WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2023

Still raining but the East Patio is looking slightly more cared for and loved. Just came in and had to have a complete change of clothes....soaking wet!!

Also potted up up a few more seedlings this afternoon, mainly Marigolds and miniture Snaps.

 

Been in and out of the garden today . Mass throw away of dead plants around 50 plants , really disappointed my Eucomis and all the salvias have snuffed it, I did enquire about some salvias I were after but it looks like they've had the same problem with dead plants .

Topped up the tomato border in the GH a bit more with compost ready to plant up with - Indigo Rose - Suncherry premium - Apero - Yellow pear - tiger blush and maybe a shirley , also a cucumber usually Passandra but I may put that in a pot this year and put la diva in the border.

Lots of weeding in the front garden and the odd potter round the back , a clematis purpurea plena elegans had layered itself when I lifted it up to put on apple tree so chopped that off and planted next to a fence , I am still not sure I like this clematis I've had it for years but I rarely notice it when its up the apple tree. Never thought of layering clematis I'll consider it in future instead of cutting .

 

Aww sorry to hear about all your loses this year @Perki, weather related were they ?

We had a fair few that were, but not as many as you and @shiney fortunately.

 

Yes the vast majority unfortunately some I've had for years, most were on the tender ish side. At least I've got loads of empty pots to fill now with new plants

 

Having a major reshuffle and tidy up of the greenhouse and big lean-to cold frame as I just couldn't move in the greenhouse anymore.

I didn't really want to start any real gardening jobs because of our very iffy forecast, so this is an ideal time to shift a lot of plants one step nearer to being let loose into the big wide world!

I have to admit that some shelves in the cold frame had become a bit of a pot dumping ground .. I wonder who the culprit was.

It'll be an all day job, but it'll be bliss to reclaim my own bit of personal greenhouse space.
Sitting on my bench , mug of coffee and some soothing classical music.......can't wait.

 

I have my greenhouse back ...well almost .

All the re-homing went well despite getting caught in 2 thunderstorms. Like yesterday I had to come in for a change of clothes!

Never mind... it was a good job done.

 

I spend an hour or so this morning on the balcony emptying out the 3 troughs on the middle bar of the balcony railings. They had Daffodils in them from last year. While they flowered very well last year they didn't grow hardly at all this year. I didn't take them out when they finished last year but now I've removed them. I will plant them in the church gardens sometime this month.

In their place I planted some pots of Pelargoniums that are about to flower & some variegated Geraniums. The Pelargoniums are in the 2 side troughs while the centre trough has the Geraniums.
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I find here the Pelargonium (I only have the one) doesn't last as long as the Geraniums (of which I have many).

 

They are all Pelargoniums, the big ones look like Regal Pelargoniums , Zonal Pelargoniums flowering ,and the nice little coloured leaf Pelargoniums.
Not a Geranium in sight.

I've always found that the regal types have a mass flowering in early summer then don't do much later whereas the Zonals just go on and on.

 

Taking a bit of a punt this season - planted a load of Cosmos in a part shaded area of the garden. Let's see what happens. Also planted up a 3 tiered obelisk - top tier blue - middle tier mix of blue and white - bottom tier white - all trailing Lobelia.

Making my way back in for a cuppa - came across this Surfinia bloom - first of the season - what a lift to my spirits:

 

I know and appreciate the differences and I have many ... from trailing, standard, giant (5 foot tall), rosebud, etc, and THIS one which is what I am talking about ...

 

The CEO wanted to give the feature plants a dose of Tomorite and I was roped in to share the burden. I then made a start to weeding the shrubbery which, unlike our front garden, is not soaking wet. The garden is full of Mouse Ear Cress but it was easily pulled out and half an hour made a huge difference.