WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY - 2021

Naughty corner to @Michael Hewett for causing confusion and a big hug to @Perki. I hope it passes quickly, please do keep us posted.

Two of my friends have had The Illness, both were quite unwell for two weeks but are now just fine. Hugs, get well soon!

 

Actually, your little boo boo encouraged me to go back more pages in the thread to catch up!

Oh oh, now I feel like Eena Sharples!

 

Deadheading and playing with my new pond net, fishing out dead leaves and avoiding the frogbits. Ponds are fun



I have zero experience with roses (Nana's Rugosa doesn't count, it was planted by the back door and got a daily watering of washing up water. It was marvellous, 2m tall and flowered forever and forever ) but obviously something is going somewhat right with my Climbing Iceberg in spite of my improvised and rather unprofessional pruning and training attempts. What a lovely plant!


The first rain in a month or so is now gone and the hedge and the lawns are giving me The Eyes. I have some time off work soon so that'll be the next task. Looking forward to it.

 

Re-laid all the patio stones around where the old fruit cage used to be - this rain give its it a lovely washdown

 

Had to do other things today and it's raining.

 

Inbetween the rain I've managed to move some plants that were being overcrowded by others that have suddenly put on a growth spurt.
Just having another downpour, I made it to the house but as I'm only able to move at Tortoise speed I got soaked. Hubs is trapped in his workshop.

 

@Upsydaisy been there and done that. Years ago I was smack in the middle of a very large car park and half way to my car when the skies opened. And I'd just broken my foot and was having a hard time getting the hang of using crutches. Wet t-shirt time! Luckily I was on my way back to the car!

I just used the little low flow irrigation to water things today. It is 97.3f at the moment so everything needed a drink. And installed a new dc overhead fan in one of the little greenhouses.

And then wandered around trying to figure out where to place my new purchase, a Syriacus Pulcherrimus. Okay, stupid me did not know until I read the label that this is in the hardy Hibiscus family, called "Rose of Sharon". So now I can bring back the other hibiscus (non hardy) from the garden and replace it with this? The other is still in it's pot, just dug down in a bit to look permanent but ready to quickly pull up to overwinter inside.

 

Today I cut some of the grass that is still lush from No Mow May - turning into Jungle June and July!
We have loved the long grass and wild flowers. So many different types of grass, some with bright red stems, some up to 80-90cm.


However, we are collecting the new puppy on Saturday, and I realised that we would loose him in the long grass. I’m also concerned that we have cats and foxes entering the garden, so the boundaries must have a few holes in them. We are getting the puppy in the litter with the strongest hunting drive; there is a risk he might follow through the gaps. So I’ve cut an area of grass near the house, and we will fence it to create an area that is safe to let him out in, unsupervised. The rest of the garden with be only access with supervision.

 

I potted on my FIVE Hibiscus Kiss of Death seedlings yesterday so I will just admire them today. I am thinking of planting three in one pot when they have grown more and I have homes for the other two along with two Tamarillo treelets.

I am thinking of pinching back the H Red Pagoda when the last bud blooms this week so it branches out. Will go have a read about what height to do it.

 

I see you have an apprentice gardener in the offing Vicky.....Munchkin is a very attentive student!!

 

Did 2 rose cuttings and checked the Chilli plants and wallflower seedlings, they're coming on nicely.

 

Hmm, think I should have done it before it developed the four buds. N'er mind, I may just made a Standard of it.

 

Couldn't get much done due to near-constant rain, but potted on my Knautia macedonica 'Melton Pastels', thought the height of the plant and pot complemented one another nicely, looks a bit insubstantial ATM but will soon fill out like the K. macedonica dwarf in my new border. Sounds promising, the RHS reckon the flowers are red, mauve, pink and salmon. It would be nice if the colours were as distinct as they appear in some of the photos, but we'll see...

knautia macedonica melton pastels - Recherche Google

Nick

 

The temperature is in the mid-90s F, the humidity is off the charts, I am not doing a darn thing in the garden today.