It's a backward glance for this week's 'In A Vase On Monday' with some sweet peas picked back in the already distant days of summer. The photo was taken at the end of July, just after we had got back from our holiday in Wales. I'm not sure why I didn't post it at the time but maybe I was just busy catching up with various odds and ends.
It was very much a case of a tale of two wigwams when it came to the sweet peas this year which were all grown as usual at the allotment. The wigwams were constructed in raised beds on opposite sides of the path that runs down the allotment. The first lot were sown at the beginning of March, whilst the second batch were sown in the middle of the same month. They were all sown in the same compost under cover in deep root trainers.
On planting at the allotment the earlier sown plants never really flourished. They grew and produced flowers but the plants were straggly and the stems were short. Wigwam Two on the other hand generously produced flowers with the bonus of long stems. However even wigwam 2 didn't produce the sheer volume of flowers that I had picked the the previous year despite the drought conditions. On reflection I think that it may have been down to the extra special attention that I paid to my sweet peas during that long hot summer.
As usual I sowed a small number of several varieties of sweet peas. I forgot to note the contents of this year's mix at the time but they definitely included some constants including 'Gwendoline', 'Erewhon', 'Eclipse', 'Mollie Rilestone' and 'Matucana' which is possibly my favourite. I'm already looking forward to choosing next year's assortment.
The vase is one that has been used before and is a small Emma Bridgewater pink hearts milk bottle acquired via eBay.
A peek over at 'Rambling In The Garden' reveals that our hostess Cathy has concocted a vase containing visions of summer and all in real time rather than a retrospective. A real treat for the eyes lightening up a dreary November afternoon. I'm looking forward to seeing what magic there is in other vases this week.
Beautiful Anna. I'm longing for spring.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susie. I'm with you when it comes to spring!
DeleteOh what a surprise to see these Anna, allowing the briefest of thoughts that they were actually flowering at the moment!! I found this year that my Feb sowed outdoor ones did much better than the Oct sown ones (not counting Winter Sunshine)so I shall stick with that this next year. I have some seeds already, but aim to choose another single colour as well as the mix I have
ReplyDeleteI've had sweet peas in flower before now Cathy but only stragglers rather than vasefuls 😄
DeleteYou didn't post at the time...Therefore it was meant to be, to be posted later, that is in November, to brighten up dreary days.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your wise words Noelle 😄
DeleteI had a similar experience in my garden, Anna. Our last rainy season (winter-early spring) was particularly heavy while the prior year's rainfall was dismal (less than 4 inches of rain in total). Yet, when I looked back at photos from the height of our drought, my garden flowered better in most areas than it did this year. My lack of attention to the garden was the real difference.
ReplyDeleteThe sweet pea seeds I sowed a few weeks ago have already sprouted but birds are nipping their tops off despite the protection I put in place in an effort to protect them :(
I think that you have hit the nail on the head Kris - my 2019 sweet peas certainly suffered from a "lack of attention' compared to the year before. Oh those birds are rather naughty. I hope that they leave some of your seedlings well alone.
DeleteWe had the same with our two lots of sweet peas although they were all sown at the same time. Position of the supports and therefore the soil that they were planted in was one difference and the ones that performed best (although not brilliant) were more sheltered
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the soil of one of my raised beds was not as suitable for sweet peas as the other Sue. Position wise they are fairly similar. Will be interesting to see what transpires next year.
ReplyDeletePerfect vase to pair with those gentle sweetpea colours.
ReplyDelete