What's Looking Good In June 2013

Me too - an "I don't believe it" one ... I put all the ungerminated pots of seeds under my brand spanking new Mist Propagation system ... and that has prompted some things to germinate including a whole pot of Aruncus dioicus that I didn't realise I had sown how about that?

 

The Lavender Walk just coming into flower ... and a bounding puppy


A Cistus fit-to-bust (pretty sure it is Cistus x dansereaui decumbens)



although images on Google has a spot of maroon in the flower centres??

 

Not sure which white item I like best, awww no contest the puppy, is it a white German Shepherd? now that is a real coincidence re Aruncus, glad you new misting system is doing it's stuff for you already.
Could I just ask how long does it take you to cut your grass? From the photo it looks like it is a matter of days rather than hours!!!!!!!

 

Golden Retriever .. the Mum was very white though, so I expect Puppy is going to be the "Alba" variety

A little over an hour ... now that I have my Flying Bedstead ("Allen National 68") mower [picture below]. 68" cylinder cut. Not great for tight corners / manoeuvring, but for rectangular areas, and paths that are compatible with multiples of 68" (and those that aren't soon will be!!) its very quick. It goes at a decent walking pace, but [according to the spec] that amounts to 2 acres per hour. They come up on eBay for around the £500 regularly, its just a question of waiting for one that is not at the other end of the country!

Only gripe is that it doesn't "collect". I Um'd and Ah'd about that (previously had a Cylinder with Box), and seeing a slight brownness to the stripes after a couple of days where the cut grass is lying detracts a bit. Obviously helps to mow often. Now that I can do it in an hour-ish, rather than 3 or 4 hours as it was before, I don't mind doing it more-or-less twice a week.

My parents had two (one after the other ) starting in the 70's, and on reflection I don't know why I delayed 7 years before getting one myself!

 

I'm not noticing any from mine? except the smell of the vegetation which isn't exactly pleasant.

RHS says that its fragrant ... wonder why mine isn't? (It ain't a problem with MY nose ... Mrs K has a very keen sense of smell and she can't detect any scent either ...)

 

Yikes never seen a mover like that. Somehow it reminds me of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, I think it's the blades look a bit like wings! That's good going tho to be able to cut the grass so quickly. Know what you mean about the dilemma of to collect the clippings or not. Had an ancient and much loved Wheelhorse which I reckon would have qualified for the London to Brighton veteran car rally, she was falling to bits and we couldn't find a true mechanic who wanted the challenge of her. She didn't collect the grass. Now have a so so John Deere thing which does collect. Ok the grass looks better but you then have the problem of what to do with the mountains of clippings, there is only so much you can put on the compost!
Didn't think my guess of a German Shepherd was right , of course a Golden (Alba in your case!). Had 1 of the more golden variety years ago, much loved and missed, bit like the Wheelhorse!

 

Making them one-mower-width, rather than one-and-a-bit, would help (or if one-and-a-bit then them being two or nearly-two would at least be a bit less insulting to the mower-man!)

I expect your mowing includes quite a lot of time for turning at the ends of the rows. Not much you can do about that, but a wider mower = fewer end-turns.

When I collected mine I piled it in a grass-only heap. It went all slimy, but after a year or two it was usable back in the garden. Some selective lawn weedkillers (e.g. Verdone Extra) have very persistent chemicals need composting for many months anyway, so stacking it for a couple of years would help with that too.

Looks quite like Allium Molly

 

Thats strange Kristen you can smell mine all over the garden, gorgeous honey like fragrance.

 

I'll have another Niff then, thanks.

 

Rosa Lad of Shalott



Teasing Georgia



Princess Alexandra of Kent



Lonicera Halliana



Mutabilis



Azalea Denny's Rose still going strong



Can't remember the name of this - not mine but neighbour's which overhangs my fence by the patio. If I remember right somebody wanted a cutting of one - happy to pinch a bit (although I am sure my neighbour would oblige anyway). Think it was Kristen?