186E - And here we go: storm and sunshine

 At the beginning of this week we had a storm, force 7, so just to be safe I took down my railing planters and put them on the floor. I cannot have them fly away and land on the cars below.

Totally soaked plants

One night we had a succession of 5 thunder storms, that caused my poor old Puck to hide shaking on my lap for hours. Afterwards I could hardly walk, my legs were that stiff. Well...anything for my baby...

I was sure that summer had left us, but I am not complaining! It was a lovely summer from July on, and almost all of my tomatoes ripened.

My cyclamen is happy

Those days of driving rain have turned my Pelargoniums into a soggy brown mass once again though, so I cut them off.

But, on Friday it suddenly returned to summer. In Hunky Dory the many Asters smiled at me in many shades of pink, purple and white.

Because some plants have disappeared  (my Salvia Amistad, unfortunately vanished), I have planted some new ones in the gaps. Campanula glomerata 'Alba' , some extra Erigeron (can't have too much of that) and Camassia Leichtinii will hopefully survive. I noticed my Toscan Jasmine doing nothing much. So frustrating, as it is scrambling all over the fences in my street. That's the third climber that is a disaster against my pergola. But I will try again.

Tree spinach making seed

   The day-lilies that I planted in the bed next to the greenhouse are doing well, two of them are even making flowers again. With a bit of luck they will bloom before the first frost hits us. This evening it will get down to 0°C in the north-east, but not with us this near the coast.

   On the balcony I hope to be able to gather some tree spinach seeds soon. They did very well, after a slow start. I plan to try them in the garden next year, see how they fare.

I get the idea that my plants on the balcony are protecting eachother now that they are all grouped together. I hope I am right.

In any case the purple Clematis is doing much better than in the previous years. Her feet are completely hidden by the Wallflower and Digitalis that have self-seeded there. She seems to like it.

This weekend is going to be sunny over here, and hopefully in England as well, so enjoy yourself! Oh, and don't forget to plant your bulbs.

Renée 

186 - En daar gaan we: storm en zon.

 Voor het begin van de week was windkracht 7 voorspeld, dus ik heb voor alle zekerheid de railingbakken eraf gehaald en op de grond gezet, waar ze de rest van de herfst/winter/lente zullen blijven staan. Onze stormen worden steeds extremer en ik kan me geen wegvliegende bakken die beneden op de auto's landen veroorloven.

Volkomen verzopen planten

Op een avond hadden we maar liefst 5 onweersbuien op rij, zodat mijn arme Puck trillend als een rietje uren op schoot heeft gelegen. Na afloop kon ik bijna niet lopen, zo verkrampt waren mijn benen. Tja... anything for my baby...

Het is vast de definitieve ommekeer geweest van de zomer naar de herfst. Maar mij hoor je niet klagen! Het was uiteindelijk een heerlijke zomer en bijna al mijn tomaten zijn rood geworden.

Mijn cyclaam bloeit vrolijk verder

Maar een aantal dagen slagregens hebben de Pelargoniums weer in een bruine massa veranderd, die ik opnieuw afgeknipt heb.

Overigens was het op vrijdag ineens schitterend zonnig weer. In Hunky Dory straalden de vele Asters me in allerlei schakeringen rose en wit tegemoet. Omdat een aantal planten verdwenen zijn (o.a. mijn Salvia Amistad, helaas volkomen weg) heb ik wat nieuwe gezet. 

In de hoop dat zij het wel overleven, heb ik Campanula glomerata 'Alba', wat extra Erigeron ( je kunt nooit teveel hebben) en Camassia Leichtlinii geplant. Ik zag dat de Toscaanse jasmijn die ik tegen mijn prieeltje had gezet, ook niet veel doet. Zó frustrerend, want in mijn straat zie ik dezelfde plant enthousiast tegen de schuttingen opklimmen. Dat is klimplant nummer drie die niet op die plek wil groeien. Maar ik hou stug vol.

De boomspinazie bloeit.

   

   Ik zag ook dat de daglelies die ik in de strook naast het pad geplant heb goed zijn aangeslagen. Twee van de vier hebben zelfs nieuwe bloemknoppen gemaakt. Met een beetje geluk gaan ze nog bloeien voor dat de nachtvorst invalt. Vannacht zal het in het noordoosten 0°C zijn, maar gelukkig hier aan de kust nog niet.

   Op het balkon hoop ik binnenkort boomspinaziezaad te kunnen oogsten. De planten hebben het na een trage start heel goed gedaan. Ik ben van plan ze volgend jaar in de tuin te zetten, kijken hoe ze het daar doen.

Ik heb het idee dat het feit dat mijn planten op het balkon nu op een kluitje staan ze bescherming biedt. Hopelijk heb ik gelijk.

In elk geval heeft die paarse Clematis het nog niet eerder zo goed gedaan. Haar voet wordt volkomen overwoekerd door de muurbloem en Digitalis die zich ervoor hebben genesteld (hebben zich allebei zelf uitgezaaid), maar ze lijkt het prima te vinden.

Nog eventjes genieten van de zon dit weekend! Oh en vergeet niet dat je je bollen moet planten.

Renée 

   

   

169E - Wettest, but warmest May ever

 While Puck is on the balcony munching my Verbena Bonariensis (selfmedicating, she's nauseous) and the promised sun is hiding itself again behind grey rainclouds,  I am trying to keep my spirits up.

Seen from the compost heaps

   So: as my plants are unconcerned, so will I be, tralalalala!

  And to be fair, inspite of the wettest month of May ever recorded by the KNMI, it also was the warmest!

   This is going to be a positive blog, despite the grey cloudcover and slug infestation, don't you worry.

  Here we go.

   This week I harvested the first punnet of strawberries, and they were lovely. Since they grow on a layer of old bark in between the other plants, that was a pleasant surprise. I share them with the birds (and slugs), which is fine. Only I'd like to see them eat a whole berry instead of taking two pecks and then going for the next one...My neighbour Hans has netted his bed, but then he is a proper veg grower.

I am enjoying his Peonies very much, absolutely gorgeous they are, right?

Peonies from Hans

But my own plants are pretty nice as well. 

Tragopogon porrifolius

  

   The one on the left is called purple Morningstar in Dutch. Another neighbour, Arie, gave it to me. It's easy to see it belongs to the Aster family. Origin is the Mediterranean,  where the root is eaten, and the leaves can be cooked like spinach. Harvest is from Oct til Feb, according to Wikipedia, and you should only eat the root in the first year after planting, as it turns too woody in the second year. It contains 48mg Calcium per 100gr. The plant can take light frost. Because I took the photo from above, you cannot see it is 80cm tall. And I will not eat it, I only have the one!

My drumstick Alliums

Perhaps you'll remember I had planted a mass of Alliums (Nigrum), and that I was afraid they had all rotted away because my plot was flooded in Winter. Well, I worried unnecessarily, they are fine! The Nigrum has been in bloom for over a week, and the purple drumstick variety is in bud, as you can see. Only the Allium Hair, who already disappointed last year, has now disappeared altogether. That was a waste of money.

White Lychnis

   The Lychnis Alba is doing well. The silvery leaves match beautifully with those of the Artichokes. I'd like some more, so I will collect the seed.

   Where my Clematis are not happy at all in Hunky Dory, the one on my balcony is doing great. It is climbing the trellis and is in bloom. I had not pruned it (the Wallflowers were in the way), but it didn't mind. Great, as I am a Clematis fan.

Pelargonium and Clematis

The balcony garden is very lush and green, but with enough flowers to keep me happy. The Gherkin is producing fruit and the Tomatoes are full of flowers.

All they need is some sun. As do Puck and I.

Right. I hope you enjoyed this story. Have a lovely weekend!