It's been a strange sort of day today - one minute blazing sunshine, howling gales, an ominous black sky and stampeding rain the next. I was so glad that I'd invested a tenner's worth into Rhino tape from Coed-y and hunkered the poly tunnels down as much as I could the other day. Amazingly enough they are still holding together (only just) and my plants have survived (so far). But we've been lucky - not so good in West Sussex and all along the west coast, right across up to Cumbria,
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| Brompton Stocks and Antirrhinums. |
At the end of August, I collected up quite a few seeds from around the garden. I sowed them in margarine tubs, pricked them out into seed trays and they are coming on quite well. Will over winter them and plant them out in the spring, (she says). Our son and his partner are planning to get married in July/August next year so I've offered to grow flowers for the pending 'do'. J said that she would like to do her own flowers, so I told her that she can have the pick of as many as she wants. (If she wants them). I love weddings.
This was one little patch, earlier on in the year - a bit of a mish mash of all sorts.
My friend brought me two baby holly hock plants last spring. They were gorgeous and have produced loads of seeds. I've planted a sea of little seedlings from them. Hope they survive the winter. Looking quite good up to now.
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| Aquilegia and Pinks |
Another scrambly border. This pic was taken in early summer. I spent yesterday cutting everything back and rooting out all the weeds, I've taken some cuttings of the one in the front so I hope they 'take'.
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| Canterbury Bells, lupins and a little oak sapling I found growing in the middle of them. |
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| Holly hocks, lupins, primulas and stocks |
Still got a few runner beans hanging on. Hope there's enough to make a meal tomorrow.
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| Musselburg Leeks |
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| Carrots |
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| Beetroot |
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| Marrows |
The wind seems to have died down at last so here's to tomorrow. Have a good week
Molly
MolLy those narrows would have won a prize in the Trelawnyd flower show for sure
ReplyDeleteJohn, that's really nice of you to say so - thank you. I would love to come to Trelawnyd show and to meet up with you, Auntie Glad and all those lovely folks up there. Maybe 2015, that would be good wouldn't it. I'm not really a gardener - just chuck the seeds in and hope for the best and some just turn out, 'Oh blimey!!'
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the storm has passed! I love hollyhocks!
ReplyDeleteYes, we were lucky
DeleteI have been thinking about all my friends in Wales and the west of England and an'd hoping the storm hasn't been too destructive. No idea how our house in Southport has fared -- this time difference is a killer for keeping in touch ...
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard on the news of how Southport fared -do hope your house hasn't suffered any damage. What a fabulous trip to visit your family out in South Korea. Have a brilliant time with them.
DeleteI was so glad to se Gonzalo go east rather than west but I am so sorry to hear that he didn't Peter out and dissipate before hitting the British Isles. It is a nasty October surprise which we have been victim to often in the past few years. I hope he was not too bad a visitor.
ReplyDeleteI am putting my garden to bed this week also and am collecting as many seeds and cuttings as I can handle.
It looks like you have plenty of plants to choose from. I am sure your future DIL will have fun picking from the plants you can offer her. How special that will be, Molly.
Yes it will. It's exceptionally mild here at the moment so a good time to plant a few bits and pieces out while the soil is still warm.
DeleteHi Molly - How do you do it ? you certainly have green fingers - glad the tunnels are holding out - those hollyhocks are huge - did you raise those primulas from seed or did you split them ? I have split some here and they seem to have taken ok - take care xx
ReplyDeleteHiya Jane. I bought the primulas (one white and one blue) from the sad plants corner at Coedy - last year (you know the ones that look a bit as if they're on their last legs and sold off cheap). They survived and I split them up this year into about twenty, so well chuffed with those. I've just put a comment up on your blog but it seems to have disappeared somewhere into cyber space. Looks a fabulous trip.
Deleteave only just heard about the storm on the news. Glad to hear you seem to be o.k. after it. Your plants all look good.
ReplyDeleteWe were a lot luckier than some places - all passed now, Thank Goodness
DeleteSo glad Gonzalo had a light touch in your area. What an amazing collection of plants you have.
ReplyDeleteDelores, thank you for your comment. I keep thinking about all those terrible events that have taken place in Canada over the last few days - our storm was little compared to them.
ReplyDeleteWe heard about the strong winds that you were having whilst we were away in Italy so were prepared for upheaval in the veg plot when we got back. I think our thick hedge helped to shelter it so not too bad a situation here and have collected the last of the ripe tomatoes that our daughter had left for us. We had some unusual windy weather last week so maybe we got the tail end of the storm in our Italian region? Further north the weather has been very wet and changeable this year and not good for farm production. Enjoy your seed gathering and sowing and veg harvest. You have such a variety of plants.
ReplyDeleteReally glad to hear that your garden bore the brunt of the wind OK Linda. We were a lot more fortunate than some folks too and I was so pleased my poly tunnels hadn't ripped to shreds again like they did last year. I gathered the last of my tomatoes today as well. I made a load of chutney but don't think I can stand the sight of it any more - almost too much of a good thing. Still it will be nice to use in the winter.
ReplyDeleteNot really a gardener? Come off it, Molly, your garden looks lovely and your veg are so tempting. :-) DH and I were so busy with the move that we barely noticed the tail-end of Gonzalo, except when a gust of wind almost blew over the bed-settee we were manoeuvering into the house. It would have flattened me...
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