AUTUMN - PLANNING FOR SPRING!

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 16^th 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.

A very pretty bedding dahlia

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

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

Remember Me

Joie de Vivre 

Dancing Queen

Golden Celebration

That's Jazz

Olivia Rose Austen

Summer Sky

Super Trouper

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).

Developing courgettes

Canna lily "seedling"!

Tomato Gardener's Delight ripening nicely

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’!

Stuart

O.K. AUTUMN - BRING IT ON!

24TH SEPTEMBER 2019 - NORTH YORKSHIRE

Autumn has arrived. Heavy rain caused by tail end of Bahamas Hurricanes and a distinct chill in the air each morning. Plants still surviving well – third bloom of Roses has arrived with glorious results. Petunias, Geraniums, Begonias and dahlias soldiering on until the first frost strikes – possible in next fortnight, and the Fuchsias and Pansies just coming into their own.

Lots of lovely roses!

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Late clematis

Cascading begonia

Tumbling fuchsia

Fuchsias and geraniums still happily blooming together

Window box petunia almost touching the ground

Dahlias better than ever this year

Hydrangea paniculata just beginning to fade

Favourite dahlia  Bishop of Llandaff

Just another dahlia!

Enjoying an amazing crop of Chillies (Cayenne, Piri Piri and Habanieros) – some in the green house – been ready for early picking for last four weeks – those outside have just started to go red. Head Gardener busy finding ways to preserve for winter use, all three varieties making excellent Chilli Oil – in various strengths of heat from Cayenne through Piri Piri to ‘Blow your Head Off’ Habeniero Oil. Fill an empty one litre Olive oil bottle with a third of the volume of prepared Chilli ( cut length ways and remove seeds – unless you are ready for a ‘Journey into Space’) and top up with good quality Olive Oil –leave for four weeks until oil starts to colour (longer if you are very brave) before using sparingly in all your exotic cooking. When you have filled your cupboards with bottled oil try freezing some or simply string together and dry for winter use.

Cayenne chilli on the vine

And many more to come

The four tomato plants grown outside from early June have started to produce a usable crop of small tasty fruits – truly amazing and pest free in the open air, one up for Climate Change then? 

Hoping that these will ripen

May have to make Green Tomato Chutney!

Have always had an addiction to local flower shows and the one in our local village beckoned – so on the morning of the show decided to go to the show site early and get hold of an entry schedule (HG had warned as the poster was advertising a ‘Produce Show’ that this would preclude ‘Flowers’ – she was wrong). Returned to garden to see what was almost ‘showable’ and returned to venue with thirty minutes to spare before entries closed. Showed two vases of three Dahlias ( White cactus and Red/White ‘Danish Flag’), Three individual Roses – Gertrude Jekyll, Summer Sunshine, Falstaff) one single white Hydrangea and two Cayenne Chillies. Got it all set up with two minutes to spare before the Judges arrived. On return after lunch was astonished to find cayennes got First Prize and Best Vegetable in Show, Gertrude Jekyll rose got First and best Single Bloom in Show, White Cactus Dahlias got First and Bishop of Llandaff Dahlias and Hydrangea both got Second Prizes. (All down to watering and feeding).

Prize winning chilli peppers

Second prize for the white hydrangea (looking rather green!)

First and second for the Dahlias

And First prize and Best in Show for Gertrude Jekyll

So with Autumn in the air it’s the time to sort out last year’s ‘Summer Stored’ Bulbs to check and plant the survivors together with the new acquisitions (Aldi Tulips and Daffodils still best value at £1.69 per pack of ten). As the summer tubs fade they are each being emptied, washed and sterilised, filled with fresh compost and planted with two layers of bulbs ( around twenty per pot for Tulips and fifteen for Daffodils) bottom layer 200mm deep, second layer 150mm from top and then the tub is topped off with winter flowering Pansies and Heartease ensuring continual winter colour and Spring flowering until late April next year.

Everything that is ‘Straggling’(ie growing long and ‘leggy’) has just received a late September ‘Haircut’ – if it stays mild they may come again; if cold they will soon die off completely. As Roses are still flowering well, will leave Autumn prune until first frost. Geraniums will be brought in and cut back (take plenty of cuttings) for winter store – free of frost. Dahlias will also require winter frost free environment – found cutting back to 75mm and leaving in tub produced best results rather than trying to dry out the tubers for storage.

Lawns and Hedges are at last showing signs that their growing season is slowing (lawns have often needed two cuts per week this year and hedges have already had three cuts). So with time now available a start can be made on the clearing of the Herbaceous borders and the winter planting with miniature evergreen shrubs of the Hanging baskets.

Ah well - now exhausted 

getting old and ready for a welcome cup of the HG’s coffee.

See you soon

Stuart