if you are not talking to your plants, then you are not a real gardener…….

 

blog 18 Blog

 I am a real sucker for the rogue and opportunist plant that shows its head just in time to be saved and appreciated. This little bunch of lobelia has grown from seed falling in a crack in the front step from the basket hanging above this place last year.  The seed has lain dormant all through winter and germinated all on its own to become this gorgeous and perfectly formed plant growing out of a slab of concrete.

We have a sun flower by the gate to the pond that has done exactly the same and is now being honoured and protected. There are also two sunflowers where last year’s patch was but is now the middle of a new path in the allotment but  they have shown themselves and they can stay and we will enjoy their life cycle with them

The allotment is coming on very well and we are already at the end of the broad bean crop and will make that bed the strawberry bed for next year. We had no rain here for a month and we have been watering most evenings and I was getting a little concerned for the sweet corn but then the heavens opened and we had solid and consistent rain for a day and a night and the sweet corn opened and bulked up in front of our eyes and now they have their feet firmly in the ground we can look forward to a healthy crop in August.

 

 

 

Our new Rose garden has been overrun with dahlia so we will have to put labels on these plants before we lift them for the winter to understand their size and colour so we can give our rose garden a chance to blossom and thrive next year. We planted a home propagated box hedge only a month ago and this week mike applied its first trip. I am fascinated with boxes of box hedge and wherever I can I plant a box of box for architecture and culture… Mike bought me a battery operated trimmer so I can get out there and trim and shape myself so this little hedge is set and established and after its trim it has understood it’s purpose and future and I for one am delighted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally we had to take the decision to lift an ailing Hydrangea and replace it with a new and healthy one but in my forever never say die to a plant policy I have re-potted it, trimmed it, watered and spoken to it with a firm promised that if it beefs up a bit I will find a place for it again next year…..that’s gardening for you, and if you are not talking  to your plants, then you are not a real gardener…….