This is how the front garden looked through the glass door in the lounge around 8pm last night.
I managed to get out this morning between the showers and take some pictures whuilst the wind was blowing quite hard. This is the area I usually refer to as ‘the rose garden’. In the centre is ‘Trumpeter’ on a standard. There are fuchsias and Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla Mollis) in the picture, too.
The other day I found this Diarama (below) hiding among the hollyhocks. Also known as ‘Angel with Fishing Rod’, a specimen was purchased some years ago for the garden at the cancer support centre. When it finished flowering I took some seed. I sowed the seed in the greenhouse and several germinated. This is one of them – I planted 5 or 6 around the garden. I’ve waited about 5 years for them to flower and now two have.
The apple trees will be due for their summer pruning soon.
The raised bed is finished. A layer of farmyard manure in the bottom, the rest of the fill a mixture of equal parts topsoil and my homemade garden comppost. The latter will likely have weed seeds which I will allow to germinate before I sow anything. The weed seedlings can be hoed off before I sow an edible crop.
These perennial sweet peas have an interesting story. Back in the summer of 1990 I was working at the power station in Ironbridge. The contract duration was 3 months, right through the summer. I found a holiday cottage to rent in rural Shropshire about 10 miles away and Mrs P, I and our cat spent a delighful summer there. There were perennial sweet peas growing against the wall of the cottage. I took some seeds home and, when we moved to Yorkshire the follwing year, sowed them and grew the plants against the boundary wall. They were still there when we left 15 years later. Soon after we moved to our present home we spent a few days in Herefordshire where, on a walk with Mrs P’s brother and his wife, we came across perennial sweet peas growing wild in a hedgerow. Again I took seeds and now we have perennial sweetpeas again.
I harvested the garlic yesterday. Here it is drying out in the greenhouse.
The Ceanothus has almost finished flowering and is ready for it’s annual haircut. I could do with one of those, too. It’s been four months since I last visited abarber and it’ll likley be another 2 to 3 weeks before I can again!
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Peaceful post….
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I was so glad to have some rain, now it’s very windy – all so different from the heat wave of a few days ago.
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All down to the jet stream apparently.
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Your garden is doing well. I’m new to growing green vegetables and appreciate the insight about letting weed seeds germinate before sowing anything.
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Not my original thought, I’m afraid. I rely heavily on experts like Monty Don.
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Sweet peas remind me of childhood and those my parents grew…
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Me too – as with much of what I have in this garden!
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It’s such a lovely garden!
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Seems as though you’re having similar weather to us, Frank. Impressive garden stuff! As for hair, Mrs Britain likens me to the Doc Brown character in ‘Back to the Future’.
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There was a time, a week or so ago, when looking at the BBC weather forecast we saw rain and more rain forecast for England and none here. Last night they showed a map with the above average rainfall for the month highlighted which confirmed that impression. The grass is turning green very quickly!
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You are one busy gardener!!! We have only a tiny patch in the front of the house, about 2′ x 8′, and we have planted sunflowers and other bee-friendly flowers, but none have bloomed yet, though they are well on their way. I do love your garden and have enjoyed walking through it today! Thank you!
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You are always welcome – especialy so if it helps you forget for a moment what’s going on over there!
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😊
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A very pleasant stroll thanks Frank.
Hugs
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Hugs back! Glad you enjoyed your visit.
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A nice stroll, Frank. It’s good that you’re able to get out in it during lock-down.
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Actually, we have been able to travel a little further afield for a few weeks now. Even had a couple of visits from our son and his wife – for Mrs P’s birthday 3 weeks ago, then for father’s day. As of today we can, in theory, go anywhere in the country. Face masks are mandatory on public transport and we wear them when shopping.
From what I see on BBC, you should be able to get over to your van on the IoW now. But suppressing the virus has become a bit like squeezing a baloon – get it down on one side and it pops back up somewhere else.
These virtual walks were my attempt to share the good fortune of having the garden with those who were stuck in flats and apartments. Most of my followers seem to enjoy them so I’ll keep them coming at least until autumn.
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5 years is a long wait but so worth it. A beautiful garden, love the view.
My garden is happy again. I pruned the roses and dipped a few stems in honey and rooted them in potatoes. Can’t wait to see the growth!
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I’ve never heard of that method of rooting cuttings before! Must try it. Thank you for sharing.
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Congratulations on your Diarama—must have been very sweet to notice its presence after the long wait.
These are lovely strolls, Frank—and they are a welcome break from our dizzying national chaos in the US.
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You are always welcome, Annie.
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