A Contrary Gardener - 2004 diary entries
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December
2004
We have finally had a couple of frosts although in
my town garden a few tenders like the nasturtiums have not quite succumbed.
There is a wonderful show at the moment from various Prunus x subhirtella
'Autumnalis' around town planted in some of the least inspiring places
- a joy to see the little flowers sparkling along the bare branches.
Otherwise things are looking damp, and limp as we are now in one of our
nondescript weather stages leaves hanging wanly on and everything looks
drab and mangy.
A couple of the Barnhaven traditional primroses I grew from seed have
flowered already, two were boring singles which have gone on the compost
heap but a third, a single yellow is flowering now with a definite ruff
- more to look forward to next year.
My wasps finally departed in late October the queens emerging a little
dazed and the workers gradually dropping dead! I can venture out to clean
the bathroom windows now they are gone - let's hope the queens will not
find anywhere in my roofspace to take up residence next year.
Time to retreat into the fantasy of the seed lists, the RHS, Hardy Plant
Society and Cottage Garden Society are all out now as well as the commercial
ones.
Apparently we have had one of the driest November's in 20 years, I didn't
notice, it felt damp enough to me after last year's extreme drought!
Season's greetings!
[05/12/2004]
November 2004
As I write it is two days after Bonfire Night but
rockets and other fireworks are still going off. Whilst I recognise that
fireworks are a nuisance in the wrong hands and some pets take exception
I was watching a display over the treetops last night and the exuberance
of chasing away the onset of dark nights and dark mornings [as the clocks
went back two weeks ago] was welcome - but only in small doses!
It is too wet and soggy to do much at the moment in the garden. The Camellia
sasanqua is flowering but I see little of the display during the working
week. Hedychium 'Assam Orange' has put up one late flower spike and H
greenii is so nearly there but one frost and I guess that's it. H
spicata has already packed up and retreated, the fleshy stems easily
parting from the rhizomes.
Muscari macrocarpum and M Valerie Finnis are well up as are some of the
smaller narcissi leaves.
We haven't had a frost yet which is unusual, when we do it will hasten
the leaf fall and start to tuck up some of the tender lingerers such as
dahlias and nasturtiums.
It was good to read a positive article on Gladioli in the Saturday Telegraph
this weekend, I have enjoyed primulinus hybrids Miss Henriette, Barbara
and Tan Royale this year and look forward to a better display from the
large Cote D'Azure next year [a marvellous pale bluey violet].
[07/11/2004]
October 2004
Whoa! what happened to early October? I am updating this briefly at the
end!
What's new? Well I have been to visit a friend in SW France near Narbonne
and experienced different flowers and trees. Strawberry Trees [Arbutus]
in craggy forests, growing alongside eryngiums and in deeper shade hellebores,
Near the coast Smilax with super scented flowers and very tempting burgundy
coloured glistening berries too [poisonous?]. Bupleurum on rocky cliffs
at Leucate
alongside thyme and other garrigue plants.
Azarole in the garden definitely a hawthorn that has berries tastier than
the 'norm' although a big seed is encased in the plump scarlet haw.
And unlike the S of France no Mimosas, this is vine country.
And in the most mundane supermarket really fresh boletus [porcini] mushrooms.
And so many stars in the sky compared to here.
All together interesting!
[21/10/2004]
September 2004
The
days have warmed again but in the early morning it feels as if someone
has flicked a switch between summer and autumn. Hello autumn!
I took the Cymbidium in this weekend but perhaps should have waited in
order that it could get a real cool/warm induction which is supposed to
encourage the production of a flower spike.
I have been enjoying my newly acquired gladioli, 'Miss Henriette' in particular
is gorgeous, pale green and greeney white.
The mulberry tree we planted in the village garden 3 years ago bore 4
small mulberries which we celebrated along with a milky slightly unripe
nut from the purple hazel. The fig 'Brown Turkey' has not been so early
this year. I have been at war all summer with the 'Brunswick' fig, having
hacked it back in spring it has repaid me with more vigour but of course
no fruits as I cut off the growth that would have had last years nascent
figs tucked away through the winter. I read somewhere that it was called
'The Fat One' until the portly Caroline of Brunswick hoved onto the scene
in the 18th century and it was renamed!
The July and August rain has delayed ripening of a number of things and
I think that many fruits are watery and have less taste - including the
hefty marauding blackberries in the village garden.
The courgette season was fairly short and sweet and I think the lower
sun levels stopped production of the flowers and the tomatoes are still
green as I write.
I still appreciate the calm that early autumn brings.
[01/09/2004]
August 2004
More odd winds in July leading to the early closure
of the Hampton Court Flower Show.
I got to see the winning Anthony Nolan Trust garden design for Tatton
Park on the TV. I have to say the ideas that won were similar to the ones
I submitted although I preferred my planting scheme!! They got silver
gilt so well done!!
The Carymoor Open Day on 10 July was blustery with sun and torrential
downpours. The flowers that walked off the sale table were Gladiolus 'The
Bride', cool slender white wands of flower; Dianthus superbus 'Spooky',
huge spidery single flowers in a range of pinks and whites, Triteleia
'Queen Fabiola' and the Achilleas were again popular. I waved goodbye
to two flowering Agapanthus africanus that I raised from seed 4
years ago as well. Back to potting on seedlings for next year.
I indulged
in a few gladioli this year from Great Western Glads. They are just starting
into flower so I await them with eager anticipation! One of my favourite
front gardens, a guest house on the Upper Bristol Road in Bath has some
amazing green glads in amongst the wonderful grassy planting.
The allotment is a little fitful - things went in late and I have not
been as attentive as I should have been this year, so far had one courgette,
a few runner beans and some very small potatoes. Today I have made crab
apple jelly having stripped 'John Downie' of his bounty. The marauding
brambles that threaten to invade the village garden have fat ripening
berries but the ripe ones are not very sweet - perhaps paying me back
for nipping at their hefty runners constantly!
I have two wasp nests under the roof, they are supposed to be good for
the garden and then apparently they will all die except the Queen who
I guess emerges in the spring. Such a lot of effort. I shall listen out
to see if the Swifts have gone this weekend - I suspect they have as they
are pretty punctual timekeepers.
It's Salut Maintenant!
and best wishes to a friend of mine who sets off in 30°C heat from
London to set up a new home near Carcassone in France today!!
[01/08/2004]
July 2004
Well after the heat we have had rain which suits me but other people are
grumbling about a curtailed summer!
It has been dry enough to make the apple tree and the crab abandon some
or all of their fruits which is a pity.
Last week we had the oddest wind it hurled things everywhere for a short
while and walking back from work all sorts of branches were snapped and
Plane leaves were everywhere. In the village garden the Hawthorn that
has been in for at least 4 years was blown horizontal I presume because
the weather has been so dry.
Also been up on the allotment frantically getting in the squashes, sweetcorn
and tomatoes while the ground is moist and workable.
The 1 July and the Buddleja are in flower giving off their drenching honey
scent - I always think of them as August flowers.
My huge sempervivum 'Commander Hay' is gathering itself to flower, the
rosette drawing together and pushing upwards and then it will die - seems
sad for such a big specimen, it produced all its children last year, none
at all this year.
The new Dahlias from Winchester Growers are kicking-in, 'Giraffe' is quite
fun with yellow petals mottled with brown. One of my 'bad taste' begonias,
a scarlet double, positively lights up the garden - something for the
garden toads to find their way home by!
[01/07/2004]
June 2004
Late - I missed the 1 June somehow! I start with one of my usual winges
- I need rain, we have had a few downpours but not nearly enough, plants
are already looking dry and stressed and cracks are appearing in the soil
in the red bed.
Did my second ever plant sale yesterday at Saltford near Bath, got the
Dahlia response 4 times [hurried replacing of pot on stall when realise
what it is]; did a small sniff test on two sweet peas I have been growing,
3 in favour of the scent on the white 'Royal Wedding' and I thought 'Cambridge
Blue' was more scented. Also I know it is difficult to guarantee 100%
true seeds but one of my CBlues turned out a pale purple and not very
scented [or maybe it was and my nose betrayed me!] ......
The plants that flew off the stand were Triteleia ixioides 'Starlight'
an explosion of pale yellow starry flowers on wiry stemlets, one person
likened the colouring to Gannets heads which was most appropriate. The
others were the double nasturtiums especially 'Margaret Long' and white
chives which I bought many years ago at Green Farm Plants. And someone
even bought one of my new snail poem cards - although a lot of people
did smile at the sentiments expressed!
I was tempted by a number of fellow stallholders plants Campanula rupestris
'Sarastro' huge dark blue downward facing bells at Avant Gardener, but
they had all gone by the end not surprisingly. I did buy a wonderful herbaceous
peony on the WI stall, very doubled white with a dash of crimson flecking
near the centre. Having consulted Kelways catalogue it turns out to be
Festiva Maxima bred by Miellez in 1851 - adorable!
Then it was back to potting up more plants until I ran out of compost
for the plant sale at Carymoor on 10 July.
I dread to think what the allotment looks like, I know I must go and do
some work there but am waiting for some rain to dampen the soil and to
put the squashes and tomatoes out. I don't want to put them out in heat
and bright sun as they will scorch.
[06/06/2004]
May 2004
Where did April go this year? May Day has started cold and drizzly, last
weekend we had lots of sun and warmth. The swallows were zooming about
getting settled back in for the summer. Swifts have yet to announce their
arrival. [They did absolutely punctual, they turned up on 2 May]
With the warm spell the end of April has merged again into May, we have
spring things still flowering and more 'summery' plants like lilacs and
wisteria also out. The Chestnut trees are lit up with blossom and the
leaf canopies are fresh and creating deep shade already.
I am getting towards the end of the big seed sowing push for this year
and having complained about astrantia germination they have chosen to
start emerging over the last few weeks. The seedlings from 'Hadspen Blood'
and 'Shaggy' I hope have come from cross pollination and will suprise
me with some interesting variations. The asclepias seeds I sowed in the
autumn in a cold frame of which a few germinated then withered have also
suddenly sprung to life this spring alongside the ones I sowed inside
in March.
Still experimenting with peat free composts, the one's that have a heavy
bark content are useless for seeds [but good for spring bulb pots as the
drainage tends to be better over winter]. Some of these types also grow
an interesting selection of fungi! I have used Terra Eco multipurpose
[Wessex Water company] and this proved good for seed sowing although I
am not entirely convinced yet that it will sustain plants when used for
potting on. [Also thank you to my US correspondent who recommended a Coir
mix as the best peat free option, we don't seem to have coir based composts
available to the consumer in the UK any more; possibly something to do
with all this council green waste recycling?]
I have also been caught in my garden with vine weevils for the first time,
the prime victims appear to be a species hydrangea and Rhododendron
fortuneii both of which are growing in pots. I didn't notice any leaf
notching which is supposed to be a sign, the main indicator was the collapse
over a couple of weeks of the plants as if they needed watering. A check
in the pots - very few roots and fat white grubs with ginger heads confirmed
the cause. I have watered all pots with Provado and will give them a second
dose in June - not happy about that! Also watch for lily beetles which
are now emerging from the soil - scarlet in colour - squash 'em! [update:
found today 8/5/04 emerging lily beetles around Snake's Head Fritillaries
be warned]
Happy May Day 2004
[Updated 04/05/2004]
April 2004
Oh joy! O bliss - it has been positively balmy for the past few days.
Tulips are snaking upwards, fritillaries are unwinding from the ground
and opening their bells and primroses are shining from the hedgerows and
shady banks.
Much seed sowing and potting-on has been accomplished over the last few
days. This has to be one of the busiest times of the year on the propagation
calendar. Last year I found that when I made a number of divisions somewhat
later, it took a while for plants to recover and grow away. I will see
if earlier division makes a difference.
I have grown Tulipa sylvestris
for the first time and it is now in flower. It has distinctly arced
downward facing buds until it suddenly lifts up its head and opens fully
to the sun. The petals are bright yellow and lightly scented. Some sources
suggest it is a British native others that it has long been naturalised
like the 'Tenby Daffodil' and the 'Snake's Head Fritillary'.
On the allotment two sets of potatoes are in, this year I forked over
the plot and then dug individual holes for each potato rather than trenching,
I will see if this makes any difference to the yield - it is certainly
easier to do. Probably to the chagrin of some of my plot neighbours a
few dandelions are flowering and attracting Small and Large Tortoiseshell
butterflies and assorted solitary and other bees.
Must get out and sow more seeds!
[1/04/2004]
March
2004
So much for my invocation 'roll on spring' last month.
It all seemed warm and dandy, then bang! Down came a heap of snow last
week which froze and has set back quite a few things.
The fat wet flakes clung to trees and bushes and I had to shake as much
off the more tenders as possible, having lost things to the combination
of wet snow freezing on certain plants in the past.
The dichroa looks distinctly limp, the new shoots on the rostrinucula
and schisandra crisped and browned. The lovely dancing blossom of the
single prunus around Bath browned to mush and the catkins that have been
so numerous all browned too.
The 1st March dawned frosty and clear, the sky a milky blue. Small scraps
of snow are still clinging stubbornly to areas where the sun don't shine
i.e. the bottom of my garden nearest the house.
Have just opened a parcel containing a secondhand copy of 'A Modern Herbal'
- distinctly old booky smell. Shall enjoy dipping into it.
The Azara microphylla has started to make its presence felt and
is sending out little chocolatey wafts. The scented violets in the park
are in flower.
My potatoes are chitting on a windowsill [Linzer Delikatesse, Pink Fir
Apple, Belle de Fontenay], the broad beans [Crimson Flowered and Canadian
Purple] are in on the allotment.
I need to pluck up the energy to do some more sowing this week - roll
on spring?
[1/03/2004]
February 2004
February has blown itself in with very high winds. In the preceding week
we had a snowy downfall, around 5:20pm on Wednesday down it came, out
of nowhere whirly and swirling and booming with thunder. Overall not much
settled and then two days later warm wet and very windy. First snowdrops
are up and out, the fat pearls of 'Brenda Troyle', swingy 'Magnet' and
a G.nivalis lead the pack. I fear 'Blewbury Tart' has given up
and snuffed it, prima donna doubles!
Seeds are starting to come up inside, Galactities tomentosa up
in a week from sowing, closely followed by Nepeta parnassica both
from Plant World. 'Moon Carrot' in the cold frame has started appearing
from an autumn sowing.
The hellebores in the village garden are up, H.niger is just waiting
for some sun to open at least 10 buds, H. orientalis 'Harvington
Shades of Night' strain and a plummy one are both starting to lift their
heads. Progeny from seed sown last autumn are appearing in the cold frame.
Exciting stuff, I noticed today that, Ypsilandra thibetica bought
from Crûg last spring has a fat flowerbud nestled in its rosette
of leaves, I shall look forward to that flowering. Despite the snow, frost
and pounding wind the Acacia baileyana is still with us and flowering,
it may not be so generous with prolonged frost. So I shall sign-off with
a sunny picture of the acacia, roll-on spring!
[02/02/04]
January 2004
For some of us around the world it is New Year's Day. Personally
I prefer to think the year turns at the Winter Solstice, the day after
the shortest day and we start to get back towards the light.
Last night we had high winds and rain which sent us scurrying into 2004.
Unlike last year, today has been clear with a cold northerly wind. The
light and the colours in the Dorset and Wiltshire countryside has been
eyecatching, golds, purples, greens, reds and many shades of brown. The
countryside is at its most subtle in terms of colours and its most exposed
now the leaves are gone from trees and hedges.
Many Hazel trees seem to have a lot of catkins, more than usual, and today
I have seen some that appear to be fully out, at least 8 weeks early I
would think.
I have already done my seed orders and am wondering quite where I will
find the room, the choices are so tempting. I shall wait to see what I
get from the plant society seed distributions as it is a bit of a lottery
but please no Inula hookeri, one year I was inundated!
In some places the snowdrops are starting to push through as are the daffodils.
In pots Tulip 'Spring Green' and T. sylvestris are already showing.
So here's to the new gardening year
[01/01/2004]
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