19TH JUNE 2018 - NORTH YORKSHIRE
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| The new herbaceous border |
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| Floriferous back garden |
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| Secret Corner of the back garden |
Is there anything more ‘Fair’
than an English Country Garden in glorious June. The blue skies and sunshine,
interspaced with a force nine South Westerly Gale (you must remember to be
grateful during a English Summer), have brought the lateness of the planting to disgorge a
plethora of blooms in the most wonderful of summer colours.
Roses are coming to
their first peak; the husbandry of winter and spring have paid dividends.
The bush roses, planted bare rooted last November and wrapped with
horticultural floss against the winter frosts, are in magnificent bloom.
Gertrude Jekyll is a mass of super fragrant pink flowers which endue the garden
with the exotic fragrances of Old Persia. Prima Ballerina shares an equal status, pirouetting across the
lawn.
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| Super smelly Gertrude Jekyll - a great favourite |
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| Prima Ballerine - so dellicate |
The pure gold of Summer Sky compliments the rich orange of Dancing
Queen, and the gentle white and creams of Lichfield Angel and Tranquility cool
the head Gardener's excitement on her morning preamble (with note book for my daily
instruction).
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| Tranquility - currently the H G's favourite |
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| Lichfield Angel - soft creamy white |
The Climbers planted in February had a very cold start but are
now showing signs of activity. They have tended to bloom before putting on any
great growth, but still hoping for a spurt of activity after their first
flowering. They are being fed with copious quantities of Top Rose, Bone Meal and Hoof
and Horn, and watering – yes, Watering in N.Yorkshire. A benefit of
Climate Change – maybe).
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| Climber Alchemist, getting started |
Hanging Baskets, Wall
Troughs, Sconces and Tubs were planted with gay abandon (the old meaning not
the current understanding of the term) in April and May are in full and passionate
glory, and are exacting their toll with a one hour watering regime each day and
feeding three times a week (keep telling the HG that we have to be keen to put
up with the required effort).
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| Just baskets and wall sconces |
Just waiting for the
numerous Fuchsias, planted in containers, baskets and ground, to burst into action
as only a fully fit Fuchsia can. These amazing plants will flower from now until
Christmas if well fed and watered and kept in a shady spot (direct sunshine
reduces their flowering period dramatically). Am taking cuttings as they grow for
the Green House ‘show’ from November until next March.
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| This little fuchsia makes and early start |
The Geraniums from
seed, cuttings and plugs are at last in flower. The result from seed was very
poor, about 15% germination, from cuttings around 60%, and from plugs 85%. So ‘Cost-wise’
plugs are way ahead. (Will keep in mind
for next year remembering that ordering plug plant in early January for late
April delivery is a definite ‘NO’ – something to do with memory and age as they got
ordered twice and 100 geranium plugs are just to many for the current sized
garden.
Getting used to cutting
lawns twice a week and hedges once a month. The Portuguese climate had much to
say for itself as there were no lawns, and hedges don’t grow from March to
December.
That would seem to be coffee about to be served on the terrace in the convivial summer sunshine – must dash, have fun.
PS – Thank you to the
43,000 hits (just passed this total yesterday) in fifty three countries for the
flattery of following my febrile garden fantasies.
Stuart.
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| And the winter pansies go on and on and on! |
