WHAT JOBS ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY - 2017

We cant kill everything luciousmaximus.......nice attutude about the moles

 

I love Mrs. Shiney's answer - you are so lucky to be able to grow the "supposed" lime haters. I think we have to go with what we like and if they don't like us then try something else. Gardening is a journey of trial and error. I'm gardening on heavy clay, much improved over the years but there are so many plants that I would love to thrive here that don't.
It's the same old maxim "right plant, right place"

I've just completed my morning walk round the garden and was pleased to see the gaura patch has corrected it's position of horizontal back to vertical and it's looking good. Coreopsis flowering but you have to be seven feet tall or stand on a ladder to see the flowers.

 

Shiney, totally agree with your comment about ericaceous soil and camellias....neutral soil here too but they grow well. It is surprising how many "experts" claim camellias need ericaceous soil.....well, they may prefer it but are very tolerant escept on highly alkaline soils.
Apart from the very early days when I planted what I liked the look of, I research every plant and try to give it what it needs. The books are a guide only.
Heathers are a good example.....I went crazy for them planting every sort I could then realised some thrived and some died. The reality that "heathers" are not all the same; some need acid soil some are lime tolerant.
We live and learn....supposedly .
Alana, a gaura fan here too......yep, they look sorry for themselves after a deluge but usually recover in the sun.

 

Bought these and put them in planters, I love the Midnight sun LYSIMACHIA a lovely plant it will make a lovely contrast once it spreads amongst the heathers.

 

Run the flame gun up and down my first row of peas that are now finished in order to kill off the weeds and weed seeds that developed. Sowed more lettuce, radish and wild rocket in the polytunnel.
Then took a saw and harvested a broccoli head - a great big one!! Just been Googling for broccoli and cheese soup recipes :-)

 

I noticed that the ferns at the bottom of my garden have been eaten and also the bottom leaves of our weeping willow. I think we've been getting a noctural visitor - maybe a muntjac. We have a lane a the bottom of the garden and are a stone's throw from the marshes. We thought our garden was difficult to get into (apart from cats) so we'll have to do a recce to see how they're getting in.

 

Morning folks
Lots of bees around.......they love the agastaches esp Black Adder.
Seen a few ladybirds Shiney but 50 ? Saw a prog about the Harlequin ladybird attacking our own ladybirds; ditto an asian hornet and our indigenous bees. The world is increasingly a small place. Not aware of any aphids at all.....??? That's torn it, bet I will be inundated with them now.
Looking good weatherwise at the moment.....beans to pick, tomatoes too. New batch of lettuce is ready....they look delicious
Have a great day folks

 

The soap sounds good Shiney - Thanks for the tip I'll give it a go

 

Thanks Shiney - I cut up some bars of Imperial Leather which we don't like the smell of so I'm hoping the deer won't either. I wrapped the soap in hessian tied up with string and hung on our bottom gate. We'll have to wait and see if it works.
The little parcels should intrigue the dog walkers and riders if nothing else.