I was woken up this morning by the storm. As it is still pitch dark as I write this, I am unsure of whether it has been raining or not. Still it is time to find six things to post about this week.
The less there is to see or do in the garden, the more time I have to think about the garden, more time to mull over how the garden will evolve. Being a relatively new garden, apart for the layout of paths, gravel garden etc., nothing is fixed. Plants can be added, removed or even moved, and this time of the year I feel more than ever is the best time for me to get on with this aspect.
1. Moving an apple tree to the middle of the vegetable patch is probably looking forward several years to when I may reduce the scope of the vegetable gardening and move towards less intensive use of that area. For now it does release the whole fence area for growing beans etc against, allows for renewal of the fence, and gives the tree a better growing area. This is apple scrumptious which has been in its position for three years, but yet to produce fruit. I hope, having been careful with its roots that I may get a little fruit this year, or at least more in years to come.
2. Back in the Summer when I visited a gardening project I was given a head of bulbils of Babington’s leek (Allium ampeloprasum babingtonii). There were sufficient to share with two other friends, and the bulbils I set in a pot have started to grow. It is an interesting edible plant, and I hope to add more perennial edibles to this area.
Pennard Plants are coming to our club this month, and I hope to get inspired there on more perennial edibles.3. There is nothing like a new year to hatch new plans, and I am hoping this year to give more attention to my roses old and new. I remember reading some time ago on this regular weekly grouping about Uncle Tom's Tonic. As I already have four new roses waiting to be planted out in the garden, I went ahead and ordered in the necessary.
4. Previously in gardens past, I have grown a delightful variety of roses, and one which flowers early and of which I was particularly fond of was Rosa Canary Bird. That went on the same order as the feed! Then I remembered having admired each year Rambling Rose Malvern Hills in the gardens at the Bishop's Palace, so that went on the order as well. Here they are having a little soak.
5. I was going to plant them up in pots in compost, to await planting with the other four, later in the spring. Then five minutes later, realising that I knew where they were to go, decided to get on with that job.
However nothing is quite so straight forward is it? One of the Hebe Topiaras had to be cut back and then dug up. I have rooted cuttings waiting on the sidelines and with another mature one in the bed, I was happy to sacrifice that one. In any case some of the branches appeared to be dying back. The Salvia Amistad too had to sacrificed, but I was intending growing new ones elsewhere, and again have rooted cuttings ready. Then the variegated slow growing Luma Apiculata Glanleam Gold also had to be moved, as well one of the Euonymus japonicus 'Golden Maiden'. No wonder Mr S came out at 2 p.m. wondering whether we were to have lunch that day. If he is not at home, I often get carried away gardening without lunch until it grows late!
6. After lunch the two new roses got planted following all the instructions, and for now, the border looks like this. I like looking back on garden views and will post one again inn just a few weeks when the area will hopefully have lots of spring bulbs to give it colour and interest.
If it is plants in flower that tick your box, then Jim has some delightful shots of plants in flower in his garden, He is the 'anchor man' for this weekly get together.
