How does your garden grow?

[plocket]

I've managed to do some gardening today!!! Yesterday I bought Actaea Simplex Hillside Black Beauty (black Cowparsley) which I’ve planted near my Bronze Fennel; Thalictrum Kiusianum which I’ve planted in a pot and put near the water garden; Thalictrum Cultratum which I’ve put in the Margi bed so it’s a little sheltered by the water garden; Iris Chrysographes which I haven’t planted yet but it’s to replace the one that seems to have vanished this year – I might have to try growing it in a pot; and finally a tiny Mathiasella Bupleuroides “Green Dream” which was shown a few weeks ago on Gardeners’ World and introduced at the Chelsea Flower Show 2007. I haven’t planted it yet because I need to know what its requirements are, but I think Crocus supplied it so will know what to do.

As well as doing the planting, I’ve tidied up the corner of the garden under the kitchen window. I’ve moved the metal shelving unit and thrown loads of stuff out, and I’ve sorted my pots, moved the wormery, and generally made that corner much neater. I’ve removed the round shelving unit to a sunnier part of the garden and have put seedlings on it, rather than having them on the ground which makes them vulnerable to both slugs and LP! Oh and I've been watering my clems with "Worm Juice" ;D

[4pygmies]

OOH the black cow parsley is GORGEOUS! You lucky thing...I can't have it as I have so much of the vulgar stuff in my garden and it would cross pollinate. Photos when it's big enough please! Although I can picture it next to Bronze Fennel (my favourite garden herb I think), that sounds like a gorgeous combination.
It's nice to potter isn't it? Especially when you can see the results. Jolly good!

[plocket]

It's LOVELY to potter although after all the tiding, throwing and sweeping (all of which goes against the grain) I'm feeling tired but pleased. I've hardly stopped today ;D

I've also got Ravenswing (cow parsley) in the garden but it's not looking particularly happy - the new one Hillview whatsit is fragrant apparently - I hope I like the smell!!! ;D

Bronze Fennel is scrummy isn't it? I have to admit that I usually dead-head mine before the seeds are fully formed so that it doesn't germinate all round the garden! I've got some normal looking fennel too which grows enormous - I was surprised when mine must have grown to at least 8ft - is that normal?

LP and I have just planted up the pumpkin seedling that Margi gave us because I hadn't got around to sowing ours. LP's sunflowers have germinated though so hopefully they'll do well for her.

Gotta go - gym shortly (for LP, not me!!!)

[4pygmies]

Well, my goodness, I can grow nettles well...I've spent the morning yanking out huge tree - like nettles from around Freddie's fence and the little flower border in front of my vegetable garden. I didn't intend doing this - I went out to clear the patch where the leeks are going, but once I'd pulled a huge thick root out and traced it back to the fence I had to get them all out. This is the 3rd time I've done it already this year........now Freddy's got a better view anyway - of more nettles! Still at least he can see the tractors going back and forth.
I harvested my garlic crop, it was OK, not so good as last year but since we're still finishing them it's fine and then cut the goats a huge bundle of apple and hornbeam from the hedges each. Also weeded amongst the onions and carrots.
And now it's steaming down and thundering so I think that's it for the day.

[cheerypeabrain]

Only managed to get out there for a little while because of the rain...but I did water in the new batch of nemaslug, planted some more peas, carrots and a row of chives.
The GH is a real mess...I need to get in there and have a good clear out but I'm too full of dinner atm...also have the ironing to do.....sigh...

[4pygmies]

Went onto the PT today and hoed all the mini toms coming up. Cleared it up a bit too - found a rather large toad lurking under a pot. He was quite surprised to see me.... I planted my aubergine and sweet pepper plants and shoved the 3 melons plants in a gap. I couldn't think of a way to support them properly so they are just going to be allowed to weave about the PT (again......) I shall have to stop them if they look like taking over (like the pumpkins a few years ago). Also planted the last few tomato plants in tubs outside and 2 Pinocchio's Nose Chilli plants in the GH. I seem to have far too many tomato plants as usual. I want to try and bottle the plum ones this year - I am turning into my Nan! I feel guilty because I had to use reduced peat grobags - they'd sold out of peat free ones everywhere I tried. Gradually all my resolutions to be as green as possible are being chipped away - rat poison, slug pellets(albeit garden friendly ones) and now peat - I even considered reclaiming some garden back from the nettles using Round UP as I simply can't control it all on my own........my garden edges are about 6ft deep in huge nettles...that's a huge amount of garden to lose, but I can't keep the tide back by strimming or mowing. I just don't have the time or energy anymore. I did wonder if it would be feasible to weed kill it all and buy a truck load of top soil to dump all round rhe edge to plant up with hedging and wild flowers. I expect it will be beyond my budget (2s6d)
It does get depressing. Even my beloved Robbie dog's grave is disappearing under a mass of nettles......

[plocket]

I've not done much in the garden recently. I've harvested my first ever courgettes, have planted up a new clematis that OH bought me, and done a bit of weeding. That's about it really.

4P don't give up! Can't you tackle a bit at a time? I know it's easy for me to say with my minute garden, but even if you are growing stinging nettles you are providing for wildlife. I know it's an uphill struggle, but hang in there - the sun will be scorching it all soon (fingers crossed).

[4pygmies]

Oh, I'm not giving up P! Just having a whinge...sometimes it seems I spend all my available time in the garden just trying to keep back the weeds! I feel better now I've made a start on the strimming. Now I've got a mammoth hedge cutting job ahead of me - I never did finish it last year and they've all gone berserk in this weather - I can't actually walk along one path as it's so overgrown. I just wish I was a man, 6' tall and twice as strong......then it's the flower garden which needs totally digging out in the late summer.......it's just neverending......and I've can't find 1 raspberry patch at all - submerged under the nettles....

[sweetleaf]

I think that dream of yours could be made a reality. How about we all arrive with tents and hoes and attack your wilderness, then have a BBQ/fireside singalong under the stars? Sounds good to me anyway!

[4pygmies]

Maybe next year.... definitely be nice wouldn't it!? Where can I get teepees though? It really is a wilderness - you'd prolly chuck me off the board as a fraud......I think I'd be mainly ashamed if you all saw it now! Dear oh dear....still I'm sure it'll still be a complete mess next year too!

[plocket]

Couldn't we have hammocks? It's a wonderful idea to all come along and help - do you think we could ever make it a reality?

[mickthecactus]

My daughter bought a converted stable last year. It's painted white and situate parallel to the road so has a long front garden. There is a long border, West facing, against the house with lawn in front down to the road and with an island bed. It is all cottage garden and D. wants it completely changed as she feels it isn't hers - but neither she nor SIL are gardeners. So, off I go tomorrow to start ripping eveything out - and there is a lot of it. The Island bed is an awkward shape so we will square it off and plant a tree (don't know which one yet) which will be mulched with pebbles. The bed against the wall also needs squaring off at the ends and will then have Mediterranean planting and will again be mulched with pebbles - it all looks good in my minds eye but we shall see in due course.

I will get here to take before and after pictures.

[plocket]

Well my cacti have had a shower - or rather a torrential downpour but they look cleaner ;D

I've harvested a few strawberries but nothing seems to be developing because of all the rain and no sun

[sweetleaf]

Im in the same boat..... and my roses are rotting in bud without opening, full of water! Im hoping OH will take me to the Lottie to survey the damage up there.

[plocket]

I've just about had enough of it. I'm normally quite a positive person (I think ) but enough is enough. I know that raining washes the world, but isn't it about time it had a chance to dry out??? ;D

[sweetleaf]

I keep getting the feeling its the same rain falling as fell last week just sucked up by the least bit of sunshine only to fall again on the same spot! I know, its a daft thought but otherwise where is it all coming from?

[4pygmies]

You mean like a gardening Groundhog Day? What a terrible thought.....

[sweetleaf]

Exactly. I hate to think it....... but you said it, not me. Its very deja-vu isnt it?

[4pygmies]

It doesn't work though cos the weeds grow more every day......hang on, that's confused me! Now I'm not sure how it would work.....I pull the weeds up but they keep coming back.....it IS Groundhog Day every day in my garden......

[4pygmies]

This weekend I MUST clear out the goats sheds and find a home for about 20 barrow loads of well rotted muck........then I've want to make a start on the hedge trimming. I have to at least cut back the sides so we can use that path. Have I got the energy?

[debbiem]

We've got to cut the grass before it's a scythe job! I just have visions of all the baby toads etc like yours 4P that could be in there though. We'll have to give some kind of warning beforehand. Well we wanted a wildlife garden and now we've certainly got one.

[4pygmies]

Blimey O'Reilly....I have been cutting , hacking, trimming, yanking, and have only just cleared the grassy path, half the lost raspberry patch and the bit round the kids climbing frame.....................I have made 5 HUGE piles of rubbish and emptied the wheel barrow 4 times........and I've barely made an impression. I seriously might get a flame thrower and decimate the whole lot!
Nettles have stung my head so many times and it's really sore. My hands hurt, my back's killing me and I am depressed.
I've gone right off gardening.


;D Not really....

[plocket]

We actually got round to cutting the grass today as the sun was shining at 9.15am!!! I haven't done much else in the garden though :

[sweetleaf]

I dead headed everything I could reach! Then I sat down and looked at it.

[plocket]

ooooh how satisfying, both bits. I love deadheading, and sitting back to enjoy. I don't think I've got anything to deadhead at the moment though :