Withdrawal symptoms

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

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

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

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

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

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

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