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The Garden

Hot bed hot colours

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Hot bed, hot colours
Creating a tropical garden with hot colours, design cut flower bed

Earlier this year I planted out a secluded south facing bed with a hot and tropical feel, hot bed, hot colours. This tropical feel garden, with hot colours for cut flowers catches the sun all day and would be in view from our main outdoor summer seating area .

This area is currently occupied by lots of Nerines, so flowers for the late summer  were already ahead. A Musa Basjoo Banana (£5 from a nursery at J1 on the M40) was key to the tropical feel. It just oozes tropics. Anchoring the bed at either end are Helianthus Lemon Queen and Romneya, the California Poppy Tree.

Filling in the spaces I used Zinnias grown from seed, Oesteospurmums from cuttings, and lots of bright Dahlias.

The objective of providing cut flowers from this bed would be bolstered by my first attempt at growing Alstromeria, the peruvian lilly. These are included as I read that they stay fresh in a vase for 3 weeks. I bought them mail order, and about half of them grew. Not ideal, but enough growing strongly to make up for losses.

Some Agapanthus I had been given are dotted in, with a view to them establishing to flower in forthcoming years.

So all planted and promises of hot coloured cut flowers all summer.

This bed also happens to be overlooked from my hallway, so is what we see coming downstairs in the morning. And what any visitors see when entering the house.

It started slowly, and I thought the dry summer would wipe out much if it. Not only did it survive, but it has thrived. The area is now our first call for cut flowers. They have been abundant from June and still plentiful going into October.

Hot bed, hot colours, lessons learned

I was caught out by the  late season exuberance, and found many plants were not adequately supported. This meant they leaned forward into the grass path, and left the back of the bed looking open.

Hot bed, hot colours
As the season went on bigger plants leaned in too far. Nerines came out early this year, in the past they’ve not shown until late October.

Some thought into what plants go where, and some discrete canes, should solve that for next year. And some planning to get through the dry weather. I will add further loads of compost. And install a leaky pipe irrigation system there, to make sure the water gets right down below the foliage and into the roots.

And the proof of the pudding? You can see that it is still bringing spectacular colour, especially for a cheap and fast go at a hot bed, hot colours idea. And especially compared to the perennials borders  that lose colour fast from October.

And the great thing is that it will only get better. I love it!

Hot bed, hot colours
Overall it met the brief, hot colours all summer long

Hot bed, hot colours Hot bed, hot colours Hot bed, hot colours

The Garden

Garden springs into growth Week 21

Garden springs into growth

Garden springs into growth
With temperatures up and the recent rain the garden will really spring into growth. Most of the later planting is done, but I still have a few more Dahlias and Cosmos to plant out.

And decisions need to be taken about those Dahlia and Canna roots that have not done anything. It’s always a puzzle that some perfectly healthy looking specimens just refuse to shoot.

Those that have gone soft have already been discarded, but the remaining few still take up space. I should adopt a time limit for them, rather than allow them to clutter up the planting plans for other beds and the greenhouse.

This week I watched daily as the greenhouse springs into growth. I have sown some French Marigold specifically as companions for them, and they are now planted, along with Coriander and Basil  to keep the Cucumbers and Chillis free from at least a few bugs.

In the borders the task of dead heading has started. Hemerocalis, Iris Siberica and the bearded Iris all need attention. Poppies are another that will flower all summer if they can. Leave some pods to turn though, and let them self sow through out the border.

Many “annual”  plants have made it through the last few winters here, including Poppy Papaver Comutatum, the one with black spots like a ladybird. Snapdragons and Scabious are also popping up where I had them last year, a most welcome and pleasant surprise.

Garden springs into growth
Ladybird poppies are a spectacular red

Early crops a winner

The peas I started in the greenhouse have produced an early crop, and encouraged me to make it really worthwhile next year. those outside are not really far behind. The broad beans though are several weeks ahead, and the first pods are ready to pick now.

Other crops have started to bolt with the extra heat, and so they should have a planting companion to provide shade. Not quite sure what that is yet though.

Now I am watching for fading planting and the inevitable “June gap”.

 

 

The Garden

Spring planting Week 19

Spring planting – again

Spring planting
The warm weather – tempered by a couple of chilly nights last week – has really sprurred the garden along. Much needed rain was the catalyst to kick-start growth, with many perennials noticeably taller. Lupins, Delphiniums, Digitalis  and Rudbeckias have almost doubled in size over a few days

And now the ground is wet and warm I can get a few more projects under way.

A narrow south facing bad seems ideal for some tropical plants. It has a dry and a damp end, so will acomodate a wide range of plants. I have a banana – Musa Basjoo – and Cannas fr that tropical leaf feel, and colour from Dahlias and Callas. Some previous residents will stay, including Nerine Bowdenii, Helianthus Lemon Queen, several Penstemons and a Phlox.

For spot plants I have some Lilly Regale and Tiger Lillies. This is also the spot I like to try to grow the best sunflowers, and they disguise an ugly downpipe as well.

Agapanthus – a trade in at the last plant swap – and Alstromeria provide additional interest, and  the latter hopefully long-lasting cut flowers. The slightly banked front will be covered by Osteospermum, Alchemilla Mollis and Sedums.

Finally a few Mammoth sweet peas for scent.

Food glorious food

In the kitchen garden I have planted out the Chard, Pak Choi and about a million beetroots. There are four varieties, one of them a golden one that I have never tried before.

Potatoes were another benefactor of the rain last week, requiring earthing up already.

And the peas in the greenhouse experiment has worked, to the degree that we have mange tout to eat from the garden for the first time. The broad beans in the greenhouse beds are pinched out and all  in flower.

 

The main flower border is now storming ahead.

Spring planting
The main front border on April 17th
Spring planting
And the same border 4 weeks later

The bad news is though… that there are only 4 weeks until midsummer.