What are we doing in the garden 2025

@ViewAhead - one of my Cotoneasters. I think yours will have a similar habit of mostly spreading and some height with support. The current spread on this one is about 8ft and still growing.

 

Cotoneasters can be tricky, and some are deciduous. You might just have to wait and see @ViewAhead. The large weeping types, look weepy from quite early on [correct horticultural term there!] while the flatter, horizontalis ones just stay like that as they grow. Many of the deciduous ones are very woody from early on, so they're easier to ID. I get lots of free ones courtesy of birds, or just from self seeding, but I just pull them out if I don't have anywhere for them. I have one that's in among the new front hedging, but it can stay there for now, unless it annoys me....
I didn't do a lot yesterday due to other things happening, but today might be too hot for me later, so I'll get a walk soon and then the shed might be cooler for some painting and faffing. I've got a Spartina that's been in a pot for a few years, and I might try and find a bigger one for it. It currently sits under the front window, and it's cooler there, so I might look at doing that. I need to make a little raised bed for another clematis to go beside the pergola, so I could possibly do that beside the shed.

 

Ah, thank you for the cotoneaster help, @lizzie27, @Sheal, and @fairygirl! A horizontal form would be my least desirable, as it would take up a lot of room without adding much height. Might keep it in a pot for now as it seems perfectly happy so far.

 

If it is a horizontalis type, and you have a wall/fence @ViewAhead , it might be 'persuaded' upwards if planted closely. I'm sure I've had that with them before. A bit like some of the Euonymus varieties.

 

That's a thought, @fairygirl. I've got a bit of fence where other things are struggling as just the other side there is a giant pine that sucks up moisture very enthusiastically. Cotoneasters don't mind drought, in my experience, so it might be OK there.

@Sheal, yours looks a lovely specimen. I do like them as they are easy going and happy to be clipped as needed.

 

I've got a horizontalis in the front garden, and it's near the 'box' I made to hide compost bins. I must look and see if it would grow up the side of that! I think it's too far away just now, but I could probably move it as it's spreading across the path a bit too much anyway.

I just went out and looked @ViewAhead and there are bits staarting to find their way up the side. It was handy too- as there was an enormous slug enjoying the strawberry foliage. Not any more he ain't.....

 

I haven’t really done anything in the garden for what seems like weeks. I did have a blitz on the overgrown ivy in the front garden last week, it was surprising just how much there was completely smothering part of the fence and running through the border. I’m itching to redesign the border and would normally just get on with it regardless of the season. However even I can see that it’s just too hot and dry and I will have to wait. The next job is digging out a cherry laurel root, not looking forward to doing that as I suspect it’s going to be a battle.

My plan today is to crack on with the renovation of my two rickety cold frames. The new slide hinges have arrived. Have also found some old Cuprinol paint in the shed so might rub them down and paint them. I need to check how much paint is in the tins. There are two colours and I’m hoping there is enough to do both the same colour. If not, as need to see if I can come up with an attractive combination, not sure I want one of each.

 

@Butterfly6, mix the paint together and come up with a new colour?

It's going to be far too hot to do much outside today, although our poor builder is in full sunshine rebuilding the terrace wall. I offered him a big garden umbrella yesterday but he said he's used to the heat.

 

I have a Cotoneaster microphyllus growing on the front wall almost completely flat against the wall.
I've been pruning a Buddleja nivea yunnanensis this morning, this has very attractive furry down on them and I've discovered that pruning this shrub in dry weather has resulted in a severe coughing fit.

 

I don’t think I’d get a very nice colour @lizzie27 but luckily there was quite a lot of my favourite, a deep tea, blue, left. In fact I don’t think we had ever used any other than maybe a small sample. I can’t remember why we bought it, it’s on,y a small tin but should be just enough. Have done one coat, will get a second done later today or maybe tomorrow. It’s already very muggy outside

 

The main things I've been doing in the garden are watering and dead heading. It's horribly hot in Dordogne, 41°C yesterday. Now we have just been put on water restrictions, no watering between 8am and 8pm. I hope I will have a garden left by next year. The autumn anemones are dying.

 

This afternoon reduced a large pile of prunings to 2.5 tub trugs of chippings.

 

Oh dear @Busy-Lizzie, that is indeed horribly hot and I feel for you - and your garden.

Our weather forecaster showed 37.2c at 5pm today but that is in the sun. Certainly felt like it.
We've just emptied the two waterbutts in the courtyard in the expectation that the builder might need to move them out of his way tomorrow. He wants to take up the paving to investigate the roof downpipe soakaway to find out if it's properly piped away from the house.

All my pots have had a good soak as well as the two lower terrace beds and some shrubs - about 20 watering cans full, quite tiring.

 

Getting rid of wrinkles on my arms. After driving my spade into the nest that the bees had kept secret, they began an aerial battle. The stings caused big lumps but the pain is almost worth seeing those spots with zero wrinkles

I'm attempting to rearrange my gardens and one corner is almost all clay with no soil cover after all these years. I jumped and jumped on the spade but couldn't get it to bite so I need some other method to break up this slab.

And watering. Lots and lots of that.