First Strawberries

Who could believe it is the first day of summer when it is so cold, 

with rain and gales forecast for tonight?

Why does the wind always come when the wisteria is at its best and the roses are just beginning to bloom? It happens every year.

I have been using the leaf sucker to collect wisteria petals. I found last year that if I left the petals on newly planted bedding, softer plants such as lobelia tended to rot.

So I am sucking and blowing alternately.

We didn`t see a soul at Freshwinds Garden. Sometimes it`s nice to have the place to ourselves.

Apart from the wind, it was quiet, only the sound of frogs, an angry magpie and the occasional outburst from the resident pheasant. Oh and the happy neighing of horses.

In the polytunnel the first strawberries....my goodness the taste ....wonderful.

We had a teabreak sitting inside the p.t and enjoyed the floppy growth of the daisies. I don`t remember planting them ...they just appeared so we let them be.

They are flopping all over the coriander.

After pulling out a few odd myosotis, I found what I was looking for....the jasmine and I was thrilled to find it was covered in buds.

The idea is to fill the p.t with the perfume of jasmine.

My first job was to clear the two wild areas in the grass.

The seed planting was not very good last year so this time round I have tried 

poppies, eschscholtzia and poached egg plant.

I bought the two rolls of wire in Poundland....£1 each.

I unrolled it and folded it in half then rested the tunnel over the new seedbed.

I only had enough to do one.

Next I inspected previous sowings......godtia, candytuft and more poached egg plant.

 

And the sidalcea seed which I saved myself is doing very well.

I have potted up about 4 trays. It is a mauve perenniel and very pretty.

After pricking out 8 trays of red and yellow wallflowers at home,

 I brought the rest to Freshwinds to grow on.

We`ve left teasel where is seeds and the apples are beginning to fatten up.

Geraniums and scabious.

 

Here are the first sunflowers, supported by old gazebo poles.

They are Giants.

The little Freshwinds Nursery is filling up with some gems.

 Dahlia pieces.

It`s pot luck what they will be.

Coriander and parsley.

And the buttercups (and docks) are so pretty round the pond.

They do love the dampness.

The utter madness of the last few weeks of planting is starting to ease off.

Thank goodness.