Early Summer Views on my Garden.

Maytime is often one of the most colourful times of the Gardening season I think.

My garden is no exception and this year is full of colour . The Clematis are flowering well and varieties like "Henryi" and "The President" (Photos above) are proof of that. I have a few more that are due out soon and there are plenty of buds on those now.

The Ceanothus (Californian Lilac) shrub has also flowered very well this Spring with an abundance of its Blue flowers on each of the five bushes I have of that.

The Rockery (Photos above) is also doing very well with the Alpines having a good season this year. Maybe a result of the Warm & Sunny April we had here In England. All plants seem very forward as a result and some were quite early Indeed.

Currently there are a few Irisis In flower around my Ponds (Photo of the Blue ones above left), but its a shame they are relatively short lived. I have Yellow ones in my Larger pond too.

The Leafy Hostas are growing nicely with no signs of any Slug damage as yet. Though I do put a few Slug pellets down to deter them. Otherwise there would be a lot of eaten leaves.

One of my Hostas are pictured above on the right, with a pale yellow edging to the leaves.

Hostas prefer shade and moist ground. So around trees or in pots in shady areas, they grow best. Maybe a Mulch around the base they would enjoy , to conserve moisture. I use Bark Chippings or you can use gravel too. If Hostas become too large you can split them up, using a spade, then plant the smaller sections where best suited. This is preferably done In early Spring or Autumn. This year I'm also trying a few Strawberries in a Terracotta planter, positioned on a post. This is pictured above on the Left hand side. The Strawberry plants are In compost with some gravel at the base of the planter for drainage. Already there are a few Strawberries forming on the plants.

I have just completed all my Summer bedding, which looks well this year with a few welcome showers of rain to help. Much better to have wet ground to plant into, than dry soil.

Otherwise you have to water In each plant, which is a slow process Indeed.

So these will all look at their best In July & August I reckon.

Photos of these will be posted here later In Summer.

CIRCULAR PATIO PROJECT

I decided to build a Circular Paio, just before Spring arrived this year.

First I needed to remove an old lawned area and clear the whole area around it.

Then I dug out the existing shrubs and cleaned out the soil, by removing old roots and anything that should'nt be there. Then dug over the whole area and firmed it down again, to try to make it as level as possible, for the Patio to be laid there.

After making the soil firm, I decided on where the slabs were to be started, which was next to an existing pathway. I used a mixture of dry Cement & Building sand to lay the pavings onto.

This was also raked, to make it as level as I could, then firmed again.

Each one was checked with a spirit level, to make sure the patio would be level, which is Important. The same process was done with every patio slab, until all the Slabs were laid.

Quite easy to see how the pattern goes, as you lay them. Firming them down as you lay each piece to see they are not loose. If so, just add more Cement/sand under each slab or corner of a slab, so the level is reached. When all Slabs are laid, use a Patio Grout to fill in the gaps and joints of the Slabs. Brush it in with a handbrush, compacting it in the cracks as you do this.

Any excess grout can be brushed off later after it has set. It usually takes a few days to harden fully, as it contains an adhesive in the mixture, which is brushed in dry.

2007 New Season on my Garden

Welcome to another Gardening season on my garden! Already been very busy on it and I've created a new feature on my back garden, which is a Circular Patio area, which replaced a lawned area, that had got very tired looking, with an overgrown bush on the fencing, that was killing off the existing lawn anyway, with it's roots.

So I decided to get rid of that and make something less labour Intensive.

The New Patio is 3meters In diameter and allows you to add containers to make it look more attractive. I've gone for a "Lavender" coloured theme with it too.

Lavender coloured pots, with lavender plants around the edge of the boardings.

So it should look attractive In summertime. When the other plants are all in bloom too.

On the soil I've added Chipped Bark, which you buy in large bags. This conserves water in the soil, acting as a "Mulch". Important as our climate gets warmer , with less rain around.

Also the added bonus of less weeding to do!....as it stops so much light getting to them.

Autumn time

After a long Summer and a very mild start to the Autumn in England, It's time to put the Garden to bed for the year again. Most of my Shrubs are now trimmed back and the Summer bedding flowers have been removed, to be replaced by the Spring Primroses & Winter Pansies now. I lifted the Dahlias last week and cut off the stalks, just leaving the bare tubers.
These are now drying off in my Greenhouse, on the staging. In a week or so i'll be putting them into a large box , covered with compost or peat. To protect them from Winter frosts.
So the garden is looking very bare now after a riot of colour this Summer.
I have also cut back my Climbers on the fencing and mown the lawns for the last time this year.
Frosts are now expected in the mornings, so not ideal to be walking on the grass after those.
It resulted in a few visites to the local re-cycling plant, with all my Cuttings and dead plants again. All that I have to do now is prune my "Robinia" Tree, though at present it still has nice golden coloured leaves on that. I might even have problems reaching the higher branches!
Though I have an Extendable pruner, which takes out the stretching Involved.
Also the Greenhouse needs cleaning now and a disinfectant is recommended , to kill off any bugs lurking in the staging or framework. Always best to start in Spring with a very clean Greenhouse and also clean trays too. Another task to be done.
It all stops any problems with Germination and pests that can Infest your Greenhouse.
Ponds also need the fallen leaves taking out, otherwise the water gets polluted with rotten leaves. The Frogs will be hibernating too, in a cosy place in the compost heap or under slabs.
So best not to disturb them Compost heap till after March, when they begin appearing in the Ponds again. Still time to plant the Tulip & Daffodil bulbs for Spring flowers.
Finally....clean all your garden tools and under petrol mowers as well.
Hopefully Spring won't seem to far away, to begin sowing seeds once more!!
I'm off to Hibernate till March now! Happy Gardening! Tim.

My Summer Garden Photos

These are a few photos of how my Garden is looking right now, in July 2006. Just about at it's best for the season I think. The recent heatwave brought everything on quicker than usual, so maybe a few things will be over by August, unless a few showers of rain revive the plants. Anyway, it's looking very colourful at the moment.
It's a constant task of "deadheading" plants, to make sure they keep producing new flowers.
Otherwise the seed heads take all the strength out of the plants, instead of putting their energies into new flowers. A regular feed with either Tomato fertilizer, or another Container/Hanging basket feed, diluted according to the Instructions...will also prolong the flowering season too.
Roses will benefit from a granular Rose Fertilizer at this time of year too, to help make another batch of flowers, after the first ones have ended. Always remove the Dead rose heads too, by cutting them off about 3 Inches from the flower buds.
There is a lot of Greenfly (Aphids) around at this time of year, so spray these with a mixture of Water & Washing up liquid. They seem to hate soapy water!....and its a more Organic and safer way to kill these Insects. Insecticides can be harmful to the skin and eyes, so if you did get it on you, always wash well with water afterwards.
Now is the time to sow Primula seeds for plants for the Autumn.
So these can be sowed in a tray and kept in a cool place but with plenty of light.
Primroses/Polyanthus are Ideal for planting together with Daffodil and Tulip bulbs for Spring Flowers. Wallflowers can also be sown now too.

Garden Ponds

A Garden pond is a nice place to sit next to in Summer. If planted right around the edges, you can attract some Wildlife to your pond area, which is nice to sit and watch. Mine has a few Frogs and Newts in the pond, though Birds also like to take water in the hot weather and also you might get the occassional Dragonfly too.
Some ponds suffer from a green weed, that covers the surface of the water, which is very hard to control. It's usually Introduced by a plant that you bought, which had it around the root in the pot. So all you can do is drag a net over the surface, to scoop off as much as possible. Be careful though not to take out any tadpoles or snails. The pond plants can grow a lot in warm weather, so they need trimming back and keeping the water area tidy.
Also in Hot weather you'll need to top up the pond, as evaporation lowers the water level.
Despite droughts, you are allowed to top up Ponds, if wildlife in them , are threatened by lack of water. Remember to also Include oxygenating plants in the Ponds, as these keep the water clear and help airate the water for Fish or other Inhabitants.
In Autumn you'll need to remove any dead leaves that fall in the water and cut back the surrounding pond plants, as they die back .
They can be a lot of work to maintain, but I think they are worth it and add a nice feature to a garden. Liners for ponds can be either, PVC or a Butyl Liner, which is very long lasting...or even a pre-cast Fibre Glass shaped pond. All have their advantages.
Holes when dug, should have sand put around the area, before the liner in laid.
This will stop any stones from puncturing the liner....so use a lot of sand. Check for stones before laying the liner in the hole made for the Pond. Also check with a Spirit level, that the pond is level! This will help when filling with water, as the water will be then be level around the sides of a liner. The area around the pond can then be planted, using plants that look natural around a Pond. But avoid any bamboo type plants, that have "needle like" roots!!...which can puncture holes in a liner. On the edge of the liner, bricks or slabs can be laid, which helps keep the edges of the liner in place.

Gardening Shows

This time of year there are a lot of Gardening Events to visit, usually starting with the Chelsea Flower Show, then there is the "Gardeners World "Live"" (Photos above) that I usually visit each June, with a few friends. These shows give you a lot of Ideas and Inspiration for your own garden i think . Also how to use plants in certain positions and how you could improve your garden. Also techniques the experts use and solving problems with plants.
There are also many stalls at these shows , where you can purchase plants of all types and garden equiptment, furniture for gardens, water gardening and also talks by the TV Gardeners too. In fact anything connected with gardening & leisure, is found at these events.
The Horticultural Marquee is a showground to the RHS Displays. You'll see the best of certain varieties, like Delphiniums, Geraniums, Fushias, Sweet Peas.......etc, etc.
The photos above give you an idea of what to expect!.

Hanging Baskets

The end of May is the time I make my Hanging Baskets. You buy a basket, usually made of a thick plastic wire coated framework, then lined with either a ready made Coconut matting material, or just black polythene would do.
You then make sure you have enough polythene at the base to collect water, so the basket never dries out completely. You then add Compost, containing a gel and feed, that helps conserve water and also slowly releases feed to the plants.
About halfway up the basket, cut slits in the polythene , to add plants like Impatiens (Busy Lizzies) through the sides , into the compost.
Then gradually build up the compost layers, as you add further plants to the basket.
At the front of the basket you might add a Surfina Petunia (Trailing ), then others could be, Geraniums, Trailing lobelia, Fushias, nepetia, pansies, bidens,Million bells,.....in fact quite a few could be used.
Always nice to have trailing plants near the edges of the baskets, with taller ones in the centre.
After planting up, soak well with water and then start feeding with a Tomato Fertilizer or general plant feed, twice a week. This will encourage flowering till October.
Remove all dead flower heads and make sure the bracket on the wall is secure too.
The Baskets can get rather heavy after watering.

STAPENHILL GARDENS (Burton-on-Trent)

I expect that most towns have an area set aside as a "Public Gardens", for the Residents of that town to enjoy. Ours also is one of them, here In "Burton-On-Trent', In Staffordshire.

This is known as "Stapenhill Gardens", which is located just by the River Trent.

In April they have a "Tulip Festival" and this year the Gardens look outstanding again.

Full of Tulips & Primroses, in various colour shades and very Impressive it all looks.

The main feature is the "Swan", which has been part of the Gardens for Decades now.

Each year planted up with various plants and makes a good vocal point in those gardens.

Springtime

Photos above show that Spring finally did arrive in England!
The Daffodils, Tulips & Primroses all looked very colourful again after such a very cold & dreary Winter. The photo above with the Pond & Pot Containers, is a Garden I tend to nearby and it has been a blaze of Springtime colour . The landscaping of It I did over the last few seasons.
The Greenhouse view is my Greenhouse at present. Full of young bedding plants.
The Arbour & Pond , was the project I did last April & May. This year that Cottage garden should be more established too.

Chatsworth House visit,

April 15th.

Set in the Derbyshire countryside, Chatsworth House is a very popular destination for tourists.

Home of the Duke & Duchess of Devonshire.

The gardens are very well set out and they Include an Impressive water fountain and various sculptures around the gardens too. The Greenhouses were full of flowering Camelias on my visit and were as Impressive as the Greenhouses I'd seen at Kew Gardens in London a few years ago.

The Gardens were designed by Capability Brown and are very well cared for today.

The Cascade fountain is always popular with familes and the kids enjoy being in the water too.

The gift shop is very well stocked and there is a good resturant there too.

Parking was a bit difficult the day i went, though it was Easter Saturday afterall.

But I was suprised it was so busy, with the gardens not yet having too much colour.

Having had a late Spring here in England this year.

For more Information on Chatsworth, their website is www.chatsworth.org

Another good place to see is the nearby Farm Shop, in the village of Pilsley.

Plenty of fresh grown produce and much of it produced on the Chatsworth estate too.

Most gardens are now looking very Springlike, now that the Tulips & Daffodils are coming out.
These are a few of the flowers on my Garden.
Later than this time last year though!...as Spring arrived late here in the UK this time.
However, it does make a cheerful sight now and the weather warming up too, so colour should be a familier feature for the rest of the gardening season. My Bedding plants are growing nicely in my Greenhouse and I still need to get a few plants from the local nursery soon, for the Baskets & Containers, that i'll plant out in late May, or Early June. I need to get a few Fushias and Trailing Geraniums and also Margarites (Daisy type plants) In Yellow and Pink. They add height to Container displays.
I'll also soon buy some Growbags, to do a few Lettuce, Radish & Cucumbers, for Salads in summer. They will be In the greenhouse, after the bedding plants are taken out.

These are the Dwarf Minature Daffodils called "Jetfire", that I have in our Rockeries at home.

They are a stunning display at this time of year.

Best grown in groups to achieve this effect.

They seem to out last normal size Daffodils and don't get damaged by high winds, being only 8ins tall. Can also be grown in containers.

I plant these bulbs in October time. Though once in, they multiply over the years and do not need to be taken out again.

Now is the time the Spring flower bulbs are coming into bloom. Tulips & Daffodils, together with the early Azaleas, such as the one in the photo, a "Blue Tit" Variety.

The Plastic Urn also shows off some Purple Tulips.

A nice time of the year when everything is emerging again after the Cold Winter.

The temperatures seem to be Increasing slightly too in our area of The Midlands,UK.

I have also now started mowing the lawns again.