Hi Flowery Gang,
A long overdue update! I hope everyone is starting to see the joyous signs of Spring springing up all over the place. I can feel the season rushing at me like a wave. That only-seen-in-spring-green shows up and I'm out there making new beds and mulching in a frenzy. Weeding has started too and I'm even enjoying it (for now, watch this space).
New growth on Phlomis tuberose Amazon
With the new growing space (and new beds at my home base) I have loads and loads of new plants so loads and loads of new growth - which I've started sharing over on instagram and Facebook stories. There's seedlings too and lots of seeds still needing to be sown. I sat on my hands as long as I could but have sown some more perennials and hardy annuals. The half hardies/tenders can wait for now, I need to sow at the right times to allow me to plant straight out when they're big enough - too many to be potting them all on. Some of the perennials include Silene 'Blushing Lanterns' (which I have also Autumn sown as a test), Salvia 'White Swan', bronze fennel, Reseda alba 'White Mignonette', Digitalis and some Lychnis.
As far as annuals go I have started Snaps (lots of varieties), Stocks, Rudbeckia 'Cherokee Sunset' (which has been super slow to germinate) 'Cherry Brandy' and 'Sahara', Phlox 'Creme Brulee' and 'Cherry Caramel' (I know), Larkspur in lots of colours, Cynoglossum and some Scabious and Helichrysum (which acts quite like a hardy here). Plus a few others (just a few...)
Some seed starting prep
I've been hankering for some good tasting tomatoes recently so started some toms with chillis and cucumber/salad to follow. I used to grow exclusively veg (with tagetes) until I discovered all these gorgeous flowers. I'm slowly trying to find a balance that works between the two. The flowers are definitely winning.
Interestingly enough the outdoors autumn planted ranunculus are not *that* far away from the pampered ones in the big poly, the late winter sprouted ranuncs are catching up fast. I have a few anemone buds coming in the tunnel but I lost a lot of anemones outdoors, too wet. The Stocks, Daucus, Orlaya, Snaps, Colibri Poppies, Larkspur, Helichrysum, Grasses, Roses, Sweet Peas and Alliums (and all the other plants that are growing on for planting out in Spring) are all rocketing away inside the polytunnel.
Outside they are just starting active growth, the snaps all died outdoors (except ones treated as perennial) the Ammi is great, Scabious have started growing, Orlaya is starting to bulk up, Omphalodes going well, best of all outdoors has been Agrostemma. It's not bothered one bit with frosts or rain. The bupleurum and cerinthe are struggling, I'm hoping they pull through although they never do so well for me, this is cerinthes last chance!! Stem length isn't always great and they can be tricky to condition for that vase life.
Some outdoor low tunnels - feat a single self sown Cerinthe. Watched over by Eric
Planting the outdoors sweetpeas
Biennial wise Sweet Rocket is thriving in the little section of woodland I have planted it in, foxgloves are dotted all over and bulking up, I'm excited for Summer King and a few bronze beauts. Wallflowers and dianthus are getting there and lunaria has a bed all to itself, a mix of white and purple. I am trying out Lunaria 'Chedglow' this year too.
Beautiful foliage on Lunaria 'Chedglow'
Sweet Rocket - Hesperis Matronalis
Peonies have started shooting (aaaaaaahhh), the bearded Iris are in active growth (aaaaaaahhh) as are the lupins (aaaaaaaaahh). Lots of new growth on Linaria and big fat buds on Hydrangea, Sambucas, Viburnum op, Lilacs, soft fruit bushes are bursting into life (my favourite is blackcurrant, the foliage smells incredible, looks beautiful and is great as a tea) and the Achillea has loads of new growth.
Big fat Peony shoots!
Snowdrops are nearly done and the chionodoxa are taking over. Tete-a-tete narcissus are here, they're always first and so welcome. I'm watching the tulips grow beautiful foliage while Quaking grass has made a wonderful sea in the gravel and the Hellebores are just kicking off their season. It's all grow! Sorry.
Narcissus Tete-a-tete
Jobs I've been doing around the place
- Cutting back some of the ghosts of plants past (but not too much so they still have some protection) This includes pruning roses - a good tip is to partially prune so you get an earlier and later "succession' of blooms.
- Topping up my soil and mulching/top dressing perennials with my own home made compost and leaf mould mix.
- Making sure structures and plant supports are in place, which is a totally ongoing process for me!
- Giving my hardy annuals that are now in active growth a seaweed feed to get them boosted (plants in garden soil - any new compost won't need feeing)
- Keep on the pests - YES! Aphids have landed. On my shooting chrysanthemums, orlaya and roses!! Buggers.
- Started collecting new growth from nettles to make nettle tea.
- Pulling out all my pressed flowers to make space for a 2023 flower 'diary'
- Last but not least my favourite is rehoming self seeded plants. Tiny cute little ones that are lost get carefully dug up and popped with the rest of their family. Common culprits for me at the moment are nigella, poppies, quaking grass and cress.
Some sweet pressed flower memories
Homemade compost for top dressing/mulching
Saying all that, there's still a million things on the to do or to finish list. It's been fun having the girls off for half term this month, they have been adjusting well to me working more - they love going to the flower farm to help out and its so great they can play in the garden as I work.
I'm excited!! I'm caught up in it, I can't wait for all the growing to come and beautiful blooms and designs to come. Just this morning I noticed a little rosebud on one of my climbing roses, it's too early and it will probably get caught by the frost, but it's all these things, the promise and hope of what's to come.. We need it in February, a tough month for us gardeners, we've waited so long!
Tiny, but very enthusiastic, February Rosebud
It's coming. It's already here - our chance to be completely mindful and present out weeding, seeding and checking on our gardens.
May your fingers be dirty and your tea warm/wine cold,
Love Jenn x