What are we doing in the garden 2025

Planted another 12 polyanthus along the path, it's surprising how long it takes, when digging the holes it was still dry in the bottom of it.
Also a lot of the crocus bulbs didn't make it, so ordered a lot more.

 

Cut up one of my Albizzia trees, it was blown down in the gales and was hanging over a fence so had to get it shifted a bit fast, don't want to upset the neighbours.

 

Yesterday turned out to be much drier than the forecast suggested - just a morning shower and a shortish spell of light rain in the afternoon. That didn't prevent me getting some work done in the front border, and I've decided to make a construction to stick a pot on, where the pesky stump is. I can get on with that today, as it's to be mainly dry, and even quite sunny. I've got some half decent compost from the first bin which I can use around it for the new plants to go in there.
I did some pricking out/potting on too - and it was very pleasant sitting on the bench to do it. A breeze, but sunny. I potted up a privet that I'm possibly going to trim into shape. More feeder filling. The sparrows were unbelievably loud - had to turn my radio up a bit!
Will maybe sow some seed - will need to check the new ones I've got, but I think I'll do some sweet peas. Always a risk with that as it's not generally worthwhile, but the milder winters and springs mean I might have some earlier flowers.

 

Other than potting up a few cuttings, including spotted laurel and some Violette de Nantes salvias, and planting some sweet potatoes in the polytunnel I've done very little gardening the last few days as it's the start of the sewing club season and I've had loads of admin plus manning our stand at the Forum des Associations.

I like variegation in foliage, even some spots but then I like spotty fabrics too. However, it has to be used carefully as a highlight and not a main theme. It's not to everyone's taste but aucubas can provide shelter in dry areas where not much else grows and the berries on female plants feed birds. I have the space and conditions to plant it in a quiet corner.

Today is more admin but it's also dry after some showery spells so I'll go and prepare beds for sowing leafy stuff - herbs and veg - tomorrow. I'm hoping that autumn, being cooler, will stop coriander and dill bolting like they did in our spring heatwaves.

After that, weeds to pull, bulbs to plant, homes to find for my "nursery" stock (nearly all cuttings, divisions or seed sown) and a trellis to build.

 

I love our spotty aucuba @Obelix-Vendée , it brightens up what would otherwise be a gloomy corner. We inherited it, it's right next to a large plain green laurel and the contrast is fab.

 

Today I removed the last of my Box which has been mauled by box moth caterpillar. I’ve had two large Box domes in pots for over 20 years and unfortunately they have succumbed, along with the hedging. I managed to remove them from the pots quite easily then chopped them up with loppers and secateurs. Both my garden waste bins that were emptied today are now nearly full again. As a temporary planting over winter I have put a Miscanthus Morning Light in each pot with some tulip bulbs and violas. I know it’s a bit early to plant tulips but they should be fine in the large pots with fresh soil based compost and grit. I’m surprised that I actually prefer the new combination to the Box . I also removed three dahlias from their pots as they were getting wind damaged and ragged and replaced them with more violas.

 

I sympathise with having to remove your box plants @Plantminded as I had to get rid of all my dwarf box hedging and nearly a dozen box balls. Broke my heart at the time but this year I'm glad I didn't have to keep trimming them on my hands and knees!

It's been a really nice day for a change, dry and sunny with a breeze. Pottered about, picked more raspberries, pulled out the broad bean supports and relaid a small path. I then dug up half a large penstemon and replanted it by the side of a large water butt. I'm hoping it will be less maintenance than the big winter flowering honeysuckle I'd had to remove for the building work.
Unfortunately it does mean the bees won't have access to it's early flowers but needs must.

 

Had to be out most of the morning. Got to the greenhouse this afternoon, sowed, mizuna, 2 types of salad mustard greens, 2 lots of winter lettuce and chicory. A few seeds of each in various module trays, a bit late, I know but with the mild weather I think I'll get away with it.

 

Harvested some potatoes, courgettes and more Aztec broccoli.
Then pruned another two Buddleja. I've done so much pruning recently that the shrubs are getting decidedly nervous everytime I get the saw out and trying to hide and look small.

 

Thank you @lizzie27, like you, I decided to get rid of them all rather than watch them deteriorate each year. Moving the ones in heavy pots around to trim them was always one of my least favourite tasks. Getting the symmetry right was also a worry .

 

I’ve just been out daddy long leg spotting and have found lots on the lawn and plenty which seem to like the newly planted Weigela bush. Will have to seriously think about getting some nematodes for next year. Can anyone recommend a good place to buy them from?

I ordered some Catananche Amor Blue plants after seeing them on Gardeners World and they are on their way. I really liked them and they are so pretty. I rather liked the white Cearulea Alba ones too.

 

Planted some more polyanthus around the path and had a look to see what crocus was left there, lost a lot from the droughts.

 

I have sown my saved Perovskia seeds yesterday. It's just a test, and don't expect them to germinate. I also potted the Hardy Geranium that decided to germinate 2 weeks ago.
Finally, I let the water out in my 100l butt, connected to the greenhouse and cleaned it. I reconnected it again and it can be filled with new rain water.

 

I decided to cut the grass yesterday, quite late on, as it had been sunny and windy, so it was drier than it might be tomorrow after rain today. I sorted the bit at the front border too, and did some potting on of seedlings.
However, prior to that, and not content with wasp/bee/hoverfly wrangling, I had to do some wood pigeon wrangling. Opened the back gate to put something in the bin, only to find a very, very young, rather naked, pigeon huddling in beside the step and the pot of sedum next to it.
I managed to get him, and bring him into the garden, and tucked him in beside the shed, under the Fatsia. He wouldn't have stood a snowball's chance in Hell of still being alive by the end of the day, as he can't fly yet, and would have been a sitting duck[pigeon] for the endless parade of felines round here.
The parents were there, although it took mum a wee while to properly locate him, and get some grub into him - they aren't the brightest! He was certainly hungry. I put a dish of water nearby, and also the bee/wasp box [there's some hay in it] with some bits of wood removed to make access suitable, so that he could at least get some more shelter if needed, but he tucked himself right into the corner, under the ivy.
I had to move the water scarecrow round to the back, outside the fence, to deter anything trying to get in at that side. I'm assuming he's fallen out a nest in my conifer, as they were certainly trying to nest there again a few weeks back, and it explains why the magpies weren't happy, as they seem to have decided it's their tree. There's no other trees near enough, that he could have come from without being annihilated on the way to my garden.
The things we do, eh? I was exhausted after all that....
Update -I was nervous about going out there earlier, but Mum was sitting up on the screen, and youngster was over by the shed, Food out for Mum to sort out for feeding him. I'm just relieved he survived the night.
I don't think I can manage anything today! It's to be wet this morning anyway, so I'll prep some food for daughter coming over later [hopefully not pigeon pie!] then see what else awaits me out there...