My opening lines always seem to be about the weather, I think that's a gardener thing! In fairness that rain over the past day or so has really freshened things up and given the plants a much needed soak. It's also made the weeds grow, us gardeners are never happy.
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| There's a new crop of piglets in the field behind the nursery, as long as they stay on their side of the fence, we'll be friends |
This week's main task is to weed the stock beds and pot up as many of the pots of cuttings from the tunnel and finish tidying the stock beds and move the rest of the plants out the wee tunnel and plant up the last of the herb garden and all the other jobs that need done and and and ..........
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| The stream planting is really coming together this year, the Persicaria bistorta 'Superba' is bulking out nicely, unsurprisingly |
In between everything else I've been doing wee jobs just to keep the place looking top notch. It's easy to get caught up in every new project, garden or border but it's important to keep everything done before looking good too. The bridge has had a clean, the mini hurdles at the entrance have been tied together and I've replaced the bright orange unsightly cones in front of the scented garden path with a temporary cane fence.
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| The gunnera I planted in the stream is flowering this year |
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| Another of my favourite plants, Astilboides tabularis. These leaves will be bigger than a dinner plate once they've finished unfurling |
I treated my secateurs to a new blade, it's been a while! This old friend has been at my side for the past 30 years! Can you believe that?!? I can't, I still think I'm the 18 year old that got them for my 18th birthday. It just goes to prove that if you invest money in good tools they last a life time. Now how long do you think it will take for me to cut the top off my finger with that shiny shiny sharp blade?
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I tried very hard, I really did to get more of the grasses stock beds tidied but we were busy with customers (which is fab) so I only got a wee bit done, still some is better than none and the plus (apart form all the lovely customers) was I got some of the potting back log and cuttings done as I like to be at the potting area when customers are around in case they need help.
Saturday was a very wet day so I spent a good bit of it in the tunnel weeding and potting and loading up the barrow with plants to come back to the sales area and stock beds. I'm very nearly caught up in there, yeh! Just a few more things to pot and that's it until the next batch of seedlings area ready. The rest of the day was spent potting in the potting area and putting plants out in sales area.
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| Dianthus monspessulanus |
Dianthus monspessulanus is now available, the scent on this one is amazing. When I open the tunnel door in the morning the scent hits me, small flowers, big scent and with it's fringed petals well worth a spot next to a path or in a pot on the patio.
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| Putting up supports for the sweet peas |
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| Another job finished |
Today I finally got the sweet peas planted. I've recycled some boxed David built, lining them with black plastic and sitting them behind the wee seating area in the scented garden. They will form a back drop and screen for the seats and surround us with a lovely sweet pea scent. Using canes for support I've planted 6 varieties: 'Gwendoline', 'Nimbus', 'Royal Wedding', 'Old Times', 'Charlies Angels' and 'Wiltshire Ripple'. It's another wee area of the garden that customers can take the idea and easily do at home for little cost.
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| Brunnera 'Jack Frost' |
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| Chaerophyllum hirsutum 'Roseum' |
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| Geranium x monacense 'Claudine Dupont' |
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| Pulsatilla seed head |
I found where Mrs Blackbird has her nest this year, fortunately more out of the way and less inconvenient than last year. There are 3 babies in the nest this year. An unexpected rainy morning meant I got all the plants piled up in the potting area sorted out. They've either been potted, propagated, planted or put out in sales. For the first time in a long time there are no plants waiting in there to be dealt with and an empty bench, yeh! Once the rains stopped at lunch time I at last got back to the grasses area and made big progress over the afternoon in between helping all the customers. I really want to get this area finished as soon as possible. :)
And of course it's Chelsea week, I've set all the programmes to record so I can catch up at my leisure (when I'm lying exhausted on the sofa in the evenings lol). It's always interesting to see what's new in both design and plants.
On Tuesday we headed north to Perth to visit Scone Palace and Branklyn Gardens. You can read about those visits in the next blog.
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| Gorgeous Acers in Branklyn Gardens |
On Tuesday we headed north to Perth to visit Scone Palace and Branklyn Gardens. You can read about those visits in the next blog.
Have a great week, another wee heat wave is forecast!
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