31st JULY 2019 - NORTH YORKSHIRE
Cayenne and Piri Piri Chillis growing and ripening
outside in North Yorkshire, temperature touching 37 degrees C., torrential
downpours between blazing sunshine, night temperatures above 20 degrees C. Is
this a Gardener's paradise or ‘Hell’ (more Paradise than Hell – remember this is
the Prairies of North Yorkshire ). Well, weather like this was unusual five
years ago, but now seems like the norm- maybe just touch of Climate Change in the air.
 |
| Piri piris outside! |
 |
| Chilli peppers |
Can’t beat Sunshine, heat and a little rain at the
right time, to bring out the best in your garden - really makes all the effort
worthwhile. Really has been a spectacular show in the last few weeks with
everything just giving its best. Last year’s Oriental Lilies, written off as
miserable last year, have certainly redeemed their virtue, and the ‘Star Gazer’
white Lilies, left in the tubs over winter and really ignored, have been truly
amazing from their 200 mm long flower buds to the enormous heads of flowers that
last for weeks and fill the garden with a glorious perfume. The Dahlia tubers left
in their tubs from last year and kept in the greenhouse during the cold
months, are in full and multi headed bloom. The large white ‘Snowstorm’ and the
red a white cactus type are over 1.4 metres tall and very floriferous. The old
friend ‘Bishop of Llandaff’ is resplendent in Episcopal Red.
 |
| Dahlia Bishop of Llandaff |
 |
| Huge Stargazer Lilies |
 |
| Snowstorm Dahlia in a garden full of pots and baskets with all kinds of bedding plants |
Clematis have pleased in every quarter of the garden
(from trellis, tub and border planting). The original ‘Purple Prince’ has been
in flower since April and is still going strong and the assorted ‘Group 2’s’-
all bought from local Supermarket for around £1 each, are growing and blooming to perfection (not forgetting the three
varieties of the ‘Montana’ strain that gave such colour in April and May). It really is amazing how they respond to regular feeding, watering (when dry) and general neglect.
 |
| Still blooming! |
Begonias, in tubs outside and in pots inside, have
worked well this year and the Fuchsias are enormous and set for at least another
three months of bloom (if well fed and watered of course).
Had a great success (mainly due to the weather) with hanging baskets, tubs and troughs. Have varied the hanging baskets with various
plant combinations – some more successful than others (but that’s Gardening)
Impatiens, Brachycomes and Dianthus have produce splendid results, Petunias have
been excessive in their fecundity while the sun shines but look very sad after
the rain.
 |
| Mixed basket |
 |
| Dianthus |
The Delphiniums having replaced the Foxgloves have
enjoyed the sunshine and are now being replaced by the hollyhocks all well
underpinned by a mass of lupins. Lots of height and colour in the Island Bed.
Planted the Alaskan nasturtiums in individual pots
this year and the result has been much better, greater control and lots more
flower and a lot less leaf (always avoid feeding all Nasturtiums as they will
just grow leaves). The window boxes just seem to get better.They have now been
giving colour for the last twenty four months - non- stop. The combination of
‘Heartsease’ Pansies, surfinia petunias, geraniums etc., when fed on a weekly
basis, never stops growing even in winter.
 |
| potted nasturtiums |
 |
| more mixed pots and baskets |
Having received a selection of Zantedeschia Corms –
sent by my daughter during a visit to the Chelsea Show - the results have been
splendid with planting to flowering six weeks – the colours are vaguely exotic
and very genteel.
 |
| Elegant Zantedeschia plants - indoors, of course |
Well, saving the roses till last – what a year, The
much awaited climbing roses on the trellis performed and are currently on their
third bloom ( had to water during the very hot spell to keep them going but a daily flood and plenty of ‘feed has
done the trick). Bantry Bay’(pink), ‘That’s Jazz’ (dark red) and Arthur
Bell (yellow) being the outstanding bloomers. The hybrid tea bush roses have also given
their all. The first flush of flower was spectacular and after a summer prune
and feed they are about ready to do the same again in early August. The two standard roses have also flowered themselves to distraction and are
enjoying a well earned rest prior to another flush of colour in late August.
So it really is all very rosy in the garden just
now so am spending time in the greenhouse sowing next year wallflowers, heartsease, pansies and taking first cuttings from almost anything that looks
good (if you only get one plant in every four cuttings, think of next year
show).
The attraction of buddleia to butterflies has also
added a further dimension to the general
feeling of good health in this summer’s garden. Their colour and the drone of bees and proliferation of many other insects do make gardening so worthwhile.
 |
| Peacock and tortoiseshell butterflies on a buddleia |
Think that was the sound of the HG with a tray of
coffee –
must dash before dehydration sets in,
