It is no secret that I am an ecclectic mix of old hippy/boomer, so the old Sixties-Seventies ideals are still floating around in my brain, mixed in with the urgent knowledge of today that we need to change our ways fast unless we are too late, and Gaia will squash us like an unwanted insect. She is spraying the repellent as I write, by not sending my country the much needed rain.
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| Tiger plant, a perennial |
The trees I cycle past on my way to Hunky Dory are shedding their leaves, and my apple trees are dropping their unripe apples, a sure sign of them being terribly thirsty. In my friend's garden his plum tree, loaded with fruit, bombarded him with falling plums before he had a chance to pick them and by the looks of it his apricot tree will do the same.
It worries me, but there is not a lot I can do about it, except try to live as frugally and sustainable as I can.
Not planting masses of cheerful annuals in Hunky Dory is one of my ways of spending as little as I can. Perennial is the magic word as far as I'm concerned. And careful assessment. The Japanese anemones that almost took over my old garden have given up here, so they will not be replaced. Gauras, that did not like my old garden, thrive in Hunky Dory, so I will get some more, and will divide the clump that I have (not yet, though!).
And I am confident I can consider the cup-and-saucer-vines (annual climber) against the obelisks an absolute disaster, so will replace them with perennial climbers in Autumn, perhaps lathyrus who have the reputation to be as tough as old boots. Or kiwis, that seem to survive in other not-watered gardens on the allotment.
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| Gaura, Queen of my desert |
And I am confident I can consider the cup-and-saucer-vines (annual climber) against the obelisks an absolute disaster, so will replace them with perennial climbers in Autumn, perhaps lathyrus who have the reputation to be as tough as old boots. Or kiwis, that seem to survive in other not-watered gardens on the allotment.
Meanwhile I have filled the second raised bed with 2 kinds of aster, houttuynia, helenium, alstrumeria, echinacea, gaura, verbascum and my gorgeous desdemona rose, again getting them from Seven Hills nursery in Oostvoorne. Seeing how much pleasure that first planter has given me already, I deem this is money well spent! The alstrumeria, verbascum and rose come from my balcony garden though, and needed a change of space.
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| The new planter |
In the meantime I am brooding on plans for much-needed shade in my green oasis. I was there at 7 a.m. to water and weed, and by 09.30 I was sweltering. I planned to spend time there painting etc, but so far it has been impossible, far too hot, so I tend to flee to my balcony where I have some shade until noon, and can lower the sunscreen at least. (As long as the wind doesn't prevent me)
Another heatwave is predicted for this week, oh my, not looking forward to that!
The good news is that my pond has not sprung a leak (as I feared), it is evaporation. The cat uses it to drink from, and so does a hedgehog, I found poo.
Right. Have a lovely week, stay cool, and if you want to see more photos and read more stories about my garden, visit Instagram@songsmith2962 and Pixelfed@DutchDeltaWoman.
