Whats Looking Good In July 2023

They really don't like dry conditions but love being in full sun so can be temperamental about it. To make them even more awkward they want well drained soil . Otherwise they are quite happy

 

I've only just realised that I haven't posted any pictures this month so shall now start wearing your eyes out




As our garden is not at all organised we plant things anywhere and also just leave self-seeded or wildlife seeded plants if they're not a nuisance.

These poppies seed themselves all over the garden and there are hundreds of them. These are in the veg plot and help bring the pollinators









Rue

This is part of our front wild area, by the footpath, and is 60ft long. We get a lot of people saying they love the look of it. They tend to stop us when walking in the village and say they always look for it when driving by.

Pyramidal orchids are still going strong and they're in our wild area at the back



These bronze fennel are all self seeded in the last two years but we shall have to get rid of them this year as they are taking over the bed. We'll remove them after we have collected the seeds - and given them away for peoples' spice cupboards.

 

Internet going down stopped play!

Cosmos are a bit late this year









Over the years the Verbascum chaixii have spread and seem to like where they have set up home

They have spread to the borders of the veg plots and are trying to fill the space between the plots

The other week the beans were solid with blackfly and this was how it looked after hosing a lot off

Then Mrs Shiney brought in an army of her friends that were playing in the front garden and they cleared all the blackfly in three days.

The Veronicastrum got flattened by the winds and I have cut away over half of them that were broken and tied up the rest. That's why they look crammed together

Bees and butterflies love them but were having a hard time landing on them with the wind whipping them around

 

Zinnias lilliput are also later this year















These Hostas looked crammed together - because they are. They are in four giant glazed pots that were given to us to use for our charity. They had been there so long that they were rock solid throughout the pots and with the pots being curved inwards they were unable to get them out so gave them to us. During late Winter I started working on them by using a heavy knife to cut into the middle of them and start taking blocks of them out. Mrs Shiney separated them, tidied them up and potted up whatever looked good. By late Spring those plants were looking good and we sold them. This Autumn I shall continue cutting out and they will also be potted up.





Variegated Sage looks good in flower beds as well as the herb plot.

 

Verbena bonariensis also spreads itself all over the garden

Bees and butterflies love it

Hydrangea Annabelle

Our small plant

Our larger one. We take Irishman's cuttings throughout the year, pot them up and sell them in their second year if they have started flowering - which they usually do. We sell them for £5 and most GC's sell them for between £15 - £25 depending on size.

Can't remember the names of these Lillies but Mrs Shiney is likely to remember











Wild verbascum