Merlyn surveys his domain

First day of the month: July 2012

1st July 2012

The front garden has grown up a lot since we last visited it, back at the beginning of May. June was missed as I was on holidays then and when I got back, work rather took over. And the greenery took over too.

In May, the view from the street was becoming lush, but now it is jungle-like.

Street view for passers-by

The Teasels are magnificant, with many side-shoots so lots of flowers and seed heads for the goldfinches. The white campion is also flowering well and the Heleniums in the centre bed amongst the obelisk are at full height and a few of them have started to flower. A few. The thing is, it's all very lush, but also all very GREEN.

The Heleniums have a mass of flower buds, but the lack of sun means not many have been tempted out.Some of the nasturtiums have also started flowering, but many more buds are staying closed.

When the nasturtiums do flower - lovely!

shy tomato plants, but the lettuce (bottom right) is doing well

The tomato plants have grown a little, and are about to form flowers. But unless we get more sun the chance of them turning into edible treats is small.

It's not all gloom and rain. Harvest-wise, I've harvested a couple of kilo's of broad beans and have just another another kilo to pick once they get big enough. I have been picking lettuce for a couple of months, and recently started picking strawberries. In fact it's going to be a good year for strawberries. We have already picked 1.3kg at the allotment, and that's barely touching the fruit that is there. They are a little tart this year, compared to last years super sweetness, and a friend and I have been wondering if this is due to a lack of sun to bring out the sugars?

Pear Beth

Thinking of future crops, I tied in my pears to develop their structure. Pear Beth is now onto it's 2nd espalier row, with Onward a bit behind with it's first.

Pear Onward

The front garden is south-facing garden and I have planted for a hot aspect. I am harvesting some crops, which is pretty good compared to how I've heard some gardeners are doing. And it's good to see that with the strawberries, which are planted under the pears, means I am getting a yield from that space whilst the pears are still growing.

There is room for improvement. I dislike the asphalt path leading to the front door and side of the house (below), but this is a massive job and an expense I cannot currently afford. So I've left along the hollyhocks, cowslips, aquilegias and geraniums that have self-seeded as they help soften the asphalt glare a bit.

View from side of house towards the street

Overall, despite the lack of colour to-date, I'm fairly pleased with the way the front garden is looking this summer. Let's hope the sun returns and the tomatoes and other plants can start to make the most of the south-facing advantage.

Postcards from a early summer holiday

On the way to Wales we stopped at Stockton Bury gardens.

I loved the Tulipa Sprengeri under the dappled light.

This was the view from the table eating breakfast each morning.

Nuthatch cottage, Cwm Irfon.

I could have spent all day sitting on the chair, enjoying the relaxed planting in the Parterre Garden at Whimble Gardens and Nursery.

Returned to Bryan's Ground to see the irises in full bloom.

It wasn't all gardens, we visited castles too!
The wonderful Carreg Cennan.

We came across hillsides covered in bluebells when we travelled the mountain road between Abergwesyn and Tregaron.

Found a surprising and delightful combination of Euphorbia griffithii 'fireglow' and Primula beesiana at Cae Hir Gardens.

Added Amsonia tabernaemontana to my 'must have' list after seeing it at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales.

Got dizzy looking up at the Cynghordy Viaduct.

We were fascinated with the formations of the coastline at New Quay.

Such a wonderful allium border! Enjoying a last garden on the way home, the lovely Abbey Dore Court Gardens.

Wish we were back there...

Iris x fulvala 'Violacea'

Let's just ignore the fact I haven't blogged for ages... For a variety of reasons, none of which are very interesting.

Instead, enjoy this picture of the beautiful Iris x fulvala 'Violacea' which I recently saw at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales. I have had it as my desktop picture for the last few days and I find myself constantly stopping and just looking at it so thought I'd share it with you. It's a cultivated variety from the US and prefers full sun, though might take light shade. I find it elegant and the colours rich, and so very very pretty.

First day of the month in the front garden: May 2012

Yes. I know. It's not the 1st of the month. It's not even the 2nd or 3rd. In fact, it's a month since I last blogged. Mmmm. Well, you see... Actually, you don't want to read about me being very busy with work and... Let's get onto how the front garden is doing.

I did actually take the photos on the 1st of the month. Score!

The word that sums up April and the garden on 1st May, wet. Yes, I'm late to the table about the wetness of April, every other garden blogger has already done that one. So how were the plants?

As you can see, the flowering Cherry was, well, flowering. Unlike previous years, where I got flowers first and then the leave, this year the flower and leaves came out at the same time. After the silly warmth of March and then the sudden wet and cold of April, the tree obviously didn't know if it was coming or going.

Going as it turned out. What the photos don't show is the lovely 'petal snow' as I call it. Flower petals all over the front garden like pretty pink snow. However you can see how lush and green everything is. The warmth of March and the rain of April has really got things growing. To a point.

As you can see from the not yet flowering sage (above) and the not yet flowering Iris (below), the cold return to freezing temperatures by mid-April suddenly slowed everything down again. This time last year both were flowering profusely. Though of course April last year was unusually hot!

Alternatively, the self-seeded Cerinthe was flowering.

As was the first of my strawberries...

And the Tiarella 'Spring Symphony' was beginning to sound its trumpet.

The broad beans were flowering with vigour, but looking a little wind-worn.

My beautiful and sturdy sculptural obelisk has began to fill up with the Helenium 'Moerheim Beauty', and the teasels are taking off.

And the new kid of the block is....

A very young perennial Kale 'Daubenton' seedling. Not very exciting to look at yet, I grant you. But I've had promises of great things to come...