A Jubilee special with a bonus for the long weekend. If you too like me find gardening and growing relaxing, then you will be wanting to get out there as much as possible over the next few days.
The fluctuations in weather - warmth then cooler and damper weather is great for seed sowing and planting out - both of which we did yesterday and today. Clearing this Spring’s ranunculus crop and planting out annuals and tender perennials that have been waiting to go in their place.
Four jobs for the weekend -
Thin the annuals. Where annuals have been directly sown on the soil, either in open ground or in-between perennials in the borders, have a look about and thin. Lift (and transplant if you have another spot) leaving about 30cms around each plant (check the seed packet as this ranges far and wide!). This will give it the space to fully thrive without competing for light, water and soil. It seems a lot now but in a few weeks time, the space will be filled.
Annuals planted at 15-30cms distances in the walled garden.
Direct sow even more annuals and biennials - There is still a lot of annuals to sow - including rudbeckia, omphaloides, nicotiana, and scabious. This will be great late summer colour to complement dahlias and chrysanthemums. Clear away spring bulbs and ensure there is a fine tilth of soil, clear of weeds and stones; sow thinly, gently rake over and water well. Keep the soil moist until you see gemination. To fill this tricky gap in flowers right now, sow biennials. I am loving the binennials anchusa, foxglove and dianthus. I am sowing more of these today.
Foxglove grove
Stake and Net. One of those jobs that we always think we will get around to but have lost lots of great plants to falling under the weight of flowers or August storms. Put up something for sweet peas to scramble up so they can concentrate on flowering. Keep watering and snipping these daily too - use the short stems in jam jars and bud vases on the table this weekend as a pretty informal centrepiece. Net dahlias and cosmos now so they can grow and rise through the supports rather than wrestle leaves in a few weeks time!
Netting Dahlias with Jute.
And, edge those beds, cut the grass and celebrate our English gardens. No matter how many weeds or untidy the beds are, clean edges and freshly mown grass immediately smartens up the garden. Then you can spend the rest of the time laid back amongst the flowers.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Anna x
Cutting sweet peas - look at that stem length!
What June Gap? Flowers for delivery
Netted Sweet Peas
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