Finally there,Almost.

Hi All.
Well we finished off the planting of annuals today, aster mixed. This season was not so good as last year for germination of flower seeds. Had 90% failure with salvia annuals ,asters mixed annuals and the 1st lot of sweet peas for hanging baskets ,petunias single mixed also were not very good.

Funny but all the seeds but the sweet peas were from Wilkinsons which we normally do not have any trouble with. Mad panic buying more seeds of the above from individual seed specialists and all were successful in germinating. To be honest I think as far as I can I will buy seeds from these individual seed suppliers. True they will cost more , £1.90 -£2.50 a packet compared to 60p but well worth it and hopefully only purchased once and less hassle. At first being a natural tight “pod” I was reluctant then got things into perspective. You go and buy a pint for £2.50-£3.00 and enjoy it but that is it a short time of enjoyment then you wee it down the toilet, not sure but a packet of fags cost around £4.50-£6.00 and only last, well what a day or 2??

I say finished planting but I have 5 Dianthus Deltoides plugs waiting to be delivered which will be potted up ready for autumn planting. I planted 20 D/deltoids plugs next to the path leading up to front door last autumn. Also a disaster as they were supposed to be red but have turned out white and only 3 are left. The mistake I think I made was they need free draining soil and although the patch was dug over 2 years ago and compost etc incorporated the soil is still “claggy” and dries hard on top when sunny. I also am sure when I came near to the path I did not dig it over so well.

These will be dug up and replanted somewhere suitable. I will redig the strip and I have some, well 1000, Campanula Carpatica 'Blue Clips to sow and hopefully get 25 plants from them to plants in autumn or next spring.

This front “claggy” small pot is doing my head in. I have 3 small shrubs, an ice plant and 2 clematis which are growing well. I would like to plant about 4-5 perennials that flower in summer and around 2ft tall. I have settled on the old standby, hardy geranium, probably Patricia. I have a Roxanne in the back so would like a red one at front. When you look at the web at a plant most say, loamy soil, clay soil etc for growing conditions. Then a certain plant depending what site you look at it will grow anything from 2ft -3ft!!! , drives me mad. Just 4 more to go.

Thinking about it I cannot really define my soil as it dries hard on top, when you dig to plant say some annuals you get lumps which are not quite clay and with some battering will break up. Despite all that I can flood it with water or it can rain hard and no problem with water draining through soil?

That`s my 3p worth of updates and moans, hope you all are starting to enjoy your hard work in the garden.

 

I hope you are going to show us a some pics of all your hard work in a few weeks time when they are all really flowering their heads off!

 

I hope you are going to show us a some pics of all your hard work in a few weeks time when they are all really flowering their heads off!