Frost Nip

 Frost Nip is actually the name
of one of my favourite dahlias.

But my title refers to today`s experiences.

First of all, I woke really early and was up by 6 a.m. Secondly I was pretty surprised when Openreach workmen began working on telephone cables outside our house at 6.20. I thought it was a bit early. And they must have been pretty cold because there was a rather heavy frost.

We don`t usually expect frosts at this time of the year, but the car was covered in a layer .... the first clue, unfortunately it was all over the grass and the birdbath had an icy layer as well.

I had reason to be worried. 

We went to the garden. I was just a little bit upset to find all the lovely new dahlia growth blackened.

The sprout net had blown over a couple and they were saved.

This is the lovely My Love that was shooting so well.

A few days ago.

Everything else seemed to be ok but sometimes you don`t find out til later.

Such was the case with these plants at home.

French marigolds and amaranthus.

 

 

Looking very sorry for themselves.

I am hoping the dahlias will recover with new shoots pushing up. I have since wondered whether they need thinning anyway.

I had one tray of statice Pink Pokers to plant.

 

Oh these bakers trays are so useful.

 

Then Steve and I cut some very thick willow poles. Maybe we will use them to construct sunflower support.

It was great to have the dead hedge for all the trimmings.

 

And great to try out our new short but very strong loppers.

 

And here is the flowerbed we did not start weeding today.

 

Dandelions and Dahlias

At the moment its all about planting out and keeping it watered. There wasn`t a great deal of rain throughout April and so far not much in May. Any new planting needs to be watched carefully

At home we have a lot of bedding still to go in but each day the number is going down by about 7or 8 trays. And the 156 dahlia tubers are gradually reducing. Here are the dahlias sprouting madly after being in the ground all winter.

Today I allocated a bare bit of raised bed for my unknown dahlia tubers so its going to be interesting to see what comes up. There are always a few where the labels drop off.

I have put in a tray of helichrysum and the last of the giant sunflowers. I`m just hoping that we find enough stakes when windy season kicks in.

Steve got the shading over the polytunnel and it brought the temperature down by a couple of degrees immediately.

We were glad of our teabreak as it got hotter.

 

I mended a willow fairy base. They are all round the garden this year. In the photo you can see the empty pots so far.

Two willow fairies on the snug.

 

The purple bearded irises are at their peak. I am interested to note that most of these are deep purple when once they were all cream and mauve. I read up about it and it seems that the darker rhizomes tend to take over. One thing is for sure, these will need thinning out after they have flowered.

Meanwhile the tortoises are happily chomping through their daily lettuces. They also love dandelions flowers. I usually find them a few each.
 

Funny to think this used to be the exit from the garden at one time.

 

Honey Delight and Brandy Wine

Steve and I have ended the day feeling very satisfied with ourselves. All of the tomato plants are in the polytunnel.

There are 30 in all.

The varieties are: -

Artisan Yellow, Costaluto, Honey Delight, Rosello, Marmande, San Marzano and Brandy Wine. 

They are staked and protected with very necessary, old net curtains.

I couldn`t bear to pull up the echium in full bloom.

We have had a good tidy up in there as well. It tends to collect junk over the winter. I found a lot more fairy bits and pieces so they are now in the fairy gardens.

Steve began the preparation in the middle bed. That will be for aubergines and peppers later on.

My other jobs included scattering 21 packets of bought and home-saved seeds all round the garden. Poppies, larkspur, cosmos, tobacco plant, foxgloves, californian poppies.

It will be very exciting to see what will come up.

And I had a tray of statice Pink Pokers .... a new dried flower for me. It was lovely to plant in damp soil after some rain recently.

The aquilegia grow like weeds at the garden and this is their peak time. 

Anne has created this wonderful dinosaur garden with her grandchildren. It was a lovely surprise. Its in an old water trough. Visitors are going to love it.

Things are coming together very well and the rain, albeit scant, was most welcome.