Wednesday, 30 May 2018

Little things

This week has been full of showers and sunshine. Perfect for May when growth goes crazy and everything grows like mad. As I write this, I am looking out at my tiny front garden. It must be only 6 by 7 feet. I inherited it as two Rose bushes in a rectangle of soil. When I had the time and as I began to enjoy horticulture more, I started from scratch and made a border either side of a gravel path.

The path began life enclosed in edging but as the edging rotted over the years, I just allowed the gravel to sprawl into the soil. A la Dungeness! The garden faces South so can get incredibly, unbearably hot and rather suits the gravel.

It represents me. A garden packed with plants I either bought, scavenged, raised from seed, took from cuttings. Plants from places of interest, plants from holidays, nurseries far away. A mish mash that has come together and makes me smile every time I see it. My poor Daphne that now curves over like a bent old spine, was damaged after some building works a few years ago. I didn't want to get rid of it so have come to love the way it curves and shoots new growth at each section.

Some Digitalis my youngest son chose are starting to flower, they make me think of him every time I come home.

Nectaroscordum planted as a bulb, the long wait over, as they tower over everything else and hang daintily from their stem.

The Trachelospermum bought by my Aunt, climbing our brick wall. The tiny flowers look and smell divine.

Rosemary, planted for my husband and of course for the Bees.

A happy place, on a fairly busy residential road. My oasis of lush greens and buzzing Bees. It is possible with a little effort!



Friday, 11 May 2018

Dahlia

Today was all about the Dahlia for me and planting out our tubers. Amazing things, we dig them up in Winter, once the leaves have turned black from cold and we store them indoors. We label carefully and spray them with green sulphur to help curb disease.

The day comes after the last frosts in May and we think about Dahlias again. Have any rotted throughout the Winter, have they still got a neck ? (without the stem attached to the tubers the Dahlia will fail).

Shrivelled, dry and ugly, how is it possible that such beautiful flowers will eventually come shooting from the ground?

Today I planted around 28 different Dahlias in our special Dahlia bed. We cane them, plant them up with bonemeal, label and water, water, water. Time to wake up the tuber and breathe life into it once more.

I cannot wait! Inspired, I shall dot some amongst my herbaceous borders at home and dream of the day I can cut the flowers for my house. ❤️