WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY - 2021

Started off by pruning a buddleja that had finished flowering, pruned a cornus and a Lonicera purpusii; removed some of the bindweed that my neighbours kindly donate to my garden.
Cut the grass at the back, picked some strawberries and broadbeans and then watered as required.

 

Gave in. Just turned on the big sprinkler system. The controller is ancient so I have to program it every time I turn it on.

Now everything will get a good soaking every morning at 4 a.m. and again at 4 p.m. when it is not raining. Next time it is not sweltering, I'll crawl out on the roof to give the rain sensor a little TLC.

And the next sound you will hear clear across the pond will be me falling off my chair when the water bill comes in!

 

Oh dear, how did that happen, Shiny?

 

@EmmaJane I had to repot one of those ungrateful sods last year

A pair of oven gloves and 2 tea towels and it still got me.

It's been a busy time in the garden. Weeding and watering most days.

Had to shade the greenhouse with a big piece of cardboard from the inside from a new jet washer box we bought.

Half washed the driveway and will have to buy some sand to brush in afterwards.

Realised I have gone completely potty sowing far too much Nicotiana than I could ever plant
Planted out some tomatoes and got some beautiful strawberries from the back patio "yum"

Oh and bought a new bench

 

Had a trip to hardware store this morning and also bought two Phlox, a Strawberry Mint and something with Spires in its name. Can't remember rest of the name and not about to get out of bed and go wandering around outside with my phone torch . Haven't done any actual gardening today but hubby cut the grass out front and in side garden. Looks amazing when cut with his petrol lawn mower. Hoping for some garden time tomorrow.

 

Pottered about in the garden this evening doing odd jobs and pruned the Camellia I moved yesterday . I did empty one of the barrels of spring bulbs and planted up with Ensete maurelii - dahlia waltzing matilda and some begonia santa cruz .

 

Removed a Salvia uliginosa from my new border, it's unruly and flops about too much, I just want a mix of architectural/structural plants and bushy ones in there so it's a bit incongruous. Planted Actaea 'Pink Spike' and Caryopteris 'Dark Knight' in it. I then realised the caryopteris was far too close to the edge as I'm planning to edge the border with marjoram eventually! To top it all off, I managed to drop a couple of large clods of clay soil on another one of my salvias, flattening it! Might never garden on a Tuesday again, I always seem to be crap at gardening on Tuesdays!

Nick

 

Maybe it is an Uglinosa ...

 

@longk Congratulations! Looks like your Pregnant Onion gave birth - a lot

@Jasmine star I sympathise entirely, and your cactus is lovely in appearance if not temperment lol. Luckily it was just the small one for me this time, though 4mm spines still hurt as I discovered; last year I did the big one (I think it might be the same type as yours, but not nearly as good condition - its about 30 years old, survived five house moves, me as a child and was still in the original little pot I bought it in). I ended up using a bath towel and my artic weather motorbike gloves and still ended up looking like I'd gone ten rounds with a tiger.

In the garden, I planted out the moonflower vines which are now happily starting to climb up the netting. The two clematis and passion flowers I was worried about have suddenly burst into life, and my kiwi has new shoots - all in all a pretty good day, I hope everyone else's was the same or better

 

Just been out to thin seedlings in my salad bed. Radishes, two types of spinach, rocket and lettuces all germinated. I probably didn't sow thinly enough as I had to chop a lot of close seedlings. Less lettuce has come up at the back side of the bed than I'd hoped for. Oh well.

Lots of stuff properly flowering now. Seen one long courgette and two rounds growing. My tomatillos have started to flower even though there's not a tonne of green (bit concerning but we'll see how they go). Loads of tomato flowers both my cordon and my tumbling cherry types.

Star of today is this Dattero cherry tomato, which was grown a month later than the rest of my varieties and is already in second place for height (the winner being Purple Ukraine which has a leggy habit and was always head and shoulders above the rest from the very beginning).

 

Hello all!

I'm absolutely full of cold (not covid - been tested 3 times) but managing to muster up a bit of energy to do short bursts in the garden. Planting out loads of the salvias I've grown from cuttings and repotting bits and bobs.

I've had some baby blackbirds keeping me company in the garden-they're very sweet.

 

@Snorky. Your absence was noticed. Vxx​

 

Aww thanks @Victoria Had my nieces for a few days last week for the first time in ages-I think they gave me this cold! Was worth it though as we had fun.

I desperately need to wheelbarrow the second tonne of compost into the front garden but its too hot and I've not got the energy.

A side question:
Does anyone know why my Geums have flopped? Just too heavy?!