Much is made in certain quarters of the merits of getting early crops out of the way so that a second crop can occupy the same area for the remainder of the year. It doesn't seem to work out that way on my plot. There are overwintered crops like spinach, chard and brassicas that are…
Author: Jim Stephens
Gardener, no-dig allotmenteer, camellia enthusiast.
I love colour, it cheers me up.
Retired nurseryman.
Six on Saturday – 23/7/2022
We woke to light rain this morning, which lasted long enough to lay the dust. Might freshen things up a bit I suppose. I'm doing a themed six this week, reflecting on fillers, the plants shoved in to fill gaps left by the demise of the early stuff. One.Zinnias. I only grew these because someone…
Six on Saturday – 16/7/2022
I'm regarding the coming few days with trepidation, as I'm sure many of you will be. I will be moving potted plants into shade or putting shade up where they are. We still have stored water at the moment but it's running low. At least it looks like it will be a short spell down…
By design.
One question I've been asked more than once by our garden visitors is whether our garden was designed to be as it is or evolved into it. People phrase such questions in a variety of ways and may be asking from a strongly approving or disapproving standpoint, it's not always easy to tell. I tend…
Six on Saturday – 9/7/2022
We're set fair to get two good days, weather-wise, for our two afternoon openings this weekend. I'm not a great fan of hot weather, which for me means anything over 25°C. We make life difficult for ourselves by growing so many plants in pots but in spite of regularly resolving to cut the numbers down…
Six on Saturday – 2/7/2022
We've been to three garden centres this week and in all of them there seemed to be surplus bedding plants by the truckload. It would not be a surprise to hear that plant sales have been down this year but if they are it is not for lack of trying on my part. In spite…
Begonia ‘Torsa’
I obtained Begonia 'Torsa' in 2020 and I cannot remember from whom. It may have been from Tregrehan Plant Fair but if it was I still don't know which nursery was selling it. Never mind. It was kept in a pot through 2020 and over winter into 2021, under glass but with minimal heat. It…
Six on Saturday – 25/6/2022
Our first opening for NGS was yesterday, the second is today. Just four hours each day, 1 till 5; yesterday it rained for 3 of them. Last year people had pre-booked so they had to be stoic, this year they mainly didn't come. Perhaps they'll come today instead. The time spent "getting ready" has not…
Six on Saturday – 18/6/2022
It was hotter than I like yesterday, today is much cooler, overcast with a possibility of rain and I'm quite happy about that. All winter we want it dryer and warmer, when it's dry and warm we want cool and wet. Sad. The mid-season change over is almost complete, all the Aquilegias and most of…
Note to self…..
As if at this time next year it's going to pop up again and remind me. A month or six weeks ago the first of my left in the ground Dahlias started to appear. They were all left in the ground, the only ones in pots were a couple I'd bought as bare tubers. I'd…
garden ruminations 