hebe – Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden

Six on Saturday: 17 July 2021

Published on 17th Jul 2021 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden16 Comments

It’s rather toasty here in sunny North Wales, so we have windows open and blinds closed and the coolest clothes we can find. My solar water feature is working overtime and the line of washing I hung out at 8.30 is already dry. It’s too hot for gardening, or anything other than sipping something cool from a long glass with a sprig of mint on top, reclining beneath a slowly revolving ceiling fan with a book. But I’ll have to make do with a cappuccino and a virtual stroll through your gardens on here instead – though I do have a ceiling fan in the conservatory which I shall be making use of later. For now, here is my contribution to this week’s Six on Saturday, brought to you courtesy of The Propagator.

I’ve shown the lavender previously but it really is at its best in this hot and sunny weather; it smells glorious and is usually covered in bees. Last week I mentioned that the colours blend with my beighbour’s hebe, so I’ve included a shot of the two together.

Lavender border
‘Hidcote’
‘Munstead’

Continue reading →

Six on Saturday: 10 July 2021

Published on 10th Jul 2021 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden15 Comments

A grey day so far, cool too. Everything that needed it had a good watering and feed yesterday, and there seems to be a lull in the vegetable production, though salad leaves of several varieties are still going. In the front border, I’ve deadheaded all the peonies; they only lasted a couple of weeks this year and no sign of further buds – perhaps the clumps need splitting, a job on the list for autumn. I’ve also managed to beat the birds to the alpine strawberries and have a few handfuls in the freezer. When I have enough, we’ll eat them with some ice-cream.

Right, time for my Six on Saturday selection – six things in the garden – suggested by The Propagator and the highlight of the gardening week (along with Gardener’s World on the tellybox).

It’s honeysuckle time in the shady borders at the back of the house (under the trees).

Continue reading →

Six on Saturday: 7 November 2020

Published on 7th Nov 2020 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden15 Comments

Yesterday was a dry day, misty first thing, bright sunshine later on. It gave me the chance to get outside and brush the leaves from my patio. Now they’re in a black plastic dustbin until they wilt a little. There will be plenty more to come. I also planted the last of my onion delivery (Radar) – 14 in a trough and 12 in a pot. There are 32 to go to my brother as soon as Welsh lockdown ends. Unfortunately, I had to throw 7 away as they were mouldy and soft. I think they were packed in a hurry and may have been damp.

This morning was a misty one, but dry again and brightening up now. It gave me the chance to tidy and lightly trim the front border, throw next-door’s mouldy apples back over the wall, and drain two water butts, before emptying compost from six large pots (used for tomatoes) into my compost bins. This meant I could move the table and chairs back to its usual spot in front of the potting shed.

***

The last of the strawflowers are still waiting for me to find them a home. I think I need to invest in some florists’ wire and tape to do them justice (and give them longer ‘stems’). I’ll definitely try growing these again.

With no room in the onion bed at the allotment, I’ve planted my shallots at home. There are only 10. I’ve never grown shallots before so, given the size of the sets, I did wonder if it was even worth planting them – but it appears they produce multiple bulbs from one set – between 4 and 12, though I’m not expecting that many. Now I wonder if I’ve planted them too close together.

Continue reading →