Tag Archives: August

In a vase on Monday: mixed cupcakes

26 Monday Aug 2019

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These cupcakes do not have pretty paper cases nor are they delectable, sweet treats. They do not have sprinkles or icing on top. No, these are Cosmos Cupcakes mixed. These are in my ‘vase’ to show you and Cathy our host.

Grown from Thompson & Morgan seed I am very pleased to see these finally flowering.

I grew them in trays in early spring and I have to say they have been terribly slow to get going. Described as easy to grow half hardy annuals, I love them.

Cupcakes received the People’s Choice award for cosmos at the RHS gardens Wisley. I can see why. They are sweet.

I would hesitate to grow them again, given that it has taken all summer for them to flower. However I do have half a packet of seed left so I will grow them again. Any tips for earlier flowering?

The stems are in a milk bottle which previously contained chocolate milk. Appropriate somehow.

Enjoy your bank holiday Monday and thanks for reading wherever you are. D.

Six on Saturday: it’s August

10 Saturday Aug 2019

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It is August yet the weather seems to think otherwise. I took these pictures yesterday morning when they were blowing in the wind and covered in rain, rather than basking in any glorious August sunshine. Hey ho, it could be worse, it could be today! What a shocker. Truly atrocious summer weather.

Here’s the six:

Six succulents. Some are Sempervivums I hear you cry.

I don’t have names for any of these apart from Aeonium zwartkop (that’s the fourth one). These grow well in coastal regions in the UK but here in my garden on the Herts. /Bucks borders, mine survive, rather than thrive.

The succulents are precious to me and they are carefully placed in the house over the winter months as they are not at all hardy and they hate our wet cold winters. Don’t we all.

The Houseleeks or sempervivums are left outside but under glass to protect them from the worst or the weather. They are quite tough really.

I enjoy these every Summer and forget how annoying it is in the Winter to find space for them.

2.

This is the third year for Althea cannabina and it has hit its stride. Wonderful, wafting in the wind, oodles of soft pink, mallow like flowers, taller than me. I wouldn’t be without it. Here it has fronds of Molinia Transparent and Coreopsis Verticillata Moonbeam behind it.

3. Echinacea ‘Delicious Candy’

I purchased this last August, drawn to its luminous colour and name. It is beginning to bulk up. Cathy remarked that these do not do well in her garden ( frankly the only thing, everything she grows looks so good) after one appeared earlier this week in my IAVOM. Echinacea do like an open site and with room to bulk up, to thrive. They only lasted one year in my last garden.

3. Echinacea purpurea

This is their time. Flowering when the roses are recharging their batteries. Good with grasses. Just great for bees.

4.

This pile of green leaves may not look very interesting but trust me, it will be a stunner this autumn. Vitis coignetiae or Crimson Glory vine. It is climbing over the garage wall and has reached onto the roof. It will be in for a major chop soon enough.

5.

The willow like foliage is what I grow the perennial sunflower for. Helianthus salicifolius. It will have small daisy like flowers in the autumn and will reach 2.5m tall.

The yellow flowers I like less. I am even considering pinching out the flowers as they will detract from the shaggy texture which is so intriguing. Alas the wind is battering them today.

6. Echinops

These pale Pom poms are taking over. Echinops ritro white. I like them less than E Veitch Blue but these are better suited to my heavy soil. In case you are wondering what is in the centre of the picture, it is the bird feeder made by Alex Moore.

I love how it is fully surrounded by plant life now.

Joining our host The Propagator who is on his ‘olidays. Enjoy !

Thanks for reading and enjoy your weekend wherever you are. D.

In a Vase on Monday: dried flowers

20 Monday Aug 2018

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You never know what you might “need” when you are shopping. About three weeks ago I purchased a couple of bunches of asters which most certainly were not on my list. At £1.30 a bunch who could resist.

Much to everyone’s surprise they were not put in a vase, instead they were hung upside down in the kitchen to dry. After a few days the grumbles started and by the end of week two, outright hostilities: what’s happening with these, they’re ugly!

Well yesterday I snipped the heads off and threw out the stalks.

I have quite a bundle which I have used to put in some of my glass tea light holders. Mixed with poppy heads and nigella they make an interesting gathering.

Cathy (the host of IAVOM) you saw these hanging around in my kitchen, what do you think?

In a Vase on Monday: for an open garden

13 Monday Aug 2018

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Yesterday I opened my garden for the first time for NGS. This was an ambitious plan on my part as the garden was a paddock when we arrived in 2014. There was nothing here thanks to the former residents, a herd of goats.

In 2018 I have battled with a wet, cold winter which left standing water on my low-lying, clay soil as recently as April, followed by the driest Summer for 57 years.

Then, on the week of opening my garden, Thames Water decided to shut the lane to my house and put diversions in place. The final insult however was that the forecast was for rain!

The (NGS yellow) sunflowers were a market purchase to greet visitors on arrival and decorate the tea room aka the garage.

Sweet peas and dahlias in various shades of pink which I grow at work for Ali. I brought some of these home to decorate the tea tables.

I am pleased to report the afternoon was a great success: the rain held off, lots of people visited and perhaps most fun of all was that our very own Cathy joined by the Golfer came along. Cathy as we know is very knowledgeable about plants and floated around the garden chatting to visitors, answering questions. Meanwhile the Golfer did a sterling job, stood at the top of the lane waving traffic down towards the parking.

It was a really good day and I thought my garden did alright by the visitors. We raised just under £1400. Thank you to everyone who came.

Thank you to all my lovely helpers

The charities supported by NGS provide crucial care.

In memory of friends lost:

Paul

Heather

Jez

Jo

Joel

Domonic

Danny

And for those currently undergoing care

Lucy and little Daisy, Get well soon!

In a Vase on Monday. Thanks for reading. D.