Various Stuff
Posted By Judith on 16th June 2017
Yesterday I bit the bullet and began to weed my ant infested flower border. By the time I’d had enough the back of my hands were red and blotchy and burned, just like a nettle sting.
I’d considered wearing gloves but decided bare hands, where I could brush the little blighters off quickly and easily, were preferable as I didn’t like the idea of them getting trapped inside my gardening gloves.
I made some progress, but still have a way to go.
As regards the seeds and summer bulbs, not a great result. The border dahlias and freesias failed to grow at all and the seedlings that managed to make it outside were ravaged by wind, rain, slugs, snails and pigeons chomping on their leaves or cutting them off at the knees.
I’m seriously wondering if it’s worth the bother. Having said that, I’ve just sown some aubretia and taken some pelargonium cuttings!!
On a brighter note we’ve just bought a new hosepipe. Our old one had seen better days, leaked at both ends (never a good sign!) kinked uncontrollably and unless the temperature was tropical was completely unbiddable.
We decided to replace it with one of those newfangled ones that extends as the water flows through and then contracts as the water is drained out.
It’s red with brass fittings (that don’t leak) and does exactly what it says on the tin, though it is a bit weird until you get used to it.
Elsewhere the swallows are well established in the garage roof and provide us with hours of pleasure just watching them zoom in and out. If you creep out at dusk you can just see one roosting on a roof truss. I assume the other is sat on the nest.
And finally, what’s not to like about a bit of horticultural serendipity?
Here we have a pale yellow verbascum who has seeded itself among purple and pink lupins and geraniums.
Sweet.
P.S. Turns out it’s Sisyrinchium striatum, thanks to ‘the team’ at Gardenersworld forum.
