Blooming into Flaming June

[Blackpuddingbertha]

Keeping the potting shed party going from the previous Rhubarb Society thread and all threads before it.

Please feel free to join in all gardeners, whether novice, professional or aspiring. Plenty of blackberry gin for all.

Well done for tackling the ceanothus Mousy. I have three to do. Actually I may just chop them down, they are mostly dead wood and there are other things that would look better where they are.

my neighbours on either side have lovely ceanothuses which at this time of year just look lovely green and sculptous.
I am thinking to just take the top meter off, would be much easier to tend to. I also wonder if I should now feed it something? football starts soon, so will be able to get some horse manure from the riot police...

first large crop of stawberries and raspberries today. It was lovely to see the children roaming free in the raspberry patch.

oh, forgot to say first lot of broad beans too!

I'm a bit late to join in, but congratulations to Humph and I agree that funnyperson must complain to the NGS. That is just appalling.

What Maud said to both Himph and Funny. Whereabouts are you Humph? How wonderful of your neighbours.

Wynken my cosmos were looking pathetic until I watered them: I had planted them in a, ahem, well-drained bed, and they were gasping.

I am near Monmouth. It was nice of our neighbour, she often runs a plant stall at the open gardens so she knows the organiser.

A rare day of childcare today, so I did the fruit thinning in the orchard. I hate fruit thinning. It always seems so depressing, taking off perfectly healthy and swelling fruit. But I've learnt the hard way in the past not to leave it. Then I grovelled around underneath the old yew hedge cutting out pesky brambles and invading snow berries.

We had a juvenile great spotted woodpecker on the birdfeeder this morning. There are baby blue tits on it now, less than five feet away from where I am sitting.

Oh and the fiancé of the lady who was looking after my kids today just won gold at Hampton Court. My childcarer was helping out on Monday and Monty Don asked her who designed the garden, so she proudly told him, and he said it was the best garden there. Apparently it's going to be on telly tonight; the garden is called Room with a View.

I've just seen it-absolutely gorgeous!

Going on holiday tomorrow. Unduly worried about my plants. I have got people to water but still think they're going to suffer. Currently attempting a mammoth watering session to load them up.

My verbena bonariensis is flowering. And I have my potted dahlia flowering.

Planted out some very wimpy looking leeks today, I'm still hoping some more will get a growth spurt as I only planted out 18, I like to have around 80. Better than the zero count of last year though

Ooh where are you off to bertha ? I can understand you fretting about the watering. I was away in May and my new neighbours ( only been here since October) watered the greenhouse, we're away again in August and I feel bad to ask them again. I'm sure they'll be fine though enjoy your break :)

I keep seeing things I want, on the school run we pass a couple of tall shrubs with white flowers and the most gorgeous smell - like lily of the valley. I also spotted some sea thistles which might look ok next to the loosestrife.

Managed to prune hack a few things back today but disturbed some newly fledged thrushes and had to stop.

rhubarb I've never had fruit trees before but the cooking apples were very small last year (just ready when we moved in) so I'm going to take your lead and thin them. I also fed them growmore -

The pear tree has dumped a lot of fruit so maybe will be ok.

DH has just come in as it is now too dark to see .

Cooked gooseberries with elderflowers. It was delicious but the recipe said to add a pint of water and it ended up like gooseberry soup. I have strained it through a muslin and will make a jelly with it.

Am I missing Hampden Court on tv?

We are going away in August and I have got someone staying in order to water the plants. I don't think they know what they are letting themselves in for. Have a lovely time Bertha!

Portugal, although looking at the weather forecast for next week we could've stayed here!

I got given £50 in gardening vouchers this week, I am pondering what to spend them on. I feel a trip to the garden centre when I get back.

Humph, yes, Hampton Court was on BBC2 this evening. Another programme tomorrow at 7pm. Kitsmummy the garden was beautiful wasn't it? I'm so pleased for him. I'm going to Hampton Court on Sunday, can't wait. Anyone else?

Enjoy your hols Bertha.

a couple of foxes went rampaging in my garden last night.
we heard them when we turned in.
they knocked over one tomato plant and fulled out the fern. I suspect there was a fledgling bird hiding, there are lots of feathers left.
and lots of fox poo.

will have to watch monty to calm down a bit!

Argh, I hate foxes, they make such a mess and they stink. My garden is also covered in poo, but it's hedgehog poo so I don't mind.

Funny person - that is appallingly disgisting behaviour, complain. How dare they? They shouldn't be allowed to participate.

How do I see these pictures on facebook please?

I think I found some hedgehog poo in the orchard yesterday. Very, very happy about that.

Went to Groombridge Place in Kent today. Gorgeous gardens and an absolute corker of a day trip place for small kids. They have a beautiful White Rose garden, a bit reminiscent of the White Garden at Sissinghurst and the Grey Garden at Penshurst Place but more informal and frothy, with lots of lemon colours as the supporting action. Such a refreshing, summery colour scheme. They have an enchanted forest which is basically a trail through the woods with some really magical activities and grottoey-type places for kids. And canal boat rides. And friendly peacocks. Definitely going back there.

Thanks for the heads up on the Hampton Court flower show coverage! I really enjoyed watching yesterday and today! Monty cheers me up no end. Also Rachel. Also is it just me or did Joe Swift look as though he had found a soulmate yesterday?
The whole Macbeth thing was right up my street - witchy and cauldrony and potiony and spot on. We used to have great fun prancing round reciting all that stuff age about 13! If anyone ever wants to see the graves of the kings of Scotland they are on the isle of Iona- a very lovely place.
Rhubarb your friend's garden looked lovely. I thought the understated colour scheme was inspirational and now realise what I have been subconsciously aiming for in the border where MMe Alfred C is doing her stunning stunning thing.
Dare I say though that some remarkable gardens apart, our family is getting to the stage where our favourite garden is our own! MMe Alfred C with Stachys Lanata with Astrantia Shaggy with Alchimilla Mollis with Countess of Wessex clematis, lilium regale, sweet peas sicily, blue cornflowers, phlox, digitalis alba, and then of course the subtle pink of New Dawn. And then on the other side Munstead Wood which is deepest maroon, and a a scent taking one to heaven, and jasmine and honeysuckle and the architectural topiary and grasses and rosa American Pillar (which is very 'in' as it has a shape good for bees) and apple and plum and pear and cherry and mange tout and ........what a truly wonderful time of the year!
I wrote to the CEO of the NGS. I am cross because it put dear gentle DS off gardens. He says the best garden is ours and though he is right I would have loved to have visited more gardens with both of them but he will never go again now. If the truth be told I know it is wimpish of me but I am put off too. I felt a bit out on a limb at Chelsea anyway.

Incidentally though I might go and have a look at Groombridge place. I like frothy. I am really excited as the Crambe has been delivered and this weekend I will decide where to plant it (or whether to nurture it through the winter in a pot as it is only little)
Does anyone feed their clematis viticella about now? If so, what with? Mine are thriving but have foliage and no flowers. Also what plants do you plant at the base of clematis to shade their roots?

Poor old Michael Jackson. I always thought it a bit sad he tried to change colour.

Did I tell you I ordered Rosa Magenta? Bare root for the Autumn. And I will be planting alliums christophii next year with that rose.

Oh funny that's really heartbreaking if your ds has been put off garden visiting. Words fail me. I really hope time will heal and he will give it another chance. And you too

Oh but I'm v happy about your crambe, rosa magenta and alliums christophii.

Your own garden sounds beautiful. please let us see some photos.