Gransnet forums

Gardening

Annuals as cut flowers, and update on gardening jobs!

(344 Posts)
Namsnanny Sat 14-Mar-20 22:17:42

I've just received my Creeping Phlox plug plants from T&M, a bit earlier than expected.
There are 60 of them in pink, red and white strip, blue, and lilac. All in good nick, so I've just spent the evening potting them up. In a day or two's time I'll put them into the conservatory which has no heat.
Then outside for a short while.
They are on the way to a raised bed, that I hope they will spread and fill.
I've never grown them before, but I am looking forward to the colour and scent in the garden!

Next I will plant some seeds, probably Cosmos, which I also haven't grown before, but I want something reliable for cutting for the house.

Anyone advise annuals for that purpose?

The year is skipping along!

Namsnanny Tue 09-Jun-20 20:34:34

Wwmark" … I love Sweet Peas. If you get the time after all your jobs are finished, could you post a photo of them?
Mine are way off from flowering.

Funnily I feed the Rhodis yesterday with sea weed concentrate. What do you use?

How did your Japanese Cedar fair?

Lisagran Tue 09-Jun-20 16:55:48

Oh, that’s very selective picture taking in my garden, lemongrove! Our “lawn” looks like a hayfield, and I’ve lost a Pittosporum in a big pot (well I’ve cut it right back now and watered it like mad, but it looks a goner) and the raised bed at the end of the south facing garden is like a desert!

lemongrove Tue 09-Jun-20 16:38:32

Lovely flowers Lisa you have so much colour in your garden.envy The very hot dry weather has seen off a lot of ours, and the lawns are looking very brown.

Lisagran Tue 09-Jun-20 15:13:06

My sweet peas haven’t flowered yet WWM2hmm. Mind you I was late sowing them. Quite a bit of colour generally though smile

Whitewavemark2 Tue 09-Jun-20 08:17:52

Trying to get into the garden, but other stuff getting in the way which is driving me mad. Hopefully tomorrow is free apart from the chiropodist.

Loads of jobs to do. Take off the seed heads on rhododendron and feed them.
Weed the beds and feed the roses. Feed perennials. Feed the sweet peas to keep them going, I’ve had bowlfulS from them so far.
Deadheading is getting behind.
Feed the pots.
Clear the spring detritus and tidy up.

I’m getting all behind!

Lisagran Tue 09-Jun-20 07:27:13

Love the bunch of flowers Namsnanny! The Heuchera leaves really ‘lift’ it. I could plonk flowers in pots all day long!

Namsnanny Mon 08-Jun-20 19:21:02

A bit of a late answer Oldgoat, but I pinched out my Cosmos, I've yet to see the results.

Here is a photo of my seedlings compared with a Cosmos plant I bought from Lidl the other day!

can you believe it?! to miss quote Victor Meldrew.

The bought plant wasn't very expensive either.
I might not bother next year grin

LisagranI'm channelling your artistic flower arranging skills for my next photo!!

I have a Mock Orange shrub which I like to cut and bring into the house.
The scent is gorgeous, but I can't pick long stems from it, only woody stumps!
So I've put some in a mug with Heuchera leaves.
Hope you like it smile

Whitewavemark2 Fri 05-Jun-20 08:47:31

I don’t suppose it will hurt to pinch them out oldgoat

oldgoat Fri 05-Jun-20 08:22:18

I've just planted out my zinnia and cosmos, both grown from packets of free seeds in a gardening magazine.

Should I pinch out the growing tips or just leave them to bush out on their own, please?

Whitewavemark2 Fri 05-Jun-20 08:14:30

lisa yes I’m going to have to dig around in the shed to see what I can find. But I’m going to have to rethink because we seem to be having so much of this Wind.

This climate change brings interesting times!

Lisagran Fri 05-Jun-20 07:58:03

Maybe bubble wrap WWM2 ?

Whitewavemark2 Fri 05-Jun-20 07:53:52

I love poppies they are so fragile and fleeting but to see a field of poppies is breathtaking.

High wind forecast -yet again- tomorrow. I have a Japanese cedar in a large pot which gets so battered, so going to try to protect it with something. Sort of netting or something to tie around the pot to break the wind. Last time the poor thing got blown completely out of the pot!!

Lisagran Fri 05-Jun-20 07:22:08

Beautiful poppies Coolgran

Coolgran65 Thu 04-Jun-20 23:09:58

My beautiful oriental poppies sited among my low growing conifers at the front of the house. I bought them 4 years ago after seeing them in Oregon USA while on holiday coping with the heat effortlessly. And of course they are stunning. This year there were 41 beautifully delicate buds/blooms. With the first bloom came a storm but the blooms weathered it ok.

Having a dark brown garage door it always appears dark looking up the drive as it doesn’t get much sun. It’s a bit of a wind tunnel so eventually I had to stop the hanging baskets.
So what to do? At first I thought of painting sunflowers but came across these stickers on a leading selling site. I love my sticker sunflowers.

Just around the corner is my patio which is a beautiful surprise. 3 mature fruit trees whose branches span 2/3 of the way across the patio and provide a dappled sunlight where the wee dgc can safely play. The older ones climb the trees. Bird feeders and bird boxes in the trees and a bird bath underneath. There’s
red climbing roses against the garage wall with sweet pea growing through. Many curios and memories hanging from the fruit trees and all strung with fairy lights. Nasturtiums growing up through my obelisk made at the craft class in Centre Parcs. Cherry tomatoes growing in a pot sitting on top of the ivy covered wall to catch the sun. The wall is double at the bottom and has about 20’ of hostas. Maximising every inch of space.

Still room for seating..... just about.

My friend says it’s like walking into a fairy glen. I’m thinking of getting a Fairy Glen sign made.

Sorry to have rambled. I get carried way.

Lisagran Thu 04-Jun-20 22:10:19

(White roses)

Lisagran Thu 04-Jun-20 22:08:47

Gorgeous rose, Namsnanny
I pruned the Trachelospermum hard back last year as it developed sooty mould. It’s gone mad now! Yes, the scent is fabulous - all down the road!

Namsnanny Thu 04-Jun-20 22:02:53

Yes rain! As you can see, the brown grass could do with it.

Namsnanny Thu 04-Jun-20 22:00:32

…..or are they white Cosmos?

Namsnanny Thu 04-Jun-20 21:59:09

Some Ox eye daisies, blue Aquilegia and pink Campion in a sunny corner.
Wild carrot was in with it too, but it came on earlier and took over so I cut it down to let the others have some room.
The rose is a climber. I think it's New Dawn. Its always healthy and no trouble.

Namsnanny Thu 04-Jun-20 21:41:03

Lisagran … Thank you for the comment about the garden, but to be very frank, you don't see what's lurking just outside of the photo frame wink grin!!

I love the view you have through your window. Such a soft drift of plants through to the fields beyond.
Brilliant use of perspective from the vase of white roses (?)

What a huge Trachelospermum!! The scent must be heavenly!
How often do you prune it?

Lisagran Wed 03-Jun-20 10:30:30

Woo woo! Rain at last! Garden looking better already.

Lisagran Mon 01-Jun-20 18:47:58

Your garden is lovely Namsnanny. Is that a Clematis, WWM2? Very striking.
I’m waiting for the Star jasmine to flower by our front door - shouldn’t be long now if this heat keeps up.

Namsnanny Mon 01-Jun-20 17:45:58

Since you posted the photo of Sisyrichium(?) lemongrove, I've seen them everywhere. A roundabout on the way to the supermarket is covered in a blanket of them!
They must be making a comeback.

Namsnanny Mon 01-Jun-20 17:38:36

lemongrove … further along your border you have some blue ground cover plants, are they helianthemum?

lemongrove Mon 01-Jun-20 17:17:54

Once read a book ( novel) called Datura Highway.Lots of hallucinations in it!

Thanks Nams yes, they do spread well, very good ground cover and flower all Summer, I have them in all sorts of colours, excellent for drought too, or poor soil.