I’ve had a good week of gardening. It’s been quite wet but I’ve still got on with a good few jobs. I’ve planted out quite a lot in the Forest School at work. It’s looking alright, but give it a few years and it should fill out well. I’m not sure how well each plant will do as it is pretty heavy shade. But I’ve got most of the plants cheap so it’s no great drama if there is some loss. I had a pleasant trip to Stillingfleet Lodge Gardens yesterday which I’m sure I’ll write about another day. Today is my third wedding anniversary. Amy almost forgot but my sister reminded her. We’re not doing anything special but it was a nice excuse to add some more sea hollies to the garden.
Facebook bargains
I’ve done well out of Facebook this week. I picked up a water butt and coldframe cheap for work. The waterbutt has been put in forest school. I just need to pick up a connector kit. I’m not sure whether the coldframe is going to work or at home. I might use if for winter to home the primulas and foxgloves and then move it to work. The wormery was free, including worms. These are great. They produce a small amount of high quality compost. But, more importantly the worm wee makes a great liquid fertiliser. It slowly drips out and then you dilute it in a watering can.
Stargazer lilies
These have grown to nice big blocks. A few have been nibbled by the dreaded beetles but enough have made it to flower. They work well with the hydrangea limelight behind. I took the advice a few years ago to grow them in shade to reduce the number of beetles and it does seem to work.
I know a lot of people don’t like them but I do. They are quite exotic in nature and bring something to the garden late summer before the gladioli and aster gets going.
And the hoverflies particularly like them.
Farfugium japonicum ‘wavy gravy’
After a lecture through Lou Nichols patreon gardening club by Phillip Oostenbrink on tropical gardening I saw this plant and wanted it. In the lecture he mentioned the spotty version. But I saw the wavy foliage at the garden centre. The local garden centre is stocking less and less in the way of variety of plants so I was surprised to see it. Accounts differ on hardiness so we’ll see how it does. It’s gone in the foliage mix of the front garden.
Butterflies
When it’s not been raining it has actually been quite pleasant and I’ve seen a few more butterflies out. There have been lots of whites a few peacocks and a good few small tortoiseshells about.
Plant bargains
I’ve been keeping my eye out for some more grpund cover plants for work, so stopped in at the road outside Wassand Hall. On the road up to the hall is a cottage with a plant stall outside. They usually have a mix of hardy geraniums and a few other bits but they had a good selection out this week. I picked up three candalabra primulas, a lovely coloured heuchera and a vibrant pink flowered salvia wishes and kisses. The salvia will need cuttings taking to get it through winter, but it was cheap enough to be worth taking a chance on. The primulas were one of the standout plants at Harlow Carr and I fancy a few clumps of these. They should then self seed and spread gradually.
Agapanthus
Agapanthus formed a key part of our wedding flowers and these were planted following the wedding. It’s taken three years for them to bulk out to a decent flowering point but they are looking great. I had planted a mix of blue and white but there is still no sign of the white. I don’t know whether they’ve died off or if it is the fault of Thompson & Morgan but too late to complain.
I’ve also added a new variety to mark our anniversary, Silver Moon. It is a varieagated variety. So even if takes several years to flower at least the foliage is bringing something to the garden.
I hope you all have nice weekends. I’ve got a good few plant purchases to find spaces for and a few more seeds I want to get started this weekend.
Happy wedding anniversary! I think my problem with a lot of lilies is the smell rather than the look.
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Thanks. Nothing planned for anniversary but exchanged small gifts. The lilies are down at the bottom of the garden so don’t really smell them but they are big enough to be visible from the house.
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I love the stargazers and the shade tip is really useful! I like the sound of the variegated agapanthus, even if it doesn’t flower it will look good. Happy anniversary to you both.
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Thanks. The flower on this agapanthus doesn’t look that spectacular but figured the foliage lasts longer.
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Happy anniversary to you both. Lovely agapanthus, such a strong colour.
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Thank you. I’ve seen some lovely dark agapanthus, almost purple, the last few days which were very tempting, but price tag prevented me purchasing.
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The stargazers are beautiful. I don’t have any late flower lilies, something that perhaps need rectifying. I have agapanthus envy. Happy anniversary.
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Part of the lateness of the lilies is growing them in shade. Delays the flowering by a few weeks I reckon in comparison to the ones in sun.
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Happy wedding anniversary ! In France, each year corresponds to something and this year, for you, it’s the “wedding of wheat”. I don’t know if it exists in England but you can find the French Wikipedia, giving you some details of the different years. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anniversaire_de_mariage
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This year is leather for us. Amy got me a leather bookmark and I had some leather drink coasters made with our wedding details scribed on. Then bought a few more of the plants from her bouquet for the garden.
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That’s a wonderful capture of the butterfly on the Verbena. Happy anniversary to you both. Although you didn’t go out, you did some nice things to celebrate the occasion.
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Happy anniversary! Looks like you have done well with plant purchases recently. I really must get to the garden centre or a nursery and see what they have. Silver Moon is very pretty, but a reluctant flowerer. I have mine in the ground and it has taken three years for it to produce two flower spikes. I think I bought the same T&M agapanthus that you did! Some dark blue, pale blue and two whites, one with larger petals than the other.
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Congratulations to you both on your third anniversary!
You certainly got some bargains from the FB ads, especially the worm farm, and the plants from the cottage. The butterfly photo is just stunning.
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Thanks. Ended up buying a few more bargain agapanthus now they are going over. The garden centres want rid of them rather than having to look after them for a year.
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That is lucky. Can Agapanthus overwinter in the garden in the UK, or do you have to remove them and replant in spring?
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It varies. Mine in pots have been fine so far as I think winter drainage plays a big part. Some are hardier than others.
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