Some Garden Views June 2021

It's pouring with rain today.  I took these photos late on Tuesday evening when the sun had been shining all day.  I mowed a pathway into the long grass.  I've made it a bit wider since this photo was taken.  I intend on keeping the long grass - just mowing the path on a regular basis.  

Tiny apples are forming on my potted Braeburn tree.

The strawberry patch has turned into a wild area but I can see that there are many strawberries to come.  The photo only shows a small area.

A bright pink clematis  clings to the top of the washing line pole.  I'm not too fond of it but if it attracts the pollinators then it is fine by me.

More Seeds and Planting Out

These bean seeds are called Yin and Yang!  I bought them just because I liked the look of them!  I have no idea what kind of bean it produces.  It will be fun to see how they turn out.

I have planted some nasturtiums inside the narcissi pot that have now finished flowering.  Once the leaves die down the nasturtiums  can take over and I should have (almost) year round interest.

 Two lots of  different salad leaves on the go. 

Two varieties of capsicum peppers.  They will be potted on when they get bigger - I think it is meant to be when they are at the eight leaf stage.

These seedlings above are from the seed saved from a shop bought pepper that I had eaten.  They are just an experiment really to see how they compare to the more expensive ones bought from a seed company.

Strawberry plants are now in flower in the strawberry bed.  They are all grown from runners from the parent plant.  An early variety called 'Sweetheart'.

On Monday I put three courgette plants into my newly prepared earth.  Today I planted out dwarf french beans and dwarf runner beans and a couple of white borage plants.  Fingers crossed we don't have a frost any time soon! 

Flower Face

I often see faces in things.  Can you see the face in this Viola?  It's the reason I bought a whole tray of 20 plants - just to have the one with the face.

My Plants Are Regressing

 

A few weeks ago I bought a couple of dahlia plants to cheer myself up as the garden was so barren and void of colour.  I bought a beautiful deep velvety pink one and one that was red and white variegated - a bit like a raspberry ripple effect. The one above was the first I had my eye on.  Out in the garden its leaves quickly became ravaged with snails and slugs so I thought it would be best to bring it in at night.  I have watered and fed and tended it.  It stays in the garden during the day and comes in at night.

  

I recently noticed that one of the blooms had become two tone - or rather a few of the petals seemed washed out of colour.  Most strange.

The second dahlia I bought was the one shown above.  Beautiful quilled shaped petals that opened out into bi-colour.  I noticed that very quickly the flowers began to turn brown around the edges and die before they fully came out.  I deadheaded them hoping for a quick recovery.

Now look at what has happened.  Very strange salmon coloured flowers with a few red ones.  I wonder why just buying two random plants has resulted in some bizarre happening.  I wonder if some sort of cross pollination has gone on.  Any thoughts?

Black and White

 I was very excited today to discover that my camera can take photos in black and white!

With the absence of colour the shapes and textures come to the fore.

A Snapshot of Time Out

I just had to get away today so I was dropped off at Capel Manor Gardens in Enfield where I spent a couple of hours to myself.  My first port of call was the Meercat enclosure.  I am not sure about animals being kept out of their natural environment but I presume that they were born in captivity.  I could have observed them all day - me watching them watching me!

 I like this idea of shelves being rested on step ladders.  A good idea if you have limited space.

 I have a standard orange Crocosmia in my garden. I much prefer the impact of this golden yellow variety.

 A random recipe in one of the gardens.  I have so many courgettes (zucchini's) that I am sure to try this out.

 One of my favourite plants -Echinacea.

 More of the beautiful Echinacea - I wish I had a display like this one.

Globe artichokes soaring towards the sky.  I feel uplifted and rejuvanted having had some time out.  I bought some Blackfriars Bakery chocolate flapjacks from the canteen to take home and a Salvia, trailing Rosemary and a Dahlia from the plant sales section and picked up a few handfuls of scots pine cones for my craft table display.  It has been a good way to spend a few hours.