Scorcher storm

Another really hot day, and many plants are suffering. I’m finding it hard to keep up with watering. Even after the precautions I made.

I’m happy to see this Cautleya gracilis lutea start flowering. It is much more delicate to its more robust counterpart.

Impatiens never used to have a space in my heart never mind my garden, here are two that I have purchased this year and are doing brilliantly.

Impatiens auricauma x bicaudata.

Impatiens balfourii.

I’m hoping that this sown Solanum quitoense will grow bigger and better. The leaves are stunning and so alien.

These are Canna brasiliensis seeds lay on top of a Musa Basjoo leaf.

The bees love the open flowers of this Dahlia ‘Bishop of Leicester’.

This is a Hedychium, I believe it to be H.densiflorum ‘Stephen’. I look forward to it seeing it in all its glory.

When I bought this Abuliton ‘Varigated Salmon’ my mum really dislikes it. Until that is when the flowers came. Now this is a prize plant in my parents garden.

A spot of bright colour provided by this Zinnia.

Another plant I have grown to love are Begonias. This is B. Josephii

Here I have B.evansiana.

Amongst the begonias is this stunning bulb, known as the pineapple lily, the Eucomis bicolour.

As I finish writing this the lightening spreads through the sky, the breeze returns and now the rain comes.

All seasons in one day*

So I’ve managed to do a few bits outside today in the sun, rain and wind*.

I’ve finally put the stand together and placed some hostas on it. There needs to be some rearrangement but it’s a good start.

A lovely Dahlia flower. I had to buy these for my parents when I saw them! These are Dahlia Sandra. My mum’s name.

These are Amaranthus.

I love how big these ornamental gingers are growing! I am not sure of the variety of these Hedychium, I believe it could be ‘Stephen’.

These are the planters I prepared for my parents earlier this year.

I’ve spotted a few things of interest, hoping to catch you up on these soon.

Pot up & tidy up!

I’ve managed to spend some time in my parents garden and in our yarden too.

I noticed this iris type seedling growing in a plant that my friend David gave me. I think he has them popping up too!

I’m happy with my little ‘cabinet’ so I can store my compost, grit, sand and bark.

I’ve potted on some plants, tradescantia, Szechuan pepper, impatiens and I’m sure one or two more.

I noticed some aroid looking seedlings popping up from around my Aloe. No idea what they are but can’t wait to find out. Any ideas?

I had a general clean up and a tidy. Hoping to get more space and be able to sit and enjoy a laid back time.

Also finally had some sweet pea flowers. The smell so sweet.

Enjoy your green space.

All weather gardener

I’ve been pottering about the yarden today.

It hasn’t been the best weather, I don’t let it stop me.

I’m happy to see these seeds grow as I’d more or less given up. However I have no idea what they are!! I’ve clearly lost the label. I know they are an exotic and am so chuffed that they have sprouted.

I am sure you recall me chopping g and preparing the comfrey tea. Today I bottled up the smelly stuff!! Six litres in fact. Just hope that the rain clears the smell!

I’ve potted up the Cyperus longus that I bought the other week.

I was soaked to the bone and needed a shower to not only have a good clean and rid the smell of the comfrey but to warm myself up!

Enjoy your green space!

Dare I say it…?*

Rain, drizzle and downpour. It’s not been the best day for gardening today.

These are some pots that my friend Chris brought back from Yorkshire for me.

It makes me laugh, some people say that Eucomis bicolour are hard to grow. It has self seeded in several places in my parents garden. One of which is growing our of a crack in the flat garage roof.

I’m seriously worried about my plant addiction. *More plants. Here are some new plants that arrived today. Tradescantia fluminensis ‘Maidens blush’.

I’m also expecting another plant to arrive tomorrow that’s been on my wish list for some time.

I’ll update you tomorrow.

An all weather gardener!

I was determined to get out in the yarden today, rain or shine. Rain it was.

First job was to get the comfrey (given to me by my friend Shaun) and get it prepared to make comfrey tea.

Here it is chopped up and in a bucket.

I filled the bucket up with water. I’ll wait for it to steep and smell before decanting into bottles and use it to feed my plants.

Here is Hosta ‘Tot tot’ a miniature hosta just potted in to its new pot.

I’ve finally potted up little one up too.

This one is Hosta ‘Dilithium Crystal’ as you can tell I like the blue varieties.

I also potted on two Colocasias, an Akebia, some Tradescantia cuttings, a Persicaria campanulata and a few other bits.

A friend gave me this cutting and I’m super excited. I hope it will grow big and strong. It’s a Ficus lyrata aka Fiddle Fig.

It rained, I got wet, I got wetter in the shower but I’m glad I did it!

Enjoy your green space!

What next?!

It’s been a mixed day of rain and shine.

My good friend Shaun visited today, he brought be some comfrey to turn in to tea for my plants.

We then headed to my parents to have a nosey at all the work I have been doing since lockdown.

I have a gardening group on Facebook and a lovely lady that I have not met before was offering some Morning Glory plants as she had grown so many.

She also had lots of Butterwort – carnivorous plants. She gave me this lovely plant too.

David and dropped a plant off to friends in Chorlton and they gave us a baby aloe.

I’ve taken many cuttings of the well known piggy back plant – very common in the eighties.

I have more to do.

I’ll try and keep you upto to date as much as possible.

Another rainy day

Here is the amazing reusable bag of peat free compost. I buy this from Bud Garden Centre – it’s Sylvagrow ‘Bag for life’.

These are the promised photos of the Thalia dealbata from yesterday.

The leaves collect the raindrops like jewels.

With the downpour I really haven’t spent much time gardening at all.

Cool plants!

Yesterday was a busy day. I visited Bud Garden Centre in Burnage.

I bought the lovely little cacti that I posted yesterday and my favourite compost – Sylvagrow. It’s a peat free compost but it’s the best I’ve found that you can buy!

What’s even better I buy it in a bag for life so in effect I am not using plastic.

After here we had a quick stop to Wicks for some top soil.

Have you ever been to Aqualife in Poynton? They are an amazing plant nursery that stock everything to do with aquatic plants from water lilies to day lilies and hostas. As long as the plants thrive in water, bogs and marshes they will have them!

Not only that, the service is amazing and David, the guy that helped us, really knows his stuff and is passionate about what he does!

I picked up this beauty that I have been after for a while – Thalia dealbata. A tropical aquatic plant with stunning leaves and a small (in comparison to the leaves) dark purple / maroon flower.

I love how the rain sits on the leaves. Sadly I knocked them off when taking pictures so watch this space and wait for better pics.

I also picked up some oxygenating plants. Here are water violet – Hottonia palustris and ivy leaved crowfoot – ranunculus hederacious.

I’m also really happy about this impatiens cutting it took. I put it water about a week ago!! Look at those roots!

Whilst shopping in Aldi today I was surprised to see the following plants …

The rain has been non stop all day and I have had a day in catching up with housework.

I hope I get chance to do a bit outside tomorrow as I have lots to do!

Downpour

For a day where I thought I’d be spending lots of time in the yarden, I spent little time at all doing anything really.

Let’s hope I spend more time in my green space tomorrow.