Saturday 5 June 2010

BEHIND IN BLOGGING AS USUAL

These photos were taken in May but as usual I am behind with blogging and gardening for that matter. It is once again stinking hot and so again I have been busy hose piping. The problem is I see so many jobs that need doing whilst hose piping and often they are still waiting to be done the next time I need to hose pipe.

The Passion flower plant that was growing on the trellis by the back of the house did not survive our cold snowy winter so once again I reverted to colourful hanging basket plants to adorn it until I get something else to grow. In fact Rebecca brought me a Montana clematis and so that was where I decided to plant it. Yes I know it really needs much more space but it will be nice for a few years and pretty near the back door. I really do not have room anywhere else for a Montana.


Hostas always look great and grown in old wash tubs works really well, but this hosta really must be divided up next year.

A quick look at my alpine sinks and the lettuce that can be picked leaf by leaf very useful for a sandwich or salad lunch.

This area Mike called the GAID Garden for the Aged, Infirm and Disabled. It stemmed back to the time when my Arthrits and Muscle weakness from Lyme Disease meant I could not garden. Mike thought it was a good idea having things in pots because you could lift them up on your knee to garden. Great theory but infact that was something else I could not do even lifting a magazine was painful, now recovered I can do all sorts of gardening jobs again.

When Beth was younger she liked to play ball along this area, but now it is a job to walk through all the pots at times.

Cerastium tormentosum is a wonderful plant with masses of lovely perfumed sprays of white flowers it is rather rampant and needs keeping under control.

Just one flower on this group of Flag Iris but the ones in the front garden are flowering better this year. I do like Flag Iris but it is difficult finding the space for them in my crowded garden

The Gleditsias are just coming into leaf either side of the arch. They are such wonderful trees.

I never used to like these big blousey poppies but grew some paler ones from seed which have been flowering this year for the first time somehow they help dilute the brighter ones so the effect has been much more pleasing. I also grew some white ones from seed last year but they don't seem to be big enough yet so doubt I will have flowers this year.
If these poppies are cut back after flowering they often flower again in late summer.

The Lupins I grew from seed and planted out last year are beginning to flower and add extra flowers and colours to this already busy bed. Since taking this photo I have weeded all around the edges removed the wallflowers and planted out dahlias in any spaces found. It seemed to work well last year, but I only stood the pots out, this year having run out of large pots I decided they could go in the soil once the frost was passed and they had already grown 20-40 cms.

Finally my Ginka tree in a pot, thankfully it survived the snowy winter. I am not sure what I will do with it when it outgrows all my large pots but I will worry about that then.

13 comments:

  1. Hi Joanne,
    I enjoyed the tour of your lovely garden. I have a ginko tree but it is planted in the ground and it has survived four of our colder winters.
    It is pouring rain here for the weekend and has been cooler then normal so I would love a few sunny dry days.
    Don't work too hard!

    Carolyn

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  2. What a spectacular garden ! Love the pictures ! So glad you can garden again, take care, Gina

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  3. I love your garden. The hosta look great. Pat and I have a dozen or so hostas in containers. the water barrels are a good idea. We have two. jim

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  4. Joan, you have so many plants in pots! They are a good addition to your beautiful, colorful garden. That hosta of yours is huge!And I don't see any slug bites! I didn't know about poppies blooming second time...

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  5. Joanne, your cottage garden is so lush! I would love to wander through, examining all the pots and all the lovely flowers growing along the walk. I pine for poppies! Sadly, most won't do well in my climate. Yours are gorgeous! i can tell that your garden is well tended and loved. I am glad that you have regained your health and can create such an inspirational garden.

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  6. What great pictures / plants, especially that magnificant Hosta.

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  7. Hi Joanne, hope you are well?
    I want to turn into a fairy & come live in your garden!! x

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  8. Thanks for the tour!

    It has been so dismal here I've not put in any annuals et and the few perenials I have did not do well , even the tulips did not appreciate the late snow, so your photos are a super 'pick - me - up"

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  9. Wow, I just love your cottage garden. So many textures, shapes and colors, so much to look at that you can't take it all in in one viewing.

    Enjoy that beauty that you have surrounding you.

    FlowerLady

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  10. That's it. I'm hopping the next flight. Expect me at your door by evening. No wait. I'll be in your garden. I'll be the yellow-nosed one perched among your Clematis and Lupines. Beautiful garden Joanne. You just amaze me. I couldn't help but laugh at the trees in pots...me too. I love small trees, watching them grow and hoping they'll stay small enough to keep because God knows I can't keep them once they outgrow the largest pot I can handle. I'm so glad you're feeling well enough to garden again--even if it is hauling the hose around right now. My fingers are crossed for a cool-down. Where I live, all it does is rain this year. Strange.

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  11. Tatyana It is the Oriental poppies that can bloom a second time if pruned after the first flowering. The slug bites increase as the summer progresses and I am not so vigilant.

    Hi Helen Fairies are always welcome in my garden.

    Grace that is praise indeed coming from someone with such an enviable garden.

    It does seem the weather is very topsy turvey everywhere in the World these last six months.

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  12. You really know how to maximize the use of your gardening space, with greenery everywhere. Your large Hosta in pots next to the chairs look so full and healthy.The view through the arch is picture perfect.

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  13. It sounds like you are having the year we had last year. Cold and snowy winter, hot and dry Spring. We are having cool and wet weather still.
    Your garden looks so full and pretty. I love seeing the details in your garden.

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