What's Looking Good October 2024

@Michael Hewett Oh that parahebe is pretty! I'm always on the lookout for dwarfish evergreen shrubs for the front of borders but that one had escaped me. It doesn't seem to be available over here yet, but it's good to have a challenge in life and something to hanker for

 

I grew Parahebes in the past, but they sometimes didn't survive the winter, so were short lived. I've been looking at getting another one though, as we don't seem to be getting that level of prolonged cold now. I noticed one in a garden near me a while ago, but I don't know how long they've had it. Really lovely little plants.

 

I keep it in a pot and move it into a perspex shelter in the winter. It never grows much. I used to have the mauve ones in the ground but they died 2 yrs ago, after being there many years.

 

Still picking Flamenco strawberries in the greenhouse and a lot of flowers on them, so hopefully will last to the first serious frosts.

 

Plenty of colour in the garden today.

Aster "Small-Ness"


Salvias - Lara, Phyllis Fancy, Amistad, Cool Cream


Fuchsia (name unknown), Dahlia "Arabian Night", Cornus kesselringii just beginning to turn

Aster "Little Carlow" and Helianthus "Lemon Queen" (& a bit of S. Amistad)


Fuchsia hanging basket still going strong. There are white impatiens in there as well but you can hardly see them now, the fuchsia has taken over.

 

@CarolineL
I had a packet of cyclamen seed from the AGS last spring and I got one, not unattractive, Heuchera from it.

 

Thank you @fairygirl and @Plantminded, that's what I thought! One clump is in a very accessible location so this year I've been giving it regular seaweed feed through the summer (a tip picked up from the old GW forum). It will be interesting to see how that clump looks next year, and the others I'll move to more reliably moist spots. I'm not usually a fan of giving plants too much of a helping hand once established, as I'd prefer to grow something that is suited to my garden/climate... but Hakonechloa is one plant that's testing that theory!

I'm in South Devon between Dartmoor and the coast, so our rainfall is much less than many expect! According to the offical stats, the bulk of our rain falls between October-February, with a significant drop in average rainfall between March-September inclusive. In fact, our rainfall during that period is on a par with East Anglia - no wonder plants such as hydrangeas struggle around here, even though we have very good loamy soil!

I do love the climatic variation of Britain, it gives us gardeners no end of opportunities for testing which plants work for our individual gardens.

 

Hakonechloa is quite an adaptable plant @DevonDays. It will be easier to establish in a cool, wet climate with moisture retentive soil but here it needs a bit of a helping hand to start off. I prepared the border under the Acer with some organic compost (not MPC) before planting mine and kept them well watered for the first year. I have sandy, free draining soil which is quite shallow, on a bedrock of sandstone.

Grasses don’t really need feeding as they like impoverished soil so I would hold back on the seaweed extract, even though it’s more of a tonic than a feed. Adding organic matter to make your soil more moisture retentive will be more beneficial, plus watering when it’s dry. Once established they will be drought tolerant and need little attention. They are a great filler for spaces in the garden and also do well in containers. Persevere and you will be rewarded .

 

Passion flower.


Brug

Ginger seed pods

Asimina triloba Paw Paw.

Last Zinnia hanging on.

Cestrum nocturn, really sniffy after dark.

 

Very nice edges there @shiney .