Anyone else losing the neatness battle?

Hello again everyone!

I've had such a ridiculously hectic few months with an awful lot going on and all my little pleasures have had to slip by the wayside. But I'm back, sitting with a cup of coffee and time to browse in gardeners corner once more. Hurrah!!!

My garden has definitely got to the stage where everything is starting to look a little past its best. The garden is almost sprawling, and I've started to turn a blind eye to weeds!

I'm not sure if it is the constant grim weather or the time of year, but it seems that working in the garden does not have the same urgency that it did earlier in the summer.

I have planted some parsnips for christmas which seem to be growing like mad in this rain, but my cabbages look like they are crochet! So many holes!

My Dad has suggested I feed my leeks with fish blood and bone, is it too late in the season for that, or would that be a good thing to do?

Thanks to anyone that can help, and it's nice to be back!

 

Hi VP

Keeping the garden tidy is where having a small plot and a tendency towards OCD come in handy!

For me, keeping the colour going into late summer is usually the main problem but this year, it's not too bad. I popped in some dahlias in late Spring and they're doing splendidly at the moment.

As for feeding leeks at the moment, it depends whether they're earlies, main crops or lates. When do you want to lift them? I'm not expecting to start lifting mine for at least another two months so I shall certainly feed mine in the next few weeks with Vitax Q4. But fish, blood and bone is as good as anything.

Never, ever turn a blind eye to weeds, especially the annual ones. If you can whip them out before they run to seed, you'll save yourself a whole lot of bother later.

Good luck!

 

Indeed - as soon as it stops raining I will go and pull them all out. Trouble is, it's so wet that anything I hoe off will get enough moisture to keep growing at the moment!

Thanks for the Vitax Q4 tip - I will look out for it!

 

Yeah, my garden's looking past its best, but I quite like the way it looks - as if it's getting weary after a hard season's growing, and settling with a cup of cocoa ready to bed down for the winter.

I've still got colour from Dahlias, larkspurs, geums etc and fingers crossed for a second flush of red hot pokers and lupins. Then it's over to the grasses and cornus stems in late autumn / winter. Looking forward to that.

 

That's a lovely way of putting it Andrew:flwsml:

I love my garden best in the Spring when everything is new and fresh and I begin to hate it in August. However this year I seem to have more flowers in bloom and it looks lovely - I put it down to the "good growing" weather and giving my early bloomers a good haircut after their first flush of flowers. Bring on the liquid sunshine:D

 

I'd like to say it was skill and clever planning, but sadly it's pure luck that my garden still manages to look fairly good. As one lot of penstemon died off another lot started blooming, as did the crocosmia. My summer bedding salvias just seem to go on and on, the old favourites coreopsis, verbena, gaura et al refuse to give up as does the 'sweet dreams' rose and, as I said on another thread, my wisteria is having a third flush and the primroses are out too!

Oh, how I wish this were down to skill 'cos I doubt (unless we have a repeat of last year's winter and another 9 weeks without rain next summer), that it'll ever be the same again.

 

Also at the droopy stage and the wind and rain now doing their best to destroy what's left in bloom. Like others I've plenty in flower but the overall appearancee is a bit 'shabby'.
One good thing is that the lawn is beginning to rec over at the front although the back one may be lost - wait and see time......

 

I still have plenty in bloom too... it's just that straggly look that is starting to take hold. Doesn't help that we've been on holiday, so the dead heading battle has been lost on some things.

There's also the things which are dying off and leaving gaps, the lobelia and annual lavetiera.

Grass needs a cut but it's too wet.

I guess a good way to look at it is that it's time to collect seed for next year and enjoy the garden without spending every waking moment keeping it perfect!

Glad I'm not alone.

 

I'm just about keeping on top of mine, which has been difficult due to maintenance work on my tea-house. The wysterias are ganging up on me. it's a never-ending battle to remove the unwanted side shoots which "appear overnight." Also although it's been wet, it's warm so the lawns need cutting every three days. Not too many weeds, as there's not a lot of room for them, but plenty of dead-heading of roses to be done. For a "minimal maintenance garden" there's seems to have been a lot to do.

 

What's a tea-house, Doghouse?

 

At this time of year I dead head, tidy up and continue to support the perennials, especially with all this rain flattening them. August is a difficult month, but at least we have Rudbeckia, Phlox and Asters to add a bit of colour and cheer...and keep fingers crossed for a dry bank holiday.

 

Hi Andrew,

It's this at the bottom of the garden, I've been changing the roofing felt.

I took this when we'd got most of the job done and after drinking a few Peronis, I wasn't quite horizontal.



It's where I keep this...



[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i42Wuc_Pzoc"]YouTube- The Drifters : Like Sister and Brother[/nomedia]

Err..


and this!




[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgqvosUufKQ"]YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.[/nomedia]

 

Now THAT is absolutely fantastic, Doghouse! Love the Acer in front of it, too. What variety is that?

You need a stream with arched bridge, and Mount Olympus somewhere. I love the Japanese garden style, I really do.

Some people aren't keen but, if I ever get a garden with the space, it's happening!


*edit* I mean Mount Fuji, or course. Not Olympus. Deary me..

 

You are not alone VP ! There is definately an Autumn feel in the air now. It's like that in- betweeny stage isnt it? End of Summer but not quite Autumn. Lots of leaves turning yellow here. :(