What are we doing in the garden 2025

If you're bored, @waterbut, my garden could use some attention.

 

I have a small shredder and it's a godsend. Shredded hedge trimmings and smaller tree branch prunings are fantastic for activating the compost heap. You can get shredders with wheels to help with moving them around.
I was up early ( for me) and on the plots watering by 7:30. It's the only way to get reasonable pressure so the job only takes 1 1/2 hours instead of 3-4.
I never pick Rhubarb beyond the end of May too strong, and with this drought it's too flaccid anyway.

 

What am i doing in the garden today? Well i took these two photos of the front bed .
Thats it for today!

 

I've just been doing general tidying up, some watering and deadheading. It's been overcast and very humid so far, up to 22.5c but the sun is now trying to appear.

Not impressed with the flavour of my broad beans in a salad last night. They were only just over pea sized so have I picked them too soon?

 

Just the flavour is a problem ? They do seem a bit small , a bit dense through lack of moisture?

 

Just had to rush round closing all the windows as the flying ants have decided to launch themselves! Quite a sight to behold.

 

Early this morning I was sitting outside admiring my new pond. Persicaria Amphibia is coming along nicely and overall everything looks... somehow a bit wrong





Then I realised- I had forgotten The Beach! The far end has a very shallow area designed for bird bathing, but somehow I totally forgot to make the slope to the ground and add gravel.

That's now rectified Stepping stones around the pond have been stabilised too, a wise precaution as my balance is nothing to write home about even without Pinot Grigio.



Tied up Cucumbers, again. Someone did advise that 19 cuc plants are a bit much for a small greenhouse, in particular when combined with several large toms... so I found new homes for many of the plants and now only have 12. I can almost get inside the GH.

 

I like the verbascums @Robert Bowen they look great along with the rest of the border I've just ordered some verbascum seeds called southern charms . I've already got a white one ( nigrum album ) which looks very similar to yours.

The pond / garden coming on a treat @Selleri lovely transformation for us all to see .

I've been filling pots all week , I've bought some more today but now I feel like a don't have enough plants even though I've got plants everywhere greenhouse still got plenty to plant out but not the ones I want at the moment looks like I am going to have to buy some more plants I did have plans for a nice smallish shrub rose for one of the pots thinking roald dahl but would like a purple rose ideally .

 

All the small visitors will appreciate your 'extra' work @Selleri
Looking really great now. I have to be careful going on the flatter stones at the shallow edges of my pond too - and I don't drink!
I did a few things yesterday- mainly finishing off the gate, but it go too hot for me to stay out. Fortunately, it clouded over and I got a few things planted, turned the older compost bin, cut out some overhanging branches on the conifer, and fed some of the potted plants. Other than that, watched the birds stuffing their faces - then had to refill the feeders again!
Not sure what I'll do today - it's nice and cloudy, but still very warm. Maybe get that bit of lonicera hedge done that I couldn't do last week, and get some bits planted in the front garden [ground cover mainly] and they'll get watered in tonight when the rain comes in.

 

@Perki, I have come to the conclusion that, where gardening is concerned, it is perfectly possible to not have enough plants and to have too many plants simultaneously. The cognitive dissonance this situation creates is what keeps gardens constantly evolving, whilst ensuring the business models of both suppliers of plants and removers of green waste flourish.

 

@Selleri Thats a serious number of cucumber plants - what do you do with all the fruits ?

 

@Perki . Thank you , my verbascums are chaixii album , which i also raised from seed. In all honesty the leaves sprawl , i have 11 of them and i cut the lower leaves off as they get really tatty and to give other plants a chance.
I think you have summed up the gardener’s “catch 22 “ conundrum - if you dont sow enough , you are short , if you sow too many , you get a glut and you are reluctant to dispose of nurtured plants such as the 7 lovely tomato plants that exceed my needs and i cant give away. Then on the other hand we always want more of something else whether its colour or carrots. Not only that , visiting the garden centre and buying plants is a craving , once you give in you are drawn back repeatedly to fill those gaps in your garden tapestry.
Is there an answer? Maybe buy a flat but then the temptation would be window boxes….

 

I've got three cucumber plants and about 18 tomato plants, the tomatoes I can eat, make sauce from, even salad; however I will be going around pestering people to accept cucumbers.