Wednesday in the garden
It's warm here, getting to be really warm. Perhaps I just feel it more, but I am absolutely sweltering. This could be because I have a headache (yay), though, and have been running about left, right and centre all day - doing one thing or another.
But on the upside, the garden is doing really well without any intervention. Our local thrush, a species of bird which is rapidly decreasing in British gardens because of the use of slug poisons, has been taking care of any rogue slugs and snails for us. Dandelions growing everywhere in the lawn provide a source of food for the hoverfly, which in turn eats the aphids. Everything in the garden seems to take care of itself, all we have to do is plant things, mow the lawn and enjoy it all. To stop the dandelions going everywhere, a great tip is to dead-head them once they have passed their best, this means that they won't run to seed and create too many more. Making sure the plant will continue to flower throughout the season.
[the much-maligned dandelion is one of our most beautiful native plants, and a vital foodsource for beneficial insects like the hoverfly and the bumblebee. We can eat the leaves, too. They are great in salads, just make sure no dogs have cocked their legs nearby!]
So much has been happening since last week. The hawthorn bush at the bottom of the garden has started to bud, and true to its country name of May, should flower very soon, the smell of which is heady, almondy and sweet.
The Dicentra spectabilis (or 'bleeding heart') has flowered, and a lot more tulips are up all over the place.
[Dicentra spectabilis or 'bleeding heart' - you can see why!]
[Tulipa clusiana 'Cynthia']
[Tulipa bakerii 'Lilac Wonder', a sweet little thing, that has gorgeous lilac outer petals and a bright yellow centre]
[Our informal flower beds were planted with all sorts of bright annuals, and some perennials too, in early April. The seedlings are now large enough to be transplanted and thinned out elsewhere.]
[Purple sprouting broccoli, which is nearly as visually impressive as it is as gorgeous to eat]
[Prunus incisa 'Kojo no-mai', a small Fuji Cherry which is absolutely adorable and flowering its heart out. Great for small gardens this cultivar grows no higher than 6-8 feet.]
[Pisum sativum 'Meteor', our pea seedlings are growing!!]
[My mother bought me this most distinguished Corydalis flexuosa 'China Blue'. It dies down in summer to reappear in autumn, ready for a spring flowering. It is dainty, gentle and the most beautiful shade of blue.]
[A tulip in a vase; my Fiancé buys me flowers, which I love him dearly for, this is one of the gorgeous lilac tulips he bought for me last weekend]
But on the upside, the garden is doing really well without any intervention. Our local thrush, a species of bird which is rapidly decreasing in British gardens because of the use of slug poisons, has been taking care of any rogue slugs and snails for us. Dandelions growing everywhere in the lawn provide a source of food for the hoverfly, which in turn eats the aphids. Everything in the garden seems to take care of itself, all we have to do is plant things, mow the lawn and enjoy it all. To stop the dandelions going everywhere, a great tip is to dead-head them once they have passed their best, this means that they won't run to seed and create too many more. Making sure the plant will continue to flower throughout the season.
[the much-maligned dandelion is one of our most beautiful native plants, and a vital foodsource for beneficial insects like the hoverfly and the bumblebee. We can eat the leaves, too. They are great in salads, just make sure no dogs have cocked their legs nearby!]
So much has been happening since last week. The hawthorn bush at the bottom of the garden has started to bud, and true to its country name of May, should flower very soon, the smell of which is heady, almondy and sweet.
The Dicentra spectabilis (or 'bleeding heart') has flowered, and a lot more tulips are up all over the place.
[Dicentra spectabilis or 'bleeding heart' - you can see why!]
[Tulipa clusiana 'Cynthia']
[Tulipa bakerii 'Lilac Wonder', a sweet little thing, that has gorgeous lilac outer petals and a bright yellow centre]
[Our informal flower beds were planted with all sorts of bright annuals, and some perennials too, in early April. The seedlings are now large enough to be transplanted and thinned out elsewhere.]
[Purple sprouting broccoli, which is nearly as visually impressive as it is as gorgeous to eat]
[Prunus incisa 'Kojo no-mai', a small Fuji Cherry which is absolutely adorable and flowering its heart out. Great for small gardens this cultivar grows no higher than 6-8 feet.]
[Pisum sativum 'Meteor', our pea seedlings are growing!!]
[My mother bought me this most distinguished Corydalis flexuosa 'China Blue'. It dies down in summer to reappear in autumn, ready for a spring flowering. It is dainty, gentle and the most beautiful shade of blue.]
[A tulip in a vase; my Fiancé buys me flowers, which I love him dearly for, this is one of the gorgeous lilac tulips he bought for me last weekend]
posted by VintagePretty at 1:25 pm
4 Comments:
Thank you for the tour of your garden! i willthink twice about the lovley yellow dandelion! i love bleeding hearts, Thanks for sharing them!
Every time I see what your garden produces, I am just amazed! And inspired. The bleeding heart is beautifl. I've never seen one before. And the tulips! They see, like they might be hard to take care of, but you obviously do a good job. I am sorry about the headache. That's the last thing you need. Hang in there and try take anap. That usually helps me.
Oh, and when you said to dead-head the dandelions, do you mean once the yellow starts to wilt and get brownish, to go ahead and cut off the tops so they don't grow into those big white bulbs of allergy that blow all over the place?
Feel better! Oh, and I'm glad things are really coming together for the wedding! :0)
Everything is looking very happy in your garden and dont you just love tulips??
I love dandelions!!!! and if I get excess in my garden, I just pull them out and give them to my chickens. they love them.
My grandma used them in salads all the time. I would love to be able to find out how to make dandelion tea instead of buying it. I think it is made from the root.
loving your garden xoxo
Post a Comment
<< Home