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.

Plant day.

Had a busy day shopping but also had time to visit this amazing place!! Aqualife in Poynton.

Bought Cyperus longus which was listed in James Wong’s book – native Sweet Galangal.

I also couldn’t resist a dark flowered Hemerocaulis aka Day lily.

A friend told me about this flower stand being sold on facebook. At first someone else had got their dibs but it wasn’t meant to be … so yay! Here it is. After a drive to Salford I bought this plant stand to display hostas in my parents garden.

I got it home and then potted on a few plants.

The weather wasn’t as bad as it has been of late.

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!

Potting hot

Had a busy day in the gardening world.

Started early to try and avoid the heat.

I painted the new wooden plinths I screwed up yesterday.

I potted on my Zantedeschia Aeothopica ‘Green Goddess’. As you can see I position the original pot inside and then slowly tip it into the hole.

Is this plant telling me that it wants to come out of the propagator. Here we have another avocado growing.

I did some more work in my parents today but thought I’d share my banana plants that I grow in my parents garden with cannas and gingers.

My mum had the fright of her life today when she was getting some tomato food ready to water the plants.

There was a frog in her watering can. Sadly the frog was literally frightened to death.

I moved it to a shaded and damp space but sadly the poor thing didn’t make it.

I was so happy to know that there was a frog in their garden too.

I have since put plenty of water pockets in hope that there are more frogs seeking cooler and wetter conditions. I am also going to be adding a log pile.

I’d always encourage people to garden organically and to attract wildlife into their gardens / green space.

It really saddened me to have to move this beautiful creatures little body.

I am sorry for today sad news.

As mentioned previously please add some water to your green spaces however small they can be life lines for many.

Please also remember to take care of yourselves, the weather is so hot at the moment. I have been wearing a hat and trying to keep topped up with fluids.

Watering plants is becoming an issue. I have tried to lay saucers under each pot to retain the water as it is dissolving so quickly.

I have enjoyed potting on plants that appear to be growing more in this heat.

I’ll be doing more tomorrow so watch this green space.

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!

Mix bag of weather

Had a busy day planting and pottering in my parents garden.

The weather has been sunny, with storms, thunder, torrential rain. Sun, rain, thunder, sun and rain!

My mum filmed me whilst planting more lovely plants.

I’m pleased to see the Begonia grandis return this year, it’s bulked up too! I bought this from Village Plants last year.

I went to collect David from Warrington however before I went to visit a friend who was able to give me some manure from his little friend.

More gardening tomorrow but not sure sure at this stage if it will be inside or outside.