Gardening in Dorset

Its autumn

Susy Wilson — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 10:11:00 +0100

The garden is in autumn mode now. The grass is wet with dew in the mornings and the we have noticed the evenings are no longer as light as they were. The weather has improved and we have had warm sunny days with a little rain here and there.

The greenhouses are very productive with lots of tomatoes and cucumber to eat. We also have beans of various types and the kitchen is always full of something that needs eating!

I have late plantings of lettuce and dwarf french beans and am waiting to see how they do. The rabbit seems to be leaving me alone at the moment so the surviving fennel plants are doing quite well. The weeds in the veg plot have got away from me though and I have a fine collection of chick weed, dandelion and sow thistle.

The borders have that autumn look where things are starting to go over - but there is a good late show from echinacea, helenium, anemone and friends. I have pruned one of the ramblers on the pergola and will tackle the other one when the wounds (mental and physical!!) have healed.

Happy gardening!

Susy

Its all about rain

Susy Wilson — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:16:00 +0100

Its raining in Dorset this summer and the garden needs the sun.

Back again

Susy Wilson — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:56:00 +0100

Well hello from the very occasional blogger - there is nothing like a tourism business (www.discoverenglandtours.co.uk) to keep you away from the garden and non-essential duties. Well, the visitors are giving us a break for a few days so there is time for a roundup on the garden front!

So the hot sunny weather of June has left us to be replaced by a cool and wet Atlantic flow. Heavy rain today which has now been replaced by clearer skies and the brisk winds that come after the storm - its around 16 C outside at 8.30pm.Too cold!! The last day of term bbq with Lucy's friends was cancelled of course.

The beans have flowers and are setting pods - but seem to be taking an age to come. We re looking forward to a change from lettuce and want beans - now - please! The courgette plants are huge and producing well - they sat around, hardly growing for a long time but finally got into gear. I suppose it was the hot weather in June that did it. We have recently planted more lettuce (direct in the ground this time), late carrots, fennel and mixed salad leaves. The rain will help with the germination - so long as its not too cold!! The leeks are planted out - a bit late but we have remembered to cover them against the leek moth, so perhaps we will get better results than last year.

In the flower garden Sarah Ravens new Calendula officinalis Indian Prince are coming into flower - they are beautiful with long stems and dark orange flowers - must take a photo! Sunflowers are flowering and the perennials such Achilliea the Pearl and Echinacae. Paul's collection of Dierama, all grown from seed, are in flower and looking splendid - they will be enjoying the rain too. The roses are finished, more or less, so when finished here I am going o look up 'how to prune rambling rose' because it looks like the time is right!

In the greenhouse. the tomatoes are ripening and the cucumber Telegraph has gone mad producing fruit - definitely one o grow next year.

Tomorrow I will be out there assessing the damage done by the rain and probably finding some weeds to pull - you too I expect.

Happy gardening

Susy

The month of June

Susy Wilson — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:48:00 +0100

A dry June

How long is too long

Susy Wilson — Sun, 31 May 2009 21:10:00 +0100

Finding time to do the gardening and to write about it!

The trouble with a gardening blog is.....

Susy Wilson — Fri, 08 May 2009 21:11:00 +0100

...when you have loads to say you have proportionately less time available in which to say it! Its such a busy time of year that I have been spending the time gardening not writing. And to be fair there has been an electrician working in the house all week so the computer has been switched off for much of the time too!

The weather is in a cold and dry period. When the sun shines the greenhouses are very warm but the wind is still very cool. I connected up our leaky hose irrigation system yesterday because young plants are needing water. It had a hole in one of the transmission pipes but I have replaced this section with new hose and we are up and running (must remember to go outside and switch off when finished writing.)

The greenhouses are planted with tomatoes and cucumbers in final postitions. There is more lettuce germinating and some hardening off in the cold frame for planting out. Courgettes and pumpkins are still snug in the greenhouse. Runner beans are germinated, so too the pea beans. The borlottis have germinated but seem to have no leaves - I can't decide if the leaves never came or if they were eaten by something. I have some Purple Queen dwarf french beans hardening off too - I trying t stop them getting too tall and falling over this year. Or perhaps you will tell me that french beans always fall over! Last years parsley is just starting to bolt so I have planted new seed and await germination. The potatoes look lovely - their lush foliage makes the garden look as though something is really happening.

Its aquilegia time in the flower garden and although there is some naturalisation taking place we still have some really pretty varieties. I especially like the little white double thats growing amongst the Achillea 'The Pearl'. Rosa Madame Alfred Carriere is in bloom and enjoying life in the sun - its was behind an apple tree that died last year. The sweet peas are planted out and growing away quickly and we have noticed seedlings of a lovely annual poppy from last year so thats good news! And the lawn needs cutting of course! I have been planning some autumn tulip planting in my head - I think I will go for yellow as we are short of colour at this time of year.

I am off to switch the water off - happy gardening.

Susy

April showers

Susy Wilson — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:03:00 +0100

Rain turning to April showers - the delights of an English spring

Another sunny April day

Susy Wilson — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 08:39:00 +0100

Planting and growing in warm April sunshine

Thinking of summer flowers and green salads

Susy Wilson — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:38:00 +0100

Planting seeds for summer cut flowers

Tomato talk

Susy Wilson — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:44:00 +0100

Choosing tomatoes varieties and planting out seedlings

A garden tour is good for the soul

Susy Wilson — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:02:00 +0100

A tour around an English garden in Spring