#38 - Planting day

 

We weeded and installed a small raised bed for the new rose we received as a gift from Mother in Law.

Peter Beale’s modern Climber ‘Dublin Bay’, unfortunately no scent, but it is the most beautiful bloom.

Height: 8 ft. (240 cm)

Width: 5 ft. (150 cm)

Clusters of medium-sized, fully double, bright scarlet-crimson flowers.  Flowering June onwards and likes open sunny position with free draining soil.  The label says it can tolerate poorer soils, but we have planted it in a nice rich Rose and Tree peat-free compost.

Simple pruning in March, or before new growth starts,  y removing any dead or thin branches, and tie in as you go.

Feed in Spring and again in Summer.

I added some of random Sweet peas to the container … ‘Spencer’.

Then ate a delicious piece of Ruby’s Bakery Red Velvet sponge before - for the want of any where else to put them at the moment - adding in two Nesmesia.

On the right Sunmesia ‘Banana Swirl’. 

Height 30 to 40 cm

Scented bi-colour plant that is suited to hanging baskets, but does equally as well in a container.

On the left Nuvo’Burgundy Bicolour’.

Height 15 to 20 cm.  Again, it should like this full sun position in the container in our vegetable patch at the end of the garden.  

Both of the Nemesia smell Devine,  it I think the scent of the Burgundy Bicolour just has the edge,  but I love the Banana Swirl colour and flower slightly more.  You can’t have everything right? 

I also have a couple of seed packets of Nesemia, which I hope if I plant them in the week, might just get to flowering a bit later on in the summer.

The Potting Shed is being installed on Friday next, but I still have a few jobs to do before then. Despite the heat we e just trimmed the end and side hedge a bit to make it easier for the installers, and have now taken root under the parasol.

I still need to weed more in the vegetable garden, and then we have to instal a large raised bed and fill it.  I also have a Nepeta to plant, and a couple more to buy, behind the Lavender Hedge.  Plus track down some Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis) for the same area.

Hugs

Kay xx

#37 - Hot enough in the UK

… so I was out in the garden before 7 a.m..

I managed a good bit of heavy weeding, then did a once over in the veg beds and watered them.

When I first planted the Lavender hedge between the middle and bottom terraces at the end of the garden I could not get all the way to end, as the large raised beds had not been installed, but were planned.  So after they were added, I had a small gap between the original hedge and the edge of the new raised beds. 

 I’m not sure what variety the original Lavenders were - probably just basic English ones as I purchased them as un-marked plugs.  I decided therefore that I wanted a Hidcite to mark the difference, and I can use it to take cuttings later on, with a view to putting it behind in the middle vegetable garden terrace going forward.  

I managed to quickly weed and plant it, and used the wet cardboard and 20mm pea shingle on top.  When I next venture out I’ll also get some nice decorative pebbles.

As you can see, I’ve still not finished mulching, as there is more to do weeding around the Hydrangeas, but it’s a start.

Due to my uncontrolled plant habit, I still have a lot more plants to get in both containers and the ground, so I’m aiming to get out here again this evening.

May you path be always in the light.

Hugs

Kay xx

#28 - New gate and fence to the front today

Our eldest kid is installing a new fence and gate to the front side of the property today, so there is a lot of drilling and holes.  It will be lovely when it’s done, and I am so lucky he had some time to get this done.  If it looks as nice as the rear gate I will be very happy.  The weather has been horrible for the last drew days, and so I will paint it when it’s up.  Actually,  is easier to do that way.  It is another step forward in the garden’s evolution.

I do have to paint the boundary fence panels for the rear, at least on the side that is facing our neighbour.  There is no obligation to give them the nice side of the fence, but it is the decent thing to do, plus if I had the rails our side and we can install tension wires for more climbing plants.  I dug up the Bergenia plants, and will pop them somewhere else, as I don’t think there will be sufficient space for them to be happy without me taking up some of the path.  The arches on the path will need a bit of attention, as they are not completely stable due to the rocky nature of the soil in that part of the garden.  I think the solution will be to lay down some sleepers on a level base and then drill holes and screw the legs in, or perhaps use epoxy.  The darling one is always brilliant at coming up with solutions on our sloping in all directions site.

Talking of evolution, eldest kid is also going to install my pergola for the pew I had as a birthday present two years ago.  It sits up near the arches, but is in full sun.  This is not ideal, and so we will take the opportunity to build it  a little home of its own where it can look up towards the arches and Hebe garden.  I could not find a suitable off the peg one, and so as designing a bespoke one.

The only thing is there is an awful lot to dig out, to level off and then retain with a sleeper wall, but the view should be really pretty towards where the pew is in the photo above.  There will be new fencing, notch’s general view of my neighbour’s s ants on the washing line, covered in clematis and jasmine. Plus there will be a small rose bed in to the bottom of the Hebe garden, where the wire gabion is sitting at the moment ... or where you can see a green plastic compost bag in it.

Hugs

Kay xx

#27 - HAED Mini Bouquet finished project

Not the only thing growing in my garden, this delight finally has the gird lines removed, and smells divinely floral after the spa treatment.

Full details on my main blog Sussex Stitcher.

Hugs

Kay xx

#26 - Sweet violets

 … I love them and this beauty was snapped up Some weeks ago from Thorpe’s Nursery … and no, I am not sponsored by them!

This is Viola ‘Rebecca’ and she is and two of her sisters are filling my whole garden with delicious scent that is mailing with the scent from the roses.  Our garden is so open that this is quite a task considering how tiny they are. Four to eight inches 4 by 8 inches in height and spread, and flowering in later Spring to early Autumn.  They like moist, but well drained soil.  Their beautiful creamy-white, mauve-streaked pansy like flowers with clumps of dar green, heart-shaped leaves make me imagine it would be a perfect outfit for any tiny fairies in the garden.

An alpine, they are suitable for borders and path edging, rockeries, gravel gardens and containers, which is where they are planted in an old Butler sink that we un-earned from the top Hebe Garden covered in mud, weeds and junk.  It’s heavy it took two burly men and me to move it the 30 feet to sit in the raised brick patio.

I need more Viola in my life.

Hugs

Kay xx

#24 - Reflecting on the new side fence

 

I was just flicking through my stored photos and realised that I had not shred the progress on the side gate/fence area … so here we are.

I obviously have more work to do, but the post holes have been filled in.  They will no doubt settle a bit, but there’s sufficient spoil to deal with that on the plot.

The screening on the back of the trellis was a bit thin one side, so we re-purposed an old mirror from the upper hall that was moved in - the darling one painted it in the Valspar Afternoon Nap green.  The other three shaped mirrors were a random inexpensive purchase from The Range years ago that had never been utilised anywhere, and so we includ3 them (they are plastic frames).

The plan is to re-use an old bird bath in this area, which is a work in progress:

It is certainly not what one would class as a looker, but will do just fine in that corner.  Since taking this photo I’ve added further high and low lights with eco ink, and the bowl portion has been sealed with clear varnish.  I am now going to go over both the bird path and the concrete paving slab with further paint mixed it’s compost for texture.  In the end it shouldn’t look too bad when the planting goes around it, plus it has avoided landfill and will the bids somewhere to drink.  For a little bit of sweat equity is will be a win all around.

My next post will be another area with the same ethos.

Hugs

Kay xx

#19 - Second shift today - hold on to your hats as it has turned into a long ramble ....

 I started work early this morning very early, 7.am early in fact to beat the heat, as it gets very warm on the top bed.

I started off by lifting up the board between the bark path and the boarder edge under the arches.  The pile of weeds was just one of many, and need to a bulk bag to go to the tip, as the usual Brown Bin collection is delayed due to a local authority strike - it's not going great for them at the moment.

Then moved on to weeding more of the bed ready to transplant about 12 or so Foxgloves from the raised beds that had self-seeded last year.

The next photos are just here for safekeeping, so please ignore it, or enjoy the half trimmed hedge, which is our rear boundary (not the boundary for the tenant at the rear to trim), which is what happened last week.  We had purposefully left it long whilst the hedging of Laurel and Viburnam Tinus grew up.  Of more importance,  its bird nesting season and so they had no business cutting it for that reason, let alone that it does not belong to their property.  I have been in contact with the local authority as it is a social housing tenant, and need to send them some photos, so in case I accidentally delete it from my device.

You can see the line where I stopped them, I have no idea what was going through their heads as they know full well that the boundary belongs to us. It is not that in the appropriate season I would necessarily have objected to a height prune, but would have liked the option to control what was taken off.  Obviously, there are no objections to them trimming the face of the hedge their side, but the height is definitely not in their gift with out prior agreement from us.  

As Bird Nesting is from March to end of August (better September) in the UK there would have been plenty of time to organise permission from us.  Actually, the contractor they used got a sharp talking to about being aware of Bird Nesting and boundary ownership before starting work.  Our son is a Fencing and Garden Maintenance Contractor, and I know that he always checks, and is right up there on bird nesting legislation.

There is no point in being low frequency and angry about it, as I am realistic enough to realise that the vegetation cannot be glued back on, but the Warden is go have a word with them about their behaviour and remind them of the correct procedure etc.

Anyway, on to nicer things.  Monday is Top Bed day and it is now looking a bit better, with first pass weeding of most of it, and second pass weeding of some of the area done at the weekend.  

The eagle-eyed of you will have spotted the wheelbarrow full of my efforts and the big pile next to it.  Lots of Buttercup, Dock Geum and the grass that shall not be named.

What a joy the emerging gloves provide, they always remind me of Beatrix Potter and Jemima Puddleduck illustrations from childhood..  The perfect and quintessential cottage garden.

Indeed, I  made such good progress that some Foxgloves were also moved from the raised beds, well before at 8.30 and I stopped for breakfast, and are now snuggled in with their new bedfellows. Who have lovely blooms just forming.  There is a Robinia and a Grevillea (I think it is called) that need to be moved out to new beds.  Iris plants that need to move in, along with about 12 Shasta Daisy plants I raised from seed last year, and some other large clump forming Daisy plants that came from Mother in Law's beautiful garden.  So the area will be quite full when it is finished.  At the moment it has just tipped over from an area of shame to on the verge of being really quite lovely.

After breakfast and a well-earned rest I sallied forth again, as I’m repairing the stone wall by the gate (to retain soil mostly), and I can then plant up with Lobelia. and golden Lamium.

 I also moved a bit more compost from the old bin site into its new location.  It is dirty work, but somebody has to do it, and somebody is me!

The Big Boy Hot Bin is still pending a move, but it is not a single-handed task.

The fence is looking good in the Cuprinol Ducksback in  Forest Green looks great on the fence.  We painted the other side yesterday, and that is also looking mighty fine. It's a bargain at the moment from Wickes at £8 per 5L pot.

Hugs Kay xx

#17 - You could of heard me belting out a tune this morning

 CeCe Penistan would be livid too.  ‘Finally, uts happened to me, right in front of my eyes’ ...

It’s the small things that make me ridiculously happy, or in this case a large thing that has taken its blasted time to being nursed and tended from inauspicious beginnings.

Meet my one and only Aquilegia (currently), with the variety lost in time, that was rescued a few years ago from an overturned seed tray deep that had been blown over in a storm and the rest of its seedlings perished.  

It has been nurtured, and also nearly bitten the dust a few times, but despite all the odds is now this beautiful specimen, and looks like it will be cream or pale yellow.  I can’t wIt for it to fully bloom.

Judging by the slowness of my recently sown seedlings, Aquilegia might be slow growing, so you could end up for a two or three year break before there is this level of enthusiasm seeping through the screen, because when all8# said and done, it one of my favourite perennials, and a cottage garden staple.

Hugs

Kay xx

#13 - Back in the game

 …and hanging out with Kevin my gargoyle.  

We’ve done lots of weeding in the rear raised beds as well as clearing Magnolia petals and sweeping up the paths.I also planted a Hydrangea Paniculata Limelight that Mother in Law bought us last year.  She assured me at the weekend that it was would not get too big, and I have to admit that I bunged it in taking her at her word.  I should research it to make sure though as it might need to be re-sited.

Sitting up there with a cup of tea and the most delicious scent from the Citronella was bliss, but it is now a little hot, so I’ve ventured inside until later.  

After my stroke the garden got away with me, but as long as I am careful and take frequent rests I am startling to do more.

The good news is that whilst I have been away my lovely Husband found time to paint the shed outside, and started painting the interior this weekend just gone - I’ll take an update of how it looks shortly.

Tomorrow will be a good day, as the oldest kid is installing a new gate and side fence - for seven years I have had to endure a rotting short gate that was tied up with rope, so I. Sure you can imagine how much I am looking forward to it.

Hugs

Kay

X

#12 - more seeds and mutant Brussels

 

The mutant Brussel Sprouts have been pulled up.  They were not my finest veg, as I only attempted to grow them for the first time last year … we will gloss over the purple Sprouting Broccoli for now and just focus on moving forward.  I learnt a lot with this crop like, staking them early on, and probably de-budding being a strong contender to eliminate over crowding on the stalk.  None of which statements are grounded in actual research, but seem intuitive.  

The staking as they fall all over the place, and the stems are not at all flexible, And the de-budding as the individuals were too tightly paid in and were a nightmare to remove at harvesting.  

 Clean, I need to do more detailed reading on growing them,  it they were tasty, tasty, very, very tasty.  We ate a lot at Christmas time.

In their place we have opted for David Domoney Spring Onion ‘White Lisbon’ seed tape by Mr Fothergills.

Some Hot Bin compost was added and them drills 6.5 centimetres apart and 1.5 centimetres deep were set with the table layer straight and then covered over with shop bought compost and watered in.

They can be sewn outdoors like this from March to July, and should be kept well watered and weed free.  Seedlings should appear  appearing between 14 to 21 days.

Harvest May to October, taking alternate onions from the rows to allow for growth etc.

I have never grow; from tape before, but is certainly easy … so let’s see how they do.

Lupine have also been sewn, I just went for ‘Russell’ mixed in memory of my dog.  They can be sewn from March to June indoors, make about  1.2 metres in height, are a staple cottage garden perennial.  They will flower next year (May to July), but caution they are harmful if eaten.

Hugs

Kay xx

#11 - Let the seed starting begin

 

The first ones of the season, Mr Fothergill’s:

Aquilegia Biedermeier Mixed (Columbine)

Hardy Perennial 

Flowers: May to July

60 cm high / 40 cm spread

Well drained soil

Full sun 

Sow indoors: cold frame or up heated greenhouse: February to June

Plant out: April to June

Sow outdoors: April to June

Germination: 21 to 42 days

Tray code: AQ

One of my all time cottage garden staples, who seem to always be happy little breeders and spreaders throughout the garden.