Flowers in the House

Jane is hosting Flowers in the House. I am looking forward to visiting everyones houses.

As always, my main display is on my kitchen windowsill.

 Also on the windowsill are my bits jugs bought from charity shops. Some of the bits now have roots on them so I will be potting them up.

A work colleague kindly bought me some pinks from her garden. These little buds broke off so they are in this tiny jug.

 

I have various petals and leaves drying in a darkish corner.

Various flowers and seedheads are drying in the garage.

I bought these Larkspur from the supermarket.

The Larkspur in my garden are dying. I have three plants, another is looking very sickly. I will only have two left. Does anyone know what's wrong with them?  The leaves start to drop and turn yellow. The flowers also droop and don't come out properly. The whole plant then dies. Pictures below.

More from the cutting garden

More plants have flowered since my last blog.

This vase was bought for 50p from a charity shop and contains hardy annuals from the garden'

One of the flowers in the vase above is this fab Sweet Pea called 'Midnight'. It has a strong scent and long stems. I highly recommend it.

 Another favourite is 'Nelly Viner'. This is also scented (I cannot see the point of unscented Sweet Peas) and long stems.

I am having trouble keeping Larkspur going. I am wondering if I don't water them enough.

This is a new one for this year, Godetia amoena Memoria. I really like, and it seems to last well in the vase.

I am still waiting for Cosmos 'Dazzler' to flower, as well as the Nigellas.

The Cutting Garden progress

I ran out of room in Spring for all the seedlings for my cutting garden. Now I look round and wonder why I didn't grow more. Not everything has flowered yet but this is progress so far:

Rhodanthe 'Timeless Rose'. I am growing these specifically for drying but they also look great in the garden. I haven't picked any for a vase so I don't know how they last in water.

Clary is always a good one for my garden. This one, Salvia viridis (syn.hormium) is a new one for me. Lovely coloured bracts.

Ammi majus 'Queen of Africa' is a favourite.

This unknown Poppy was in bud in the morning, opened in the afternoon and was over by evening. However, the best think about them is the seedheads which I love.I hang them in the garage to dry.

 Malope trifida 'Vulcan' is on its own on the left. I don't think I'm keen on it, it seems to look out of place in my garden. The centre jug has a variety of annuals and perennials which include the white flowers of Cosmos 'Purity' (by the handle). The little mug has all the broken bits in it and Hydrangea 'Annabelle' is in the green vase on the right.

This is my line of flowers in the garage. Alchemilla mollis, Rhodanthe 'Timeless Rose' and the unknown Poppies. The poppies are in paper bags to catch the seed as the heads open. The hearts on the right I made from the stems of Cornus alba 'Elegantissima' and the green hoops on the left are stems of Jasminum nudiflorum (Winter Jasmine)

Dates for your diaries:

Belinda at Wild Acre is running an online course in cut flowers. The programme starts tomorrow, I am really looking forward to it.

Secondly Tracy at Foxtail Lilly is on TV tomorrow. Her cutting garden is featured on 'Love Your Garden', the Alan Titchmarsh series on ITV1. You will also be able to see it on the ITV player website after it has been broadcast.

Dry Garden

I have been surprised to see plants reappearing that I have tried to grow in the past but lost. As they are plants that like dry conditions I can only presume the dry weather over the past few months has encouraged seed to grow.

Dorycnium hirsutum

The first and biggest surprise is Dorycnium hirsutum. I bought this plant several years ago but lost it after a couple of years. As it is a mediterranean plant it was doomed really.  I am really pleased to see it back. The leaves are grey with a soft velvety feel. The pea type flowers turn into dark seed pods which can be heard popping in late summer. A seed must have lasted and produced this lovely plant.

Verbena bonariensis is a favourite late summer flower. There are several seedlings in the garden.I also have a poppy seedling.

Viburnum plictatum 'Grandiflorum' in May

On the negative side, there seems to be a casualty of the dry conditions. Viburnum plicatum 'Grandiflorum' came into leaf and flower in May as usual. However, it now looks like the photograph below. I am so disappointed.

 

Finally, the one Stipa tenuissima to survive last winter is looking really good. There are also seedlings everywhere.

Geranium 'Blue Cloud' through Stipa tenuissima