is the perennial cornflower (centaurea montana) which has started flowering this week.
There are at least thirty more flower buds on this clump which will attract plenty of bees when they open like this.
See the RHS webpage for further details of this excellent perennial.
Have a good weekend!
One of the two gardening charities that I support is Greenfingers, which creates magical gardens for children’s hospices.
The Rosy Cheeks Appeal aims to raise £750,000 over the next two years to build at least ten new gardens in children’s hospices around the country.
Donating to, and supporting, any charity is a very personal choice so all I’m asking is that you watch this film. Thanks, Flighty xx
I was at the horticultural trading shed as usual this morning when I heard the skittering of dog claws on the floor behind me. I turned round to find Marley, the Staffie, sitting looking at me patiently waiting for a biscuit or two.
At home I’ve a few plants growing in pots on the window sill. There are tomatoes – two each Gardener’s Delight, Golden Queen and Outdoor Girl. You’ll notice that the leaves of the latter, on the right in the picture, are different to most tomatoes. These will all be planted out on the plot next month.
I’m also growing a couple each indoor tomatoes Red Robin and Tumbling Tom Yellow, and two cucumbers Straight Eight which germinated in just a few days. Sown at the same time were two each courgette Nero di Milano and squash Sunburst F1 none of which have germinated so I’ll sow some more in the next day or two.
The pelargonium Frank Headley that I bought a couple of months ago now has flower buds on it which is good to see.
The forecast is for unsettled weather, including heavy rain, through the coming week but I hope to do some plotting, even if it’s only weeding.
Have a good week!
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the plot I went this morning weeding, looking and photographing.
There was no sign of any flowers on the strawberry plants on Tuesday but look what I saw today.
The grapevine has plenty of new growth. Last year was a poor harvest so I’m hoping for better things this year.
This perennial cornflower has at least thirty buds showing with some like this one not far off opening.
Most of the yellow daffodils, and the tulips, have now finished but there are still some white narcissus.
Weeds are growing everywhere, even on top of this log.
These are the two unknown plants that I mentioned on Sunday. I’ve had a browse through a couple of reference books but I couldn’t positively identify either although there were several possibilities. Any suggestions?
Have a good weekend!
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On Friday I was pleased to see that the first early potatoes Vales Emerald, which I planted a month ago, have started appearing. This morning I was surprised to see that a few main crop Desiree, which were planted just a couple of weeks ago, have also appeared.
I’ve at least a handful of these dwarf red tulips scattered around the plot. I shall lift the bulbs when they’ve finished and replant later on in a group to give a better effect.
Plot neighbour George kindly gave me two flower plants neither of which I know the name of at present, so I’ll wait until they flower then post photos of them. Another one is physalis alkenkengi, the Chinese Lantern Plant, which one-time shed helper Martin gave me today. This has gone into a large container until I can decide on where to plant it out.
It was a busy morning at the trading shed but I stopped to say hello to Stanley and share a biscuit or two with him.
Plot neighbour Trevor also called in to show us a chicken egg. One of his hens regularly lays large eggs of around 70 grams but he was amazed when during the week he found that she’d laid one that weighs just 8.3 grams. It really was tiny being little bigger than my thumb tip, and he mentioned that the according to the Guinness Book of Records it’s only just over 1 gram heavier than the record smallest one.
Out on the main road between the trading shed and my allotment site is this wonderful looking tree in full blossom.
Have a good week!
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I’m sure Town Mouse’s Rhubarb Rhubarb post yesterday will be one of several I’ll be reading over the coming weeks about this fruit. At the weekend I’ll probably pick a few sticks off mine which has now grown to a reasonable size.
The weather forecast for the weekend is looking good so I’m sure people will be keen to spend it in the garden or on the plot.
If not then why not enjoy a walk in the countryside. Have a look at the VisitWoods and WalkingBritain websites for plenty of inspiration.
Here’s another picture of my yellow tulips, which are also my new header.
Have a good weekend!
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PS…Tuesday’s post over on Sofa flying was Odd one out.
things about a garden is the anticipation it provides…wrote W.E. Johns, the author of the Biggles books.
I think that is particularly true at this time of year when we’re waiting to see if the various flowers and vegetables that we’ve recently planted or sown have started growing.
One of the first things that I do on arriving at the plot is look round to see what has and last week I was pleased to see the broad beans Witkiem Manita appearing. Now that they have I can weed round them, and fill in any gaps.
The onion sets have also started growing so I can the same with them sometime during the week.
I was plotting every day again except yesterday, when it was chilly and showery, and it’s now almost reached the stage where most of plotting I’ll be doing over the next couple of weeks is just weeding.
One of the most delightful things for me last week were the yellow tulips.
Have a good week, and happy gardening!
Flighty - lawn lounger, sofa flyer and book buff
