What are we doing in the garden 2024

I went to the Garden Centre this morning to get some thymes to go in the bed I planted with tulips yesterday. They didn’t have any good ones so I bought some wallflowers instead and planted them this afternoon. They’re very young and I’m a little sceptical about whether they’ll establish well before winter but we’ll see. The Rowan above my steps is now bare so I swept and cleaned the steps for the last time this year, I hope. I then planted up a container with some daffodil and dwarf iris bulbs, despite an earlier decision not to bother with bulbs this year .

 

My vertigo had virtually disappeared today so I've been out (very cautiously) and started clearing up the leaves off the paths around the house, doing it in half hour stints. As long as I remembered not to bend down it was doable.

Amazed to find that the winter manure I'd sown only a week or so ago is already germinating in the 3 veg beds so will have to pick all the fallen leaves off every day as there is a very large Norwegian Maple close by. It's been a nice sunny day for a change and temps got up to 17.3c by 4 pm, very pleasant.

 

@ArmyAirForce i take it thats a branch line halt you have there . Tickets available to purchase online only i suppose .

 

Didn't get an awful lot done yesterday as I had to collect the car after it's MOT, and decided to go and get some supplies that I needed, as it was ready nice and early. A bit of pot painting, and I got the tulips I'd bought a few weeks ago put in to one of those. Washed the pea gravel for mixing with that and top dressing.
Hopefully I'll get more done today as it's to be a better day, so perhaps I'll tackle that front area. I might dig out the white potentilla that's to go there, and shove it in. I'll probably get distracted by some other job though! I have another bundle of bulbs to plant up, and I removed a dahlia from it's pot for that purpose. There's a few tiny buds on the dahlia, but they're unlikely to get to flowering stage now, so I might just get that ready for it's winter rest.

 

Ride free of charge, just bring your own engine!

 

Not sure which thread this is relevant to, but apparently Monty Don is going to be doing a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show next yr, with a dog-friendly theme.

Personally, I think he is foolish to try. He is pretty mediocre at gardening, IMV, and I'm not sure he does precision detail. Plus he has a lot to lose, reputation-wise, and he suffers from depression and heart problems, so does he seriously need the stress? Maybe he is just going to be the headline figure, to attract publicity.

The world went mad went John Lewis started allowing dogs to roam their stores in my personal opinion (which I do not expect the majority to share ), so the theme will certainly appeal given the explosion in dog ownership.

 

@ViewAhead i dont think i would be too concerned about whether Monty is up to the job , he does other series overseas for the BBC and is currently engaged in a theatre tour one man show around the country . He lives in the same county as me and has supported local charities , especially the local hospice. If you want an insight into his character try reading his book “ my garden world” which is an observational book on plants and living creatures and is an interesting and thought provoking read .I do not see self aggrandisement being on his agenda.

 

I was at the bottom of my garden and I could hear a woman coming up the little road that passes there, talking to her dog.
She gets on my nerves, doesn't stop talking, and keeps me standing around for ages,
so I hid in the shed until she'd gone past

 

She will catch you next time

 

At last ! Managed to get on the garden today , very dewy grass 4”-6” long , only cut about a fortnight ago . So , all the grass cut , turned the compost , dug up and composted the beans and sweet peas, and shifted more leaves. That was it , the day was gone - oh for the longer days , not the lengthening dark evenings.

 

I did a lot of overdue weeding, taking advantage of a fine day. By the end, my back was warning me, and I was about an inch taller due to the build up under my wellies! Yes I know it's not good to weed if it's soggy, but you haven't had our weather...

 

I did some more weeding in another border and dug up a lot of hardy geraniums, they seed all over.

 

I also had your weather and can empathise , hopefully you have some dry(ish) weather to come and your back will be kinder than my leg .

 

@Logan . I have some having a battle with aubretia in a bed at the edge of the drive , i think the geranium is narrowly winning on points .

 

@CarolineL I prefer weeding when it's wet. Those roots are easier to dig out than when it's dry. At least for me.

I harvested all my chillies but one type. Cleaned out their pots, refilled them with new potting soil and have the pots waiting in my little greenhouses for next spring's seedlings. The last, which are ring of fire, don't mind a chill and had a late start. Fingers crossed their fruit will be ready before the snow flies.

I rushed around to get things out there done because the weather guesser promised free water after lunch. Big fat liars