Thursday, 16 September 2010
Gourdon Bennett"
As the wind knocked over one of the Gourd pyramids I have pulled it up and cut off the Gourds. Apart from a wire basket full of them I have two huge carrier bags full of them. I have to find out how to properly dry them out to ensure I can use them for Christmas baubles when the time comes. I don't hold much hope as they have only lasted about eight weeks when I've kept them before. As I've already said I am thinking of using them for tea light holders if I can't keep them for Christmas-time. I'll keep you informed...
Herb garden update.
A proper gardener would sew seed and patiently wait for a plant to grow thereby saving him a good few pounds. I've never professed to be a proper gardener though and I've little patience when I know winter is on it's way and the garden will start to look naked without it's summer colour.
The garden centre has taken it's cut of my wages again when I bought four herbs for ten pounds. So now, I have taken the Standard Bay out of the pot by the front door (where I liked it very much) and used it for some height at the beginning of my swirl of Box. I was wondering whether to top and tail the swirl with Rosemary topiary but I didn't really want two Rosemarys and I thought it might trick the eye into thinking the area was quite small if there were matching 'bookends' fairly close together. This way there is a definite dominant end with the taller Bay and a 'full stop' (at least in my mind) at the other end.
In between these plants I have dotted three different evergreen sages, a Tricolour, Purple and an Icterina ( a two tone green) which I hope will grow out to meet each other to produce a sort of pool of Sage; like an artist's palette with circles of colour blending into each other. I've put a Golden Thyme nearer the Bay and circling the stem of the Bay are (for now) six Alpine Strawberries. I wondered about using Lavender but think it will get too leggy and overwhelm the Box which is notoriously slow growing.
As I was planting these up the rain started and I realised how waterlogged the earth was. This is not good news for herbs, they like Mediterranean conditions; stony soil, little water and lots of light. In my patch they only get the light. I really should have dug in some drainage material but didn't have the time so I've planted them straight in, watered them to settle them down and spread the broken bits of shell that we bought for chicken grit (as hens don't have teeth they need grit in their diet to work on the food they digest).
I've come in as I have a fireplace to work on this afternoon but I'm happier having herbs in the bed. I will keep an eye on them and if they seem to be struggling I will give them better conditions but for now they have a few hours of peace before I tweak some of the sage leaves off to accompany the leg of lamb we have for dinner. Life is sweet.
The garden centre has taken it's cut of my wages again when I bought four herbs for ten pounds. So now, I have taken the Standard Bay out of the pot by the front door (where I liked it very much) and used it for some height at the beginning of my swirl of Box. I was wondering whether to top and tail the swirl with Rosemary topiary but I didn't really want two Rosemarys and I thought it might trick the eye into thinking the area was quite small if there were matching 'bookends' fairly close together. This way there is a definite dominant end with the taller Bay and a 'full stop' (at least in my mind) at the other end.
In between these plants I have dotted three different evergreen sages, a Tricolour, Purple and an Icterina ( a two tone green) which I hope will grow out to meet each other to produce a sort of pool of Sage; like an artist's palette with circles of colour blending into each other. I've put a Golden Thyme nearer the Bay and circling the stem of the Bay are (for now) six Alpine Strawberries. I wondered about using Lavender but think it will get too leggy and overwhelm the Box which is notoriously slow growing.
As I was planting these up the rain started and I realised how waterlogged the earth was. This is not good news for herbs, they like Mediterranean conditions; stony soil, little water and lots of light. In my patch they only get the light. I really should have dug in some drainage material but didn't have the time so I've planted them straight in, watered them to settle them down and spread the broken bits of shell that we bought for chicken grit (as hens don't have teeth they need grit in their diet to work on the food they digest).
I've come in as I have a fireplace to work on this afternoon but I'm happier having herbs in the bed. I will keep an eye on them and if they seem to be struggling I will give them better conditions but for now they have a few hours of peace before I tweak some of the sage leaves off to accompany the leg of lamb we have for dinner. Life is sweet.
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
What weather!
So, is this the end of the gardening for another year? Of course not! I'm just using cheap tactics to keep you reading! A little rain won't stop the plants nor me. I've been getting the rest of the bulbs planted up. Thanks to Mum who halved her allium bulbs with me. Luke has been in Amsterdam and said he'd seen lots of tulip bulbs but isn't sure whether it's illegal to bring them into the country so I will be relying on my shop bought ones to produce a colourful display next year. The work I do now will produce welcome colour and form when I'll require them most; after a long (probably), wet(almost definitely winter.
I'm still loving the garden, that huge sunflower head is bent right over as if it's shy, quite incredible how that huge weighty head doesn't snap off. It even managed to survive although I lost the height of one of the ornamental Gourds after a particularly windy night. The other Gourd tower survived okay but I shall have to go out and harvest them soon. I'd like to dry them out and turn some into Christmas decorations but I have yet to work out how to stop them going mouldy as has happened before. Too much to do at work (It was my early finish today at 4.30pm but I didn't finish work until seven o'clock) but I shall look into it soon. If that doesn't work I will scoop out some of the insides and pop little tea lights into them to make makeshift outdoor lights or table decorations. I don't like wasting anything as you may know by now.
I'm still loving the garden, that huge sunflower head is bent right over as if it's shy, quite incredible how that huge weighty head doesn't snap off. It even managed to survive although I lost the height of one of the ornamental Gourds after a particularly windy night. The other Gourd tower survived okay but I shall have to go out and harvest them soon. I'd like to dry them out and turn some into Christmas decorations but I have yet to work out how to stop them going mouldy as has happened before. Too much to do at work (It was my early finish today at 4.30pm but I didn't finish work until seven o'clock) but I shall look into it soon. If that doesn't work I will scoop out some of the insides and pop little tea lights into them to make makeshift outdoor lights or table decorations. I don't like wasting anything as you may know by now.
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