Phew. I think I have just worked out my desperate urge to garden! Emerging from the behind the raspberries and loganberries just now, I found myself covered with bits of detritis (mainly in my hair), dust making me sneeze from where I had been yanking out the most determined weeds, and a back which was complaining bitterly. Going behind the gooseberries was even worse, as I just had no room and my bottom was getting prickled mightily by the gooseberry bushes which shelter in front of a very old stone wall like chicks sheltering beneath a mother hen's wings.
I have cleared up a bit around the intake soft fruit area and will carry on after a cup of tea. The weeds (mainly grass and teasel) are something else and very appreciative of the muck heap mulch I laid down last year.
I also got my runner beans planted out (Scarlet Emperor, which do best here) and some Italian flat beans, which I love and also do well. I am growing on another couple of trays of runner beans, and have Borlotti beans coming out of my ears! I'm about to plant out some more Sweet Peas I started a few weeks back and some Pot Marigolds which need to go in the ground now.
I have had a couple of Casualties - none of the Delphiniums I planted last year have grown again, and the two prettiest Aquilegias - little mound-forming Alpine ones - have snuffed it too. William Guinness black and white Aquilegia) is also M.I.A. presumed dead. Then to make up for it, I have another Aquilegia which is totally new to me (long spurred sort) and I don't know WHERE that came from. Never mind, I have lots of self-sown ones to fill any gaps.
Right, this won't do. Too nice a day to be indoors (though it's back to painting again this afternoon . . .)
Blue Lungwort in a shady bed by the wall.
A deep red Aquilegia.
Aren't these tulips gorgeous? I have grown these in tubs but now they have the freedom of the garden.
One of my Cranesbills with almost black flowers. These are another of my favourite plants and I plan to add some more variety to my collection this summer, and when we move.
Border with various stuff in - Solomon's Seal nearest.
I too, would happily work myself crippled over that border. I've fretted in the past over some cherished plant which didn't survive, but there are always seedlings to amaze us--and there is always the thought of yet another season to add to the garden.
ReplyDeleteI do wonder why the most beautiful and exotic of the peonies must bloom just in time to be flattened by a downpour.
Don't you wish--when one is gardening or painting straight out--that the "tea" and such would be miraculously prepared and solicitously served when one is ready to collapse?
I wished that tonight - as usual. Lst night I was so tired that everyone got their own quick meal and I had a Ploughman's! (Bread/cheese/pickle/salad). Tonight was a lousy stir-fry - I am so tired I just threw a few things together and forgot any flavouring and it was horribly bland. . .
ReplyDeleteThe work I put in on the borders last year is paying off this year. It pays to keep on top of things, when possible. I added lots of extra plants last year - the £2 from a car boot sale sort mainly - I can't afford the silly prices at the Nurseries around here where they want £6.99 or even £7.99 for an herbaceous perennial.
Hello BB, any tips on how to stop Solomans seal getting munched by saw fly caterpillas? I try to pick them off when I can, but they strip my plants to a skeleton.
ReplyDeleteHi Kath - um, never had trouble with Saw Fly caterpillars on my Sol. Seal, so not sure what to suggest. If they are climbing the stem, perhaps a grease band of sorts around it. If they are abseiling in, just keep picking them off!
ReplyDeleteHad another look at your flowers after reading today's post. The tulips look like a variety, "Angelique" which I grew in Vermont years ago. I went on-line last evening and ordered a few more perennials to fill in some of the gaping spaces in this very new border. Oh, for the days when I could admire something in a friend's garden and be given a clump to transplant!
ReplyDeleteOh, how I love your gardens! The photos were wonderful and remind me so much of the gardens I had in Indiana years ago. I had what I called "an English garden"...maybe I should have called it "a Welsh garden". I'd spend hours out there each day and come in tired and sore. My husband tells me that was a "young Dianne" when I mention that I'd like to do that again! I'll enjoy yours in the meantime...
ReplyDeleteYour flowers and borders are looking wonderful. I love the first blue flowers. Are they some kind of mallow? I remember seeing a lot of them two years ago when we went back for a visit. Such a beautiful color.
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