Its July already and half the year is gone. The garden is looking good but there are a lot of projects in the garden that I haven’t yet had time to complete. The front garden being the main one. Other than planting the hedge the front garden is still completely bare. Well it would be if it wasn’t for all of the weeds.
The Corner Bed
As you can see the photinia is a little over grown and needs trimming back. There is a rose in this bed which flowered briefly during June. One rose one flower. The poppy in this bed has also flowered this month but is now gone. I am leaving the seed heads to mature as I want to propagate from this one.
The Light Bed
This bed is still looking quite bare. I had hoped the pampas grass would have put on a growth spurt and start to fill the bed. I should have realised it would take quite a while for that to happen. I have barley grass growing in the greenhouse which I will plant at the front of this bed and perhaps move some of the Phalaris from the centre bed to go behind the pampas grass. The chickens love the bare soil as it makes a great place for a dust bath.
The Pond
The pond is half covered with the water buttercup. I really should trim it back. The irisis are now in flower. The flowers look wonderful but the plants are a little top heavy. It clearly inst anchored. I will have to take them out and put them in pots with aquatic compost which hopefully will provide a a heavier more stable base.
The Pond Side Border
The lupins are the most predominant flower in this border along with a few Foxgloves. I have trimmed the broom plant right back. It was beginning to get a bit unruly. There is an acer at the side of the pond that i thought grow and look good overhanging the pond however it is becoming hidden by the crocosmia I will have to find it a new location.
Centre Bed
The purple Centaurea has now finished flowering and should really be cut back however I want to collect seeds from it so have left it for the seeds to mature. The flowers on the foxtail lilly I bought from Bents garden centre are opening and taking centre stage in this border.
Left Hand Bed
This is the largest border and still need a few more plants adding. The end of this bed near the rhubarb is again full of ground elder. I have struggled to keep on top of it. I will need to pay close attention to this area to try to eradicate it. Although I believe that the young shoot can be eaten I haven’t tried them yet. the first rose has opened on the rambling rose growing over the arch. The climbing rose has quite few buds but non have opened yet.
Green House
The tomato plants are coming on well and the first truss has appeared. The cucumber wasn’t growing particularly well but has finally put on a growth spurt and the first fruit has appeared. I have been growing lupin seeds a friend gave me last year. The seeds weren’t quite ready when collected so germination wasn’t brilliant and slugs have had a go at them so that I am down to two. The side of the greenhouse is a wash with Sweet Williams which are looking wonderful at the moment .
