Gently Fading

Four weeks ago, the featured image was Hydrangea ‘Pink Annabelle’. Forgive me; I’ve used Pink Annabelle again today. The colour has started to fade to a pale parchment with hints of pink, but she’s still holding onto her beauty. Unless the lovely flowerheads become lightly coated with a glittering hoarfrost, this will be her final photo call.

Yesterday I was assured that the wasps that banned me from the garden have finally gone. I’ve been able to cautiously start working outdoors again. The forecast tells me it’s going to be dry and sunny today so I’ll be able to head out to pot up some spring bulbs! Bulb planting begins – exciting!

There are also a couple more repeats on here today simply because they’re still showing their fabulousness while others are not. The recent rain has caused many of the roses to shed their petals, making them unworthy subjects for the camera! The hostas have been devoured by garden nasties (I said a few years ago that I was done with hostas for that reason, but I found I couldn’t be without them) and I’ve started lifting and binning this year’s poor and non-productive dahlias. I’m also planning to cut back a few perennials that are taking their last gasp and pull up annuals. This will give me space to plant the tulip bulbs later in the season. Winter preparations are underway before the weather gets bad.

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Shades of Autumn

July was a wet, windy and cold month, and I see signs of autumn creeping into the garden already. But if the gorgeous colours of the Rudbeckias will stay with me for the next few months, then I’m ready to welcome Autumn in!

Six on Saturday

Rudbeckias. Recently planted Rudbeckia hirta ‘Enchanted Glow’, Rudbeckia hirta ‘Enchanted Ruby Crush’ and Rudbeckia hirta ‘Enchanted Romance’ (above and below) are described as perennials by the online garden website I bought them from, but the site goes on to state “Rudbeckia is best grown as a magnificent half-hardy annual”. I’ve never been successful in getting Rudbeckias through the winter, but I plan to leave them in the soil when they die back and hope for the best.

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Six on Saturday 2020 12-09

I’d love to share with you, photographs of my trolley full of fabulous plant acquisitions from my first visit to a garden centre since the start of lockdown – but alas my shopping list remained unfulfilled! I couldn’t possibly leave empty-handed, so I bought a Heuchera and a small packet of Iris reticulata bulbs.

It was pouring rain throughout this milestone visit, but my day did brighten when I met my sister there. I haven’t seen her (other than on Zoom) since early March, again due to lockdown. She brought me a dahlia from her garden, ‘Peach Brandy’ which also brightened up my day, but I failed to brighten hers as I forget to bring along the Continue reading “Six on Saturday 2020 12-09”

Six on Saturday 2020 15-08

Autumn is fast approaching, though at the moment we’re currently having a lovely warm spell of weather – so this week’s six is a tiny taster of the colours that we should be starting to see in a few weeks time. There’s reds, oranges, yellows, golds, and hints of purple. If autumn is this colourful then I’ll be smiling.

Temperatures from Wednesday on have been in the mid-twenties (my daughters who live in warmer lands tell me that’s cold) but for us, it’s about as high as we like it. My memories of 35-40C temperatures on visits to Continue reading “Six on Saturday 2020 15-08”