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

LET THE GARDEN TAKE THE STRAIN

29th  APRIL 2020 NORTH YORKSHIRE

Well that’s SIX WEEKS in Lockdown completed, so garden certainly looking better kept. The last few weeks have been fine and sunny so much has grown. However, today the sky is grey and the temperature is down to 7 degrees C. with a chilly Northerly wind. Everything outside in the garden is hardy or well hardened off, so impervious to the vagaries of North Yorkshire Prairies' weather. The greenhouse is full to bursting with plants ready to be planted out, potted on or just sown as seeds.

full greenhouse - all waiting to go outside

geranium and fuchsia cuttings ready for planting out

Geraniums are ready to take their summer positions in various tubs, sconces and troughs (many already in flower). Fuchsias, both over wintered plants and numerous cuttings, will be planted out as soon as the North Wind decides to stop blowing. Dahlias – some already planted out in their summer tubs – are growing well and the seeded bedding Dahlias will be ready to go out in early May. French Marigolds, Zinnia, Cornflowers Petunias, Impatiens, Nasturtiums (in many guises – Alaskan, Princess of India, Jewel of Africa etc), Nicotiana, Swiss Pansies, Alyssum are all lining up for early garden planting. So far, as in lockdown, have not been able to buy any plants from my usual sources of local Supermarkets or Garden Centres, so everything has be grown from cuttings or from a box of seed found in the Potting Shed and dated from 2013 to 2016  (amazing fertility from these old seeds at around 50%) so with these results and the splitting’ of Hardy Annuals and Perennials (such as hostas, euphorbias, lupins, sedums, buddleias, knyphofia, ivies and the long term roses and clematis, the garden is remarkably full and no seed or plant cost (so one up for COVID-19).

Hardy perennials 

just one of many hostas

and just one of many euphorbias

In spite of lack of space in this small garden, have managed to grow cut-and-come-again salad leaves and radishes in old plastic storage boxes and also hoping for purple runner beans found in the old seed collection, and maybe a few tomato plants!

box of salad leaves

box of radishes - ready soon

The roses, both bush and climbing, have now had three feeds and a good watering every three days during the sunny weeks of springtime. All now growing well and many full of bud – in fact ‘Canary Bird’, a Bright Yellow Xanthina Spontanea, a very old Chinese Rose from 15^th century, came into bloom on the 16^th March, the day UK Locked Down with Chinese Covid -19! Seredipity?  As the frosts were very slight this Winter the Roses are generally well ahead of normal flowering schedule so can expect a magnificent show in May and onwards.

Rose Canary Bird - only it's first year

Clematis are also in full bud and ‘Montana’ is in full flower. The Clematis cuttings taken two years ago are all in good health and will bloom well this year. Taking Clematis cuttings is easy – simply cut off around 200mm of stem with leaf axils and pot into 100mm pot around the rim then keep moist - not wet - and leave for a year.

Clematis Montana - smells like chocolate

With the none-supply of new compost due to ‘Isolation’ and closure of garden centres, the growing media for all last year’s tubs, troughs and hanging baskets has had to be recycled (not usually recommended but needs must). The  containers have been emptied, roots extra removed, contents sieved and mixed with new sieved garden soil (ration new soil 35% reused compost 65%) and four table spoonfuls of ‘Growmore’ and two spoonfuls of ‘Blood Fish & Bone’ per 20 litres, well mixed Fortunately, fertilizers available by post on line for home delivery. Top up the feed every two weeks during the growing and flowering season in the usual way.

Another recycling saving has been made using the pansies and violas planted last September for winter flowering. They have been rescued from their position in the daffodil and tulip tubs (which have magnificent this year) trimmed, fed, given a period of respite in the greenhouse for four weeks, and are now replanted in tubs surrounding cordylines adorning the front drive wall - another example of cost free gardening in an emergency.

Cordyline with pansies

basket of pansies and violas

Another basket of pansies

The Head Gardener seems very pleased with the results so far – we still speak even after 47 days of Isolation in each other’s company – even getting coffee when summoned by the ‘Bell’.

To to all my followers worldwide, wherever you may be, take care, stay safe, and let your garden take the strain during these difficult times

must dash

 see you soon.

Stuart.