ruminate vb. to chew (the cud)
Three weeks ago, the boundary between our garden and neighbour X was marked by a hedge. Except it wasn't that simple. Their garden is about 30 inches lower than ours and the hedge in question sat atop a soil bank that from our side was about 30 inches high and from hers was twice that.…
In Greek mythology a creature with the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a snake. In plants, and indeed animals, it refers to an organism which contains two or more genotypes. In plants this is typified by variegated plants such as Box or Pittosporum, which may have a…
In mid June I bought a plant of Anemone ‘White Swan’ and planted it in an open but partly shaded spot that I thought would suit it well. Then came the hot spell. I tried to keep it from wilting but it really seemed like the moment my back was turned down it would go. I…
I'm not really one to court controversy but a six on Saturday comment got all these issues churning round in my head and I just spent a bit of time writing a few thoughts down. Usually that would be cathartic enough and I'd save the file and forget about it but I thought for a…
Well, that was a week that was. The thermometer hit -3°C on Monday night. My Dahlias were blackened, top to bottom, just like it says in the books. In ten years or more of growing Dahlias, it's the first time I've cut them down after they've been frosted. In previous years I've just picked a…
I did a blog on Fuchsias in August but wanted to revisit them because there are several flowering now that weren't then and because they really are contributing hugely to the late season flower display. Most of what was flowering then still is, to a greater or lesser degree. Our garden club speaker this month…
Continue reading ➞ Fuchsias, a few more good words or a good few more words.
At this time of year bad weather causes a rapid slide into chaos and good weather puts the slide on hold without reversing it. Excellent weather for getting things done though. There always seem to be a lot of takers for the idea of autumn as favourite season. I'm not one of them; I prefer…
First thing this morning I popped up the allotment, then on to Trago. (Bought 350g bag Onion ‘Electric’ sets, or 102 bulbs, for £1.49; they’re £3.30 for 50 in my seed catalogue, but I digress) When I got back I emptied a quantity of Camellia seeds from my pocket, thinking roughly “you sad git, you…
My polytunnel is tucked as far into the top corner of the garden as feasible but there is still a fair sized space behind it. Until late May the space was home to a large Magnolia, two large Camellias and a mix of hazel and cotoneaster, all making the tunnel rather shady. The Magnolia was leaning at…
garden ruminations 