Am having a bit of a slow day today. Is it maybe related to the time of year? August is a month of relaxing holidays, balmy evenings and that niggling almost back-to-school feeling that summer is slipping through one’s fingers. Something about all of these things begets slowness. Luckily, from a gardening perspective, there’s still plenty going on with the veg harvests coming in thick … Continue reading August harvests and sowings (Six on Saturday)
For this week’s Six on Saturday am going to focus on what could be both a blessing and a challenge: gardening under trees. In my garden, that is what I do. Big mature trees of lime, hornbeam and oak rise up from behind our walls, a bank of green laden with leaves and seed. The trees give the garden its special character, a green cocoon … Continue reading Six on Saturday: Gardening under trees
I am typing this on my phone in the garden on a Friday evening, sitting in the sun, the washing drying on the line for the first time in ages. The sun feels good on my skin. The pollinating insects know it too, they are out with the very fist ray. Yesterday I sent out August’s edition of my newsletter – The Green Gardening Newsletter … Continue reading Six on Saturday: the pollinator edition
After a short break in the sun in Barcelona last week, am finding it difficult to readjust to life back in Belgium. Mainly because of the weather. It has rained pretty much non-stop for the past week, and while the slugs are delighted, I am not. There are upsides. Tithonias (Mexican sunflowers) love the rain and they are doing a good job adding some brightness … Continue reading Six on Saturday: Where is the sun?!
Hello! It’s been an interesting July so far from a gardening perspective: the weather has been cool and there have been quite a few rain showers at regular intervals. This has been most welcome as I haven’t had to water much (apart from the greenhouse) and I feel that everything is looking fresher than usual at this time of year. I have felt torn between … Continue reading Six on Saturday: July highlights
I was recently asked what my gardening style was by fellow blogger, book reviewer and garden enthusiast Rosie Amber who’s kindly featuring my garden on her blog this coming Sunday. I think that ‘romantic cottage garden’ sums it up best, and what month can be more romantic that June, billowing with roses and cottage garden favourites? Here are a few pics to share with you … Continue reading Romantic June: Six on Saturday
Hello! We’re entering June splendour and as it’s been a while, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to take you on a little tour of the garden, meeting you at the front gate, ambling slowly up the path and then round the corner for a little surprise. Starting at the gate, spilling out onto the pavement is a mound of campanula, all abuzz with bees. Just … Continue reading A Saturday stroll up the garden path
A little snapshot today of some spring highlights from the garden. First up a trio of tulips. Orange Emperor, a bunch from the allotment and a mix of Sunny Prince and Purple Prince. Which are your favourite? I love the allotment ones, which come back reliably each year, I must dig some up for the garden. A view of the garden from the south-east corner. … Continue reading Spring delights
We had a few glorious days of sunshine and blue skies earlier in the week but back to rather grey weather again now. Am trying not to feel to frustrated with the weather gods. Haphazard planting of tulips this year. I was surprised to see Tulipa ‘Request’ coming up in the big pot a second year in a row. I think I forgot they were … Continue reading More spring moments
The weather isn’t playing ball this year, it continues to be mainly cold, wet and windy. Yet seemingly in defiance, the transformation in the garden is picking up pace, and there’s a sense of anticipation despite the somewhat uninspiring conditions. It’s the same every year, the undisputed star of early spring in my garden is Clematis armandii ‘Apple Blossom’, which spreads 7 metres or so … Continue reading The stars of early spring
