The problem with aging....

...is that the mind and body often clash.  The mind suggests that this needs an overhaul or that needs attention.  The body stands, hands on hips, with an attitude and says hell no!

I do love a bit of a clash in the garden however. 

The two gardens that for me have really surpassed my expectations this year are the Yen (above) and Mugwart's Retreat (below).  The plants have really settled in since they both had an overhaul and I'm really enjoying the firm shapes with pops of colour in the Yen.  The serenity continues in Mugwart's Retreat but with a more relaxed vibe. 

Since this photo was taken of the Retreat however, our neighbour has removed the high hedge so the light has changed a little.  We shall soon find out the impact on the plants on this once shaded area.

Sadly the impact has already been felt with the loss of habitat for the sparrows that had called this large expanse of evergreen hedging home.  There has been a marked decline in feathered visitors to our bird feeders, as they have flown further afield in search of shelter. 

A little solace was discovered today in our tiny pond.  The miniature water lily has produced a single bloom!

New Trees!

We now have 18 trees.  If you view the blog as the web page version (scroll to the bottomof this page and it gives you the option of viewing the full blog), I've created a list of our trees on the right, along with their care since the labels are discarded and names can be forgotten over time.

A few weeks ago we ordered 3 new pot grown trees from an online supplier.  Last week however I received an email to refund my payment as the order could not be filled.

Thankfully, the garden centre where we usually go reopened this week, so we decided that we would kill two birds with one stone, buy the trees and take Daisy with us to help with her socialisation.

We queued for about half an hour, spaced according to the social distancing measures.  It operated on strict numbers within the garden centre with a one-in-one-out system, and everyone in the queue around us were in good spirits.  I guess like us, pleased to have the garden centre open again.

This centre of choice is in the countryside, about 20 minutes drive away and was a lovely run out in the sunshine, giving Daisy a chance to settle on the journey.

Once in, we didn't dilly-dally,  like we usually do, and went straight to the trees. We were able to find 2 out of the 3 varieties I wanted.  The third was a similar variety to the one I had ordered online.

Straight back to the tills which are in a hut at the exit, again queuing as per the social distancing measures.  We pushed the trolley up to the lady behind the screen then stepped back to the box marked on the floor to allow the assistant to tell the cashier what to run through the till.  As we were having them delivered, the assistant then took our trees away, moving the trolley into the cleaning station to prepare for the next customer.

And off we went, allowing the next people to enter.

I suppose now would be a good time to show you these new additions.

The Man that Can set to planting them up straight away. 

With a little help from Daisy who wanted to play with the pebbles. 

On the Terrace and patio, prunus Stella and prunus Athos, both in large green glazed pots.  There is fruit already on Stella, albeit small and green.  Both of these varieties are self pollinating. 

The third tree is p. Fragrant Cloud, an ornamental cherry with, as the name suggests, scented blossom in white that ages to pink.  This has been planted in the Long Border. 

Of course the blossom has passed but next year should be a real treat.

If we're lucky, and beat the birds, we may be enjoying our own cherries come July!

Stay safe and enjoy your garden. 

The drought continues

One evening earlier this week I could smell the rain before I could either see or hear it.  That musty pungent twang of welcome moisture on hot dry ground.  It reminded me of childhood summers.

Sadly we've not had any 'useful' rainfall and while all the surrounding counties are embarking on hosepipe bans, our little patch of the UK is hoping that water use can be sensibly maintained...at the moment.  

It's a struggle to keep the garden looking lush with such little water.  We don't have a lawn in our current garden, but it's been some time since grass was green around these parts.  I know that it won't be long before the rain returns to our temperate climes.  For some countries this is the norm...and worse. 

The 'nursery' has sadly had a couple of fatalities. I think they're mostly of primulas, but we should be able to replace them in the spring.  Most of the plants in larger pots are faring better since they don't dry out as quickly.

The Yen Garden is doing well. The cannas are loving the hot sunshine and go perfectly with tropical looking crocosmias.

There have been one or two escapees around the garden with c. Lucifer popping up in the Long Border and in the front garden. They can finish flowering and then I'll lift them and replant them into a pot for the time being.  There are plans afoot and they will be planted in the Yen Garden in due course. 

The bedding plants are at full speed now. They do need a bit of deadheading, but now I'm back at work I'm finding it tiring in the evenings.  I'll soon get back into it.

These self sown opium poppies are ripening their seeds so I can spread their joy for next summer. 

I love this daylily.  Very exotic looking, and in another year I'll split this one to share in the Yen Garden.

The hydrangeas are flowering well.

More seeds ripening.

The archway doesn't have the effect yet, but r. Gertrude Jeykll has a growth spurt complete with new buds forming.  She's waist height now.

Below r. Shropshire Lad has a single bud and hasn't really been as vigorous as I had imagined.  Maybe the heat and lower water levels has been an issue.  A good dose of farmyard manure in the autumn should see it right for next year.

Magnolia George Henry Kern has now pretty much reached the top of the fence.  another couple of years should see it block out the view of our neighbour's orange cabin.

The foxglove seeds are almost ready to be scattered in the Pink Garden.  

And the pink aquilegia is having a second flush of smaller flowers. 

This old lily is usually ravaged by lily beetles.  I don't bring it out on view any longer but it's still having a go.  It seems pest free at the moment.

A second flush of creamy white foxgloves are keeping the bumblebees happy.

The dwarf sweet peas have suffered with the heat, being in a small container, but it's beginning to open tiny scented blooms.

Beside the pond, pinks are opening too, providing welcome colour among fallen petals from a very tall spindly looking red rose that's crying out for some tlc in our neighbour's garden.

The water levels have dropped in the pond, but it's still providing a drinking spot for the birds. 

It's almost time for the annual hedge trim.  This monster of a hedge could however find its days are numbered as we're thinking of having it removed.  Whilst it does provide privacy, it does also cause trouble with the soil drying out, with rapid growth that is a bone of contention with our neighbour below, and there is damage in the centre.  There's approximately 3 feet of our garden being taken up with its depth which could, quite frankly, be better used.

As mentioned earlier, plans are afoot.