| Hi everyone, | | | | up colour when aubrietias and other plants have |
| Can you trust what those people from the met | | | | long finished flowering. |
| office tell you when it concerns our gardens? At | | | | Taller varieties often need staking other wise the |
| the beginning of the year they were forecasting | | | | plant splits, but this little bit of maintenance is |
| one of the hottest and driest summers on | | | | completely worth it, Aster allbescens reaches the |
| record, oh boy did they get that wrong in, fact it | | | | height of 1m (3 feet) and a spread of 1.5m (5 |
| has turned out to be the wettest summer since | | | | feet) has gorgeous lavender blue flowers and is |
| records began. | | | | frost hardy. This variety is deciduous sub shrub |
| We had visions of getting the hosepipe out every | | | | and flowers from the end of summer. |
| day to water the plants in the garden but instead | | | | There are so many varieties to choose from with |
| some gardens have been water logged or | | | | many different shades from delicate pinks and |
| completely under water. This weather has | | | | mauves to hues of violet and crimson, and your |
| certainly had a disastrous effect on farmer's | | | | local garden centre should have a good display on |
| crops like corn and peas just to name a couple. | | | | show now, so why not treat yourself. They are |
| This has had a knock on effect for all of us as | | | | also excellent in tubs and containers but do need |
| this has and will force up the price on the | | | | a good supply of moisture. |
| consumables we buy, as crops are left in the | | | | We had a decent crop of runner beans this year |
| fields unable to be harvested, have rotted off or | | | | but not the most plentiful. Generally, poor crops |
| not has enough sunshine to ripen properly. | | | | are usually down to lack of water, as they really |
| Have you noticed how the cost of the humble | | | | do need a good supply, but this year was not the |
| pea has gone up in price? You are now paying | | | | case as you well know we had more than our fair |
| about twice the price you were paying last year. | | | | share. We also had far windier weather that |
| The same goes for flour and of course bread, | | | | damaged the flowers in the garden and the |
| unfortunately we cannot change it so we grin and | | | | heavy downpours of rain knocked them off too. |
| bear it. | | | | More worrying is the fact that there seems to be |
| What has rusty our dog been up to? Running up | | | | a shortage of bees around this season, and other |
| and down the garden chasing his ball of course. As | | | | insects that help with pollinating. |
| you know he just does not stop. We wish we | | | | Because of this and the fact that the whole |
| had as much energy as he has considering he is | | | | family love runner beans, we have just planted up |
| only just younger than us, as every one of his | | | | beans into containers that we had grown from |
| years is the equivalent of seven of ours so that | | | | seed on the kitchen windowsill. This is the first |
| makes him 45. | | | | time we have done this and so we are quite |
| Gardens Tips | | | | eager to see the outcome and to find out what |
| The garden needs a good tidy up and cut back at | | | | pitfalls we might make. The plants are about 10 - |
| this time of year. A lot of the plants have gone | | | | 12 inches tall now and rapidly growing, every day |
| past their best and are searing back, so you need | | | | you can see the growth spurt they put on. |
| to get your secateurs out and start trimming | | | | In each large pot we placed three plants and four |
| back to keep the gardens looking great. This is | | | | canes for them to grow up. I used good old |
| also a good time to trim the hedges to keep | | | | chicken pellets in each pot and a water retainer, |
| them in check and also helps in maintaining the | | | | thoroughly dispersed through out the compost, as |
| smartness of your garden. | | | | they love water and feed and will ensure a |
| This is a great time to grab some of the brilliant | | | | healthy plant. |
| and bright asters, (michaelmas daisy) these give | | | | If you carefully tie the canes with twine or string |
| one of the last shows of colour around your | | | | you can make a good rigid support for the beans. |
| garden, and there are an abundance of different | | | | At the moment as the weather is lovely and |
| varieties to choose from. Genus of perennials and | | | | sunny they are standing outside in the garden, but |
| evergreen or deciduous, being either half-hardy or | | | | as the season progresses they will probably end |
| full hardy. Asters prefer partial shade or sun with | | | | up in the green house. For this reason I rarely use |
| well-drained soil. | | | | grow bags, as they are not very easy to move |
| The dwarf varieties are best if you have an open | | | | and also do not have the depth for stability |
| wind swept or a small garden. Aster alpinus is a | | | | structures when growing climbers. |
| very small clump forming perennial height15cm | | | | So now it is just a time to wait and see what |
| (6in) spread 30 - 45cm (12 - 18in), with dark | | | | develops with the beans, but as we are supposed |
| green leaves and either pink or purplish daisy like | | | | to be having an Indian summer we are very |
| flower heads from mid summer to early autumn. | | | | optimistic, we will keep you posted on this. |
| They are great for your rock garden by keeping | | | | |