Sunflowers, Sprouts and Spurge

The weather has been glorious but we are beginning to be in great need of rain. It is forecast for tonight so fingers crossed.

The poor pond is very low indeed and needs a top-up.
 

Someone has recently said, about UK weather .... its a strange time, scraping ice from windscreens in the morning, suntan lotion on in the day then heating on in the evening. 

This morning, very early there was an eerie mist rolling across our field. But it soon got burnt off. 

Today was sunflower day. I managed to get 28 in at the garden.

Giant single

Henry Wilde

Orange Sun

You would think the planting of sunflowers would be easy but its not that straightforward. Each one is protected by a plastic bottle cloche, held in place by 2 canes. it is tied in once, slug pelleted and watered. I`m hoping they don`t bake in their mini-greenhouse.

That took most of the morning. There will be more to go in next time if I can find space.

Steve got the leeks in. And the sprouts are well away in their netted cage.

We have got 20 tomato plants waiting at home but the polytunnel is not ready and far too hot today to work in there, preparing.

The cuckoo was calling all around the farm. I had to sit in the shade near the guinea pigs for my teabreak. They are now enjoying the free run of the little orchard.

The ravaged apple tree is looking good. We thought we had lost it when rabbits chewed round the base. But it survived.

The foliage on the buddliea looks healthy. I might keep it that way by spraying with Neem oil, to prevent the problems we had last year.
 I have succesfully rooted a cutting from the beautiful buddliea by the snug. Another plant we thought we had lost ..... but it bounced back.

We lifted more carpet, used to cover over-wintering dahlias. This is what we found. I hope the growth straightens up. It is the very vigorous My Love dahlia. I would use some for cuttings if it wasn`t for the fact that I already have a crate full of tubers from this particular dahlia. A toad was hiding there too.

 

The big raised bed promises to be quite a sight, with feverfew and foxgloves in abundance. All self sown.

And the spurge continues to delight. Four months of amazing acid green flowers.

 

And finally the bean posts are in. Funny to think what this bed will look like in just a few weeks.