Awful weather - typical Brits talk

goldfinches

@Davesnave - I think there must have been one or two people who were very keen on echiums a while back here as there are some in the Botanic Garden and I've spotted one or two others in various places too. All the ones I've spotted so far are the pininana variety.
I prefer these because of their colour Echium candicans 'Pride of Madeira' Established Plant in a 5L pot 5060411777026 | eBay although I am a bit suspicious that they're not quite as nice as the photo makes out but they've gone on my wish list for my fantasy blue garden anyway.

twopenny

Echiums grow on the seafront here as well as in gardens. Massive they are so if anyone wants seed.....
Wet start, lovely and fresh. But too wet to garden. Looks like the garage is in for a tidy. Can barely get through. Its 50percent gardening stuff anyway.

Farway

 I've always liked wisteria but never lived anywhere with large enough space to do it justice, and on house front although ideal there's no way I'm fit or able to use ladders to train etc, so that's something else added for my next reincarnation

I like the idea of a fruit tunnel, I saw one somewhere where the trees had melded / been grafted into one another and the whole structure was self supporting. It must have been a picture at blossom time, if somewhat impractical for fruit picking and pruning but I guess that was the staffs problem & not the owners

I have Regale lily envy now, lovely picture there and I can nearly smell them from here. Regale take me back to my boyhood, my granddad had some and every year they were filling the air.

I keep nearly buying some but fail, I was very surprised by the prices because I always assumed being an older variety, care free and fairly common they would be cheap, no way it seems. But I will get some for next year and bu66er the cost

Wet and windy at the moment so watering not required

twopenny

Farway I've seen Wisteria grown as a 3ft hedge by training it along posts and wires.

As it matures it's self supporting and easy to prune.

I have to go and look occasionally as I'm bewitched by it. Come leaf fall I'll pop over and take a photo so you can see what I mean.

I've been debating with mine as it was a half price one because they didn't know what sort it was and I'd like to grow it as a tree but that would be a challenge. I'd also like to do the linear hedge thingy but don't really have the space.

This is the fruit arch at Arlington Court Devon. I wanted to do one with dwarf trees - well tall enough for a short woman to walk under and a small set of steps.

Only got some deadheading done in the garden. Moving furniture, clearing the garage and waiting for the mechanic to bring the car back which he didn't do but I was hanging around. It's now raining. One of those days! I hope I'll be grateful for what I've done in the future but right now just grubby and fed up.

Oh I did get to eat strawberries and raspberries while pottering. Fruit never seems to make it as far as the kitchen these days.

Davesnave

Didn't get to see the fruit arch at Arlington back in May.....   we nipped in through the right of way about 1/4 mile up the road.

Well, on a seasonal note, I've just ordered the first of several drops of logs for next winter.I was waiting till the hay was cut as the pile will block the entrance to the fields, but no one will be cutting hay this week!

I'll take you up on that offer of Echium seed twopenny. I can possibly  offer something in return if you let me know your wants. No rush, as it won't be ready yet, but I bet seed you collect will be better than any I can buy.

Moving the hens Dorking cockerels and hen into the orchard today. Should be fun. Gate is 4' 6" and ark is 5' wide!

twopenny

Carless still and every time I start a chore outside if buckets down.
The rose arch needs training the rose which went mad in the spring rain, smothered in flowers now smothered inrotting flowers. Not sure how to go about it. Still its a survivor.
In fact the whole garden needs maintence 
Slugs have made a meal of my runner beans even though they were tough.
Doubt the seeds will be ripened yet but I'll check. Need something else to do other than solving home probs. Defo need a holiday but no chance at the mo.

Davesnave

Freedom day for the Dark Dorkings was mainly dry and even sunny at times.....

You can spot the hen easily enough in this picture. None of them has their final plumage yet, but they're becoming more handsome.

We're keeping the Dorkings separate from the other hens until they're a few weeks older, when they'll be able to fend off challenges from the others and establish a pecking order for the time they're with us.

Farway

The Dorkings look like they'll enjoy their new home, if they travel I could do with a few to help out with my slugs / snails eradication programme, however it seems from 2P post my slugs / snails have transferable Runner Bean chomping skills so the Dorkings will need spreading around a bit

Drizzle first thing but could brighten up. If it does I want to continue tying down wayward plum branches, and no doubt remove rotting rose heads as per 2P.

I had a Parker's catalogue arrive yesterday, a lot of temptation within including Regale lilies & gooseberries

Davesnave

No self-respecting chicken eats slugs, Farway; that's for ducks! I saw a Dorking try a slug yesterday, being the first it had encountered. The experiment lasted around a second!

twopenny

Turned out sunny after a sea fret start, in fact darn hot.

I went down to look at the Echiums yesterday. 24 in a small public space that used to be a garden. There were some seeds but it's a bit early yet.

I thought about leaving them in an envelope at Blackmore Gate as I'm often there but it's so busy and I couldn't find a spot.

The heather is out on the cliffs at Mortehoe Devon along with the Sea Pinks and what looks like some sort of pink thyme. Got to look it up.

Still wrapped up in car probs, dental probs and getting rid of debris to do any gardening. The lawn could do with a mow. As for plants, seems we have the July gap early here. Think it was the drop in temperature and rain.

Did find lots of sheeps fleece at Mortehoe to go round my Pinks and stop the slugs eating the buds.