Am I ready? Well kind of...
Does the garden look fabulous? Of course!
Will I have Caster Oil plants that are more than 2ft tall, tall Solanums, and Cannas in full bloom? Mmm...I will get back to you on that one
Will Steven make the most fabulous cakes? Of course! I do need to start some quality control and testing first though ;)
Will the bees make enough honey to have piles of jars to sell? Errr no
Will I have any honey? Erm, not from the hives, cheaper and easier to get direct from Fortnums...
Will visitors have a good time? Defo!
So things are kind of ready, everything is planted, I’m even up to date with weeding and slug/snail massacring. It is certainly a lot less stressful second time round, it is just a half day in my life...the garden will also keep growing and changing every day, and I’m sure whatever state it is in on that Sunday in September there will be nice things to see and good tea and cake to be had. I look forward to the final preening, showing people round and things looking fabulous!
So here is the garden on the 1st of August
Crocosmia (scarlatii?)
Canary creeper...self sowed everywhere and has just got to the rampant phase...
Giant thistle which really needs staking, but Im not brave enough to face it!
This is the Dahlia which I had thought was heading for the compost heap, now the most floriferous thing around. I think I will keep it
Rudbeckia Herbsonne....about 5ft this year, hopefully bigger next
Helianthius salicifolius...well worth hunting down
Last weekends project, giving the Garuda a proper perch on a 8ft fence post
Salvia uliglosa flowering for the first time, a bit more prairie than I thought it would be but I like that it is about 5ft....
Sunflowers have self seeded around (I grew them last year for cut flowers)
Paraserianthus lophanthus....a new one for me, very quick growing with fabulous Acacia/Mimosa type leaves
Lobelia tupa, Crocosmia, Tetrapanax and Plume Poppy
A frogs eye view
Salvia patens back again....such a special blue colour
Flowering Eryngium, pink salvia, Paulownia and Arundodonax
Pineapple Lily
Im rather pleased with my pots as it is getting very jungly with the Musa lasiocarpa, Ensete and Canna inter spaced with a vibrant red salvia and white Datura flowers...
Its not quite weather for a corner sofa! Schlefera taiawanna, Cyperus, Musa and Cannas
The Solanum that survived! interestingly in year 2 the leaves aren't as big
Fuchsia 'Oriental' with the only unravished Nicotiana in the garden
Brugmansia...overwintered as a 5ft stem now flowering away. Scent is rather delicious.
Ensete looking superb and so much better in year 2. I was amazed at how easy it was to overwinter (I tried the American method of cutting off all the roots and leaves, leaving it upside down to drain and then leaving it dry all winter). I am therefore a convert and bought 2 more this year, and have 4 more on order! Out of all the more tropical stuff it is also coping with the weather really well...I think this is because where it comes to there is a steep diurnal range, so hopefully it is more at home here than other Musas....
Seems like you're ready to open right this moment already. Garden's looking fab!
ReplyDeleteOk, I would open for the drop of a hat but shhhh! you will of course get the royal treatment if you want a visit?
ReplyDelete