Month: August 2010

I didn’t do any gardening today but had a lovely surprise in the post from Sally, who sent me some offsets from her Scarborough Lily, Cytanthus elatus (previously Vallota). I am really delighted to add them to my South African bulb collection. Thanks a million, Sally.

Like many of you my kids went back to school today.

Hubby fixed the lawn mower and cut the grass and that was the height of today’s gardening. As usual, it makes a big difference.

Just to let you know I’m still in the land of the living. Have’nt been here for a few weeks now but I have been busy in the garden with this and that. My tomatoes ripened at last and they are lovely. Must be late varieties I have. Was busy today collecting flower seeds and have a lot more to get. Also cut the grass and hedge so hopefully the hedge wont need anymore cutting this year. Its still a bit bare in places after last year’s frost.

My grandson started school today and he is very excited to be in the "big school" Lots of tears and laughter from me.

Its this time of the year…. getting cooler in the evenings and colours in the garden starts to change… lots of oranges, red ish.. yellows.. love the smell in the air- so fresh mixed with falling leaves… no its not winter yet… maples are just gorgeous… 

Garden shot

berries

sunflowers this afternoon

If you do not want a close up then don’t look at the next journal of moi (fluent)

Due to popular demand, I have put this up

After much deliberating over the weekend, I decided to get myself another clematis that came in on Thursday. Couldn’t buy it yesterday as I was sick. But when I went in this morning, I discovered just one left. Oh Wow, talk about timing. I took it aside and hid it under a bench until I clocked out.

I planted up a plastic flower pouch with impatiens this year, rather than spend €16.99 on one already made up. Disposed of the impatiens this evening as they were past their best. Today I bought some Patiola (which is a cross between a pansy and viola). These have a semi-cascading habit which should make it a useful addition to winter hanging baskets. Usually the only trailing plant available in the winter would be Ivy. I planted up the flower pouch with some lovely blue ones this evening. I used 13 little plants. When it was all done, I watered them in, and I will leave it lying down for the next few days just to give the roots a chance to expand and allow them to get a proper grip in the pouch. It was a very fiddley job but it only took about 15 minutes. Never tried these Patiola before, (I am not a lover of Pansies) so it will be trial and error. The only reason I bought them was to actually see for myself HOW trailing they will be.

First of all I did my usual walkabout to see if there was anything new to photograph. Sadly, not. Not to worry. Tomorrow is another day. Watered everything in the greenhouse and picked a good bit of stuff.

Watered everything outside. And fed my Camellias, Rhododendron, and Magnolias with the appropriate feed. Its a good idea to give them a feed now, and again in a few weeks time to bump up the flower buds for next year. And VERY important to water Camellias and Rhododendron regularly from now on to discourage bud-drop next Spring.

I actually planted the new Clematis too. Sorry, Fran. Too late.

We had a thoroughly enjoyable day visiting the beautiful gardens at Hestercombe in Somerset this August just gone. The gardens include three centuries of garden landscaping incorporating an Edwardian garden, a Victorian garden and an mazing Georgian landscaped garden complete with numerous follies on huge acreage. The gardens were rediscovered about 10 years ago and have been totally restored. i took lots of photos and have uploaded them in my albums for you to enjoy – they speak the thousands of words that I have no time to type!!!

How come I never bought an indoor Hibiscus before? Oh yea, it must be because I have been too mean to spend €20 or over for one. Stroke of luck with the Manager reducing these. Loving them. Especially this yellow one. Hope I don’t kill them over the winter now!

Rose Darcey Bussell

on Bowles Mauve Wallflower

Did you notice that in the Subscribers newsletter with the magazine they mentioned the group from the web-site who met up on the tour?! oops, poor Bee seems to have got chopped.

Not much done in the garden other than watering plants in the tunnel, went to get some carrots for dinner this evening to discover the rabbits are enjoying them as well. Will have to do a job to stop the little blighters before they have them totally destroyed. Have posted up some photos of the butterflies that are just everywhere in the NW bed.