Looking back

2012 has been a strange year for a gardener.  Spring was very dry, summer was the second wettest on record. The wet weather has continued throughout the year. This view through my kitchen window has been a common one.

I managed to lose my bag of seeds so only had my new purchases to sow. I kept hoping I would find it but It still hasn't turned up. I really missed the sweet peas. 

Calendula 'Sherbet Fizz'

Ageratum 'Red Sea'

 I grew the Calendula and Ageratum pictured above. They were for cutting but I was disappointed with both of them. 

Scabious 'Black Night'

Scabious 'Black Night' was different. Larger flower than the other Scabious I have grown. Lasted well in a vase. I loved it and I will grow lots in 2013.

Flowers in the House

Jane is hosting Flowers in the House today.

I have picked Asters from the garden. The larger blue are Aster frikartii 'Monch'; the small flowers are Aster 'Little Carlow'. The pink were propagated from my Mums garden where they have been growing for at least 37 years.

The cutting garden 2012 - annuals

It has not been a good year for my cutting garden. Personal things have meant a lack of time; Spring was cold and wet; Summer never really got going apart from a few days here and there.I lost my bag of seeds which I still haven't found. The only seeds I sowed were the ones I ordered this year. Here's what happened.....

Calendula 'Sherbet Fizz'

Calendula 'Sherbet Fizz'

Calendula 'Sherbet Fizz' is a hardy annual. The colour is more orange than red and clashed with the pinks and purples of my garden. Lasts 5 days or more in water. I won't grow it again.

Scabious 'Black Night'

 Scabious 'Black Night' is also a hardy annual. I have grown mixed colour scabious for the past couple of years. They always do well and last well in water. Last year a seedling in the brickwork came up as a similar colour to this. I loved it so searched for a single colour seed and came across this one. It has a bigger flower than the previous scabious I've grown. I love it and will grow lots next year.

Ammi majus

Ammi majus is a hardy annual and is very pretty. Prone to flopping down and has to be protected from slugs so I use copper rings.

I also grew Ageratum 'Red Sea'. This is a half hardy annual. The description in the plant catalogue described it as 'dark red buds open to reveal purple red blooms.' This is correct but they are tiny and I haven't been able to photograph them. They haven't grown to the 24-28in. (60-70cm.) either but that's probably because of the the low temperatures. I won't be growing these again.

I'll talk about perennials in my next post.

Flowers in the House

Jane is hosting the first anniversary of Flowers in the House.

I have a jug of Rhodanthe manglesii 'Timeless Rose' grown from seed last summer.

 
They were easy to grow and the slugs weren't interested. Even in the garden the flowers feel papery. I grew them next to the path and cut far more than I expected. I think I had about 8 plants.

I dried them in the garage along with Alchemilla mollis, Poppy and Nigella seed heads and Mint.