At one of my gardens I focused on an important pruning job of shrubs which have just flowered, Forsythia, Weigela, Choisya, Ribes. Removing dead wood and old flowered stems, allowing the shrub to breathe again and become much less congested. A truly satisfying job. At this stage in the year, plenty of new growth is coming so you leave the plant in a happy fresh looking state, 'lifting it'.
At Heale we have been cropping like mad - Broadies, Peas, Beets, Salad, Herbs (wonderful selection including edible flowers of Borage and Nasturtium) Artichokes, Strawberries. Not to mention the ever beautiful and quick growing Sweetpea - almost 500 this week!
We transplanted Leeks this week. We had sown the seeds back in March. Then when they break through and look like grass stems, hardened off, they can go out into a 'holding bed' until pencil thick. At this point they need transplanting to their final bed - make holes 8 inches deep, about 6 inches apart. The Leeks need top and tailing and then plop them into a hole and fill with water. I love this work!
The Leeks smell divine whilst you are topping and tailing.
The garden is looking full on now, everything is in full flow. Many visitors particularly enjoy the Alliums in the veg garden and cannot believe how big the Schubertii are.
Plant of the week? HG introduced me to a pretty Lily this week, wafting along the driveway to the house, doing it's own thing, spreading through the grass -Lilium martagon or Turk's Cap Lily.
Like pretty jewels amongst the grass. Or Plant of the week could easily be Rosa 'Paul's Himalayan Musk' which is doing as it should, rambling and arching elegantly in the Japanese Garden, showing it's best side right now.
Spoilt for choice.
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