End Of Month View ~ August 2013

It seems that there has been much idle bee gazing and sitting supping outdoors this month. I'm blaming this lack of activity on another fairly warm, sunny month which has now slip - slided inevitably to September and nearer to autumn.

Plans for the gabion garden are on on hold whilst I have second thoughts so there's nothing to relate there for now. Some other planting has taken place elsewhere in the last week or so the plants concerned being mightily relieved no doubt to have been liberated from the confines of the cold frame. I've also taken a few penstemon cuttings, have made a start on dividing some day lilies with the aid of brute force from himself and have sown a few seeds. 

I've also been playing around with pots as you can see in the above photo. I used to have a small collection of foliage plants outside in the courtyard just by the front door. This area is north facing so fairly shady although the sun creeps round in the afternoon. I'm not sure what happened but one year the gathering was moved for some reason and never made its way back. These are not the original plants but fairly similar to all intents and purposes. Now all I need to do to complete this arrangement is to buy one or two more permanent containers and  possibly one or two more plants probably hostas. The pots will be situated at the base of an old whisky barrel, which is home to a much loved water feature, parts of which are in need of a lick of paint. Will hopefully reveal it next month.

It's 'The Year Of The Bean' at the allotment - all three varieties especially 'Blauhilde' are positively dripping beans so we are eating and freezing them non stop or so it seems. My courgettes have had a so so year so there's a gentle trickle rather than a steady glut. They were planted not long before we went on holiday at the start of July. I think the really hot weather must have been a struggle for such young plants despite my allotment neighbour's kind ministrations. The 'Black Futsu' squash which I planted at the same time looked on its way out when we returned but is now making a serious attempt for world domination. Small squashes are forming but I'm not sure whether they will mount to much. Shallots, garlic, peas, broad beans have either been lifted or come to an end so work is in progress clearing beds. The new strawberry plants are showing a small but welcome crop, the apples are in fine fettle whilst the delicious autumn fruiting raspberry 'Polka' is early out of the starting blocks. I've decided to remove the summer fruiting raspberries later this year. They taste insipid in comparison to 'Polka' so will not be missed. In the greenhouse the tomatoes have finally just started to blush and the cucumbers are in their stride.

Plant purchases this month are up on July's sad nil return. On the first day of the month I bought a penstemon 'Garnet' from the local Country Market, having fond memories of the same plant in the dim and distant past. A most enjoyable day out at the Southport Flower Show saw me come home with a heucherella 'Redstone Falls', actaea simplex 'Pink Spike' and a plant that has been on my wish list for a couple of years - anemone 'Wild Swan'. The latter has inconsiderately just dropped the petals from the only two flowers on it but there are more to come so should feature in September's end of month view post. Finally on the last day of the month I visited Chester Cathedral for their first National Garden Schemes open day. There was a plant stall outside which yielded a pot of sempervivums and a few babies from a green spider plant. I've potted up some up and put a couple in water. I've also had some snowdrop bulbs arrive in the post from Avon Bulbs - one or two more little gems to add to my specials.

Thanks to Helen over at 'The Patient Gardener's Weblog' whose inspired idea allows us to share our gardening progress each month. I'm heading off to the allotment soon but will put my feet up later, enjoy a cuppa and visits to the other participants in this meme to see what everyone is up to.