June view 2009

June view 2009
View of rose and herb garden, June 2009

Small Garden Story

Over some 15 + years, I have been photographing the evolution of my small (85 x 15 foot) garden and it seems a waste not to put these records into some sort of context. Beginning here in April 2010 this Blog is intended to both act as a diary and to share past and present successes (and some failures), pleasures and disappointments with fellow garden-lovers. In due course, I intend to fill in some of the background and early days but that will have to wait until the winter months!

Sunday 19 August 2012

Thunbergia success

The heat of the past week has been something of a shock but at least the days being slightly shorter has meant things haven't dried out too badly and it almost seems like summer has finally arrived.   Had my first (and probably only) good feed of French beans, more little Sungold tomatoes, one disappointing (small and not very good texture) Marmande tomato and the first blackberries and autumn fruiting raspberries.  The latter have grown to at least 7 feet this year but are producing huge tasty fruit so it's worth the stretch.
Pale orange Thunbergia has taken off at a surprising pace in a slightly shady spot
In terms of flowers, I am pleased with the colour for the time of year.   The dahlias are beginning to get into their stride - a gorgeous deep red one and some stripy magenta/whites are the most striking so far.   But I am really pleased with a couple of climbers which promise to produce interest over the really difficult period coming up - one cobea scandens which I managed to over-winter (the ONLY one!) is scrambling about well into the arch nearest the house and beginning to form flower buds and a vibrant pale orange Thunbergia (Black eyed Susan) has taken off at great speed since I bought it from one of the "sheds" a couple of weeks back.

The roses are all over - or "resting" but there is some lovely colour taking over around them from self-set fennel and the faithful clematis Heiraclifolia as well as a mass of late bloom on Cl.Etoile Violette and the white perennial sweet peas.
Of wildlife interest I have seen meadow brown and common blue butterflies in the garden.   The many swifts seem to have disappeared, unlike the wretched squirrel who is now digging holes in the grass to bury this years's cob nuts.   That tree is going to have to go....

Sunday 12 August 2012

Crazy spiders

The garden is suddenly full of cobwebs - something I usually take as a sign of late summer as the light begins to turn more golden.   It's also easier to get up at dawn and enjoy the freshness of early morning - but with it LOTS of spiders!   I found this extraordinary apparent double web the other day.   In fact it's 2 cobwebs that have been made within about 3 inches of one another.
You need to look carefully!


Monday 6 August 2012

Changing places

"Julio" by Diana Roles in pride of place behind vibrant red Crocosmia "Lucifer"
After the best part of a day spent pruning and tidying this week I finally found time to assess the siting of my lovely new piece - and decided it looks a bit too hidden!   So I have swapped Julio with Feuille to have a think about it.   Not sure I've got it right yet as they both deserve a prominent position (also Julio is slightly less tall so from the house it is in some visual conflict with the bird bath behind it) - but it is fun changing things around and I am enjoying the new, more colourful vista.
A bit of a jungle but I like the way Julio and the bird bath complement one another seen from the house
Feuille in the shadier spot - for a while...

  Quite a lot of colour in the garden just now - I am surprised!   My first dahlia has opened - a vibrant red.   Pity something seems to be eating it already so I have put up a few straw-filled flower pots in the hope of catching out the odd slumbering earwig.

A couple of trips to local garden centres provided some cheerful gap-fillers at discounted prices including some ever-endearing violas, blue salvias and a black-eyed Susan which I am hoping to over-winter.

Picked my first cherry tomatoes - very good - and a small crop of French beans is nearly ready.   What a rich, lush place the garden is this August - one must be grateful to the rain for some things.