's not a lot to say about the garden at the moment as things remain much the same as last time I wrote. I'm gradually emptying containers as plants go over replacing the contents with spring bulbs and winter Pansies. I'm still harvesting everything I've grown this year with the exception of Physallis although things are slowing down. And I continue to gather seeds.

I am pleased to say that my local nursery is now stocking peat free organic compost (have I mentioned that before?) and I had a trip there today for a couple more sacks as I was getting low. I also bought a dozen cream and yellow Pansies for the hanging baskets as the ones I'd planned to use (grown from seed) have been used in the pots of spring bulbs.

The Organic Gardening Catalogue arrived this week and for the first time ever there is nothing I want. It's not that the selection isn't to my taste, just that I'm pretty well made up for seeds now and room is at a premium.

Georgie

Still gathering and blooming

2009-09-19T11:44:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry that the photo is slightly out of focus but these are Cucumber Richmond Green Apple. I've only grown one plant but it has been prolific and these four were picked yesterday. They are the size of large Kiwi fruits and are beautifully crunchy with a good flavour. I've run out of seed now so it will have to go on my wish list for next year. And the other edibles are performing just as well as I'm still picking plenty of Tomatoes, Physallis, Chillies and Raspberries.

A day of rain in the week meant I could no longer put off mowing and edging the grass but it wasn't enough to satisfy the container grown plants so they all got a thorough watering today. Nothing is going over yet and I'm getting a lovely late show of colour from Fuchsias, Nasturtiums, Laurentia, Heliotrope, Dianthus, Pelargoniums and even a few Dianthus and Sweet Peas. This is of course good news on the one hand, but things are getting rather desperate in the greenhouses because there are lots of small plants in there waiting to be planted out and they are outgrowing their pots. So I was left with no choice but to pot on Ox-eye Daisies, Solanum, Polemonium, Aquilegias, Hesperis, Euonymous and Cyclamen.

On the seed front I pricked out Aquilegia Clementine White, Digitalis Tinkerbell and Blue Fescue. I collected seeds from Hyssop, more Sweet Peas, Nasturtiums and Tomatoes and sowed a few more Pansies. I've also taken some Fuchsia and Bay cuttings. I just can't help myself!

Georgie

My experiments for next year

2009-09-14T13:35:00.000-07:00

Well, my Myrtle is blooming as you can see from the photo: it's so pretty and it smells divine. And I've made my decision about my experimental plants for next year and yes, they are fruits.

The first will be Pepino (Melon Pear or Solanum muricatum) which I will be growing from seed from T&M. The second is Melon 'outdoor wonder' from Marshalls, as someone has kindly offered to send me a few seeds, and finally I might try a dwarf Apricot from Bakker, another recommendation from a gardening friend.

Georgie

Annuals, Bees, Berries and Seeds

2009-09-10T01:29:00.000-07:00

Over the last few years I have steadily reduced the number of flowering annuals I grow but there will always be some that I simply have to have. The bee pictured here is on a Centratherum plant (technically a short lived perennial I believe but grown as an annual). This plant has surpassed my expectations: it's drought tolerant; forms nice bushy plants about 40-60cm high; has pineapple scented leaves; doesn't suffer from any pests or diseases: and is still covered in these lovely lavender coloured blooms which will go on until the first frosts. And as I have no success with Asters, I think it makes a very good substitute.

Other 'must have' annuals are Laurentia, Nasturtiums, Poppies and trailing Sweet Peas, all of which produce plenty of seed to save year on year. In addition to these plants I will also be growing Ipomoea and Calendula next year and (if I can find it) a dwarf Nicotiana to grow in containers. I love Nicotiana but the varieties I've tried in the past have just grown too tall.

This week I've sowed more Pansy (in the hope of getting more of the beautiful lavender flowers) and Sweet Cicely seeds, a new venture for me. Some of the Sweet Pea pods have gone dry and crisp so these have been harvested, with lots more to follow.

I made a dreadful mistake with the self-saved seeds of Tomato Whippersnapper. I'd read that if you leave them in water for a few days the pulp around the seed goes mouldy and floats to the top of the water, leaving behind clean seed. This seemed preferable to my previous method of rubbing them around in a metal sieve until my fingers are raw so I thought I'd give it a try. Sure enough, after a few days some of the pulp did float to the surface which I skimmed off but some was left behind so I left them for another couple of days. Imagine my horror when I checked them again to see that every one of them had begun to root!

Finally there are further signs of autumn approaching with lots of berries on the Ivy, Honeysuckle and Jasmine and huge orange fruits on the Passiflora. The birds are in for a treat.

Georgie

Enjoying my leave

2009-09-05T02:05:00.000-07:00

The weather this week has been much better than forecast so I've been able to enjoy the first week of my fortnight's holiday pottering in my garden and visiting much grander ones.

The picture is of Myddleton House Gardens, the former home of plantsman EA Bowles. The garden is a modest four acres and I enjoyed a few hours wandering around in the sunshine marvelling particularly at all the beautiful trees. I'll definitely be going back in the autumn to enjoy the colours and again next spring to see the national Iris collection and the wild flower meadow. As I left I couldn't resist a look over the plants for sale and it seems that Myrtles are like buses, you wait for ages and then two come at once! After my 99p bargain last week there was another one shouting 'take me home' which I did, for the princely sum of £1.75. This one hasn't got any flower buds but it's nice and bushy so I just had to have it.

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours tidying up the front garden. The Pyracantha which my OH cut down to about 4 feet in the spring had shot up to about 8-10 feet again so that was given a further prune as was the Choisya Sundance and Lavender, both of which are growing too big for the space available. The whole thing needs a make over really but as we need new windows, I'll not do anything until next spring as I don't trust the builders not to trample on the plants. Then I think the Pyracantha and Choisya will have to go.

I've pricked out the Wallflowers which will be planted in containers with Tulips in autumn. I've also started potting up the Pansies in containers for some winter colour. There's lots more to do on that front including the hanging baskets.

When I was at the nursery last weekend I noticed that they are stocking a new Organic and peat free compost by Miracle Grow. It's not cheap at £4.99 for a 56 litre sack but I thought I'd give it a try. When I opened a sack yesterday the compost was black and crumbly with no unpleasant odour (unlike the New Horizon compost I bought earlier in the year which was woody with the odd sack smelling a bit unpleasant). I'll be using it for my spring containers so it'll be interesting to see how it fairs.

Georgie

Late Summer

2009-08-31T01:05:00.000-07:00

There are a number of signs that autumn is not far off: the mornings are noticeably cooler; the nights are drawing in; there are glossy black berries on the Elder; the leaves on the Tree Spinach are starting to turn; and there are spiders' webs everywhere.

This weekend I've harvested Coriander, Physallis and Tomato Whippersnapper seeds and the Fennel isn't far behind. I pricked out Chives, Parsley and Hesperis and the Wallflowers and Aquilegias will be next.

This has been my best year ever for Cucumbers and Raspberries, the Tomatoes have also been good (although I won't growing 'Tumbling Tom' again as the flavour is poor) but I only got two Beetroots which was disappointing. I'm still pondering what to grow as my 'experimental edible' next year but I suspect it will probably be another fruit, as these seem to do much better in containers than vegetables.

I had a trip to my local nursery yesterday and picked up some bargains. First was Cordyline 'Torbay Red' shown in the photo. I've long fancied owning one and I love the colour of the leaves of this particular variety. It was only £5 and I think it looks rather good in this terracotta container. I've put it in the semi-shaded border (a bit of a risk as they like full sun) to add some autumn/winter colour. If it looks unhappy I'll move it to the sunny patio.

I was looking for plants for winter hanging baskets to complement the Pansies I've grown from seed, but I couldn't find anything suitable. So it looks as though I'll have to use the existing grasses and greenery again and refresh the compost. But as I wandered around I couldn't resist a few of their 99p herbs and bought a Salvia 'hot lips', another Monarda didyma and to my absolute delight a Myrtle in full bud! I also picked up an unnamed Hebe which has purple stems and young leaves.

I hit lucky in the container section too as many were half price. I wanted six for my plant stand and I managed to find five of the right size and colour. I decided to get them anyway in the hope I'll be able to pick up another one to match on a future visit.

Finally, I couldn't resist a wander around the spring bulbs. I think the shorter varieties look best in containers and I already have plenty saved from last year but I was certain I could squeeze in a few more. So I bought Narcissus Spring Dawn (a nice early variety), Narcissus Bellsong (one of my favourites) and Tulip Freeman, a nice apricot colour with the added bonus of fragrance.

Georgie

Super harvest time

2009-08-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

This was my harvest a few days back and I've been picking pretty much the same amount every other day with the exception of the ridge Cucumbers which are much slower than the crystal lemon varieties. I've also been picking quite a few Raspberries but these never make it as far as the kitchen!

Apart from harvesting, my time in the garden at the moment is dedicated mainly to watering, dead-heading and cutting back. My Primroses and Buddleia are enjoying a second flush of flowers and rather late in the year, the Allium tuberosum is now out.

So there's not a lot to keep me occupied which is why I've taken up playing Farm Ville on Facebook. It's a bit of fun but rather addictive - so it's just as well I've only just discovered the game now I reckon!

Georgie

A passion for Passifloras

2009-08-17T08:54:00.000-07:00

I just love Passifloras and this 'caerulea' is now five years old. It grows through the Forsythia and arches over wires to the shed and fence, attracting bees and hoverflies and producing the most lovely orange fruits.

Georgie

Wildlife friendly garden update

2009-08-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

I made this insect house yesterday. It's an old terracotta wine bottle cooler, stuffed with hollow twigs and canes of various diameters, wedged into the forsythia about 60cm off the ground above the log pile and pond. (An old 2 litre water bottle would work just as well but I think the terracotta is more aesthetic.) I'm hoping that lacewings, ladybirds and possibly solitary bees will like it and make it their home for the winter.

I think it's safe to say that using peat-free compost has been a success as my Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Physallis have grown as well this year as they did last year: I just wish is was easier to got hold of supplies. And I still haven't been able to source a peat-free seed and cutting compost either so once I'd run out of leaf mould I had to resort to JI No. 1.

There is no doubt that bees love my garden but my attempt to attract a wider variety of butterflies has failed miserably. As I don't grow brassicas the whites are always welcome but it would be nice to have some of the prettier ones too. That said, I do have some lovely little day flying moths so I guess I'll have to be satisfied with them.

The wildlife pond, after a promising start, has also been a disappointment. Yes, there are frogs in the garden, I see the odd one and find their droppings everywhere, but little else seems to have taken up residence and the pond plants have been pretty unspectacular too: the Caltha palustris died; Veronica beccabunga only flowered for a very short time; and I've had no flowers/seed heads on the Typha minima.

To end on an upbeat Mr and Mrs wood pigeon still visit at least twice a day and other birds are using the feeders although I rarely see them. And something is nesting in the Ivy - possibly blackbirds, although I've only heard noises so far.

Georgie

Another reorganisation

2009-08-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

The patio plants were looking a bit dull because the Lilies have gone over, the Heliotropes are taking an age to come into full flower and the French Lavenders have not grown anywhere near as big as I'd expected, so I decided to have a reorganisation. So I moved the pots of Lilies and Lavender, put the Skimmias in their place, put Hyssop, a purple Chilli and Basil in front of them, then the Heliotropes and finally a window box of blue Laurentia in the front. Flanked by the box balls and blue Fescue it all looks a lot more cheerful now.

I've had a good harvest of three Cucumbers, about a dozen Tomatoes, and lots of Raspberries and Physallis in the last few days. But on the down side the Courgette didn't survive the snail attack and the Beetroot are still at a stand still.

The trailing Rosemary cuttings have rooted well so I potted them up into individual pots today. The Parsley and Chive seedlings are almost ready to prick out as are the Wallflower seedlings and they were only sown a week ago! The young Pansies in modules are starting to flower - all yellow this time so far - and the Polemoniums and Ox-eye Daises are looking nice and sturdy. Oh and I cut the grass at long last.

Georgie

Taking it easy

2009-08-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

This is the pretty Calendula 'Sherbet Fizz' which I managed to rescue after it was severely attacked by the slimies. I've had two flowers out so far and there are quite a few more buds to follow. So it's not going to be spectacular but it's special all the same.

August is a fairly quiet gardening month for me which means I have plenty of time to sit and watch the insects and plan for next year. Today for instance I think I saw my first ever humming bird hawk moth. That said it wasn't making a humming noise so perhaps it wasn't but it was certainly fascinating to watch on the Buddleia. There were plenty of bees and hoverflies around - the latter favouring the Fennel - and the usual white butterflies. I've even spotted a couple a native ladybirds this week which cheered me up after all the Harlequins of late.

Some of the seeds I've sown in the last couple of weeks have germinated including Ox-eye Daisies, Evening Primroses, Chives, Radish, Parsley and Spring Onion. I've potted on three French Lavender plants I grew from seed earlier this year but I have to say they are looking rather sickly. I've sown seeds of Wallflowers and Digitalis 'Tinkerbell' and newly in flower this month are Galtonia, Centratherum, Fuchsia Carmel Blue, Birds Foot Trefoil, Sunflower and Hyssop.

Tomorrow I'm going to Regents Park for a wander around and a picnic. It'll be interesting to see how their plants are fairing in this strange summer we are having in London.

Georgie

On closer inspection

2009-08-03T11:57:00.000-07:00

Wandering around the garden first thing I was pleased to see that my first Crystal Lemon Cucumber of the season is just about ready to pick. This fruit is on the 'spare' plant I couldn't bear to throw away and it's growing in a container squeezed into the sunny border. But this set me wondering why this plant was doing so well - it's covered in small fruits - whereas the Courgette in a container next to it seems to be struggling. So I decided to pull the container out of the border for a closer look.

First I discovered that the three little fruits (each about 10cm long) had been eaten from behind. Then, moving the foliage back I spotted the main problem immediately. The slimies (snails I think) have gnawed the growing stem so that it is only about half the thickness it should be. I can't help thinking that this means that the plant isn't able to take on board as much water as it needs for the fruits to develop properly and I suspect it also explains why the leaves are so badly affected with powdery mildew. I am so cross! Anyway, I've moved the plant to 'the sanctuary' but I don't hold out much hope for it. I won't rule out growing Courgettes again next year but I'm going have to have a rethink about varieties and location.

Georgie

View from the kitchen

2009-08-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

This is the long view of the garden taken yesterday and yes, I know the grass needs cutting! I spent most of my time weeding the driveway (again) yesterday as well as having a general tidy up, dead-heading and cutting back things like the Jasmine which has been making the most of the rain.

On the edibles front I'm harvesting Tomatoes, Physallis, Chillies, Raspberries and Alpine Strawberries and I think the first of Crystal Lemon Cucumbers will be ready in a matter of days. I'm still waiting to pick the first Courgettes and Beetroot as they both seem very slow to develop. Oh and the seed of the purple Radishes I sowed last week have germinated so I'm looking forward to trying them in a few weeks time.

Georgie

Having a rest

2009-07-28T06:43:00.001-07:00

I've caught a nasty cold so I'm resting at home today. But the sun came out this afternoon so I decided to take a walk down the garden 'to clear my head'. There were lots of small and large white butterflies around but what caught my eye was a number of speckled bush-crickets, the one pictured is on a Tomato plant. I've always wondered what the difference was between a cricket and a grasshopper but my trusted guide to British insects put me straight. Crickets have fine, hair-like antennae, often longer than their bodies whereas grasshoppers have much shorter, fatter antennae. You learn something every day. Time for another lie down now!

Georgie

The rain held off

2009-07-26T09:08:00.000-07:00

This is the second of the three types of 'experimental' hanging baskets I'm growing this year, with Dianthus 'Siberian Blues' replacing the Cyclamen from the winter arrangement.

Today's gardening started with yet more seed sowing, this time Parsley, Chives, Hesperis, Radish and Spring Onions. I took half a dozen cuttings of scented Pelargonium 'Candy Dancer' and after giving the Tricolour Sage a 'haircut', I put about 10 cuttings in a glass of water to root. I have no need for 10 new plants of course but if more than a couple take then I'll pass them on to anyone who can use them.

I rearranged some of the containers (again!) and as I did so, I found quite a number of snails lurking. I threw them in the sack of woody cuttings for recycling and hope they don't escape! I also discovered that the slimies had completely eaten one of the Nepeta plants (which was about 30cm tall) leaving just the stalk. On the other hand the last of the Calendula plants - which I thought they'd also completely ruined - has made a come back and has three flower buds, one just beginning to show some colour. It's in the area I now refer to as 'the sanctuary', a narrow passageway which runs down the side of the house where I have one of the greenhouses and my potting bench, pots, compost etc. It's concreted there so less 'slimy friendly' and it's the only place where I can grow Tagetes with a reasonable chance of success.

But the main job of the day has been painstakingly pulling out all the dead flower heads from my various grasses. This must have taken the best part of two hours but it was well worth it as they look a lot better for it. I've saved some seeds which I'll offer in a swap on A4A.

Georgie

About to reap what I have sown

2009-07-25T11:43:00.000-07:00

This is the first of my Tomatoes beginning to ripen. It's a bush variety called 'Whippersnapper' and I can't wait to taste it as I've not grown this variety before. I've eaten my first few Physallis this week and continue to pick Alpine Strawberries and Raspberries. Some of the Courgettes are nearly ready to harvest and the Cucumbers are going great guns too, particularly 'Crystal Lemon' which is one of my favourites. The Beetroot has fared less well but I reckon I'll be lifting my first two or three next weekend.

I've had lots of seeds germinating in the last week or so and have pricked out Welsh Poppy, Polemonium, Dicentra Alba and Aquilegia Chrysanthia. And at long last, on the third sowing, I've managed to get some Ox-eye Daisies to germinate - fresh seed sent to me by a kind poster on A4A. But it doesn't stop there. Today I sowed seeds of Evening Primrose (thanks Lorna) and self-saved seeds of Aquilegias Goldfinch, Clementine White and McKana Hybrid.

This week I've noticed far more hoverflies about who are enjoying the Lilies, Dianthus, Laurentia and Fennel in particular. The Birds Foot Trefoil is just beginning to open, the first flower on the Soapwort is out but the Centratherum and Heliotrope remain stubbornly in bud. But at least they are doing better than the Typha mimima in the pond - there's still no sign of any buds whatsoever.

Georgie

Six hours in the garden - and still more to do!

2009-07-18T11:18:00.000-07:00

I am in love with this plant, Monarda didyma, despite the difficulties in growing it due to slugs/snails (the slimies) and powdery mildew. The leaves are aromatic, it's happy in semi shade and bees love it. And it sets seed freely I gather so hopefully I'll be able to grow more plants next year.

Well, standing pots of Tagetes on saucers of horticultural sand didn't keep the slimies away I'm afraid. I had to throw three plants away today which means I've only got three containers of these plants left. The slimies have also ruined two out of three of the Sunflowers, the Mustard, the Watercress (again, third sowing) and one container of Garlic Mustard.

At last I've finished pruning the Buddleia and I have a huge vase of beautiful blooms on my dining room table as a result. The plant looks a bit bear now (although it still has some flowers) but it'll bounce back I'm sure.

It's been a day of mainly sowing, pricking out and potting on: satisfying, but time consuming. I've sown seeds of grasses blue Fescue and bronze Carex for my winter baskets/containers. If they don't put on much growth between now and autumn I'll plant them in small 'bunches'. I pricked out more Viola seedlings into modules and planted out the larger two plants into a container along with a remaining Birds Foot Trefoil which was a 'spare' in the greenhouse. I also potted on some Fuchsia cuttings into 5" pots, two of which have flower buds.

On the edibles front I potted on the four Tomato Micro plants into their final, three litre, containers and these are on the top shelf of the greenhouse with three Greek Basil plants, potted on into 5" pots. The 'spare' Tumbling Toms were getting too big for the greenhouse so I put all three into a 12" container where they will have to take their chances. The Strawberry runners were well rooted in their little pots so I cut them off the parent plants and popped them into 5" pots. I've got eight plantlets which I will keep in the greenhouse until spring. Finally I potted up the purple Chilli plant into a three litre pot and that sits along side the yellow Chilli and Chilli Thai Hot on the kitchen windowsill.

Georgie

Hanging baskets

2009-07-17T09:37:00.001-07:00

I've mentioned before that my winter hanging baskets kept so well this year that I decided to keep them going and just replace the Cyclamen (which rotted in the wet) with plants raised from seeds in the greenhouse, giving them a top dressing of fresh compost mixed with slow release organic fertiliser.

Well Jo, one of my followers, asked for a photo so here it is. In the centre of the basket is bronze Carex which has very attractive seed heads. I have no idea what the trailing, Ivy-like, green plant is and the colour is provided by trailing Sweet Pea 'Cupid mixed'. I have two basket like this. Two others contain Dianthus 'Siberian Blues' which are also looking good. The final two have Bird's Foot Trefoil in and these, so far, are the most disappointing as the plants are taking a long time to put on any decent growth and have yet to flower. But the plant has very pretty leaves and if it does eventually flower then I think it will be fine. Ever the optimist!

Georgie

A trip to the Nursery

2009-07-13T07:47:00.001-07:00

I needed a few bits and pieces - seed compost, organic tomato feed, pea shingle and six ornamental containers for my pot stand - so I took a trip to my favourite nursery, Clockhouse, opposite Forty Hall, yesterday. Sadly they didn't have six suitable matching containers and slightly disappointed, I decided to treat myself to this beautiful Fuchsia instead. It's a hardy bush type called Gartenmeister Bonstedt and is already over 60cm tall. I love everything about it from the distinctive leaf colouring and the ruby red stems to the wonderful coral/brick colour of the flowers and the way they hang in bunches. (It's very similar to 'Thalia', a Fuchsia I've always admired but never thought about buying before.) I've placed it at the house end of the shady border to replace two Lilies which have just finished flowering.

I gave all the edible plants a good liquid feed yesterday. I haven't bothered with this in the past because I always add a slow release granular feed to the containers at the start of the season but I thought I'd give it a go and see if it makes any difference to the yields. I think I'm doing this partly because I'm slightly sceptical about the peat free compost after the low yields with the first early potatoes and partly because everything I read seems to suggest regular 'quick acting' fertilisers.

I've continued pruning back the Buddleia and Jasmine as the flowers go over because both continue to grow at an alarming rate. Newly in flower this week are Eucomis, Lily White Paradise, Passiflora and Fuchsias Hawkshead and Rocket Fire. The Agapanthus will be out any day and I have tiny buds just appearing on Centratherum and Heliotrope.

I'm still harvesting a variety of seeds although my Wallflowers seem to be taking forever to dry properly. And it's cutting time for lots of plants. I've taken a dozen from the prostrate Rosemary as I have it in mind to try them in the winter hanging baskets with Violas and Bronze Carex, both of which I'll grow from seed. (The Violas are already pricked out into modules and I'll sow the Carex this week.) The next task will be taking scented Pelargonium cuttings and then Fuchsias, as I find non-flowering stems.

Georgie

It's worth having a few spare plants

2009-07-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

This is the 'surprise' Pansy I mentioned in my last post which came from self-saved seed of a very simple yellow-flowered plant. I think it's rather beautiful so I am going to try and breed it. I'll gather and sow seeds and also attempt some cuttings when I find out how to do them.

Thank goodness I grew two Courgette plants. The bigger of the two in the veg plot was attacked by slugs/snails and the growing tip was completely eaten away. It had about half a dozen flower buds in various stages of development but as they were all male I decided to ditch the plant. Fortunately the one in a container in the sunny border is doing well(filling the gap where I was planning to grow Ipomoea but not one seed germinated) and I think I have two female flowers although it's hard to see with all the foliage.

Removing the Courgette plant I noticed that the slugs/snails have also had a good nibble of the leaves of the Passiflora edulis I planted out in its final container last week. I'll give it a week or so to see if it recovers, otherwise I'll have to bring out the spare which is still in the greenhouse.

None of the seeds I broadcast in the sunny border have come to anything so I planted out Knautia and Red Valarian which I have been growing in small pots. If these take then the border is full for this year.

I was cross to see that two flower stems of the Monarda had been completely snapped off. The culprits are either my cat, Timmy Tiger, or the wood pigeons I think. Timmy is a large, daft and clumsy cat who is forever chasing things real or imaginary in the garden. The wood pigeons are also clumsy and the plant was rather too close for comfort to the bird feeding station so I've moved it back a few feet.

Georgie

A good tidy up

2009-07-05T12:12:00.001-07:00

A little bit of rain and plenty of hot sunshine in the past week has meant lots of plants are in bloom or bud and some of the shrubs have gone berserk! So this weekend I've had a good tidy up and a bit of a reorganisation.

Ornamentals

The first of my longiflorum Lilies, White Heaven (photo), opened yesterday. This plant has a very strong, lemony scent which is just gorgeous. It has been a bit of a Lily beetle magnet this year I'm afraid but I've just about kept on top of them by squishing the beetles and removing the larvae with damp kitchen roll. A disgusting job but very necessary.

Another plant out this week was Monarda didyma, also known as Bee Balm. It has the most beautiful flowers which bees love but sadly is very prone to powdery mildew. I've been spraying the leaves regularly with a bicarb solution which helps but doesn't cure the problem.

I've had four surprises on the flowering front this week, only one of them pleasant. First was the Dianthus 'Siberian Blues' which was billed as the first true blue Dianthus only it isn't: it's deep lavender. Second was Nasturtium 'Empress of India' which is supposed to have deep wine coloured flowers. I thought this would look lovely in front of some of my Fuchsia Beacon plants but unfortunately the flowers are deep orange so there's an awful clash. Third was Fuchsia Ant & Dec which rather than white and dark purple is in fact pink and pale lavender. Then finally the self-saved seeds of simple yellow pansies came up the most wonderful creamy-yellow with a lilac tinge to the petal edge and with very distinctive markings. You win some, you lose some.

I have finished potting on the last of the Tagetes and these are now dotted around the Tomato plants, each one standing in a tray of horticultural sand to see if this will deter the slugs. I also potted on Hebe, Fuchsia Rocket Fire, Calendula and some Sage cuttings I'd rooted in water.

Now that the Strawberries have finished I've taken them off the ornamental iron pot stand and replaced them with six Pelargonium Quercifolium plants which are in full flower. They look really attractive there and as you brush past (something you can't help doing in a garden as narrow and packed as mine) you get a lovely whiff of their Cedar scented leaves.

The shady corner needed a good reorganisation as some things have gone over and others (like the Monarda and Fennel) are coming into their own. As I moved the containers around I found dozens of slugs and snails clinging to the pots so I 'rehoused' them over the fence!

As the first of the flowers on the Buddleia are fading I'm cutting the stems back by two-thirds. This will bring the plant back to a more manageable six feet of so, rather than the ridiculous 10 feet plus it's reached in the last week. And I've also cut back some of the Jasmine nearest the house as it was casting too much shade over the plants on the patio. This has also had the added bonus of letting more sunlight reach the Passiflora which I have growing through it.

There are quite a few plants temptingly showing colours to their buds now including Agapanthus, Eucomis, Galtonia and Centratherum. A few new Poppies open every day but I do wish they would last a bit longer. It's been quite breezy and I'm lucky if they last a day.

Wildlife

The garden has been full of large white butterflies in the last few days, favouring the Nasturtiums and Buddleia. The bumble bees are enjoying the Digitalis and Jasmine and I have too many Harlequin ladybirds to count. The latter is good news on the aphid front but bad news for our native species and lacewings too I gather. I've read that there's nothing that amateur gardeners can do about them to make any difference so I'll leave them be.

Georgie

Edibles update

2009-07-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

I have never grown Courgettes before so I was pleasantly surprised by the size and beauty of my first flower which opened yesterday. There must be at least ten buds on both of my plants so far so hopefully it won't be too long before I get some fruits forming. They do take up a lot of room though, so the acid test will be in the taste.

I harvested my first Broad Bean pod this week: it contained three delicious beans which I ate raw. The other pods are still tiny but I'm ever hopeful that they will reach harvesting size.

Another first of the season was a ripe autumn fruiting Raspberry, hopefully the first of many from my half dozen or so canes.

I've got quite a number of good sized cherry tomatoes on Whippersnapper and Micro now but they are all still green. That said, if only half of the flowers out so far set fruit and ripen I'll be giving bags away because they are just so prolific this year.

My Strawberries have finished now so I'm waiting for the runners to put down decent roots before I discard the old plants. On the other hand the Alpine Strawberries are only just beginning to give a decent crop so they should keep my granddaughter going for a while!

I think I'm going to give up trying to grow Coriander. Of my three plants, two just wilted and died over night and the third I noticed has started to run to seed.

But to end on an positive note all my little Greek Basil plants are looking good and the one Sweet Basil plant is growing really well. I love the smell and taste so can't wait to get picking.

Georgie

Wildlife update

2009-06-27T12:02:00.000-07:00

I have lots of ladybird larvae in my garden this year (first photo) and they are turning into ladybirds like the one shown in the second photo. At first glance they look like 14 spots but I'm pretty certain that they are Harlequins as they are too big for our native species.

The Buddleia has been out for about a week but the only butterflies I've seen are large whites. I'm really disappointed. On the other hand I'm still getting plenty of bees and hoverflies so it's not all bad news.

I have not seen my second froglet all week so it's either dead or it's turned into a frog and hopped out of the pond. I do hope it's the latter. The pond plants look healthy but there is no sign yet of seed heads on the Typha Minima.

And on the bird front the only regular visitors are the pair of wood pigeons who are eating me out of house and home! They are comical though and their regular visits cheer me up, if only because they take absolutely no notice of my cat who sits under the feeder lashing his tail at them and mewing pitifully!

Georgie

Another busy day

2009-06-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

We had one or two short sharp showers here this morning but since then it has been a perfect day for gardening. So I had no excuse and spent the best part of the day outside.

Ornamentals

This week has seen a number of flowers come into bloom including Borage (photo), Passiflora, Verbena Bonariensis and Fuchsias Tom Thumb, Lady Boothby, Beacon and Ant & Dec. I moved three of the Tagetes plants into the greenhouse to join the Tomato Micros and hit on the idea of standing them in a tray of horticultural sand as an experiment to see if it will deter the slugs and snails.

In the sunny border I planted out three Centratherum plants behind the Aquilegias which I've cut back now they have finished flowering. The Centratherum is billed as 'attractive, fluffy, lavender-blue, button-like flowers produced all summer on bushy plants with unusual, pineapple fragrant foliage. Very heat and drought tolerant, attracting butterflies and adding fragrance.' So I just had to try it! The border is parched so I made the planting holes much bigger than the size of the pots, filled them with water and once they had drained added potting compost and bone meal before I popped the plants in. Then I gave them a very good soaking to ensure they were settled.

The Pansy seeds I sowed a few weeks back have germinated well so I pricked them out into modules and popped them in the greenhouse where I hope they will make nice sturdy plants for my winter hanging baskets. I noticed that the Solanum (Winter Cherry) had self-seeded everywhere in the window box so I pricked out some of the seedlings into modules to make more plants for winter containers. I sowed self-saved seeds of Dicentra Alba and collected Aquilegia and Pulmonaria seeds as the cases were beginning to open. I'll let them dry out completely before sowing.

The Pelargonium Candy Dancer plants have all had a growth spurt so I potted them up into their final containers for the year. I potted on a few other things too including three Box cuttings I took last year which now have nice strong roots.

Edibles

I've pegged down more Strawberry runners into small pots to increase my stock for next year. And with a bit of reorganisation I've manged to find room for the two Courgette plants - one in the border and one in the veg plot. I had a good look at the Broad Beans today and I've got about ten pods in total. I hope they'll reach eating size soon because I really could make much better use of the space the two containers are taking up. There are lots of fruits on the Physallis, a good few green Raspberries and some green Tomatoes on Micro and Whippersnapper. But sadly I've had to throw away most of the pots of red onion sets as the slugs have eaten all the foliage and I've had to move the Parsley too for the same reason. Grrr!

Georgie

Yes, it's a rose!

2009-06-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

Ornamentals

I know I'm unusual but I'm not a great fan of roses: some smell beautiful and the simpler forms can be pleasing to behold but quite frankly I don't think they 'earn their keep' in a small garden so I don't grow them. But the one in this photo caught my eye at Hatfield House yesterday because it was such a delicate shade of apricot. Mind you, it was covered in tiny black beetles which I had to blow away before taking the snap. So typical of roses, if the wind and rain doesn't ruin the petals the pests and diseases will get them!

It seems that almost every day I have something new in bloom. Over the weekend the first of my dwarf Sweet Pea 'Cupid mixed' flowers opened and they are a lovely shade of deep purple. The Jasmine is a 'white froth' now and smells heavenly, particularly in the evening. I have massive flower heads out on the Buddleia which is far too big for the garden at over 9 feet high, even 'though it's on dwarf root stock and was heavily pruned back in February. I haven't touched it since (apart from reducing wayward branches blocking the path) because I wanted to see if it would bloom earlier, but it hasn't made much difference. So next year I'll go back to pruning out the growing tips after every four leaves in the hope of a shorter, more managable shrub. And all the Tagetes on the kitchen windowsill are out too. I'll be moving them to the greenhouse and outside over the next few days as I find room for them - then watch the slugs and snails arrive. :(

Wildlife

Some good news and bad news. Thanks to a thread I saw on A4A I've noticed that I have a number of ladybird chrysalises in the garden. They will probably turn out to be Harlequins but that's the way of things here in London these days.

The sad news is that I found one of my froglets dead in the pond today. I gave it a checking over but couldn't see any obvious reason for its demise. It had back legs and tiny front legs and the tail was beginning to wither. It's such a shame that it got that far but didn't make it.

Georgie

Learning lessons

2009-06-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

It would be very dull if I only ever grew the same plants year in, year out, but I do wish I'd take more notice of the notes I make about things that thrive and those that don't do so well for me. In the case of this lovely Chilli in the photo I was sensible. It thrived on my sunny windowsill last year and is doing well again this year. But on the other hand why did I put Chilli Trifetti out on the veg plot this year when last year I noted it was damaged by snails when young? Who knows, but I moved the two plants today and replaced them with bush Tomatoes.

And following the pathetic showing of the Peas (which I know full well are a waste of time in containers) earlier in the year, the Broad Beans are also beginning to look like a waste of space (just as they were last year). Okay, I've got a few pods setting, but that's hardly going to be meal is it? So that's it, I will not be growing Peas or Broad Beans in containers again.

As I've mentioned before I've been holding back the Cucumbers for as long as possible before planting them out - three to a half barrel - because of the snail problem. Checking the plants today I decided that I couldn't wait any longer as the roots were coming out of the bottom of the pots. So they have been planted out and topped with horticultural grit and I'll have to go out as dusk for the next week or so and pick off any naughty snails who are looking for a tasty snack!

Georgie

Beautiful weather

2009-06-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a very warm and sunny weekend with just a shower last night so I've taken full advantage of it and spent most of the time in the garden. The photo is of a common Poppy which opened today.

Wildlife

I have spotted lots of insects this week, thankfully most of the them 'friends' (although I had to squish a couple of Lily Beetles). I'm getting a little bit better at identifying things now, like the Rosemary beetle in my last post. I was delighted to see a lacewing near the Lonicera, Ladybird larvae on Raspberries and Strawberries, a fair number of buff-tailed bumble bees on the Rue, a host of different hoverflies all around the garden, more large red damselflies and a very pretty little moth which has been identified as a small magpie. But sadly still no butterflies to speak of yet. That said, the buds on the Buddleia are colouring up and there are the first signs of flower buds on the Verbena Bonariensis so hopefully that will bring them in.

Edibles

I'm picking a fair few Strawberries each day and pegging down some of the runners into small pots for next year's stock. There are lots of flower buds on the Courgettes and plenty of flowers out on the Tomatoes, Chillies and Physallis. And joy of joys, I have the first bean pod forming on the Broadies. The Cucumbers are still in the greenhouse to protect them from the snails for as long as possible and I've run out of Radish and forgotten to sow any more! Most of the herbs are doing well but I do wish the slugs/snails would leave them alone. They seem to love the Parsley and Thyme at the moment and have pretty much finished off the Pineapple Sage. I've moved the latter to a 'safer haven' in the hope that it will recover and taken a couple of cuttings just in case.

Ornamentals

I'm continuing to empty out containers of spring bulbs and have six remaining to sort out. As I do this I'm able to pot on other plants for the summer display but it's very time consuming bagging up all the spent compost and drying off the bulbs etc and also quite tiring lugging the pots around. Still, I've got quite a few of the annuals out now (although some will still need potting on into their final containers).

I am determined to get on top of powdery mildew this year and have been spraying the affected plants with a bicarbonate of soda solution every few days. So far it seems to be working and the Monarda, Ajuga and Pulmonaria are looking a lot better for it.

I mowed and edged the lawn then tackled some serious pruning in the tiny front garden. I also weeded the driveway again and as I did so I was pleased to see that the containers are looking good with a number of the broadcast seeds coming up, Lychnis in bloom and flower buds on the Borage. They are going to be a riot of colour at this rate and I can't wait!

Georgie

Rosemary Beetle

2009-06-11T12:27:00.000-07:00

These so called pests are making a right meal of my Sage (Salvia officinalis) and to a lesser extent my Lavender but strangely they are ignoring the Rosemary, tricolour Sage and purple Sage. But apart from having a good nibble they are doing little damage. And as they are so beautiful why would I harm them?

Georgie

Tadpoles

2009-06-08T06:51:00.000-07:00

The tadpoles have developed their back legs and as you can see from the second photo (click to enlarge) are now able to get out of the pond. I've still only seen two together at any one time but even if that's all I have, I think I'm very fortunate that they have reached this stage of development.

Advice seems to vary as to whether or not they should be fed but I think I will leave them to their own devices for now. At this stage they become carnivorous and there are plenty of tiny insects around for them to eat. So I see little point in supplementing their diet with fish flakes or raw meat as some websites suggest.

Georgie

Ornamentals update

2009-06-06T08:02:00.000-07:00

Dutch Iris is one of my favourite flowers but sadly I have only a few left in the garden now so I must but some more in the autumn. Also recently in bloom are Sambucus Niger (Elder), Alchemilla Mollis, Rue, Lychnis, Thyme, Digitalis and Viola. And next to come out will be Lily Lollipop, Hosta Tokudama and Fuchsia Ant and Dec.

I've been harvesting Pansy seeds again so sowed another lot in pot which I've put in the greenhouse. I've taken some Box cuttings (last year's are only just beginning to root!) and potted up a Fuchsia cutting which has rooted in water. And I've continued with the potting on including Heliotrope, Sunflowers, Cyclamen and Centratherum.

At last I've finished feeding all the containers and I've pretty much finished mulching the border with cocoa shell mulch except in the areas where I've sown seed direct. Of these direct sown seeds, so far only Nasturtium Empress of India has been successful - all ten seeds germinated and are making nice sturdy little plants. What came up of the Calendula have been eaten or failed to germinate and there is no sign yet of the Ipomoea. Perhaps the ones I broadcast a couple of weeks ago will fair better?

I'm just waiting for the early flowering plants such as Hesperis and Aquilegias to go over, then I'll be able to replace the containers with the scented Pelargoiums and Skimmias which are currently on the patio and that will make a bit more room for the annuals which are still in the greenhouse.

Georgie

Edibles and wildlife update

2009-06-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

Edibles

The photo shows part of my veg plot and goes to show that edibles can be at least as attractive as ornamental plants. The Chives flowers are going over now but the Broad Beans behind them are looking splendid and I was pleased to see the bees taking a lot of interest.

I've got the first flowers open on some of the Tomatoes and Chilli Trifetti and I think what might be a flower bud forming on the Courgette which I potted on and put outside because it was getting a bit too big for the greenhouse. The first fruits are forming on the Physallis and I'm delighted to see that one of my Alpine Strawberries has put out three runners.

I've potted on two of the Passiflora edulis I started from seed earlier in the year and they are looking nice and glossy if a little slow growing. I've also potted on Coriander and Chenopodium giganteum (Tree Spinach) but have yet to find homes for them.

Wildlife

I'm happy with the progress I'm making in the wildlife area of the garden. A young frog is now living in the pond - I think it must be one of last year's - and there are lots of insects enjoying the native plants I'm growing. But best of all the Lonicera I grew from a cutting in 2007 is covered in buds and will liven up the Forsythia no end. It joins the Ivy and Passiflora which are also growing up the Forsythia - talk about cramming 'em in!

Georgie

Busy few days

2009-05-31T12:49:00.000-07:00

I've spent every spare moment I've had in the garden over the last few days yet the more I do the more there seems to do! Such is gardening.

Odd jobs

I weeded the driveway leaving behind the wild flowers I like such as Viola odorata and a few thistles for the bees/butterflies. I assembled a new garden hose - the sort that's on a wheel - because my old one wasn't long enough to reach the area next to the shed which I'm now using as a wildflower area. I'm very pleased with this hose but the instructions took some working out! And I put some vine eyes in one of the fence panels to train the Trachelospernum up strings in a fan shape. So that was my DIY for the weekend.

Edibles

I'm sorry to say that the Potato crop was rather disappointing, turning out about four portions all told. They tasted good - although not exceptional - so I doubt I'll bother growing first earlies again. The other disappointment this season so far has been the Peas. I had three pods, one of which got eaten by the snails, so ended up with just two fully formed pods which hardly touched the sides! I will not be growing Peas again - the snails just devour them. On a brighter note my Broad Beans are flowering and I've picked two ripe Strawberries so far with lots more to come. I'm also harvesting salad leaves and lovely crisp Radishes so all these little triumphs make up for the failures.

Having harvested the Potatoes it was time to reorganise the veg plot and and I potted up and planted out Chilli Trifetti, Tomatoes Whippersnapper (which have their first trusses), Tomato Tumbling Tom and Pineapple Physallis. The only edibles yet to go out (they are currently in the greenhouse) are Courgettes and Cucumbers. I'll keep these under cover until they outgrow the space in the hope the slugs/snails will be less tempted by tougher leaves.

Ornamentals

I've got a few new things in bloom including this lovely Tradescantia in the photo. Also out this week are Dutch Iris, Alchemilla Mollis, Elder and Trachelospernum. And tantalisingly in bud are Tagetes, Lonicera, Poppy and Digitalis.

Finally it's been six weeks since my early Narcissus and Tulips stopped flowering so I've been emptying their containers and storing the bulbs in dry compost in seed trays ready for planting out next autumn. This means I've got some spare pots for all the annuals still in the greenhouse waiting to go out. The question is where on earth I'll put them all?

Georgie

Ups and downs

2009-05-25T12:48:00.000-07:00

The garden is filling up nicely now - I think May/June are my favourite months - but why oh why haven't we had any of the rain we were promised? There was a five minute shower and that was it and the skies are clear again. Needless to say I've spent a lot of time watering again.

I've done a fair bit of potting on over the last two days and started the tedious job of giving the container plants a feed. The upside of this task is that I noticed that several of the hardy Fuchsias, Lilies and even the Raspberries have flower buds on them. The down side is noticing the leaf damage on several plants, such as powdery mildew on the Ajuga and Monarda and what I suspect is the work of caterpillars on the Photinia. The strangest thing is that the Rosemary beetles are feasting on the Sage and totally ignoring their name sake plant. Strange eh?

As I have a seed glut I decided to broadcast some in the 'wild area' next to the shed and in the containers at the end of my driveway. I used Poppy, Knautia, Sunflower, Calendula, Scabiosa and Nasturtiums. And to my delight I saw that Borage, Honesty and Lychnis (Rose Campion) have also self-seeded in these areas - one less lot of seeds to worry about!

Georgie

Trying to catch up

2009-05-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

Apart from watering the container plants indoors and out, today was the first day I've done any real gardening for a while so I've packed a lot in. Fortunately the weather was glorious - sunny but not too hot - and I was out there pretty much all day until my back told me it was time to stop!

Wildlife

I've heard it said that a garden with spiders is a healthy garden. I don't know if it's true but I do hope so as mine is teeming with them. And look what I saw today. The tent web in the photo - at least I think that's what it's called - was on an Ivy leaf and contained too many baby spiders to count. I'd like to learn more about spiders as I find them fascinating creatures. But I think it'll have to go on the ever-growing list of things to do when I retire!

I am so chuffed with my eldest granddaughter. She was two years old in March and already has a keen interest in the garden. She was out there yesterday pottering around whilst I was in the kitchen and suddenly I heard her shouting: what's that? I looked over and saw her looking up into the Buddleia. I assumed she'd seen a bird or butterfly but when I reached her she was staring intensely at a 14-spot ladybird. I think it's amazing that she'd spotted something so small and was prepared to just stand and watch until I got to her side. Then when she came today for a brief visit she wanted to go straight in the garden. When we reached the Buddleia she pointed and said: that's the ladybird bush! Bless her.

At long last my bird feeder is attracting more species. Today I saw sparrows and blue tits enjoying the fat balls and possibly a great tit but I can't be certain. It made a nice change from the wood pigeons.

I spent a while watching the pond and now I know I have at least two very fat tadpoles. No sign of their back legs yet but I don't think they can be far off. There are lots of other tiny creatures in there too but I have no idea what they are. I really must get a book about pond life.

The bees are delighted that the Chives are now in flower although they still love the Aquilegias and the Pulmonaria. And there was a Hornet on the Brooklime but sadly I didn't have my camera at the time.

Ornamentals

I cut and edged the grass for only the second time this year - it's been so dry - sowed Ipomoea direct in the sunny border, potted on a Passiflora, noticed I have flower buds on one of my other Passifloras (and a flower spike on Hosta Tokudama), potted on Fuchsia Ant and Dec and pricked out Knautia and Aquilegia Clementine White seedlings. I also moved around some of the containers on the patio - dispatching two Lily Beetles as I did so - and had to remove one of Honesty plants which was top-heavy with seed pods as it had been virtually flattened by the recent winds and was in a sorry state.

Edibles

I had a fruitless firkle for my Potatoes. I couldn't get my hand down the compost bag sufficiently so I cut a little 'door' in the side instead. But after a bit of careful scraping away of compost all I 'hit' was a stem and no sign of any tubers. Worried I might cause damage I gave up and parcel-taped the 'door' shut again. I'll leave it a week or so then empty the whole lot out instead.

I pricked out the Courgettes and Cucumbers and put some in the greenhouse and left one of each in the kitchen 'just in case'. I sowed some more Watercress as only one seedling from the previous sowing has escaped the slugs/snails. The snails are also feasting on my Broad Beans which I am very cross about but there's nothing I can do about it. As I was looking over the plants I discovered that my trailing Rosemary has set seed. I've never noticed it do this before and as some of it was ripe I gathered it and sowed it in a small pot. I also potted on the Mustard plants - these are great for attracting Hoverflies - so that meant reorganising the containers in the veg plot in order to squeeze them in. No wonder my back aches!

Georgie

Short and sweet

2009-05-17T12:02:00.001-07:00

Family matters have kept me away from the garden this week so there is not a great deal to report.

The picture is of Arum Italicum which opened a couple of days ago in the shady corner. Also in bloom this week were more Alliums and Aquilegias and I have buds on Bluebells and Tradescantia.

The Sweet Basil, three types of Cucumber and Courgette seeds sown last weekend have all germinated and there are buds on Chilli Trifetti and Pineapple Physallis. I have pricked out Coriander and Pansy seedlings and potted on the Tomato Micro plants which I've moved to the greenhouse.

And now for a word about my hanging baskets. The winter ones which each contained a Carex, three Ivy-type plants and three Cyclamen are all still thriving apart from the Cyclamen which got too wet and rotted. So I've decided to replace the Cyclamen with things I've grown from seed. As a result two now contain Dianthus, two trailing Sweet Peas and two Birds Foot Trefoil. Yes, I know that sounds like a designer's nightmare but it will either work or it won't. Time will tell.

Georgie

Tadpoles and other pond life

2009-05-11T13:09:00.000-07:00

I spotted a couple of my tadpoles today - they are hard to see now the pond plants have established - and managed to get this close up shot. It is eating algae around one of the plant baskets but I also noticed it seemed to be chasing the small brown things you can see in the picture which I believe are mosquito/midge larvae. I hadn't noticed the white things when I took the photo but they also appear to be some form of wildlife. The roots on the right of the picture are escaping from the pot of Brooklime which is growing like Topsy and has tiny blue star-like flowers. It's very popular with the hoverflies and ground spiders.

Georgie

Spent all day in the garden

2009-05-09T10:50:00.000-07:00

It's been a perfect day for gardening here today - sunny and not too hot - so I have taken full advantage of it.

Flowers

The photo is of Aquilegia Clementine White which has come out this week. It's one of the shorter Aquilegias at only about 40cm tall but I love the flowers, particularly the green colouring on the tips of the petals. I grow it in front of Rue which, with its blue/green leaves, makes a lovely backdrop.

The scented Pelargoniums I grew from cuttings were taking over the greenhouse (they are in full flower) so I bit the bullet, potted some of them on, and put them outside on the patio. I think they should be okay but I've left some in the greenhouse in case I'm unlucky and we get a late frost.

Herbs

I'm no fan of garden centre chains as a rule but I must give credit when it's due. A month or two back I picked up good sized pots of Sage, Tricolour Sage, Mint and Thyme which were priced at £2.99 each or four for £10 at Wyvale. I normally grow my herbs from seeds or cuttings but at the time I was looking for for a bit of instant colour. Anyway I'm delighted to say that all the plants are thriving and have pretty much doubled in size already.

Having completely ruined my Par-cel plant, the slugs/snails have now started munching on my Parsely and Hyssop. Thankfully the plants aren't ruined but I am not best pleased. On a brighter note, the Chives I potted on earlier in the year are a mass of buds so I'm looking forward to the delicate flowers any day now.

I have no idea why, but my self-saved Sweet Basil seeds failed to germinate this year. Thankfully a kind poster on A4A was able to let me have some spare seeds and she also kindly sent me some Sweet Cicely seeds to try. This plant is said to attract bees and butterflies and is happy in semi-shade which is a bonus.

Edibles

I've had yet another reorganisation! I've moved my new pot stand - which houses six Strawberry plants - away from the veg plot and sited it on the patio next to the kitchen door. This is for two reasons: I'm concerned about the birds/slugs/snails eating the fruit in the veg plot area and also having the plants just outside the kitchen door means I'll be able to spot the ripe fruits more quickly and it doesn't take up much room.

The Peas have been a failure! I've sown seeds in succession but every one - save two - have been eaten by the snails. I didn't plan to grow any this year because I always have this problem (not to mention powdery mildew and never being able to grow enough) but someone sent me some seeds to try. I've had three flowers so far and two have now formed little pods so I'll savour what I get!

The Potatoes are triffids! They are over 90cm tall now and I'm told they will be ready to havest in two weeks - I can't wait. The Onions and Broad Beans are also doing well and I'm harvesting Oriental salad leaves for sandwiches. But I still haven't sown my Cucumber and Courgette seeds!

Georgie

Comparision to this time last year

2009-05-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

This blog is proving a useful tool. Earlier in the year the spring bulbs were about four weeks late blooming compared to last year but after such a warm April, and reading back over my entries for early May 2008, I see that everything has caught up.

The photo is of the first of the Alliums almost fully open. This particular one is growing through white Honesty which makes a pleasing combination. There were a few more Aquilegia flowers open today and I was delighted to see that the first of the Eucomis are peeping above the soil - including those I over-wintered in their pot in the greenhouse.

I sowed a second container of Beetroot today and potted on two Tomato Whippersnappers before moving them to the greenhouse. I didn't get around to sowing any seeds though, so that's a job for tomorrow. It's time to start the Cucumbers and Courgettes I think.

I was sent some Fuchsia Magellanica cuttings recently by a kind chap on A4A. I've got two varieties and so I've decide to try rooting half of each in water and the rest have been planted in compost. There's no sign of any roots yet on the ones in water but they look healthy enough. Fingers crossed.

Finally, a word about my 'slug resistant' Hostas. These bared-rooted specimens were planted last autumn. 'Big Daddy' and 'Tokudama' are doing really well with a good few leaves and no sign of any slug damage. But 'Invincible' is far less healthy at the moment with some definite signs of nibbling. They are all in 10 inch pots topped with gravel but with no special protection. It's fun to experiment.

Georgie

Busy week

2009-05-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

The weather has been warm and sunny for most of the week so it's been a busy time in the garden tidying up, cutting the grass, reorganising the containers (now that the Narcissus and Tulips have finished) and sowing seeds, pricking out and potting on.

Ornamentals

The picture shows four of the six plants I bought last weekend now sited in my shady corner. Clockwise from top left they are Polemonium, Cimisifuga, Polygonium and Ajuga. I'm really pleased with how well they look together. Out of the picture and also in bloom now are Lily of the Valley and the Bluebells are just showing signs of flower stems. Meanwhile in the sunny border the Aquilegia vulgaris and Alliums are beginning to open and there are buds on the Cotoneaster.

Edibles

The Potatoes have had their final earthing up, all 10 of the Broad Beans have germinated and I have the second flower out on my Peas. There are lots of flowers on the Strawberries and the autumn Raspberry canes are about 30cm high. In the greenhouse the Chillies, Physallis, Ornamental salad leaves and Radishes have put on good growth and the Tomatoes continue to thrive on the kitchen windowsill.

Wildlife

The wood pigeons continue to visit the bird feeder and I've seen a couple of sparrows in the Jasmine. Apart from the small and large whites it was nice to see a Holly Blue butterfly on the Ivy yesterday. I've had to dispose of two Lily beetles this week and there is still no sign of any native ladybirds. In the pond the Brooklime is growing 'a mile and minute' and is starting to flower and at last I've spotted my first tadpole. The hoverflies and honey bees also enjoy visiting for a drink so it's been a success so far.

Georgie

A day off

2009-04-27T14:14:00.001-07:00

No gardening for me yesterday as I had a day out at the Festival of Small Nurseries at the Museum of Gardening in Lambeth. In the grounds I was surprised to see many things in flower including Roses, Peonies, Geraniums, Lilac and this beautiful Calendula. I can only assume the high walls on two sides create a micro climate.

There were a fair number of stalls and despite the fact I said I'd only buy plants on my wish list, needless to say I came back with half a dozen unplanned purchases! For the semi-shaded border I bought a large Ajuga reptans, Polemonium yezoense 'Purple Rain', Cimisifuga ramosa 'Brunette' and Polygonatum biflorum. I think they all look rather attractive together. I also bought a Monarda didyma which I will grow in a container in the hope of keeping the slugs off and an Alpine Strawberry as my attempts at growing from seed this year have failed miserably.

Georgie

Edibles update

2009-04-25T11:53:00.000-07:00

These are my Swift potatoes planted on 14 March. The photo was taken today before I earthed them up for the third time. There is scope to do this once more before they reach the top of the old compost sack.

I have my first flower bud on my Peas, quite a few flowers on my Strawberries and the first of the Broad Beans Witkiem Vroma have germinated as have some of the Watercress. On the down side the snails have eaten the new shoots on the Par-cel (again) and two of the Beetroot seedlings. The red Onion sets are going great guns and there are flower buds on the Chives.

I've potted on my Parsley, Chillies and Physallis today and pricked out the Mustard seedlings which were sown last weekend. Three of the four Passiflora edulis seeds sown on 29 March have germinated and look nice and sturdy. And the Oriental salad leaves and Radish Scarlet Globe are looking good in the greenhouse. So quite a good start to the growing season I think.

Georgie

Walk on the wildside

2009-04-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

I am gradually turning over my planting scheme into plants which in one way or another are beneficial to wildlife. At the last count I had just over 60 such plants and I want to start recording how effective they are. So I've set up a card index box with a card for each plant and will make a note of what each plant attracts and when. At the end of the season plants which don't appear to have earned their keep may well end up on the compost heap!

Today I had my first sighting of the year of a Large Red Damselfly pictured here on one of my Rue plants. If you click on the photo you will be able to see this beautiful insect in more detail. Also earning their keep this week have been the Ivy which has attracted a number of Small White and Large White butterflies and is home to a large number of Butterfly/Moth pupae and the Dicentra, Pulmonaria and Wallflowers which have been buzzing with Bees.

The new pond is a hit with a number of insects coming to have a drink but since the frogspawn sank there has been no sign of any tadpoles. I'm just hoping it's still a bit early. And on the bird feeder front the only visitors are still wood pigeons and starlings from what I've seen.

Georgie

Timmy Tiger rebels!

2009-04-19T10:21:00.000-07:00

Just look at my daft cat. Over the last few weeks I have been gradually cat-proofing my sunny border (adding cocoa shell mulch, Pyracantha cuttings and short sticks to protect young plants and seeded areas) and today he was at a loss where to sit. So he jumped right into the middle of this Euonymous Silver Queen and I think the look on his face says it all.

With the exception of earthing up my Potatoes, today has been all about gardening for wildlife. After reviewing my seed collection I hit on a plan for the area of the sunny border next to the main veg plot. At the moment it has Ivy growing up the fence, the Euonymous Timmy is sitting in, a Buddleia trained as a standard on dwarf rooting stock, a number of Fuchsias, self-seeded Nicotiana affinis white and Crocus Ruby Giant at the front. So in the gaps from back to front I've sown seeds of Flanders Poppy, Calendula Sherbet Fizz and Nasturtium Empress of India. If they come up and flower this should attract lots of bees and hoverflies and provide a riot of colour.

Then it was on to some serious seed sowing in small pots which I put straight into the greenhouse. I sowed Oxeye Daisy, Fleabane, Hemp Agrimony, Red Valerian, Knautia, Birds Foot Trefoil, Nepeta, Mustard, Cuckooflower and Coriander. I don't really have a plan for these yet but I'm sure I'll squeeze them in somewhere.

Georgie

Ornamentals

2009-04-16T12:24:00.001-07:00

This is Tulip Pieter De Leur which has matured to a pleasing deep scarlet after a shaky start. The Wallflowers are out now as is Dicentra Formosa, much to the delight of the bees. Most of the Narcissus have gone over with the exception of 'Chinita' which has produced a second flush of flowers. And I've got a good show of flowers on Vinca minor this year after they were so poor last year.

There are buds just beginning to form on my Elder (Sambucus nigra), Sweet Rocket (Hesperis) and Aquilegia vulgaris. And some of the Allium buds are just showing the first sign of colour.

I've pricked out the Centratherum and French Lavender and moved them to the greenhouse and sowed some Tagetes to replace those I lost in my unsuccessful trial to overwinter them. Oh and the last of the Sweet Peas I sowed on 4 April are just beginning to germinate.

Georgie

Edibles update

2009-04-15T12:18:00.001-07:00

This was a welcome sight today, the first flower on one of my Alpine Strawberries. I only have two plants at the moment (from seed last year) and I'm trying to grow more this year. I lost the first ones which germinated on a hot day. The second lot I sowed have come through now so I'm keeping them more shaded. The seed is so tiny and germination rate so poor it's a labour of love but well worth the effort when you taste the fruits.

The Tomatoes, Chilies and Physallis on the kitchen windowsill are all looking healthy and the Radish and Oriental salad leaves in the greenhouse are just starting to germinate. Outside some of the Onion sets are sprouting green shoots and I earthed up the Potatoes for the first time. But something has eaten my Par-cel either a slug or snail no doubt. I'll see if it comes back but might have to sow more seed.

Finally I was surprised to find some self-seeded Tree Spinach (Chenopodium giganteum) in one of my hanging baskets. So I pricked them out into individual pots. That's one lot of seeds I don't have to sow this year.

Georgie

UFI

2009-04-13T09:33:00.001-07:00

Yes, it's an unidentified flying insect! Someone on the A4A forum thinks it might be some kind of wood wasp which to my relief does not sting. It was a beautiful creature whatever it was.

No gardening to speak of today just a bit of pottering and tidying up. Lovely sunny afternoon though.

Georgie

Easter Sunday

2009-04-12T11:51:00.001-07:00

Where does the time go? I thought I'd been in the garden for about an hour and a half today yet when I decided to have a little break it transpired I'd been out there for nearly four hours! And what had I been doing? It's hard to say. Too much plotting, planning and 'butterfly gardening' as I call it. Starting one thing then noticing something else which needs doing that's more interesting and thus getting distracted. So today's post will not cover everything I did ( or perhaps to be more accurate started) but I'll cover the main two areas.

Edibles

A dear friend, sadly departed for two years now, taught me to germinate my Beetroot on damp tissue paper before sowing. So I always follow this method and I was pleased to see that five days after sowing my Cylindras are up. I sowed the remainder of my Peas, Watercress (in a pot which stands in a saucer filled with water) and two lots of Broad Beans. Having read up on the Beans I sowed five each of Witkiem Vroma (kindly supplied by Flighty) and Crimson Flour'd (a heritage variety). Both are in 31cm pots filled with a 50:50 mix of peat free compost and loam.

The photo shows how quickly the main veg plot is filling up.From back left to right there are the Potatoes, Peas and Garlic Chives. Next row is two lots of Broad Beans, Red Onions and Strawberries and front Thyme, Chives, Hyssop, Mint and Parsley.

Wildlife

Despite the overcast day there were bees buzzing around the Pulmonaria and Dicentra Formosa, a few hoverflies and some strange insect landed on my greenhouse which I have yet to identify. At one point there were five wood pigeons lined up on the fence to take their turn on the bird feeders (yes I know they are far too big for them) and the starlings are so brazen they pretty much land on my head to get to the feeders! And now for the unwanted wildlife. There were tell tale signs of Lily Beetle larvae on some of my Lilies so I got out the organic gardeners' friend - a hand sprayer filled with water set to 'full blast'. A few minutes later there were no signs of the little piles which resemble bird droppings. :D

Georgie

Indoor gardening

2009-04-11T09:53:00.000-07:00

Last night I managed to get out and give all my plants in containers an organic granular feed. It rained heavily overnight and has been drizzling on and off all day so apart from going out to take some photos I confined my gardening to indoors.

Edibles

This is one of the over-wintered Chillies - Thai Hot - I mentioned yesterday. It's getting on for 60cm across and is taking over! I may have to move it into the dining room. I pricked out 18 Tomato plants - six each of Micro, Tumbling Tom and Whippersnapper. This is far more than I need so I'll be giving some away. I sowed seeds of Sweet Basil, Greek Basil, Oriental mixed salad leaves and Radish Scarlet Globe. The latter two went in the greenhouse but even so my windowsill is now full.

Ornamentals

I potted on two Aquilegeia William Guinness and Fuchsia Ant & Dec into 13cm pots. I've still got lots of half hardy seeds to sow but they are going to have to wait until I can make some room on the kitchen windowsill. The hardy seeds will be sown later this month - some direct and some in individual pots. More about this later.

Georgie

Good Friday

2009-04-10T10:09:00.001-07:00

I managed a few hours in the garden today before I was rained off - typical bank holiday!

Edibles

The photo shows the plant stand I bought last weekend and which I'm using as a Strawberry tower. I need some nicer pots for it but there's no rush. This week I've planted the remaining Onion sets, sowed the Beetroot seed I germinated on damp tissue and was delighted to see that the Liquorice I over-wintered in the greenhouse has four sturdy little shoots on it.

Ornamentals

The first of my Wallflowers is out and looking (and smelling) rather lovely with the cream and yellow Tulips. There are some nice fat buds on the Alliums (Cristophii and Purple Sensation) and the Laurentia has germinated well. I've cut out all the dead shoots off the Passiflora and in doing so I see that there are lots of leaf buds just beginning to open.

Greenhouses

The aluminium lean-to mini greenhouse is pretty much full to bursting now. But most things in there will have to stay put for a good few weeks yet before I can plant them out in larger pots.

The four-shelf plastic greenhouse was leaning to the left for no apparent reason. So I took everything out and the cover off but I still couldn't fathom the problem. So all I did was turn it round and refill it and now it's fine! Only the top shelf has plants on it at the moment so there's scope to add more plants as the kitchen windowsill gets over-crowded.

Kitchen windowsill

The over-wintered Chillies continue to flower and fruit and everything which has been pricked out so far is thriving. The next job will be pricking out the Tomatoes some time over the weekend and having a rummage in the seed box to see what needs sowing next.

Georgie

So much to report!

2009-04-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot happening over the last few days including this beautiful Narcissus Bellsong coming into flower.

Border

I have continued to work on the sunny border planting out a wild Poppy (bought yesterday) and a Lavender and Hebe I grew from cuttings. I started adding some cocoa shell mulch and as I did so found a few things coming up I don't recall planting! I have no idea what they are yet but time will tell. I also put in some plant supports for my larger Fuchsias and trimmed the grass edges.

Containers

I bought a Trachelospermum asiaticum yesterday and I've planted it in a 30cm pot against the fence in the shady border. This meant rearranging a few of the containers to accommodate it but hopefully it'll cover a fair bit of the fence with its evergreen leaves and lovely scented flowers in the summer.

Edibles

I've taken the cloche off the Peas as they were growing too tall. I've got about half a dozen shoots up on the Potatoes and my three types of Tomato and Radish edible leaf sown last weekend have germinated. I've sown red onion sets and I have Beetroot Cylindra germinating on damp tissue paper. I've also eaten my first lot of Greek Cress of the season. To save space I bought a gorgeous wrought iron pot stand yesterday which will hold six eight inch pots comfortably. I'm using it for my Strawberries and I think it will look very attractive once the plants come into full growth.

Propagation

In addition to things already mentioned the French Lavender, Centratherum, Thunbergia and Heliotrope sowed last weekend are starting to germinate. I've sown the remainder of my Sweet Peas, this time soaking them overnight and only sowing the ones that swelled (after poor germination rates last time). And would you believe I've bought even more seeds! I got chatting to a chap from the Butterfly Conservation charity and came away with five types of flowers to try.

Wildlife

The garden was buzzing with bees today and I see that once again I have a Bumble Bee nest under my shed. Hurrah! The jelly on the frogspawn is disappearing so hopefully that means I'll have tadpoles before too long. I've spotted Starlings using the bird feeder this week but no other species as yet. And some very fat green caterpillars have been gorging on my purple Sage. I picked up a bug viewer yesterday for my grandaughter but she probably won't get a look in. It has both 2x and 4x magnification and I'll probably use it most to suffocate Lily Beetles!

Georgie

Harvest!

2009-03-29T09:35:00.001-07:00

It doesn't matter how many times I harvest my compost I'm always amazed by it - isn't nature wonderful? This batch has been in the bin for about nine months and as you can see it's very well composted. I wanted it to top dress a small area of the border so there was no need to sieve out the little bits of woody plant material still in it.

The compost was for where my Ox-eye Daisy was growing last year but which for some reason died over winter. In its place I planted out a Rue cutting I took last year and later on I'll sow some annuals to fill the space until the reaches a decent size. At that point I'll be able to take out one of the other Rue plants which is too near the front of the border (and a bit passed its best) thus making space for some lower growing insect friendly plants.

I sowed seeds of two tropical climbers today having soaked them over night to soften the outer coating. They are Passiflora edulis and Clitoria ternatea. Neither are easy to grow but I'm hoping they will germinate on my sunny windowsill. If they do take I'll be growing them at the back of the sunny border to cheer up the Ivy. If they don't take I've got plenty of climbing Nasturtium seeds which are very reliable and will do a similar job.

Georgie

Lots in bloom

2009-03-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

We've had sunshine and showers all week and lots more things have come into flower as a result. The picture is of one of my Honesty plants which has been flowering for a couple of weeks but newly out (and yet to be photographed) are Pulmonaria,Leucojum aestivum, Narcissus Chinita, Dicentra Spectabilis f.alba, Spotted Laurel, Marsh Marigold, and Tulips 'Yellow Emperor' and 'Praetens Fusilier'. There are lots of buds on the Kerria and a good few on the Dicentra Formosa too.

A cold wind and frequent heavy rain/hail showers meant I couldn't get out in the garden today so I had to content myself with turning my kitchen into a potting shed! The first job was to pot up the six Galtonias I grew from seed last year into a large container. Last year the leaves looked like spring onions but this year they are far sturdier - although I suspect that the plants will not flower until next year. Staying with the same theme I potted on five Dianthus 'Siberian Blues', seven Pelargonium 'Candy Dancer', six Pelargonium Quercifolium and a couple of red zonal Pelargoniums. I also pricked out the best six Pineapple Physallis into individual 9cm pots.

Then it was seed sowing time. On the edible front I sowed some Radish edible leaf and three varieties of Tomato - Tumbling Tom, Micro and Whippersnapper. And on the ornamental side French Lavender, Welsh Poppy, Pansy, Thunbergia Fragrans, Centratherum, Aquilegia Clementine White, Laurentia, Geranium Pratense and Heliotrope Marine. Where I am going to put all these flowers if they grow (not to mention all the ones I have yet to sow) I have no idea! Some will go in pots on the patio and the rest will be squeezed in where I can find space for them in the border or given away to friends.

I did manage a quick walk about today and I have to report a minor disaster. The three 'slug resistant' Hostas I planted out back in the autumn are all showing signs of growing but one, 'Invincible', has had its leading main unfurled leaf almost completely eaten through. Not very well named is it? Still the plants were free - I only had to pay postage and packing - and nothing ventured, nothing gained. I often read queries on garden message boards asking what plants slugs and snails don't eat. I'm beginning to get a fair idea now. Maybe there is a book in that when I retire?

Georgie

A Happy Mothering Sunday

2009-03-22T08:41:00.001-07:00

Another beautiful day here and I was in the garden at 8 o'clock. I planted the marginals into baskets and managed to get them into the pond without disturbing the frogspawn. The Marsh Marigold (Caltha Palustris) is in the foreground by the pond. I'm doubting now that I will have room for the floater, Water Soldier (Stratiotes Aloides), but I'll see how it goes.

The Lily of the Valley must have heard me yesterday because today when I looked there were quite a few shoots emerging from the compost. I am so relieved as they were sent to me by a friend.

I didn't get the Parsley planted out as planned because I spent hours potting up various plants into 10 and 12 inch pots and top dressing the ones already in their final containers. After about six hours out there - only stopping for half an hour or so when my daughter arrived with a lovely card and bouquet of flowers - I'm so stiff now I can hardly move. Time for a long soak in the bath I think.

Georgie

Busy times

2009-03-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

It's been a lovely week here with sunshine every day and what a difference it has made. I've already had to start watering my container plants and lots of things have had a growth spurt.

My first job today was to try and get some more New Horizon peat free compost. The nearest stockist only had one 60 litre bag of multi-purpose left so I snapped that up and in desperation picked up 6 x 25 litre grow bags for a tenner which I will empty and use in containers. I asked the lad at the checkout when they'd be getting more multi-purpose in but he didn't know. No wonder I hate giving garden centres my business!

Then I popped into the water plant specialists and was able to pick up the three marginal plants for the pond I wanted - Caltha palustris, Typha minima and Veronica beccabunga. I was informed that they will be getting their floaters in in a couple of weeks so hopefully I'll then be able to get the Stratiotes aloides. Of course now that the pond is full of frog spawn I have no idea how I'm going to get these plants in place. I guess I'll have to scoop it out into a container, put the plants in (just two - the Caltha is being planted at the edge of the pond) then put the frogspawn back. Nothing is ever simple.

On the edibles front the Physallis and Chilli seedlings are looking good and the Peas I sowed under a cloche on 1 March are germinating. My two over-wintered Chillies were potted up in fresh compost today with some slow release organic feed and the six Parsley plants in the greenhouse are looking really sturdy now so I think I might plant those out tomorrow.

I spent a fair bit of time reorganising my containers again and as you can see from the picture my Narcissus Jet Fire are still look great. I've got Tulips in bud now and the first of my Hyacynths are starting open, as are the buds on the Skimmia Kew Green. I was pleased to see that the Bluebells are just beginning to shoot as are the Galtonia I grew from seed last year. And lots of the hardy Fuchsias are showing signs of new growth including Alice Hoffman, Beacon, Hawkshead and Tom Thumb. But there's no sign of the Lily of the Valley yet and my Hellebores are producing new leaves but no flower buds. Ho hum.

Georgie

Getting ready for the main seed sowing

2009-03-16T09:39:00.000-07:00

I've put up the shelf on the kitchen window sill today which almost doubles the amount of space I have to start off my seeds indoors. This is the third year in a row I've used this method and it works well for me. On the far left of the photo you can see Chilli Thai Hot which has been flowering non-stop since last summer. I've also managed to over-winter my yellow Chilli (variety unknown). I cut it back to about 15cm a few weeks ago and it already has new leaves and a couple of flower buds forming. It's in the black pot top right. So that's two varieties of Chillies I don't need to sow this year.

Yesterday I spent a while putting up new horizontal wires to support my Passifloras across the bottom of the garden by the shed. I already grow Caerulea and Constance Elliot (both were from seed) and this year I'm adding Edulis in the hope of some tasty fruits next year.

On the wildlife front there are a few bees around enjoying my Narcissus and I saw a huge queen bee today. The ants are busy marching up and down between the pots on the patio so I'll have to keep my eye on them in case they get any ideas about nesting in the pots or worse, farming aphids. I gave all the bird feeders a good wash and filled them up with nuts, seeds and fat balls. This is the first time I've put food out since last summer when I had a rat living under the shed and I spotted him scaling the feeding pole and helping himself to the bird food! Anyway starved of his food supply he must have gone elsewhere and been poisoned because we found him half dead on the patio a while later: the OH had to finish him off. I blocked up the hole under the shed and it hasn't been reopened so I'm hoping none of his friends and relations take up residence this year. I don't keep the bird food in the shed now unless it's in old biscuit tins. I've learnt my lesson.

Yesterday I potted up my Ilex Crenata Fastigiata into a half barrel. This was quite a task as it has put on a lot of growth in the year I've had it and is about 5 foot tall. Thank goodness it isn't one of the prickly Hollies! Then I potted up three strawberries into slightly larger pots with some slow release organic feed and top dressed with polished river pebbles. These will keep the weeds off, add weight, reduce water evaporation and stop the compost splashing the fruits. I also potted on one of my ferns (Dryopteris erthrosora) which had been slightly damaged by last month's heavy snowfall and top dressed my three Lychnis Arkwrightii Vesuvius with a few centimetres of fresh compost and sprinkling of organic feed.

Georgie

So pleased

2009-03-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Just look what has appeared in my new little pond overnight! I'm delighted as you can imagine and I really hope the tadpoles develop into baby frogs this year after last year's disappointment. I've also seen a couple of bees around the flowers and spiders scurrying about in the border so it's certainly feeling very spring-like now.

Wandering around the garden I have two Honesty plants in flower - at least three weeks earlier than last year - and flower buds on Dicentra Spectabilis f.alba, Kerria and Wallflowers. This is the first time I've grown Wallflowers from seed and I'm very pleased with them so far. I can't wait for their lovely scent to waft over the patio.

Watering the plants in the greenhouse I saw that there are flower buds on a number of my scented Pelargonium cuttings and on Fuchsia Circus Spangles. A few more of the Sweet Peas have germinated and I decided to pinch out the Dianthus ' Siberian Blues' plants I grew from seed last year to make them into bushier plants. The seeds were given to me by a friend and they are billed as 'the first blue Dianthus'. It'll be interesting to see if the flowers are as blue as they look on the packet.

The next job was the one I'd been looking forward to all week - planting out my seed potatoes. I added 15cm of New Horizon organic and peat free compost on top of the crocks in the compost sack and mixed in 10-15g of organic potato food. (This is a slow release feed from Vitax which I will be able to use for all my other container grown fruit and veg.) I popped the four seed potatoes in and covered them with another 15cm of compost, firming it down well and watering thoroughly. Then it occurred to me that the cat would think it was his new loo, so I covered it with a bell cloche, vent open, to keep him off!

Last year I grew one pot of Eucomis Autumnalis and I was so pleased with them I decided to get some more this year. They arrived in the week (along with the cocoa shell mulch I'd ordered) so I planted them up in two pots. They are called 'White Dwarf' and should flower in July/August.

The last job of the day was potting on. First up were two Hebe cuttings which went into 12cm pots then Chives, Parsley, Mint, Thyme, Hyssop and Allium Neopolitanum all went into 25cm pots. Lots of other things could do with potting on or at least top dressing but that was enough gardening for one day.

Georgie

More done today

2009-03-08T09:52:00.000-07:00

These are my seed potatoes 'Swift' which I hope to plant out next weekend. They will be grown in an old 56 litre compost sack which I've prepared by turning it inside out, folding down the sides, adding lots of drainage holes and putting a good layer of crocks in the bottom. I'll add at least 10cm of potting compost to the bottom of the sack before I plant the potatoes, then as I earth them up I'll turn up the sides of the bag. I've never tired this before so it's a bit of an experiment. Watch this space.

It was a lovely sunny morning so I was in the garden early. In the sunny border I dug out an old Lavender bush which had gone rather woody and replaced it with the Salvia (common Sage) I bought yesterday. It was a tricky job because there are lots of Alliums coming up and some other bulbs too - which for the life of me I can't recall planting so I have no idea what they are! I added lots of short sticks to keep my cat off the newly dug soil and put in some plant supports for the Aquilegias which are a mound of lovely fresh new leaves.

I emptied a few more pots of their contents from last year and planted some bulbs of Lily Longiflorum 'White Paradise'. These are heavily scented and should be out in late June/early July. I potted up four over-wintered plants of Hesperis (Sweet Rocket) and found space to squeeze them into the shady border. Then it became very overcast and I just had time to grab seed compost, pots, seive etc before the heavens opened.

In the kitchen - it's just as well I'm the cook - I started to prick out some of the seeds. The first were Asclepias incarnata (Milkweed), then Chilli Trifetti and finally Alliaria petiolata (Garlic Mustard). Then I decided to sow just one lot of seeds and opted for Physallis (the Pineapple flavoured one). These were so successful last year that three plants produced more than I could eat and I was taking bags into work to give away. I hope they do as well this year.

Georgie

Going Peat Free

2009-03-07T09:25:00.000-08:00

I have decided that the time has come to go peat free in my garden. I haven't used chemicals for years and as I move towards a wildlife friendly environment it has occurred to me that this is the next natural step. I have been put off in the past because there has been a lot of bad press about peat free composts, but more recently I am hearing good things about a product called New Horizon. I know that my local nursery doesn't stock it so I went off to Wyevale to take advantage of their 3 x 60lt bags of multi-purpose for £12. So imagine my disappointment when I got there to find they had completely sold out! They had towering stacks of every other type of multi-purpose compost needless to say. However, I did get two 60lt bags of New Horizon 'vegetable compost' for £10 so I have made a start. And whilst I was there I bought some herbs - Sage, Tricolour Sage, Mint and Golden Thyme - and a little Fuchsia called 'Ant n Dec' - thanks for that tip off Jo!

Back at home the first task was to transplant my lovely Phontinia 'Red Robin' into a half barrel. It had been drying out so quickly in its pot so hopefully it'll be much happier now. Then I carried out the tiresome task of plucking out all the dead strands from some of my Blue Fescues. This takes ages but I never have the heart to cut the plants right back so there's no choice. Another dull task was emptying some of the pots of dead annuals and bagging up the spent compost which I pass on to a friend to use on her allotment. I can only do a few at a time before I'm itching to do something more interesting. But one thing did make the job more enjoyable. I was tipping out the Par-cel - which I'd assumed was a biennial like Parsley - when I noticed a few tiny green shoots. So I potted up the plant in fresh compost - that's one lot of seeds I don't need to sow this year.

Wandering around the garden I couldn't resist snapping my Crocus again now that the buds have opened. I also have Narcissus Jet Fire out as well as a few flowers on the Forsythia. There are buds on Narcissus Chinita, Pumonaria and Hyacinth City of Haarlem and two of the three Hostas planted in autumn have small shoots. And in the greenhouse the first of the Sweet Pea Cupid Mixed seeds sown on 15 February have germinated.

Georgie

More Surprises

2009-03-01T07:01:00.000-08:00

What a difference a week makes at this time of year. All the Crocus Ruby Giant are up now, many with two or three flower buds each. I found it hard to know which photo to put up but opted for this one to depict the flower and leaf detail - I'm really pleased with them. (The little sharp sticks are to keep my cat off by the way!) When the bulbs have finished flowering I will give them a feed with chicken pellets and a top mulch in the hope that they will put on a similar display next year. The other things newly in flower this week are Narcissus Tete a Tete and Vinca minor, whilst the Forsythia buds have coloured up nicely but have yet to open.

The weather today was overcast but mild so I was able to spend a good few hours in the garden. I sowed some Peas, cut back the remainder of the hardy Fuchsias and pruned back the Buddleia in the border to about four feet. Then I trimmed the lawn edges and thinned out the Briza maxima seedlings (self-seeded) which were threatening to choke some of the other plants.

Pottering around there were lots more signs of new life. Perennials Lychnis Arkwrightii Vesuvius, Cuckoo Flower and Welsh Poppy all have new shoots emerging, the Hermodactylus Tuberosa planted in late autumn are beginning to peak through the soil and three of my Lilies - White Heaven, Lollipop and Emporium - have broken their dormancy. On the other hand there is no sign yet of the Lily of the Valley or the Bluebells.

On the seed front at long last the Garlic Mustard - which has been in the greenhouse since July - has germinated, whilst on the kitchen windowsill Chilli Trifetti and Asclepias emerged within about 8-10 days. The seed potatoes continue to thrive and have sturdy shoots about one centimetre long. I haven't sown any more seeds indoors indoors yet. I'll leave that for a couple more weeks at which point I'll need to set up my windowsill shelf to get the double-decker effect and make best use of the space available.

Georgie

Signs of Spring

2009-02-22T09:31:00.000-08:00

After a beautiful sunny day yesterday, today was overcast and windy so I abandoned my plans to visit Myddleton House and spent a few hours in the garden instead. (Hopefully the display of Snowdrops will still be there next week.)

The first task was to water all the plants in the two greenhouses where I was pleased to note lots of new buds on the half-hardy Fuchsias. The Pelargonium cuttings are going great guns and some even have buds on them. Most other things look fine too although I fear I may have lost some of the Aquilegia seedlings.

The next job was to reorganise some of the pots to bring things coming into bloom to the fore such as this pot of Narcissus Tete a Tete which is underplanted with Tulips. As I was moving things around it was good to see that Allium Neopolitan and Allium Schubertii have broken through the soil, flower buds coming through on the Hellebores and new leaves just beginning to open on Dicentra, Aquilegia, Tradescantia, Aconite and Soapwort. I then cut back the hardy Fuchsias to a couple of inches above ground and cut out the dead wood on the deciduous shrubs.

Moving on the border I did a double-take on the Honesty but it was true. There are indeed flower buds on the plants which is quite surprising as they flowered in April last year and it's been a much colder winter this year. Cutting back the Verbena Bonariensis to a few inches above the ground I noticed that I've still got a few Tulips there and the Iris leaves are well up. Underneath the Buddleia the Crocus Ruby Giant all appear to be up with plenty of leaves. I've never grown Crocuses before so I'm pleased with their progress so far.

Onto the vegetable pots and disaster has struck. All of the Peas which I planted last November have been eaten! They were covered with a bell cloche and had reached about 10 cm high so it has to be slugs I think. Such a pity. Never mind, I still have some seeds left so I'll sow them next week. On the other hand the Chives, Garlic Chives, Fennel, Strawberries and Raspberries are all showing signs of growth so it's not all bad news.

Finally I was relieved to see that my Acer and Elder plants which I got last year both have new fat buds on them and the Forsythia is set to flower very soon. Spring is surely on its way.

Georgie

Seed sowing starts

2009-02-15T09:04:00.000-08:00

The snow has gone now but I rather like this detail of my Buddleia (and I haven't taken any new photos this week).

First of all an update on my new little pond. I have researched suitable native plants and have come up with a short list of four. But I obviously cannot have four plants in such a small space so I think I'll have Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris) next to the pond with Bulrush (Typha minima) and Water Soldier (stratiotes aloides) in it. I've discovered that these plants won't be available for a month or two but in the meantime the pond weed should keep the water sweet.

A week on the seed potatoes (Swift) have already starting chitting with tiny green shoots. They are in an egg box in the light, but away from direct sunlight. I'm going to grow them in an old compost sack and I've been researching how best to go about it. I'll say more about the method I adopt when it comes to planting out time.

Today I sowed my first lot of seeds and it felt good. On the edible side I sowed Chilli 'Trifetti', Chilli 'Pretty in Purple' and Alpine Strawberry 'Mignonette'. And on the ornamental front I sowed Asclepias incarnata 'Swamp Milkweed', Ensete Glaucum 'Snow Banana' and Sweet Pea 'Cupid Mixed'. With the exception of the Sweet Peas - which went into the greenhouse - the rest are in 9cm pots on the kitchen windowsill covered with a small plastic bag secured with an elastic band.

Georgie

Snow!

2009-02-08T03:56:00.000-08:00

This was my garden on Monday morning, about 20cm of snow, more than I can ever remember here in Enfield. And it's remained cold all week, so gardening has been out of the question.

So what else was there to do on a cold February weekend apart from pour over my seeds and plan for warmer days. So out came my seed boxes - I sort them by 'fruit and veg', 'herbs', 'flowering annuals/biennials' and 'perennials' - and I thought I'd see just how many I have got. Big mistake! To my horror - I thought I'd been really good this year - I found I had: 32 x fruit and veg, 15 x herbs, 20 x annuals and 17 x perennials, not to mention the four seed potatoes 'Swift' kindly supplied by Flighty. Where on earth am I going to put this lot?

I should be okay with the edibles as I have five small growing areas. Under the kitchen window sill there will be 3 lots of Tomatoes, Sweet Basil, Borage, Chives, Parcel and Watercress. The window box will contain tumbling Toms and Greek Basil. In the greenhouse I shall grow three types of spring Onions, Greek Cress, Chinese Mustard, Radish, mixed salad leaves and Lettuce. The shady border will house Raspberries, Blackberries, Beetroot, Nepeta, Tree Spinach and Parsley. And the main veg plot Potatoes, 3 types of Cucumber, Physallis, 3 types of Chillies, Garlic Chives, Passion Fruit, Mustard, Peas, Beans, Carrots, Courgette and 2 types of Strawberries.

I'll talk about the flowers another time, once I've decided where to put them all.

Georgie.

Wildlife pond

2009-01-31T06:00:00.001-08:00

A cold but bright morning here so it was ideal for starting work on my new wildlife pond. You will recall that last year I had tadpoles in my tiny water feature but they failed to mature into frogs. Some people suggested they they might hibernate and mature this year but I have my doubts. But I moved it to another spot in the border just in case then started digging the hole for the new poly resin container I bought last weekend. It's 44cm in diameter and 10cm deep. Not big, of course, but large enough to support the wildlife I think.

Thankfully the ground wasn't frozen so it didn't take long to make a hole that was big enough. Once I had back-filled the soil I covered the surrounding area with some ornamental stones to the sides and slightly rearranged the log pile behind. Then I added the pebbles you can see at the back pond to make a 'ramp', filled it up with rain water and some of the water from the old water feature and popped in some pond weed.

I'm pleased with the effect so far. The next job is to research some marginal/floating plants. I like the look of Marsh Marigolds and I'd also like something reed-like, perhaps a dwarf Bullrush. There are a couple of specialist water gardening nurseries near me so I'll have to go and have look around. In the meantime I've put a potted fern to the right of the pond to provide some protection and shade.

Georgie

Bulbs and other musings

2009-01-24T07:56:00.000-08:00

As you can see at long last some of the Snowdrops are nearly open. And looking around the garden today I spotted that the Hyacinths, Crocus, Alliums and some of the Tulips are beginning to poke up above the soil.

In the greenhouse some of the over-wintering half-hardy Fuchsias have leaf buds on them, some of the cuttings have new leaves and the Pelargonium cuttings are doing well.

I continued the (huge) task of cutting back the Jasmine this morning. One more session and I reckon the job will be complete. But whilst it was a lovely sunny morning it's still quite cold so I didn't get any other jobs done. If it's nice tomorrow I'll be out there again, this time cutting the Verbena Bonariensis down to a few inches above the ground and possibly tackling the Buddleias too.

Georgie

Herbs

2009-01-17T07:18:00.000-08:00

I love herbs and I grow many of them as much for their ornamental value as for their culinary use. I always let them flower and they are much loved by the bees and butterflies, particularly the Salvias (Sage), Borage, Chives and Nepeta (Cat Mint) to name just a few. The picture shows the wonderful patterns the frost made recently on the purple Sage.

So as I wandered around the garden in the sunshine this morning (sadly it has clouded over now) I was pleased to see fresh green shoots on the Chives, Fennel, Garlic Chives, Oregano, Pineapple Mint and Orange-scented Thyme.

On the other hand the bulbs are still taking their time to put on any decent growth. I've got buds on about four Snowdrops but they have been like that for weeks and Narcissus Tete-a-Tete and the dwarf Iris are still only just showing whereas this time last year they were in bud. That said, the Dutch Iris are well up as are Narcissus Jet Fire.

I did some tidying up of the perennials, started to cut back the Jasmine and swept up more leaves. I watered the plants in the greenhouse and was pleased to note that all the Parsley seedlings I pricked out last week are looking healthy. I was less happy to see that the few remaining Spring Onions from last year had a number of aphids on them. At this time of year!

Georgie

A bit warmer today

2009-01-11T06:14:00.000-08:00

These are my Narcissus Paperwhites. I'm so pleased with them and they smell heavenly. I've moved them into the dining room to take full advantage of the scent.

I pricked out the Parsley seeds I sowed in the greenhouse back in October. I kept just six of the strongest seedlings which I will continue to grow on in the greenhouse. Looking over the rest of the things in the greenhouse I was pleased to see that the Cyclamen seeds I sowed in October are starting to germinate. This is a new venture for me so it'll be interesting to see how well they fair. Most of the cuttings and other seedlings are looking okay but some of the Aquilegia seedlings have a bit of powdery mildew. I've picked off the worst affected leaves and will keep my eye on them.

The other job I tackled today was planting more spring bulbs. This should have been done by December but it was just too cold. So at last the Allium Schubertii, English Bluebells and Hermodactylus Tuberosa are now in!

I checked through all my seed boxes just to assure myself that I haven't forgotten to sow anything. It amazes me how some people sow things like Tomatoes in January. For amateurs like me who only have a large windowsill to propagate seeds I think sowing this early is just asking for trouble as the light levels are too low, even if you can maintain the temperature required, resulting in spindly, pathetic specimens. I will not be sowing anything until February at the earliest and most things will be held back until March/April.

Georgie

Happy New Year

2009-01-07T05:17:00.001-08:00

This Solanum (Winter Cherry) certainly cheers up my window box on these cold and frosty mornings. Although it's not fully hardy it is fine in this sheltered spot. The ground is frozen here so not much I can do in the garden at the moment.

There is good news and bad news. Thankfully the bell cloche over the water feature has stopped the water freezing so hopefully if (and it's a big if) the tadpoles are hibernating, then they should be okay. On the other hand the frost has killed off the three Pineapple Sage plants although with a bit of luck they should shoot again in the spring. The Tagetes experiment was a wash out. Seven of the eight plants have been eaten by slugs and the one remaining plant looks pretty pathetic.

Indoors I am amazed at how quickly the Narcissus Paperwhites have grown. Planted on 26 December, they are about 12" tall with nine buds so far, the first just beginning to open. Is this a record? Chilli Thai Hot and the unknown yellow Chilli are still flowering and fruiting too so the kitchen windowsill is looking very jolly.

I have taken advantage of a couple of seed offers from Thompson and Morgan to complete my seed order for the year. The first gave me two free packets of seeds of my choice and £5 off the order so for £2.04 (£1.99 of which was P&P) I got Geranium, Snow Banana, Centratherum, Scabiosa and Poppy. Then via an offer in Gardeners' World magazine I've ordered 10 packets of seeds - five veg and five flowers for wildlife - for £1.99. So that's me more than made up for the year and with plenty to swap.

Georgie

Withdrawal symptoms

2008-12-29T09:24:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-21T07:19:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-23T08:13:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-15T07:19:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-09T06:30:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-02T07:34:00.000-08:00

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

2008-10-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-26T12:35:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-22T09:09:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-11T10:02:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-04T05:28:00.001-07:00

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

2008-10-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-25T09:21:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-22T11:57:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-20T10:40:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-06T10:15:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-26T05:24:00.001-07:00

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

2008-08-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-09T07:39:00.001-07:00

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