Summer Gardening 2021

[TallTrees]

Summer Gardening 2021 

Summer isn't the time to be sitting down with your "Somerset Maugham" straw hat under a sun umbrella!  Well not for me anyway.  Far too much to do: mowing, clipping, planting summer bedding and the rest ~ but ~ this year there has been all  sorts of trying events.  Spring started well everything

got going then the "Gardeners" horror Cold Snap and it seemed to

go on.  Bees stayed in, seeding plants stopped growing and cold killed seedlings.

Then 32C , well now everything is melting.

BEES

We get through it though because that is "what we do"

Bees late but got going so here are the filled nest tubes

for the next generation of my gorgeous Red Mason Bees.

Grumpy bees and then tubes getting filled

GARDEN PRODUCE

Eventually planted out my Hestia mini plants but not mini

runner beans.

  

Tomatoes

Planted outside none inside greenhouse this year as they seem to do better they are still growing and not ripe yet ~ Small cherry tomatoes variety Piccolo should go bright red later

PEARS

late and not at their very best but they will grow and ripen later about September

APPLES

late but getting on with it ~ some ready September some October

  

FIG

The absolute joy of the large crop on my Fig ! It is grown in a small pot because

if planted in the ground it goes mad and won't put out fruit at all.

This year it has produced loads of figs.. these will ripen towards the end of summer

HERBS

There's nothing nicer than picking your own herbs to put in sauces and dips and cook

Mint Bay Tree and Chives

Fancy Gardening

I decided this year to grow Begonias from Corms ~ good choice as it happened

because they do not like much sun.  Geraniums love sun.

  

  

Garden favorites

Clematis and Rambling rose choose this spot in fir tree and the Passion Flower

  

My garden is work but when all the plants are growing and glowing it is so rewarding.

However, every little creature great and small also enjoy it in different ways ~ eating most things before I get it!

Important to me is to look after the birds in the garden, they have food and water and they are so enjoyable they give great fun, hopefully they will also enjoy some bugs.

This is a little wren's nest built right in the corner under the eaves of the rear garden out-house.

Just look how neat it is and the entrance is well back.  Lots of birds nested here this year. 

I love my garden, I share it with just about every creature there is! Including the Fox and Hedgehog that get fed every night too.

Whatever size your garden is ~ even a balcony ~ lots of enjoyment from all plants fancy or edible.

Love to hear about your garden or summer pot.   

[TallTrees]

Hi and thanks for your post @gmarkj 

Wild flowers are great, I can't grow them because much of my garden is taken up by Tall Trees Scots pines at the rear it is all very dry.  Don't worry I struggle to grow ALL my plants between mad weather and insects MOTHS good grief do we have moths...hence the owls I suppose.

I have not grown potatoes yet they would have to be in bags though.  I really like potatoes. 

It can only be fun ~ because the effort and work I put in would probably make my pears £100 each!

The apples are the best and they can have their moments too.  They are what is called Minarettes  They are grown on one upright center trunk kept to 1.8m and then allowed 600mm branches up each side of the trunk, that the apples grow on.  Have to be very strictly pruned every summer to keep under control...but do you think they are .. not a bit of it.

Bye for now TallTrees

[TallTrees]

How nice to hear your homely story @BobM 

Yes that is so true can hardly take a breath, things need to be done all the time.

I live in the South so weather can be very hot and dry in the summer so lots of attention to keeping the plants alive.  Winning an award for gardening is fantastic.  Sweet peas are lovely.  Sometimes I grow things and they are good then next time they are taking a rest or worse gone.

There is nothing nicer than a well kept garden, neatly mowed lawn and  ~ dare I say edged lawn... my fav.   ~ did you know that the hardest plant to take care of is grass! 

Like you I enjoy every day rain or shine in the summer particularly,  I am out.

The birds are putting on their new feathers for winter.  

Bye for now TT

[TallTrees]

Hi @Cleoriff 

I have never seen such large begonias. I bought these corms on the internet last year kept them dry until spring and thought give them a go. Good grief they are fabulous.  I will try and keep them over.  They can be a bit difficult I lost one or two because of the cold snap but most flowered fine.  I will dry them off and keep them in paper bags in the dark and dry.  I have got some that I just leave in the pot and pop them in the greenhouse.  This is not recommended though but it works for me usually.  

Roses are not mostly happy here.  The plant I have which I adore grows over the side door and is called Star Jasmine, it flowers June ~ this year was July it is ok though. White Flower.

I know  you have a  Jasmine too, yellow if I remember rightly.

I never seem to get the time to sit and enjoy it, I have lots of different places to sit, when I sit I see things that need doing! 

I was so pleased to be able to show you the begonias as I wasn't really sure how they would turn out.  

It does need constant work, at least I can get a good helping of VIT D  as I am out there every day.  

Thank you Cleo ❤️