Watering woes but there’s still plenty looking good
Let’s start with the bad news. We went away for a couple of weeks and I left the watering of plants in what I thought were capable hands. On return all hanging baskets, pots containing bedding plants and some of the grasses were all dead! Two large abutilons looked to be on the way out but after pruning they should be okay for next year. The castor oil plant, which was doing so well, now has just one leaf! Before we went away I came across a frog in one of the heuchera pots and was pleased to see it was still around afterwards, despite the lack of water. On a very much brighter note, I entered Chesterfield in Bloom (before the holiday) for the first time this year and was really chuffed to come away with first place in the best small back garden category. Plums have been gorgeous this year; so tasty and less is definitely more. I’ll make sure I thin the crop out next year if needed as this produces fewer plums but they’re bigger and tastier.
The pyracanthas have berries in full colour and coprosmas are looking good. I have five types of coprosma and although they’re tender, they look after themselves and their shiny leaves look lovely.
I’ve had a miniature pampas grass for six years and last year it displayed its first plume. Perseverance pays off and this year I have four.
I bought a new allium called ‘Lavender Bubbles’. It’s late flowering (it’s in flower now) and the leaves don’t go brown – really nice. I also have a new abutilon ‘Tango’, which has lovely, deep orange flowers. The first sign of autumn is the hostas starting to go yellow. I cut back the crocosmia as the leaves were mainly brown and also some of the hardy geraniums, however ‘Rozanne’ is still going strong. Upwards and onwards – so much to do still in the garden.