With great sadness I have to tell all his followers that
Stuart passed away some time ago, after an illness bravely borne. He is very much missed but his help and gardening advice will live on.
with thanks to all of you all over the world who have logged in to Stuarts Garden over the past years
From The Head Gardener
25TH
JANUARY, 2021 NORTH YORKSHIRE
Blue sky, loads of
brilliant sunshine, -7 degrees C, ground rock hard with a layer of frost – the
wonders of a North Yorkshire January (the alternatives are snow, rain, wind or
fog) so just enjoying the Potting Shed Stove and the dreams of more pliant months
to come. Can’t get too comfortable as, even in extreme conditions, there is
always something to do in the garden.
SNOWY GARDEN!
Sowing seeds in a propagator
is a ‘must’ – to ensure early chillies, tomatoes, lettuce etc. Now is the time to transplant the seedlings
from those seeds sown in December, making space for the sowing of the next
varieties. Aubergines, sweet peppers and
cucumbers are next on the list. Always advisable to have some heat in the
Greenhouse when the propagated seedlings are potted on, to ensure continuity of
growth (don’t need a high ambient temperature – 10 degrees C should do).
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| seedlings appearing in the propogator |
The cuttings taken from
fuchsia and geranium plants last November now need to be examined for any black rot or fungal
infections. Transplant to individual pots, water sparingly with weak feed and
keep away from frost in the greenhouse. Whilst checking the cuttings, also
inspect all the other plants, tubers and corms which are over-wintering under
cover (look for any infection or rot –
where present cut away or destroy the plant to avoid a general infection
spreading in the warmer conditions.
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| Healthy fuchsia cuttings |
While the night
temperature are well below Freezing it is best to leave the Rose pruning – even
though the new buds are becoming plump.
Prune now and you could lose to frost the lower terminals which will
give the early flower.
But there really is
lots of colour in the indoor garden – the conservatory stays warm and bright,
even on the most wintry of January days. The Amaryllis – or do you prefer to
call this wonder bulb ‘Hippeastrum’ -
initial bulbs planted in late November then weekly in December – are producing,
and have already produced, the most magnificent of ‘blooms. The largest bulbs
planted are now on their third spike of flowers (usually six per stem) ranging
from the richest of dark red to white with pink ‘sprinkles’. They started to
flower on New Year’s Day and look to have at least another six weeks of life in
full flower ( just keep almost damp but not wet and feed a little every fortnight)
LOTS OF LOVELY AMARYLLIS
The usual Winter show
of pansies has been very poor – most seemed to have died with the first hard frost.
The Viola/Heartsease have faired better,
Miniature cyclamen have lost their flowers with the frost, but still seem to be
surviving (might get a second ‘bloom as the cold eases). Hellebores are again a
triumph of vigorous flower and growth. The dark pink variety is especially
lovely on a cold damp winter’s day. The surviving Polyanthus are struggling
into their first flowers – these seem very attractive to the over wintering
bird population.
MINIATURE CYCLAMEN -before the snow
The early seed sowing in the propagator is showing and early response with four varieties of tomato – two of chilli, a mixture of pansies and a few nasturtiums (for growing on in the Green House for early Spring colour – all ready to pot on.
tomato seedlings progressing nicely
The geranium plants from last summer are getting ready to sprout new shoots, Begonia and Dahlias are resting in the frost free environment under the greenhouse benches and the succulents less tolerant of cold are enjoying their places on the less cool benches. Soon be time for the mass sowing of seeds for the Summer Season – it never stops in a much loved Garden.
Still a bit of sleet in
the wind so another log on the stove, plant catalogues out for another
‘session’ –
just heard the HG's dulcet tones announcing ‘Coffee’
Must Dash,
Stay Safe and Keep
Gardening.
Stuart
27th SEPTEMBER 2020 NORTH YORKSHIRE.
The very cold North Wind has
stamped AUTUMN on the garden with night temperatures falling below 3 degrees. It’s
been a funny old Spring and Summer really.
The attention to detail in its horticultural progression has been
exemplary in the ‘Isolation’ of Lock Down from late March until Mid August –
just the HG and myself to tread the boundaries of our small territory and
manicure every flower and blade of grass.
Must say the results have been splendid and sanity preserved.
The Geraniums and Fuchsias which were overwintered in the Greenhouse proved a boon and a source of numerous cuttings – managed around ninety Geraniums in various colours and forty Fuchsias in twelve varieties, which filled quite a few Tubs and Baskets
Below - geraniums in a trough, and just a few fuchsias!
As the physical contact with the outside world has been ‘NIL’ everything has had to be generated from within the abilities of what was available after he 16th March (Lockdown Day). Re-use of all potting compost from last year with addition of any fertilizer remaining from last year suddenly became the planting ‘Norm’ and residual amounts of seed in old packets (some ten years old) became the basis of 2020 planning.
The surviving Dahlias from last year all proved to be ‘White Cactus’ (last year’s Bishop of Llandaff and Danish Flag just disappeared) but have enjoyed a magnificent show from late May till now (and first frost presumably). Awarded five First Prizes and two ‘Best in Show’ awards on my morning ‘Judging’ Inspections. All in the mind as ALL Shows were cancelled – but it does keep the plants’ spirits up to know they are appreciated for their efforts. The Fuchsias are still in full flower and will be good for Christmas (unless it snows). Cuttings from both these great supporters already taken and growing on for next year.
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| A very pretty bedding dahlia |
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| Dahlia White Cactus |
The Winter Pansies were
still in full glory in March so with careful cutting back and coaxing are still
going strong and giving colour to the Cordyline tubs, hanging baskets and window
boxes – many of these plants are now three years old (that’s the best of Global
Warming!). The packet residue and collected seeds from last year’s plants
proved very beneficial in the Nasturtium stakes- must have managed to grow on
well over two hundred plants so very colourful and expansive show in all
quarters of the garden. Now collecting seeds for next year and trying to note
their parents' colour on the collection packets so next year’s planting may be
better ordered.. (Head Gardener says "you must be joking, they have all gone into the same box!")
Below a few pansies and nasturtiums still carrying on!
Last year’s Begonias have
also returned and have given a perfect show, the trailing Red Begonia has been especially
praised. The Sedums have proliferated in the summer heat – yes it has been very
sunny and warm during May, June, July and first half of August – and are now a
rich deep Terracotta Pink. These, together with the red berried Cotoneasters
and yellow berried Pyracanthus, give a seasonally Autumn base for October.
Below Begonias trailing red and vibrant yellow
Sedum in their autumn glory - the bees and butterflies love them
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| Yellow berries on the pyracantha |
Roses, as always, have been
beyond reproach. The mild start to the year encouraged early growth and the
first blooms were out in late April, as all the Rose are repeat flowering
varieties the summer garden has been full of colour and bountiful scents, and
they will certainly flower until the first frosts arrive – just keep dead
heading daily and feeding every fortnight (a benefit of being ‘Locked Down’ -
plenty of time for a daily ‘Dead Head’)’
Below just a few of the many roses still blooming
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| Remember Me |
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| Joie de Vivre |
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| Golden Celebration |
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| That's Jazz |
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| Olivia Rose Austen |
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| Summer Sky |
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| Super Trouper |
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| Gertude Jekyll |
In the search for seeds in
early April a box of envelopes containing seeds dating back to 2010 came to
light. Much had become dust but a few residual seeds remained. These include
various Courgettes, Tomato, Purple Bean, Squash, Dahlia and Canna Lilly.
Planted the lot and around fifty percent germinated into viable plants.
Tomatoes were ‘Gardeners Delight’ and ‘Black Cherry’; both produced a good
edible crop. Courgettes and beans have been eaten and the ‘Green Patti Pan’,
‘Butter Nut Squashes’ and ‘Eight Ball’ Courgettes are still trying hard to ripen.
The Canna Lilies are 400 mm high and just might flower this year but will
definItely bloom next year – so never throw any seeds away (You never know when
the next ‘Pandemic’ will arrive).
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| Developing courgettes |
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| Canna lily "seedling"! |
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| Tomato Gardener's Delight ripening nicely |
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| Purple beans (great flavour, but become green when cooked) |
The Hanging Baskets have triumphed
this summer with daily watering and weekly feeding – many of last year’s
baskets were simply replanted with most of the background Ivies etc left in
situ – minimal supply of ‘Potting Compost’ available – the results have been
amazing, much greater growth and profuse flowering of the ‘Annuals’ (Petunias,
Impatiens, Lobelia, Bidens, Bacopa).
Below a few of the hanging baskets when in full bloom - now replanted and waiting for Spring
Having plenty of time
available in late Spring, the tubs of flowering bulbs, Tulips, Daffodils, Iris
etc’, were emptied with care before replanting with summer bedding and the
retrieved bulbs were cleaned, dried and stored.
These have now been replanted in refurbished ‘Old’ compost, the tubs
topped off with ‘Winter Flowering Pansies’ and are in place in the garden for
the Winter and Spring flowering.
Have even managed to collect
the Hellebores from last winter, planted on for the summer resting months and
now planted out for the Winter show of flower.
And the Head Gardener's pride and joy, Hydrangea Paniculata has been spectacular this year
So, sitting in state of
exhaustion in the ‘Potting Shed’ contemplating a new supply of logs for the
Winter Stove – that must be my ‘Lock Down Mate’ and Head Gardner about to surprise
me with hot Coffee and a few words of Horticultural Wisdom.
Keep Gardening and STAY SAFE
–
must dash,
see you soon even if it’s
only in ‘VIRTUAL REALITY’!
