A few pretty pickies from the garden

The garden is getting everso very pretty now and even I find myself wandering around it with a smile on my face... :D

I'm not a huge fan of yellows and oranges, and I've been trying to slowly harmonize the colour scheme in the garden since we moved here almost four years ago. Looking at these pictures, it looks like I'm actually getting somewhere.

Beautiful Borage.

I didn't notice last year how the blue Borage flowers start off pink...

The newly-added white pebbles (thanks to my mother-in-law) made a huge aesthetic difference.

The fast-spreading Fairy rosebush is finally flowering. My first ever roses! :)

Lots of pinks and blues. Finally some order to the chaos.

There are still flowers on the Aquilegia and the Bleeding Heart! <3

I finally managed to get some very finickety Cape Marigolds to flower this year.

My Queen Elizabeth rose is surviving (actually this is my first ever rose, but the Fairy
beat her into flower), but has been attacked by all manner of nastiness. I'm really having to
pamper her every morning, squishing little munchers. I haven't the heart to rid her of all her
rusty leaves just yet, but I know I have to. I'm waiting for her to flower first...

Dark cerise Million Bells Calibrachoa Petunias in the tall urn under the birches. In contrast
to last year's regular Petunias, these ones are self-cleaning, saving me A LOT of time...

The wilderness corner by the expanse of rhododendron. I think that it
may actually have been a flowerbed at some point judging by the plants.

The tidy herbs and fruits bed still looking good despite the hare attacks.

Happy Midsummer everyone!

Holidays & gardening

...aren't particularly compatible.

I hate leaving my flowerbeds, kitchen garden and greenhouse at this time of year. Not only do I miss out on the wonder of seeing the garden change by the day, but everything's so tiny and fragile, the slightest drought/drench/heatwave/chill can really mess with my plans.

Luckily though everything survived, thanks to a few milder days and a very helpful friend.

The south-facing flowerbed was completely transformed into a vibrant jungle of tulips & perennials.

Lots of colour! Note the lime & calmondin trees out for a much-
needed dose of sunshine after almost two weeks of shady living.

Growth in the kitchen garden wasn't quite as overwhelming, probably due to the warm, dry weather. But it was all in need of a jolly good drink!

My lettuce babies have survived the slugs, but are looking a little parched!

The peas are looking nice and solid.

The yellow onions are doing really well... as are the weeds! Can you spot any
carrots in there??! Carrot fly has been a major problem, so this year I've planted
onions AND marigolds around them.

Potatoes! :D But still no sign of life in the asparagus bed.
I thought they would show first...?

There was a problem with the watering system in the greenhouse, but thanks to our friend Johan's determination (and stupidity - he stuck the v. v. grimy hose in his mouth to get the flow going again... bläääää!) it's all looking fabulous.

Beautiful blue (?) parrot tulips living in harmony with Jalastar capsicum annums.

It's time to plant the toms into the ground, but there's too much
going on, so they'll have to wait just a little longer.

First harvest! :D

Chicken salad (with shop-bought toms, of course).

I will succeed this year!!

Last year was a bit of a wash out, as you may have noticed from the lack of boastful entries, but that wasn't really my fault. We suffered a long, harsh winter, followed by a baking hot May, rounded off with a short, wet summer. Not the best growing conditions for a kitchen garden.

I cannot blame my failures entirely on the weather, however. I guess I could have done better, I didn't give my veg the love and attention they deserved, but gardening is supposed be a pleasure, not a burden. 

This year, though, I am determined to succeed in areas I failed miserably in 2011. 

Firstly, we (read: chainsaw-weilding husband) have chopped down 11 (!!) birch trees that were not only shading the vegetables, but dumping all manner of bleugh on them. Secondly, I am directing all my energy into growing stuff this year, instead of building. Last year I extended the kitchen garden with 5 new raised beds, more gravel and erected a deer fence; and turned the old veg patch into lawn. Plus we had major wild boar damage last winter, which we've been spared repairing this year.

Any finally, I'm not taking any chances this year. I'm giving all of my 2012 veg the best possible start. This includes my peas & beans. I've just sowed some mange tout, in toilet rolls :) because I've read that's what everyone else does...

Peas getting a sweeter start this year

I've also set up a nice little spot for them. No panic-supports this year! They're getting a proper, sturdy pea-wall!

Place for ma peas

I'm also going to try and train some sweet peas up the sides. It's going to pretty this year too!!

Fingers crossed...