I love my garden in the summer. It's quite a small garden and I fill it with as much colour as I can - but colour comes at a price. Gardening is very limited by my disability.
| Cleome, beloved of butterflies |
The cheapest thing would be to grow everything from seed sown direct into the garden (especially from collected seed) but that needs very regular weeding until the flower plants are big enough to defeat the weeds. I can't bend down for very long (and can't kneel at all) and the gardener isn't here enough to do that. I shall however direct sow candytuft, poppies and maybe a few wild flowers.
Garden-ready bedding plants are very expensive. Last year I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw annual cosmos at over £1 per plant! This year I have used a windowsill propagator and sown seeds for cosmos, cerinthe and cleome. I've got a yen for cleome in my garden but I've a feeling it may not be easy to germinate and grow. Still at £1 a packet it's worth a try!
| Cerinthe, or Honeywort |
Small plug plants can be good value and this year I bought a "lucky dip" of 270 plugs for £20 which I think is pretty good. I got begonia, gazania, petunia, impatiens, stocks and lobelia in my selection. I also bought 45 extra impatiens (£9) as I like them around my north-facing front door. I've potted them all on using fibre pots to minimise root disturbance when they are planted out
I am gradually planting a few more perennials. For these I am hoping to take cuttings from friends' gardens. I had a message last night to say that someone has grown me some dianthus, a favourite of mine as I love the clove smell.
I have grown from seed and used plug plants, but these days I don't have much space in our tiny garden, so I just purchase a few plants to fill holes.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to being in the same position in a few years.
DeleteI’m doing no-dig permaculture. I also love the smell of clove.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how cleome will grow where you are gardening,but here in florida it grows readily from seed. In fact, here it grows so willingly it can take over ones garden. It reseeds itself so no need to keep replanting it. Happy gardening!
ReplyDeleteRe: your comment on my post....
ReplyDeleteNope, don't have any candy here!!!!
When I was younger, and could eat chocolate, I loved the Real Fanny Farmer Chocolate Covered Cream Eggs!!!! Oh mercy, how I loved them! But my insides will not "allow" most anything, which tastes good now. ,-)
So, sadly, no Hot Pink Chocolate Kit Kats for me!!!
But you can get them in the UK!!!!!!!!
😋
Oh for Pete's sake!!!!!! The click-able link above, to my post, does not work!!!!! -Grumble-grumble-grumble-
ReplyDeleteDoes this work? https://wordswisps.blogspot.com/2019/04/hot-lipstick-pink-kit-kats-have-arrived.html
If you 'copy and paste' it? Will publish this comment, and seeeeee....
Yes, it does!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove all your flower choices!!!
ReplyDeleteOver here (across the Pond) Cleome is also called "Spider Plant." Love it!!!!
Best wishes with your garden.
✨🌱✨
Such vibrant colors! I'm not the world's best planter, but this year, I planted peppers, lilac, basil. Something is growing, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.(lol) Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteAround here it isn't Christmas or birthdays that get spendy... It is garden time. We have such a short growing season that I want as much colour as possible surrounding me. This year I am looking forward to seeing our new cherry trees and our new pear tree in blossom.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I look forward to seeing some garden photos later in the season. I bet it'll look stunning with all your plants x
ReplyDelete