Wordless Wednesday ~ Next Year's Flowers

 

End Of Month View ~ April 2014

A slightly delayed EOMV post mainly because I was away from home and garden for a couple of days or so at the end of the month, during which time everything seemed to have grown with indecent haste. This time a phrase for the month rather than a single word - the phrase being 'ENGAGE BRAIN BEFORE ENTERING THE GREENHOUSE'. The latter was scheduled for a thorough winter top and tailing but the saga of the nose put pay to this, so it became more of a quick lick and polish when I was feeling up to it. At this point I removed last year's detritus with gay abandon and at one stage knocked a poppy seedhead into the compost bin. I fished it out immediately but too late the damage was done. The consequence was that some early sowings sprouted zillions of unwanted seedlings which I've spent ages extracting. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr! Why I took the seeds into the greenhouse into the first place is beyond memory but the greenhouse will be strictly out of bounds when I'm saving seeds later this year.

It was a busy month mainly with sowing, the inevitable pricking out and starting to harden stuff out. I sowed a second batch of tomatoes which were more successful than the first I'm pleased to say. The first have been pricked out whilst the second await that pleasure. 'Box Car Willy', 'Banana Leggs', Ananas Noire', 'Cream Sausage' have been joined by 'Gardener's Delight,' 'Sungold', 'Noire De Crimée, 'Black Cherry' and 'Aunt Ruby's German Green Cherry'. Cucumber 'La Diva' has germinated along with courgettes 'Romanesco and 'Floridor'. Germination of courgette Brice' has been disappointing so another batch will be sown this weekend, or maybe I will try another round green courgette. Pumpkin 'Black Futsu' and 'We B Little' were also sown. By the end of the month the greenhouse also contained beetroot and chard seedlings, basil - 'Mrs Burn's Lemon', 'Purple Leaf' and 'Lettuce Leaf', sunflowers 'Red Velvet', 'Vanilla Ice', more sweet peas, gaura lindheimeri and cosmos bipinnatus 'Purity'. I think that I may have already mentioned that for various reasons I'm sowing less this year. It's been difficult to restrain myself but I'm just about winning at the moment. Elsewhere a few overwintering plants lurked. One or two of the dahlias started to sprout even before they had their first drink of the year, a couple of lemon verbena teased me with their dried up twiggy state (will they ever green?) and the pensetmon cuttings shuttled in and out of the greenhouse.

At the allotment shallots and red onions were planted along with broad beans and peas. Unfortunately the last two crops are already showing signs of serious nibbling. I will be putting more peas in later but just hope that the broad beans recover as I will not be sowing more. Much time has been spent weeding and tidying but much more hard graft remains. My early potatoes went in on Easter Saturday. Early days yet but it looks as if it is going to be a good year for goosegogs, white currants and strawberries. I've been enjoyed some delicious purple sprouting broccoli so must remember to sow it again.

In the garden the plants that gave me greatest pleasure in April were daffodils - all variations on a whiter shade of pale including 'Thalia', 'Elka', 'Topolino', 'Jenny', 'WP Milner', 'Minnow' and 'Pueblo', pulmonarias and brunneras. The pear blossom was a treat but it still remains to be seen whether fruit will flower this year. The candidate for the most miserable specimens of the month were without a doubt tulips but perhaps that's a subject for another post.

There were several April plant purchases some via mail order, some from a garden centre trip and others from a plant fair but rather than 'fess up all at once I will introduce them in coming posts. The one reveal is auricula 'Late Romantic'. I feel that this may be the start of a slippery slope to another fatal addiction.

Unexpected pleasant surprise of the month was to be the lucky recipient of a copy of Louise Curley's (aka Wellywoman) book 'The Cut Flower Patch'. This came about through entering a giveaway organised by the lovely Caro over at 'An Urban Veg Patch'. You can't imagine how delighted I was be so fortunate especially in view of my self imposed embargo on new book purchases this year. My resolve had been in serious danger of cracking! I'm looking forward to a good browse through this book soon. Thanks again Caro and thanks also as usual to Helen over at 'The Patient Gardener's Weblog' who came up with the idea of an end of month view. I'm off later to catch up with what everyone else got up to in April.

End Of Month View ~ March 2014.

Crocus 'Yalta'

A combination of the dreaded lurgy and being occupied with family matters has delayed my EOMV post but here is a brief round up, before it all disappears from the recesses of my foggy mind. My March word is again a four lettered one - SLOW. It sums up the progress that I seem to be making with my garden plans.

In the garden the main task has been a major spring clean of the relatively new gabion border aka 'The Great Wall Of Cheshire'. Surprise, surprise - the top soil which was imported for the bed did not live up to its top quality label. There were all sorts of perennial weeds having a go at making a good take over bid, so it was a case of off with their heads and into the bucket. I then top dressed with leaf mould some of which was less decomposed than I would have preferred but needs must. The plan is is to cover it up again with wood bark when expenses permit. Already somewhat dishearteningly some of the weeds were already making a come back by the end of the month. If I keep an eagle eye open on them I will knock them into eventual submission.

The bed is mainly planted for late winter/early spring interest with hellebores, snowdrops, pulmonarias, cardamine pratensis, the little 'Elka' narcissus (more to be added this autumn) and bergenia purpurescens 'Helen Dillon' form. A couple of shrubs have now been added. The first is prunus incisa 'Kojo-no-mai' which had been lurking in a container for some time but a decision was made to take the plunge and get in the ground. Also planted was a rather tiddly bare - rooted amelanchier lamarckii which was reassuringly opening its leaves by the end of the month. For later interest there are a couple of astrantia 'Gill Richardson', an actaea and a couple of aster diveraticus.

There are still plenty of big gaps for further planting. I bought a few perennial plants to go in the other day but will mention them in April's EOMV post. The big brain teaser at the moment is that I need to plant a shrub or two to clothe the walls and am still mulling this over. The border faces north and I would prefer evergreens as the bare wall is still rather bleak.

I've noticed an unsightly nibbling problem in this border which is illustrated by the photo below. I have the same aster diveraticus in another part of the garden which are not affected and have not been before now. There are also some nibbles on hellebore leaves. Sadly I had to remove an emerging day lily the foliage of which has really suffered.  I don't think that molluscs are the sole culprits. Any suggestions would be more than welcome.

In the greenhouse the heated sand bench is up and running. Tomatoes 'Box Car Willy', 'Banana Leggs', 'Ananas Noire' and 'Cream Sausage' were sown with very poor germination. I don't usually have any problems germinating tomatoes so don't know whether to put it down to the seed supplier, the compost or whether it is down to human error. A second batch has gone in so I will report back in due course. March sweet pea sowings of 'Erewhon', 'Fire and Ice' and 'Cupani' are all coming along nicely. Veggie sowings included broad bean' Witkiem Manita' and 'Douce Provenance' peas. 'Red Sun', 'Golden Gourmet' and 'Jermor' shallots were planted in cells and are now more than ready to head to the allotment to get their feet in the ground along with 'Red Baron' onions.

Plant purchases in March included the perennial fuchsia 'Hawkshead' along with two more special snowdrops 'Three Ships' and 'Erway'. I also made an online order from Crocus for a  couple of hellebore plug plants - 'Double Ellen Red' and 'Double Ellen Picotee, a trio of dahlias and finally salvia 'Amistad'. which I'd been hankering for. I've bought bulbs and the odd present from Crocus before but have as far as I remember not ordered plants from them. I was most impressed with the packaging and the speed of delivery. These purchases were prompted by a phone call from a good friend, who had ordered hellebore plugs herself and mentioned not only their quality but the fact that the Gardeners World website is presently offering 20% discount off orders placed with Crocus. This offer is valid until the end of April so it could be worth having a peek.

Thanks as always to Helen over at 'The Patient Gardener Weblog' for hosting this most useful and inspirational meme.

My Glass Palace - February 2014

"Who loves a garden loves a greenhouse too" - William Cowper, 1731 -1800

Prompted by Helen over at 'The Patient Gardener Weblog' here is the first of what I hope will be a series of post about my greenhouse year. My present greenhouse came home with us after the Malvern Spring Gardening Show in 2009 - well to be more accurate a receipt for a deposit came home with us, whilst the greenhouse followed a few weeks later. It is the best gift ever that himself has given me. We did not go to the show with the intention of buying a greenhouse - in fact the thought of getting another greenhouse had not entered my head. I was quite happy with its predecessor which was a 6 feet by 8 feet second hand greenhouse and had served me well for years. However himself persuaded me that I should go for a bigger model. He pointed out to me that as I was no longer working that I would be spending more time in the greenhouse and would appreciate having more space to fill. How could I resist such logic? There was also the extra incentive of a special show price so it was a done deal by the end of the day.

My new 10 foot by 8 foot de luxe greenhouse remained in its packaging until September of that year but was up and ready for me  to use the following spring. The staging (which was made using planed slate batons) and the heated sand bench from my original greenhouse fitted happily into this bigger space. Both these structures were lovingly crafted by himself who fortunately for me is a most practical man. The greenhouse is situated just a short hop,skip and jump away from the house so I can get out there easily whatever the weather is doing. It has two automatic windows as well as two that can be opened manually.The exercise bike that you can see in the photo below was just a temporary visitor ~

At the moment the greenhouse contains my collection of named snowdrops which are overwintering in a frost free zone. There is a small electric fan heater which comes on when the temperature dips below a certain level. Fortunately it has not seen much action this year although it had to work extra hard last year. The snowdrops are really taking too much room at the moment but I would like to leave them indoors for another couple of weeks, before letting them take their chance outside. I will start sowing seeds in earnest then although I plan to sow some broad beans, more sweet peas and beetroot before the end of February. For various reasons I am cutting down on seed sowing in the greenhouse this year, although I still have a feeling that I might eat my words yet.

Apart from the snowdrops there are presently a few other occupants in the greenhouse. Autumn sown sweet peas linger but will be turfed out soon to start toughening up. There are also other autumn sowings of orlaya grandiflora, a fluffy grass name of which escapes me for now and the half hardy nicotiana mutablis. I've overwintered a couple of mature plants of the latter hoping that they will be in flower in time for our garden club plant sale in May. If so I will be able to take a flowering specimen to help sell the babies. Also lurking on the sidelines are some penstemon cuttings that are ready for potting up. One is 'Sour Grapes' whilst the identity of the other remains a mystery, other than the fact that the flowers are very,very pink. Pots of dahlias are also resident along with a couple of lemon verbena plants. No sign of life from either yet but it's still to early.

I should also confess that I have a second greenhouse on my allotment plot.That was inherited along with its resident grapevine which I will reveal later in the year. It is just a mass of bare branches at the moment.

So that it is the state of play in my greenhouse towards the end of February. Next month a peek inside.

End Of Month View - October 2013

Whilst September slithered out of reach I am struggling to find a word that sums up October. I think that 'sogged' would be it if there was such a word. October 2013 has felt exceptionally wet and mild. It be interesting to read the statistics when they are available. Although the nights have been noticeably colder of late our first frost is still on the cards.

My stars of the month flower wise have been a trio of hardy geraniums especially 'Dilys' (above photo) who deserves to be better known than she is. She is extremely long flowering and has enjoyed this year's weather. I think that she that she may have attracted more attention if she had been given another name. The other two geraniums that have shone through October are 'Bob's Blunder' and 'Salome', which both have most distinctive foliage too over a long season. 'Dilys' and 'Bob' are both still in flower on this last day of October but 'Salome' has given up the ghost.

I've made some inroads on bulb planting in the garden but at the same time have bought some more bulbs so funnily enough the to be planted pile remains more or less the same size. The special snowdrops have received an autumn clean as I've tried to check over each pot and remove any stray little seedlings that have germinated as well as scrape away liverwort. In some cases I've replenished the top dressing of alpine horticultural grit. I've not been able to resist the odd naughty rummage beneath the surface and have been so excited to discover little green snouts. Leaf sweeping has now started in earnest and will be the order of dry days to come for a while longer.

The main path to my allotment plot is a swamp once more so my trips are getting fewer and further between. The main edible attraction is the autumn flowering raspberries 'Polka'. The plants are having their most bountiful year ever. I have probably said before that not only are the fruits bigger than my summer fruiting raspberries but they are also superior taste wise. They certainly live up to any description of them that you might read in a catalogue or in a book.

Last weekend saw some garlic planting. I'm not quite sure what I've planted though. I was pleased to come across 'The Garlic Farm' at the Malvern Autumn Show and came home with four bulbs of garlic to plant. I sought advice as to what would be suitable for planting here in north west England. Unfortunately the otherwise helpful young man did not write the names down on the paper bag they went in to but it was equally my fault for not asking him to. I've been in that situation before so should have learned my lesson by now. I'm fairly sure though that one of them is 'Early Purple Wight' whilst whilst the other is destined to be anonymous. The two bulbs that will be planted later are definitely 'Solent Wight' which I've grown before. I'm still debating whether to plant the 'Jermor' shallots that I bought at the show or wait until spring. They are suitable for autumn planting but if we are in for a wet winter they may be better planted in the spring. Either way I will have to decide very soon.

The last of the climbing French beans have been eaten and the beanpole wigwams have now been dismantled. I've picked my one and only 'Black Futsu' winter squash and am patiently waiting for its skin to turn colour from dark green to a rich chestnut. I fear that this may never happen but will post more about it at some stage in the future as it's a born survivor. Still much tidying up to do before thoughts can turn to next year's crops.

In the greenhouse the sweet pea seeds have germinated and are making sturdy growth. Most of the penstemon cuttings I took have rooted so can just tick over during the next few months. I will pot them up individually in spring. I also have some seedlings of annuals to get through the winter. Some plants have now migrated inside the greenhouse for winter protection. They will be joined by the dahlias once their leaves or what remains of them receive their first frosting. The spider plant babies that came home with me from the Chester Cathedral open garden plant stall have now come inside the house. They all rooted and I hope to grow them in containers next year.

New plant additions have been minimal. I confessed to the hesperantha earlier this month here and have managed to commit the new name to memory. I bought a tray of smiling faced purple and white violas from our local market. Finally I've been given a well established melianthus major from one of my allotment friends. I've had this plant before but lost it so am delighted to have the chance to grow it again.

Thanks as always to Helen over at 'The Patient Gardener's Weblog' for enabling us to share our end of month views.

PS Blogger seems to have a touch of the gremlins as my post published minus its top and tail ie post header and a link to Helen's website which I've now remedied - I think that the bits in between are still intact.

End Of Month View ~ March 2012

Just as I was about to turn the bedside light off  and drift off to sleep last night himself observed that he thought that there was a spider on the ceiling directly above my head. Now he should know that it would have been wiser for him to keep silent but his comment saw us swapping places, in case the spider should could dangle down in my direction overnight. Swapping places is what the months seem to have done, with March being unseasonably warm whilst April has got off to a chilly start.

The main news of the month from the allotment is that bunnies have got on to my plot! I knew that they were in the vicinity but up to now had not noticed any tell tale signs of their presence until a couple of weeks ago. The tell tale evidence -  the green shoots of garlic and shallots had been seriously nibbled around the edges. Having grown both crops for some time with no problems I ruled out the usual suspects and after speaking to my allotment neighbours, the verdict is that the interloper is a rabbit. Needless to say efforts will now need to be made to thwart this creature from doing any further damage. Elsewhere on the plot work has been going on preparing the raised beds and ground for this years crops. There is not much in the way of edible pickings although great excitement when towards the end of the month I noticed that the purple sprouting broccoli is doing its stuff. There is some potentially most exciting news affecting our allotment community but for now my lips are sworn to secrecy. Maybe I will be able to divulge all next month.

The warm weather resulted in a sudden rather than imperceptible launch into from winter into spring. I prefer the latter option but the weather gods decided otherwise this year. There are flowerings ahead of their time including bluebells which I always associate with May. Giving me most excitement at the moment is the pear tree we planted last month. It is always so exciting watching leafless branches morphing into growing and green. Hopefully there may be the first fruits later this year but thereby hangs another tale.

The greenhouse continues to fill so no doubt soon the fun and games of moving an ever increasing numbers of plants to fit in the same space will begin. I am trying to keep track of my sowings on the blog using the pages facility but have already fallen behind in recording. Will have to remedy this situation soon. March was remarkable in that I did not bring the fleece out once to give the greenhouse residents overnight protection although the tomato and sweet pepper seedlings have come into the house for the hours of darkness.

Finally I can congratulate myself on my self restraint this month as I have only one new plant purchase to report - a chaenomeles speciosa 'Geisha Girl'. April might prove to be a different proposition with at least one tempting plant sale on the horizon.

Thanks as always to Helen over at 'The Patient Gardener's Weblog', who came up with the excellent idea of the end of month view.

That Magical Hour

Pheeeeeew -  a weekend away from home was the source of constant fretting as I left the greenhouse and its occupants in himself's hands. There were all sorts of instructions and dire warnings issued prior to departure. "Spray those seedlings with the blue mister","Take the tomatoes and peppers in at night", "Make sure you fleece the cuttings if it gets cold,"Remember to close the greenhouse door at night" etc, etc. His head was spinning, my head was spinning and so was the greenhouse. It's funny how we perform all these tasks on autopilot, only realising how complicated it sounds when you ask somebody else to take over. What I had not bargained for was just how warm it would be for the time of year. Normally March can still be a time to worry about frost but this weekend with temperatures in the late teens, wilting and leaf scorch were more likely hazards for tiny seedlings. I am pleased to report that all was well on my return and himself can look me in the eye.

With domestic chores to catch up with today sadly gardening activities have taken a back seat but tonight himself has offered to cook, so I'm off into the garden before and after to play. What a difference having that extra hour of evening daylight makes!

The photo is off my autumn flowering cherry which usually has a second showing of flowers come spring. Liz over at Gwirrel's Garden was wondering in a recent post what had happened to this event - well here it arrived whilst I was away.

The Greenhouse Year ~ March 2012

"Who loves a garden loves a greenhouse too" - William Cowper, 1731 -1800

My greenhouse came home with us after the Malvern Spring Gardening Show in 2009 - well to be more accurate a receipt for a deposit came home with us, whilst the greenhouse followed a few weeks later. It is the best gift ever that himself has given me. We did not go to the show with the intention of buying a greenhouse - in fact the thought of getting another greenhouse had not entered my head. I was quite happy with its predecessor but himself persuaded me that I should go for a bigger model. He pointed out to me that as I was no longer working that I would be spending more time in the greenhouse and would appreciate having more space to fill. How could I resist such logic? There was also the extra incentive of a special show price so it was a done deal by the end of the day.

My new 10 foot by 8 foot de luxe greenhouse remained in its packaging until September of that year but was up and ready for me to use the following spring. The staging (which was made using planed slate batons) and the heated sand bench from my original greenhouse transfered happily into this bigger space. Both these structures were crafted by himself who luckily for me enjoys any activity that involves making and building. The greenhouse is situated just a short hop away from the house so I can get out there easily whatever the weather is doing.

The greenhouse is not heated as such but I manage to overwinter cuttings in it, as well as dahlia tubers and the odd tender perennial. The fleece comes out for extra protection if the temperatures dip well below zero. It is usually though not until March when it sees much in the way of activity. The tomato and pepper seeds which were started off towards the end of February in a heated propagator are now spending their days outside. They are whisked back into the house each night but when I start to prick them out they will have to toughen up and reside in the greenhouse full time. This will probably be next week.

The heated sand bench is now on and we think that it probably raises the overall temperature of the greenhouse by a degree or two as well as providing direct heat for for newly sown seed. Basking in the warmth at the moment are more tomatoes, nicotiana, night scented phlox, celeriac, tomatillo, alpine strawberries and broad beans. The sand bench takes up most of one side of staging but will be switched off in due course so that it can be used purely as a holding area. On the opposite side of the greenhouse are beetroot, peas, sweet peas, onions and a couple of sowings of perennials. The shallots planted in cells back in February have made their way to the allotment ready for planting later this week as they are showing green. I will also plant some directly into the ground.

The cuttings have all come through the winter and are now in need of potting up and hardening off before they get too leggy. A job for that extra hour of daylight next week. The dahlias will also need some attention soon.

So that's the state of my greenhouse  this month - at the moment it all seems under control but there is inevitable trouble bubbling under the surface. Before long it will all explode when the yearly greenhouse shuffle begins, when it seems that there will never be enough space for all that you have grown. 

P.S. The bottom tiers of the staging are being used for storage at the moment eg compost, vermiculite and various other sundries etc but will no doubt be revealed next month.

Thanks to Helen over at The Patient Gardener's Weblog who had the brilliant idea of sharing what's going on in our greenhouses each month. I think it might encourage me to be tidier!