" It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons " Johann Friedrich Von Schiller
My father died shortly after early retirement so I did not have the " later life " conversations that some have. That my father was also a quieter man than I will make many of my friends smile because that is probably not an inherited characteristic of mine A couple of years ago I revisited my birthplace and walked the garden that is still there. Of course many changes have been made but there are still some items from those days of the past. My father really did get the Rose "bug" and planted up dedicated beds of the Floribundas type. He even began experimenting and grafting to find that special one I have to say that until I began the renovation of the Home Garden that roses were not high on my radar. Whilst I do appreciate the marvellous colours, fragrances, form and style they were not really me. They are now though! It is in my renovation work that I came to conclusions about how much would be missing and how much it could be gained. Some gardeners speak in terms of the " rhythm and harmony " within their planting scheme and I now " get that ". Roses are now central to mine and I have taken up that thinking, particularly by the planting of shrub, climbing and rambling roses. My choices will almost certainly be noted by rose lovers as I explored the catalogue. " Mme Alfred Carriere”, " Zéphirine Drouhin "," Albertine " and " Rambling Rector " are some The recent warmer weather has boosted growth and flowering and it looks like June will become my month of rose enjoyment, Dad would approve....
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" I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June."
― L.M. Montgomergy, Anne of Green Gables " Early summer heat is always welcomed but particularly this of 2021 after the cold April and May we endured. It is a truism that a few warm days means you forget about the previous cold ones, or in this strange weather year, the months of cold ones. Let us leave it at that On plot 106 it is all go and growing. Not everyone had fruit trees on their plot and those that do tend to inherit them from previous tenants but I put in half a dozen very early in my time. Apples, plums and pears are growing away very well now and carrying some fruit. I anticipate losing some at " June Drop " time but equally have my fingers crossed for some in the fruit bowl come Autumn. As well as a personal benefit the planting of these trees will, albeit on a small scale help absorb CO2 from the atmosphere Until a few weeks ago I thought that the broad beans were going to be my first crop failure of this growing year. Sown over the Christmas period and planted out in late February, they just stayed and stayed hardly seeming to grow. Those weeks of cold and wet did not good but now you would not know it. The warmth and dryness has done them wonders and they ate now showing pods .... and the first sign of black fly I have just begun planting out what we might consider as tender vegetables, climbing beans, tomatoes and now courgettes. Over the coming weeks squashes, sweetcorn and herbs will follow Potatoes look very, very good. Flowers are showing along the trenches and that indicates just how far we are into the year The first White butterflies are on the wing along with Brimstones still, Painted Ladies, commas, Common Blues and Red Admirals. The nearby copses echo to the drumming of woodpeckers. A marvellous time of the year! |
AuthorI launched this website on 16th August 2020 to bring together my thoughts on gardening,, its importance for health and wellbeing and two projects running concurrently, a renovation of my own garden on the West Sussex coast at Lancing and a nearby allotment. But also to learn from other gardeners about the inspirations for their plots, about their gardening projects and enjoyment of beautiful plants and gardens Archives
February 2024
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