for the Gardening for Disabled Trust blog was published two weeks ago and I forgot to mention it so rather than link to it here it is.
Much as I like to grow soft fruit and vegetables on my Flighty’s plot allotment it’s annual flowers that I really enjoy growing. In recent years I’ve grown California Poppies, Candytuft, Cornflowers, Cosmos, Love-in-a-Mist, Nasturtiums, Poached Egg Plants, Pot Marigolds and Sunflowers. As I don’t have a greenhouse and only limited windowsill space at home I sow nearly all my seeds direct in the spring. At the end of the season I collect and save seeds from most of them, let some self-seed and buy a few new ones.
My favourites are the Pot Marigolds which are a mix of varieties, to which I’ll be adding a packet of Playtime Mix which won an award for consistent quality with a fine mix of single, semi-double and double flowers in a mix of bright, buff and pastel shades. I’ll also be trying the delightfully named Oopsy Daisy, which is a dwarf variety which has bi-coloured flowers in a range of bright oranges and creamy yellows. The description for the Mixture of Varieties in the Chiltern Seeds catalogue says – To bring back fun into gardening, this is a jolly mixture to brighten gardens, lives and outlooks. Who could ask for anything more?
My plot is rather exposed so I generally grow the knee-high Sunflowers Musicbox.
This year I’ll also be growing the slighty taller variety Sonja, which has dark-centred, golden-orange blooms. These are shown as being excellent for cutting, and I’m hoping that they’ll be good enough to exhibit at my local horticultural society’s annual show in early September.
I’m always a touch apprehensive when I sow the Nasturtiums Tom Thumb Mixed as the Chiltern Seeds catalogue description states – If you can’t grow these then you’d better give up gardening as a hobby. Thankfully so far they’ve always, germinated, grown and flowered.
Have a floriferous 2020!
If you’d like to read my first guest blog post, which was published at the end of November 2018, then click here.
Take care, and have a good weekend!
usually see me at the horticultural society trading shed but it’s closed for now so I’ll probably take a walk to the plot later just for a quick look round as it’s noticeably cold and windy today.
I was recently given this metal watering can plant pot, which is about 5″/12 cm diameter and tall, and has holes punched in the bottom. Rather than plant direct into it I found a plastic pot and saucer which fit perfectly inside. I’ve got two pots so I’m going to try growing pot marigold Oopsy Daisy in one and nasturtium Princess of India in the other, both of which grow to 8″/20 cm, and see how they do on the windowsill.
It’s been dry, sunny and reasonably warm this week so I’ve been plotting every morning. I planted the onion Sturon sets on Monday, and I’ll be starting to plant the potatoes tomorrow.
I’ve dug up the clump of crocosmia as there is couch grass growing through it. Once I’ve sorted it all out I’ll be replanting some.
Take care everyone, Flighty. xx
As the saying goes there’s always one which in this case is this crocus Blue Pearl which has been flowering the past couple of weeks, well after all the others had finished and gone.
I have some white and yellow daffodils, variety unknown, in a large container which I really like but sadly only about half of them have flowered.
