My Garden This Weekend – 10th August 2014

Dahlia ‘Chat Noir’

I haven’t been in the garden this weekend apart from to take some photographs.  Sunday has been wet and windy thanks to residue of hurricane Bertha once she had blasted across the Atlantic.  We have had very heavy downpours and it is much cooler which I for one am grateful for.  The garden should certainly have benefited from the rain.  On Saturday I

missed out on the good gardening weather as I spent all day at the local horticultural show – exhibiting, stewarding and generally helping out.  You can see some of the horticultural delights on our society website here.  I didn’t enter much as life has been a little hectic recently and I didn’t want to cause myself more stress than I already had.  I entered five floral classes and won two thirds and a highly commended and I entered a scarf in the handicraft section and won a second.  Not as good as last year but all things considered not bad.

I have been pondering the border along the top of the wall.  Recently I have mentioned that I am going to remove the Delphinium and go for something that will have a longer period of interest.  I recently saw an article in one of the glossy magazines (Gardens Illustrated I think) about a garden in Holland and I was struck by the planting in the borders which had a strong color palette with a lot of foliage interest.  I have started planning the border with the above purchases of sedums, stacys, imperata and lily grass.  I think the colours will work well with the roses and abelia at the beginning of the border.  Once I have removed all the delphiniums and improved the soil I am going to work my way down the border planting a block at a time in an attempt to get some harmony and interest. Who knows it may work.

The heavy rain has been a good test for the pond.  Although this is a rather grandiose title for what is essentially an old tin bath.  The long term intention is to use it as a collecting pond for the downpipe off the shed but we just haven’t had time to put the guttering up and I have no idea when we may get around to this.  However in the meantime I have added some zantedeschia and a white lobelia.  The zantedeschia have thrived especially when the weather was hotter.  I need to do some research into whether I can leave them over winter or not.  We also need to re-site the bath so that it doesn’t lean towards the shed! I am sure it was straight when we placed it but maybe it has settled strangely into the gravel.

The Big Border is looking good and full at the moment and the asters are beginning to flower.  I am leaving this border alone for the coming year apart from adding some interest along the opposite edge and filling a few gaps.  I also think I need to tie the Euphorbia into the planting better as it looks like a sore thumb so maybe some more silver is needed?