Potted on begonias, pelargoniums and tomatoes for greenhouse and also tomatoes in a hanging basket. Planted blue shrubby salvia , and also hardy geranium. Rain stopped play waiting for it to (hopefully) stop soon.
Had a good day in garden yesterday afternoon , repotted a Hydrangea as the pot had become an Ants 🐜 nest Repotted 4 House leeks that I had taken as cuttings Planted a hanging basket with sedum Finally a bit of hedge trimming
Went online to research what a succulent is that I have been neglecting for about 20 years. I was told initially it was a Moon Cactus which only flowered every 100 years, at night, then it died. Not quite correct. It seems to be a cereus, found in Mexico, which grows to around 17ft in height, can withstand excessive draught, which explains why it has survived with me so far, grows in very sandy/gritty soil and has enormous flowers, they open at dusk and die at sunrise, with an outstanding perfume. Mine has its first flower bud, I previously divided it into 3 pots because it has so many stems. The plant does not die after flowering. I was going to give it away on Freecycle because I couldn't wait any longer for it to flower but am willing to wait now. I am thinking of buying an extra-large container, putting all 3 plants together, and training them up an obelisk in the conservatory. The growth is so ugly, rather like a Christmas Cactus on an overdose of steroids. The information I found suggested when the flowers are about to open, getting in a few bottles of wine, some nibbles and inviting friends to come and watch the late night event! Now that is a thought.
Did some work at MIL’s garden today, including planting up a strawberry and herb planter.
Finally my, late sown, courgettes are ready to plant on. They take a large amount of compost so will probably only do one or two and give the others away.
I’ve tidied a few shrubs this weekend - garden bin is full and the stuff is too woody for my compost bin so some has gone on big compost pile and some (Holly) can wait until the council bin has room again.
This spot was full of weeds last year. I've weeded it a couple of times and finally finished planting and mulching today. Plants include ferns, wood anemones, geraniums, sarcocca, vinca and euphorbia.
Did some planting (a new clematis and some Alchemilla mollis), collected a lot of seed from a patch of red campion and chucked it all over my meadow, watered pots and anything recently planted in the ground, trimmed the bay hedges, chelsea-chopped the front part of my patch of Helianthus 'lemon queen', cut back most of my hellebores and did a load of deadheading. Busy day!
Got a proper sweat on yesterday, digging out over ten years worth of peony tubers, found a few more Spanish bluebell bulbs, split and moved some tulips & daffs today, and planted up two more salvias, because you can never have too many. 😉 That particular bed had been neglected for so long, it took a hell of an effort to get a fork in most of it. I'm done in and I've got to be in work at 4pm. 🥴
Planted Echinacea and Heleniums, potted up a dahlia "American Dawn" in a pot for MIL. Potted on Gauras, Echinaceas, peonies and hardy geraniums. Cut back Cotoneaster (no resident birds) as it was blocking light to the solar fountain in bird bath. Deadheaded shrubby salvias.
Planted Echinacea and Heleniums, potted up a dahlia "American Dawn" in a pot for MIL. Potted on Gauras, Echinaceas, peonies and hardy geraniums. Cut back Cotoneaster (no resident birds) as it was blocking light to the solar fountain in bird bath. Deadheaded shrubby salvias.
So many bees buzzing around, lovely
Yes, suddenly they're out in force. And butterflies - first weekend this year where I've really seen a lot!
Planted Helenium that l found hidden amongst other plants in pots 😳, did some deadheading and came across a Nandina "Limelight" that was getting buried under a load of other stuff. I have been watering it regularly, a good 10 litre watering can each time, but it wasn't looking happy. I decided to dig it up and it was as dry as a bone. I'm loathe to criticise peat free compost but this stuff was dreadful. Trimmed it back, took out all the dead stuff and it's now soaking in a trug overnight. I'm going to put it in a big pot with some reduced peat compost and garden soil tomorrow, and keep it near the house where l can keep a closer eye on it.
Posts
Planted blue shrubby salvia , and also hardy geranium. Rain stopped play waiting for it to (hopefully) stop soon.
Repotted 4 House leeks that I had taken as cuttings
Planted a hanging basket with sedum
Finally a bit of hedge trimming
It seems to be a cereus, found in Mexico, which grows to around 17ft in height, can withstand excessive draught, which explains why it has survived with me so far, grows in very sandy/gritty soil and has enormous flowers, they open at dusk and die at sunrise, with an outstanding perfume.
Mine has its first flower bud, I previously divided it into 3 pots because it has so many stems. The plant does not die after flowering.
I was going to give it away on Freecycle because I couldn't wait any longer for it to flower but am willing to wait now. I am thinking of buying an extra-large container, putting all 3 plants together, and training them up an obelisk in the conservatory. The growth is so ugly, rather like a Christmas Cactus on an overdose of steroids.
The information I found suggested when the flowers are about to open, getting in a few bottles of wine, some nibbles and inviting friends to come and watch the late night event!
Now that is a thought.
Potted on Gauras, Echinaceas, peonies and hardy geraniums.
Cut back Cotoneaster (no resident birds) as it was blocking light to the solar fountain in bird bath.
Deadheaded shrubby salvias.
So many bees buzzing around, lovely
I have been watering it regularly, a good 10 litre watering can each time, but it wasn't looking happy.
I decided to dig it up and it was as dry as a bone. I'm loathe to criticise peat free compost but this stuff was dreadful.
Trimmed it back, took out all the dead stuff and it's now soaking in a trug overnight. I'm going to put it in a big pot with some reduced peat compost and garden soil tomorrow, and keep it near the house where l can keep a closer eye on it.