WHAT TO DO...THE JOYS OF GARDENING

Just as I was leaving sis-in-law, with my arms laden with a variety of seedlings, I was offered a few Livingston Daisies.  I could have had loads more of everything, but where would I put it all.  No, I had to be sensible about this and just accept limited bounty. "I could find space", I said, "for just three more little plants".  Easier said than done.  Seedlings happily sitting in pods will not be counted out that simply.

So it was that I planted out ;

• Half a dozen Holly-Hocks,  they can grow very tall given the right conditions and time;
• Double the number of Cosmos seedlings I reckoned I had suitable space for;
• Too many Livingston Daisies to count, (they were bunched up);
• Some Petunias;
• An unknown... Penstemons.  

L-base of tree trunk a Holly Hock: R-Livingston Daisies...closed

The planting advice, sun/shade etc  went by the board, these seedlings were going to have to take their chances wherever there was a space. I did try and give them the advised spacing  and some of them seem to require quite a lot.  It is very tempting to enlarge flower beds and yes, I admit it, I did create a small additional area in which I planted Cosmos, Penstemons and two of the Holly-Hocks. That's it now, no more new spaces.

More closed daisies and varieties of Primulas.

Because of rainfall, I nearly drowned some of the Livingston Daisies in a ceramic plant pot without a drainage hole. Accidents do happen! I rescued them and they are now living, a bit overcrowded, with their siblings. The flowers, vibrant and pretty though they are when you see them, only open in bright sunlight. We've not had much of that.  Blink an eyelid and they've closed up.

New small plant patch-established Mimula, three Cosmos, Petunias & Penstemons. Two small Holly Hocks...maybe for next year.

POTTING UP PLANTS

Yay! We’ve had our first two half days of real warm summery weather. Yesterday the temperatures rose from about lunchtime. I beetled off to a garden centre to find some interesting outdoor plant pots.  Two that took my fancy were really meant for hanging on a wall. I had other plans  One was quite like a Roman amphora.

Flowers very late this year, weeds and grass growing vigorously

The pots were planted up and left to adjust to their new surroundings overnight. These plants looked quite settled and hopefully,  are raring to grow.

This morning I was busy and  also for a large part of this afternoon.  By mid afternoon clouds obscured summer skies, but, it remained warm though very, very windy. It’s sods law isn’t it. The neighbour’s sheep were sheared today, when the shearers had finished the temperature dropped. Then it rained!
 
I nipped out to snap pictures quickly in a bit of a rain lull. This container appears to lean forward, which, perhaps is what it might do anyway, if it were attached to a wall. The raindrops show up well  :)



Westerly winds are really blowing the ‘Million Bells’ plant to one side. I hope it will take firm root, spread and trail over the sides of the pot, if the weather gives it half a chance.  Should the winds persist, I might have to think about moving the plant pot to a more protected spot.  At present the pot is quite high up and resting against a wall. 

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW...

Whahey!!!....my sharp-eyed sister-in-law has worked out what I was growing  from seed in the fish-box, which has been turned into my cold-frame - see here http://myword1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/bounty-from-kailyard-and-harvest-from.html  There were faded letters on the white plastic name sticks which I had not noticed.  I now know for certain I have radishes, there's more lettuce, over and above that which I planted outside the cold-frame.  The thin green spindly things that sprouted out in a loop, then straightened up, (after a fashion) have been put out to grow as I think they are spring onions.  S-I-L agrees with me about them.  That leaves me with at least four cucumber plants not yet ready to pot on.  When they are, they will live under the polythene cover of the frame. 

However, not all is resolved; I pricked out some slim pointed leaves into larger pots to give them more space to develop.  I have absolutely no idea what they will become.  Back to the drawing board then - check in the box in which the packets of seeds were and with any luck, (fingers crossed) I might find a part packet of seed with a name on it.  I cannot remember if I decided to try growing the beetroot. If I did, they should be yellow ones.