Growing with a Passion

 The heatwave continues and there are parts of the garden beginning to suffer. The fernery needed water this week.

Under the grass are the foundations of an older building which become clearly visible in dry weather.

The pond was getting pretty low so we were very pleased when Anne topped it up because we haven`t been staying long. We get to the garden early and go home as soon as the essentials are done .... watering and harvesting.

 

 

The sunflowers are loving it but there are one or two which did not "get away" .... surrounded by other plants and a row of broad beans.

Here are some of the different varieties.

Sungold

Ring of Fire

Lemon Queen

Piccolo I think

Also looking good are the hollyhocks. i am always astounded to find the seedlings just growing in the pathways. I prise them up just before we go home and pot them up as soon as I can. I sometimes wonder why I don`t scatter my precious seeds on the paths seeing as there is such good germination.

We usually find that the self-seeders are much stronger and more likely to survive but you do have to put up with them in rather awkward places such as the middle of the bean row.

The biggest surprise this week has been the appearance of this stunning gladioli. I don`t remember planting it.

And just a warning to anyone thinking of planting passion flower. This one plant is only two years old. It is rampant. It has grown under the path and come up alongside the tortoise run and it has grown about three or four metres in each direction along the fence.

I love it,

We have a trumpet vine to go in but there will be careful consideration as to where!!

And the casualties so far .... a pretty useless row of broad beans, normally a mainstay for our freezer, our home cucumbers with the droop and mosaic virus .... luckily the ones in the polytunnel are well away, runner beans not forming, possibly bees piercing the flowers instead of going inside.

I continue to pick bunches of statice to dry for winter colour and the lavender is currently drying off in the greenhouse at home.

New lavender bags have been made.

 

 

Happy days.