What Jobs Are We Doing In The Garden Today 2019

Sorry about your neighbour @Verdun

 

Well, my second day out in the GH. Mind you. The GH looks like it's been deserted for years. I received some plugs from J.Parkers so a mad rush to get them potted up prior to planting out ine a few weeks time. This lot, part of my order. 66 polyanthus & 132 pansies. Next delivery will be 200 polyanthus.
My practice over the years has been to, set out the pots, fill with compost and then insert the plugs, cuttings or whatever. I now realise how much I have slowed down. Never mind. I have enjoyed myself. Mind you, the old back is a bit painful now. Perhaps a bonus. Two days running, I have been in the garden for over an hour and that damned itching hasn't bothered me.
I watered the garden both days, and today, turning off the hose and the heavens opend and it poured down.
Whilst watering, it gives one time to visually do a garden inspection. My climbing roses will have to endure a little longer wih the invasion of bindweed, jasmine, Ivy and holly plus snowberry. Probably until November when I usually cut back my roses. Why November? At this time of year, Roses and other woody perennials are shutting down, so there is less chance of new growth sprouting forth. Undoubtingly new growth appearing so close to the doorstep of winter, is not a good idea.
In time. I will give attention to my humble shubbary. I notice many roses have died. A well establishe Cornus rubra is no longer of this world. A Buddleja is a waste of space. Viburnum opulas is as dead as a Dodo. A Yew has been sheltering in the center of my Philadelphus. It has to go. The philadelphus has gone mad, so perhaps next year, very little flower will be produced.
Meanwhile.''''''''''Tally Ho. Another tipple Steward please. 'Hic! Forward men. Follow me.................................................I'm right behind you'

 

Sorry to read your sad news @Verdun .

No gardening for what seems like forever . It's almost back to the way it was before I started reclaiming it two years ago. Been super busy on the art front and have also been given my first ever commission ( for four pieces) .

I have managed a bit of dead heading and I bought two Lavender plants a week ago. I'm thinking about planting a Lavender bath. I do like the baths as flower planters but they are a pain with th watering. Thinking Lavender might be a good choice as doesn't need much water and likes a bake in hot sun. I'm not very good with Lavender but do love it anyway. The bath I'm thinking of using has a layer of gravel on the bottom and a layer about half way up. The compost on top of that layer was new last year. Should I replace that compost or will it be okay as Lavender likes poorish conditions ??. Or, should I replace the compost with soil?

A new pond @Verdun , that sounds most interesting. Are you replacing your existing pond or having two ponds?. When you've finished installing it you can come up and put my second pond in

 

Hello Lucius....thanks
When you get rich and famous with your artwork don’t forget me
The current pond is small......As always, ponds look huge at the building stage. I want to design it with reflections in mind....where the planting is best reflected in the water. In particular I want to move a lovely white dierama (Guinevere) so it echoes the blue sky behind it in the water

Re lavendar.....yes, the dryer and poorer the soil the better. Here I have a couple of hedges of lavender and they are never fed or watered and they flower profusely. The soil is pretty good but sandy and it bakes. I would mix the middle layer of gravel with your existing compost.
Lavendar is worth persevering with I think

Lovely day here, a tad cooler but nice and sunny. More tomato and bean picking as well as dead heading. Autumn flowering caryopteris are starting to flower......apart from the usual ones I have a silver variety, Stirling Silver, and Summer Sorbet, delightful yellow cut foliage.

 

It's one of those days when i hate gardening. Too hot, too dry and I've been stung and pricked
I've been cutting down large acanthus ready to dig out when the weather has made the caked earth is more accommodating. Everywhere is so dry and no rain forecast.

On the good side - the butterflies are dancing round the borders and enjoying the glorious September sunshine. I'll get my book and sit in the shade with a glass of bubbly to lighten my mood:cheerup:

 

We didn’t have much time in the garden, but have cut out the brambles from the steepest part of the bank below the patio bed.

Hubby was the first line of attack, on the bank, and I was cutting stems to wrap around the brambles. We then made three faggots of brambles/hedge prunings, already put out for collection.

I also cut back some of the achillea flower spikes, so they didn’t seed, and cut and tied in the tomatoes, butternut squash, and beans.

We still haven’t had a single runner bean, despite the plants being over 9 foot tall. Just been too hot, I guess!?

 

Just a bunch of pruning.

 

Today I potted on the plants I bought whilst in the UK, as I think they will benefit from some serious tlc before the winter.

Then I cut the grass, and weeded around the pond, and the new extended drive bed....

Time for a cuppa next to the pond, I think!

 

Not long back so beans and tomatoes to pick ....a daily pick is essential now.
Decided to move a couple of clematis....HF Young, Sieboldii Florida and Miss Bateman to more showy positions. A job for November I think

As is my assigned task it seems, I called in to cut niece’s grass earlier

 

A glorious day....and it’s hot

Love heleniums but deadheading them needs the patience of a saint and that’s what I have been doing. Prob got a dozen or more large plants and moving among the bees is risky!

Quite a few butterflies too.....flitting about here there and everywhere but they too are a risk; their bite is pretty dangerous I gather

Looks like the beans are tailing off a bit now.....still producing and picked a kg or two but not as plentiful as a few days back.

Potted on a few tender perennials into half litre pots too

 

Alrighty then ARMANDII.....I accept most humbly