Ch– ch- ch- changes
Pond installed at the end of the month. Within 12 hours there was a frog in it, peak frog so far is three, keeping a watch on it every day like an anxious parent hovering over a sleeping baby. No plants yet, and the space around it needs filling in with greenery, but it will be a good addition to the garden. Have split up a large clump of grasses and planted them in front of the pond to screen it.
Cut back lots of brown shoots from contoneaster against the east facing wall. Now has a smaller frame but hopefully healthier growth, no sign of berries yet.
Successes
Have had lots of berries on the pyracantha (although not as smothered as in previous years), looks like the wild garlic is growing back in the east-facing bed. Shoots at the base of the cordyline look healthy as does the flush of leaves at the top, but the bark above the new shots has started to split. Lots of feverfew self-seeding around the place. The sedums have flowered really well this month as have the Japanese anemones
Nandina putting on growth after it’s pruning in the spring. Half a dozen fruit on the Raspberry and a new cane is sprouting. Berries starting to appear on the ‘Burncoose’ white skimmia in the back bed. The lemon verbena and the hyssop have both grown well this year.
The cosmos has continued to flower and produce buds throughout the month – a great success, I will plant more next year.
The transplanted alchemilla has done well and the heuchera moved for the tree removal is doing well.
Hmms
Has been a poor year for the astilbe, no flowers on the acanthus. Have been disappointed in the hydrangeas. The fuchsia survived its move but not much new growth and few flowers. Some buds on the nigella seeds sown earlier in the year, but almost no flowers. One slightly spindly sunflower made it from my random chucking of seeds at the ground. A couple of verbena bonariensis and one zinnia, also made it, but generally the seed sowing wasn’t a huge success.
Generally it’s been a quiet month – not enough time to spend in the garden.
Weather
Started in a mini heatwave, rain and high winds at the end of the month – heading towards another mini heatwave in early October.
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