By reviewing what we have done in the month, I can make sure that I am keeping up to date with what I had planned to do, or that is the idea! Hope it doesn’t go the way of New Year’s resolutions!! The main area that I am concentrating on is the bog garden where I am splitting plants, moving plants and buying a few new plants, hopefully to make it more interesting and extend the flowering period.
Doesn’t look much at the moment does it! The wheelbarrow on the right is holding all the lovely primulas that I bought in Scotland last year and didn’t get round to planting because I felt so awful with my muscle problems. Thank goodness they survived the winter in their pots and are now sprouting .
I can also see some Foxgloves bought at the summer fete in the village last year, some Primulas found at a nursery in Ireland and some more from a nursery on Dartmoor, thank goodness for internet shopping!
This is the other end of the bog garden, it will soon be time to unwrap the wood carvings which have been protected all winter. The area in the foreground now has lots of cowslips which are starting to flower, will show these in another post at a later date.
Bought some Primula denticulata the other day at our local garden centre, went through all the plants that were on offer and made sure that the ones that I bought could be split into 3 or 4 after flowering. Apologies to any of you that run a nursery!
Six weeks ago we moved what was one large clump of what I thought were Iris and divided it into three. Now that they have sprouted, they turned out to be 2 clumps of iris and 1 of daylilies!!
A large clump of Euphorbia palustris was moved and split into two. Everything seems to have moved very well, thank goodness.
The bank at the back of the bog garden is quite dry and shady, I’m sure we could do more with it. I’m thinking of moving some of my wild snowdrops here and also some of my wild primroses. In the soil at the base of the bank I could move all the foxglove seedlings that I found in another part of the garden and then in front again I could find a home for this year’s Meconopsis seedlings – that’s the idea anyway!
At the same time we have pruned all the roses, had to have help from my husband with the climbing roses, just hadn’t the strength to hold my arms up for more than a couple of minutes, a very quick lesson on pruning roses and he did very well!! Clematis have also been pruned, epimedium foliage cut back so that we can see the flowers, spirea cut back and old fern foliage removed, it’s amazing how much you can do in the odd half hour here and there! We managed to get done all that I had hoped to do this month, now to make a start on all the weeding!
Hi Pauline,
You’ve been very busy!!! It’s been so beautiful recently that it’s hard NOT to be outside in the garden; I just hate being inside when it’s so nice out even if I’m only reading a book 🙂
I think Foxgloves would be great in your dry shady bank – lots of gorgeous white ones or other, lesser known species Foxgloves such as Straw Foxgloves or similar 😀
I’m hoping Liz, that the foxglove seedlings will be special ones, I seem to recall sowing some apricot ones in that area a few years ago, but nothing came up till now!! Our sunny days are numbered according to the weather forecast, maybe I will get up to date in the greenhouse now!!
(I’ve had a week off, my back wouldn’t – but I’ll pick up again tomorrow) We’ve had a good soaking rain so the garden looks happier.
Hope your back is ok Diane, don’t overdo it! We could do with some rain here, England has a reputation for it raining all the time, not this spring, we are having our summer now and our spring bulbs are going over far too soon!
Moving and splitting and planting and pruning – it looks like a very productive week in the garden, your border is certainly going to look fabulous.
What a coincidence, some of the primulas that I planted were bought from you when we were staying at Aigas Field Centre last summer! They seem very happy in their new home, I think the bog garden will be just the place for them.
I’m only just getting to the stage where a few areas of my garden are ready to just do a bit of weeding and plant, it’s very satisfying and so much easier than restling with clearing ground, if your planted foxgloves are anything like the foxgloves I have they will seed themselves around and you’ll always have them, I look forward to seeing the bog garden flowering in future posts,
I too have just separated some plants I bought last autumn and got 2 for 1 and 3 for 1, I reason that the nursery didn’t have to put them out for sale they could have waited and divided themselves but I supect they wanted them off the shelf for new stock,
thanks for the Dogwood advice but the ones I am uncertain about cutting were only pushed in cutting last autumn so have not had a growing season yet, I think I might cutback alternate ones and see what happens if any died I can take more cuttings so no real loss, Frances
I hope the foxgloves seed around Frances, there is quite a large area to fill. Love getting lots of plants for the price of one, I always check when buying at the garden centre, specialist nurseries seem to be more careful with their plants.
I, too, am always glad when things move and transplant well. I am interested to see your final design of your bog garden. I have areas of my garden that are dry, and I work to keep those areas moist.
We are lucky SB, this area has an underground stream and is always moist. Before it was mainly hostas, ferns, iris and astilbe and therefore quite late in the year before it was interesting. Hopefully by planting all the primulas and scattering the seed of snakeshead fritillaries we can start the year off a lot earlier. The original plants will still be there, just moved around and split!
Hi Pauline, I always find that this is the perfect time to lift overgrown perennials and divide them. Not only is it the best time for the plants to recover, it is also nice to do the digging, lifting and dividing when the weather is cooler and more comfortable. You seem to have a good start on this work. The weather has become so cold here that I have had to put gardening off for a few days. Hopefully, the sun will return soon. Looking forward to seeing those cowslips in bloom!
I agree Jennifer, much better than doing it in the autumn and then sitting in cold wet soil all winter! We are now having a cold spell, but still sunny with the wind coming from the north, temperatures more like they should be, hope you get the sun back soon! The cowslips are nearly ready to have their photos taken, not long now!!
I can see the bog garden is going to be a special place! You did a very good job. I love primula denticulata. I had to stop every other plan and concentrate myself on intensive weeding today, as the heat made weeds became giants!
Yes, Alberto, it’s time to tackle the weeds isn’t it! I have had to make a start on mine, not as interesting as planting up a border unfortunately, but necessary. Hopefully the Primula denticulata will seed around as well as being split by me, so we should soon have plenty!!
Oh, the potential of an unplanted plot of earth! I’m glad your primulas survived. They should do very well in your bog garden. I look forward to seeing them! I haven’t planted these pretty plants in my own garden, certain that wouldn’t like my summer weather, so I will enjoy yours.
I think you’re right Deb, the primulas wouldn’t be keen on your summer heat. Thank goodness mine survived being neglected over the winter. They are growing away nicely now, but it will probably be next year before they flower unfortunately, at least I didn’t lose them!
Pingback: Review of June’s rainbow | Lead up the Garden Path