My gardening DIARY

MONDAY

In the small bed against a hedge, I’m planting one of the honeysuckles grown from cuttings. The object is to get it to climb into the hedge through the laid branches of hawthorn, rowan and directly behind it.

Viburnum opulus

TUESDAY

In our biggest veggie bed, a load of volunteer potatoes have sprung up among rows of garlic. I need the ground for putting out other crops but I’m waiting as long as possible to dig up the spuds. The garlic meanwhile has got rust. We’ve never had it before and it seems there’s nothing to be done. But it’s almost ready to crop.

WEDNESDAY

Trays of cosmos have gone out into the garden and though the plants are strong and sturdy, they look like nothing as yet. Provided they’re well watered and regularly deadheaded, when July comes they should add impact right through to the frosts. We’re saving all our cosmos ‘Purity’, though exclusively for the shed garden!

THURSDAY

Have been putting off pruning the wisteria and cutting back the Banksian rose, which, together with an enormous plant of Hydrangea petiolaris, practically cover the walls of the cottage. About time I got stuck in.

FRIDAY

Dividing snowdrops and replanting them is one of the jobs that gets forgotten in summer. Their brown leaves are just discernible among the expanding greenery of herbaceous plants. Although it’s awkward it’s so worthwhile.

SATURDAY

Our first dahlia flowers are opening – summer starts here! Already several bigger plants have been used in containers as centrepieces, there was no way of knowing exactly what colour they’d be. The majority have brilliant, hot-coloured flowers.

SUNDAY

Last autumn I planted up a tree pot with martagon lilies. They’re now full of fat buds ready to burst. They’re going to be spectacular.