Summer Time and the Living is Manic

Loving the summery colours of the cafe flowers at this time of year, straight from the nursery gardens

Going a bit bugs eye view jurassic park under the Matteucias while weeding today

After a meeting with Heather, Val and Dee it was on with the cafe flowers on Wednesday and then weeding in the nursery gardens. I did the shade borders down the west side of the nursery drive and all the borders around the stream and nursery entrance. The weeds are growing so fast with this warm, wet weather. I'm sure they grow over night where I weeded the day before! I filled in a few gaps in the borders with plants and placed some labels David wrote at the weekend. I spent the last hour planting annuals in the herb garden, Nasturtium, kale and parsley filled in some more gaps.

Home to tea with youngest son, just the two of us for the next couple of days as David and Bracken are away doing a series of bat surveys up north. Needless to say the cats are making the most of the dog being away and taking over the house again. This is Milly the night fury making herself comfortable where the dog usually lies!



























There's not much to say about Thursday apart from the torrential rain and politics. The rain meant I got a lot of potting done, finally getting the "A's" in the stock beds tidied, weeded and potted. A lot of the plants that were stripped back and rescued last year and potted into liners are now ready to be moved up into bigger pots. I will be very glad to get the last of the stock beds tidied for this year then it's just the odd spell of weeding every so often. As for politics, more upheaval for the country I fear before things settle. With the results of brexit and the US election in recent times, we shouldn't be surprised at a hung parliament and all the results from last night. We live in a crazy world and a country that's in a bit of a mess right now. We have to work forward for our kids, the old and sick. It's the nasty gloating I can't abide. I'm glad I work with plants, if they're any trouble they go in the compost heap.





Looking good in the nursery this week, wonderfully scented Dianthus, Allium 'Purple Sensation', scented Primula alpicola and Dianthus gratianopolitanus. I  love scented plants, you'd never guess given we've just built a scented garden and herb garden and the sales area is full of scented Dianthus, Primulas, roses and herbs.


I was excited to find Echium vulgare
growing in the wild flower bankings
Also looking interesting is the
 tree onion in the herb garden,
Allium cepa proliferum





Looking good at home are Iris pdeudocorus 'Variegata', Astrantia 'Buckland',
Nectarascordium and Thalictrum 'Album'

This week I've been dodging the showers and potting when it does rain and then weeding the borders when dry. At the weekend David and I concentrated on finishing the herb garden. We've enjoyed creating the new gardens this year but it's been a mammoth task in amongst the nursery work and David's job and getting it all ready for August but it is well worth it. I dug over the last border and planted it up with silver foliage herbs including Artemisia and Helichrysum italicum and white flowered Gaura, Cosmos and Nigella. David put down the last of the gravel and finished building the last of the hedge boxes. We're looking forward to seeing the plants grow and fill out.

The herb garden is almost finished

The checkerboard and hedge boxes

More looking good plants in the nursery this week
Primula viallii, Astrantia 'Sunningdale Variegated', Aquilegia 'Black Barlow',
Diathus 'Grans Favourite', Chives, Dianthus 'Houndspool Ruby'
Aquilegia formosa, Allium fistulosum, Geranium 'Sirak'

Dalkeith Country Park

Life is busy busy at the moment, keeping the nursery running and getting everything done, keeping home life ticking along, it's David's silly busy season with his business and organising the wedding so our Tuesday's off together are even more important at this time of year.  On Tuesday I had a very relaxing couple of hours in the morning getting my hair done (more wedding prep). Afterwards David, Bracken and I headed to Dalkeith Country Park to visit the Restoration Yard. We'd been recommended to visit by a couple of friends and enjoyed a lovely lunch in the cafe with views over to the massive tree house. 

You can sit out in the courtyard,
enjoy good food,
and browse through the shops
Maybe I need these for
 our wedding



The tree house

Dalkeith House sits in an imposing position above the river

After lunch and a browse through the shops we took Bracken for a walk through the country park, plenty Georgian architecture to go along with the big hoose, big bridges, bandstands, stable courtyards etc.

One of the bridges in the country park

A very nice but very expensive light shade in the shop

Have you been to the Restoration Yard? What did you think? Have a great week and enjoy the good weather that is forecast.






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