WHAT JOBS ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2018

It's raining here. The grass isn't going to get cut today. I didn't pack down the soil in my new rockery so I'm hoping it's not going to move. So far I think it's ok.

@BigC I hope so. I think opening it out has had an immediate impact. There is already a baby crab apple tree in there. It will take a few years for that to mature. Otherwise I'm still not 100% sure what else to put in there. I want it to look good. I have a variety of plants in pots ready* but I'm not happy to commit to anything yet.

* I have a lobelia which I think will look good immediately behind the barrel.
I have a white Achillea that Linz generously sent me. It didn't flower for long but that might be due to the pot.
I have a purple heuchera which I'm keen to utilise, especially as the lobelia is also purple.
I have a sedum autumn joy.

All of these plants are big enough to split.

It's a work in progress. Apart from dotting a few spring bulbs around, nothing else will be added until next spring.

G.

 

Cut down the dahlias in the bottom bed which is being extended and used as part orchard/ part cutting garden. The dahlias have been in the ground for the past four years and survived the weather so I will just put straw around them again. They are all white and a bit uninteresting hence the placing. The first year I left them I wasn't bothered if they didn't reappear but after flowering prolifically I gave them another chance and protected them.
The ground around the dahlias has been infested with creeping buttercup which I spend a couple of hours digging out. Not my favourite job. I want to get the bed ready for the arrival of sleepers on Tuesday which will surround the area.
While weeding I got bitten in places I didn't think I had. I don't the the bugs like me much After a shower and application of anti itch cream I feel like another session but have been persuaded otherwise. Tomorrow is another gardening day

 

At the moment it feels like whenever I'm at work the weather is great, and when I'm at home it won't stop raining I've got lots of bulbs to put in but the ground is sodden, so it's an unappealing job.

 

Storm Callum was a pain
However the sun came out mid morning and it has been glorious . A summer's day

Lifted a large clump of lobelia Hadspen Purple and divided it. Gave some to my neighbour so she's happy. Planted lobelia Tupa that has been growing on for a few weeks so pretty big. Cut damaged perennials back, planted a few more wallflowers and stocks and planted out divided (in spring) potted arrhenatherum bulbosum ......a delightful white grass that makes a superb impact over winter and spring; grow it with red heucheras, purple berberis etc for a striking show.

Funny how some very tall dahlias remain intact following the storm but others, some shorter, were flattened by the storm

A dry, sunny week to come I think

 

Not much sun here - grey and drizzly. More clearing in readiness for the sleepers due tomorrow. The ground is heavy but good with lots of big fat worms. Hope to get a couple of hours out there before the weather deteriorates further.

 

A hectic 90 minutes when I pulled up a group of cosmos and replaced with a group of wallflowers, potted up divisions of elymus magellanicus, planted out a recently divided phormium (Alison Blackman) and took cuttings of salvia Elegans, currently still flowering.

A pleasant day esp earlier when sun came out....warm and dry

 

Morning all, hoping to get outside and to contiue clearing my allotment beds. I weeded half the back garden on Monday when it wasnt raining. Hopefully today will stay dry.

Quick question....I've dug up some salvia and calendulas that had self seeded on the allotment beds that id borrowed from a neighbour. I'll be giving the beds back so was wondering if the salvia and calendula will be ok to transplant directly into my garden now, or whether I should keep them in pots in a cold frame til spring? Any thoughts?

 

Depends on the salvia type Snorky. Some can be divided, by tuber or root and some form adventitious roots that are easily dug up and potted. Many salvias are quite thuggish in their behaviour and therefore best dug up every year or two to control them.
So, what varieties Snorky?
The calendulas? I would pot up for spring planting
Not much time for gardening today except to mow the lawns.....lovely weather
Also dug up some large stocks and wallflowers to take to my nephew's tomorrow for his garden. Plus a choisya and a daphne odora A. for him so some decent planting tomorrow.

Chuffed to haggle a big discount today on my car service plus free brake fluid change....a substantial cash saving. This follows yesterday's phone call to my phone/broadband provider where a similar saving was made. Need to get some extra cash for more plants!!! Never be afraid to haggle for anything folks

 

Blue skies and sun till 4pm. Woke to a hard frost first thing. Ice and frost on car, fleece's stiff as boards. Winter has started for me.
Dahlias, geraniums,ponytail,umbrella plant,fusias etc etc still outside but fleeces are ready for action again.

 

@Verdun the salvia is a Salvia Viridis Blue Monday (some sarah raven seeds from her "cutting" collection. I think the calendulas are "indian prince". I looked up the planting advice but it just says they can be sown outdoors in september...these were sown around august id say (from spreading themselves).

With the calendulas in pots-should i be keeping them in a cold frame?

Spent the rest of the day weeding the two front garden borders. Still more to finish off tomorrow. Been nice to get a load done. Once its weed free i can start diving up the achillea etc and planting out primulas I've had growing from tiny plugs.

 

Hiya Snorky,
Dont grow or know that salvia but I understand it to be an annual so I would do the same as the calendulas and pot them up and protect over winter...cold frame should be fine .

 

Had a good day in the garden today. It was lovely and sunny. Did a bit more weeding of the front outer border and then started dividing up some plants in the back border and replanting them.

The canterbury bells had spread really well so split them up and replanted. Also found some new bits of bears breeches growing so spread them out too-handy as I wanted some more so that's saved me some money.

Surprisingly my dahlias have really started looking good after hardly doing anything all year.

 

Planted shrubs, wallflowers and stocks at my nephew's in the delightful weather. His garden is taking shape and even though he is a grudging gardening so and so he seems to appreciate it all ....I think

Successfully completed an injury compensation claim for someone today too after almost 2 years. Fun n games but got there at last......a combination of determined cussedness and fighting all the way plus the powerful effect of being right! The compo was far more than she dared hope for. Glad its now done and dusted