Yesterday I visited the Royal Horticultural Society gardens in Harlow Carr, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire. I had to come away with something for my garden, so I bought a carmine and two white Cosmos plants. They are annuals but will set seed and they are so strikingly pretty with delicate leaves rather like fennel, I suppose.
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| Cosmos |
I also bought a hanging basket. The idea is not that I want another hanging basket but I wanted the plants within it which I had never seen before - they are a mini petunia in a Fuchsia colour, called Million Bells - latin name
Calibrachoa hybrid var. Sunbeirikupi What a mouthful! Now, the plants were to go in a semi-shady corner that is devoid of colour and while I got around to taking them out of the hanging basket and putting them in a large pot, I popped them onto my cream marble outdoor table for the time being. They look so lovely there that I cannot bear to move them and, so, I still don't have a plant for my corner.
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| Million Bells - mini petunia |
I didn't have high hopes for the weather today as it was temperamental this morning but despite the strong breeze, it is relatively warm in the sunshine. On days like this I feel I couldn't be happier.
My roses are opening up. I do feel that things are a little late and taking their time - or maybe I am just impatient.
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| Generous Gardener - a David Austin rose |
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| William Morris - a David Austin rose |
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| Princess Alexandra of Kent - a David Austin rose |
I ate a handful of my own raspberries today. They are fat, deep red, sweet yet sharply juicy. Not exactly a bountiful crop but they are growing in a narrow band of soil and I am surprised they grow at all and, yet, five strong canes have shot up to fruit next year.
Not sure what is going on with Tumbling Tom. Maybe I need to put the pots in a different position. While they are full of green tomatoes, I see none ripening as yet. Maybe I am being a little impatient but the plants are so dense, I don't see how sunlight is going to penetrate to help them ripen.
The strawberries are tremendous - huge. They are starting to ripen and I have put netting over them. Sorry birds but I've spent forever nurturing these. Eat yer worms.
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| Honeyoye strawberry. |
I planted a few beetroot today. It is a variety called Solo F1 Hybrid - advertised as having a sweet flavour and being high in sugar. I love to eat beetroot plainly boiled or pickled with salad. I tried some in a pot of rich compost last year and they were pathetic so this year I have stuck them in ordinary soil. Two can play at that game! We shall see.
