Ugly Plants and Flowers

Did you deadhead Nick? Crucial or such plants simply seed and die.

 

Yes, but only just now, Verdun. I suspect I may be far too late as I said previously. I wonder if I could just naturally dry out the seedheads indoors and plant straight into the ground? This link says "Sow it where it is to grow and lightly push the seed into the soil." But I'm not sure if my seed is ripe enough for that to work!

How and Where to Grow Musk Mallow (Malva Moschata) | Our Advice Section & Customers Meadow Pictures

Nick

 

Warning SEXIST REMARK coming up:-

I'm of the opinion that women are more inclined to grow a plant for aesthetic reasons and grow flowers rather than vegetables. My observations are based on the membership of our local horticultural society. Our membership is about 50/50 male and female and at our recent members' summer show the winners of the vegetable classes were predominately male and the floral classes (apart from "larger than life" flowers and plants) female.

My partner has no input in the choice of plants in our garden - his interest is in minimal in horticulture but he is happy to get involved in the "bricks and works" department. My flower beds and lawn are curvy and the flower colours are mainly pastel shades which would be the complete opposite if my husband had his way. In my working life as an open garden organiser I could always tell whether the main gardener was male or female by the choice of plants.

 

That's really interesting @alana in no way being sexist or demeaning, off the top of my head here, do you think that goes back to prehistoric times and the male need to provide? Just a thought.

 

A very good and true point, @alana . Especially in Northern European culture "productiveness", "size", "strong shapes" etc. are definitely seen as more masculine traits than say, gentle pastel shades. Perhaps it's easier to justify the need of creative aesthetics in a male world if you can refer to a specific detail that is considered masculine. And vice versa, the competitive cucumber growing female may feel easier if she describes the plants as "delightful" or the flowers as "lovely".

(Disclaimer- most of us real people don't fall into stereotyped categories and feel insulted if any of our behaviours is hinted to fit into a category, any category. Most of us are fiercely individual, and hate to be categorised. Do NOT study sociology, ever. )

Coming back to ugly flowers, why would anyone grow Mullein? It's big, the foliage is not showy, and the flower stalk is nothing to write home about. Big and pale yellow, The best I can say about the plant is that the flowering period is thankfully short. My Grandmother loved it

 

@alana I often think I can judge the gender of the gardener based on gardening style. Most ladies seem to prefer one similar to yours, but men typically tend to go for something more formal with plants placed equidistantly. I think men gradually have to learn how to adopt 'looser' styles like cottage gardening and perhaps the reverse is true with ladies and more formal styles. Of course there are always outliers but this is just a question of natural inclination. So I don't think your comment is at all "sexist".

I do love informal planting and pastel shades, tho!

Nicola

 

@mazambo Wow, you read my mind, I was just about to type something incredibly similar, even intending to use the term "provider" for males!

Nick

 

Slightly off subject but we men have to tread carefully these days. I was brought up to offer my seat, open a door and generally offer support to the ladies...young or old.
But, hey! It’s not what the (younger) females of today actually want, apparently
My niece, 25, qualified accountant, good salary, drives an almost new AudiTT says a resounding no to all that. She says it smacks of undue deference to the still supposed weaker ladies and they don’t need or appreciate that. And, know what? I carried out a a bit of a “survey” and almost every woman under 30 said the same. Some actually giggled at the thought of such “chivalry” .
The older ladies however still liked this gentlemanly behaviour. At yesterday’s garden fete, the ladies there loved the gentlemanly behaviour (of yesteryear)
So, ladies.....what are we poor guys supposed to do?

As a male gardener I like curves and straight lines, pastels and strong colours, flowers and veg etc but I guess I do like plants big, strong and bold in preference to dainty ones. Preferring plants growing vigorously in the ground rather than contrived in containers that I think the ladies excel in. I think the lawn is still very much a man’s domaine.......stripes of course
The same too for hedge trimming....is this still a male task?

 

Thanks so much for that! @shiney I've already taken the seedpods which are tan-coloured and translucent off the stems, hope that isn't wrong! I'll pop the rest of the stems into a bucket as you advised. I know I could buy new seeds and that it sounds silly, but the seeds originally came from my late grandmother's garden so I have a bit of a sentimental attachment to those particular plants. I think I just sprinkled them in the border originally so it just shows you don't have to push them into the soil as the article I linked to said.

Thanks again mate, hugely appreciated,

Nick

 

@shiney I haven't had the pleasure of visiting your lovely garden - yet - but judging from your postings, you and Mrs Shiney share the joys (and woes) of gardening. Do you agree on everything planted?
I have tried, over many years, to enthuse my husband with my passion for the garden to no avail. He likes to feed the fish, eat the fruit and have the occasional moan when I spend all my spare cash on plants. He does enjoy flower shows especially Chelsea and Malvern but his interest is in the machinery.

 

Ditto @Verdun I was brought up the same and still and always do that, it's rare but I still do get "Thank you you're a gentleman there's not many left"

 

@shiney - I do propagate my own plants and have many plants that have been given or swapped but if I see a beauty and I have the room I do succumb. It's my weakness but I believe that buying small plants and nurturing them to become splendid specimens is good investing. The plants, shrubs and trees in my garden are worth far more than the furniture in my home.

I've visited the gardens you mentioned. They are all wonderful and special for different reasons. If I had to choose a favourite it would be Anglesey Abbey's winter garden - truly magical