Rain’s a lifesaver for my suffering plants
A medium sized garden in South Devon with mainly flowering shrubs, perennials and slow-growing conifers.
Thankfully, over 40mm (1½in) of rain fell last week, which probably saved the life of some of my plants! Several have enjoyed the extremes but others have suffered somewhat.
A ‘Golden Wedding’ rose has been flowering beautifully for a couple of weeks. I originally bought the plant for my parents and moved it here a few years ago. Echiums have loved the heat and last year’s seedlings have grown into majestic plants that have provided a wonderful display.
I planted a selection of dwarf bedding dahlias in pots that are flowering brilliantly, as is the clematis ‘Vyvyan Pennell’ that I’ve kept in a large pot to stop our chickens scratching up the fragile stems. A wisteria also hangs along one side of our garden fence but its cascades of white racemes only provide our neighbours with a lovely display, (some judicious pruning will be needed this winter I feel.) A bottle brush (callistemon) is flowering prolifically, as is the passion flower that has weaved its thin branches through the stems. An important structural element to the garden is the mature choisya ‘Sundance’, which loves its south-facing position. I’ve kept an agapanthus in a large pot now for a number of years but despite it having flowered very successfully previously, this year it only has one solitary flower bud. I think the cold winter and a lack of feeding may have played a part.
Fortunately, the tree fern (dicksonia) made it through the cold winter, quite possibly because I rammed as much straw into the crown as I could to keep it from getting damaged.
Last week’s rain filled all the water butts (thankfully), but I fear the hosepipe may be making some further appearances soon!