Rhubarb - I'm going to Chelsea on the 23rd, so I'll just miss you.
Castle - I love the bouquet idea and my garden would be prettier if I had followed the same scheme. I had huge white roses, with purple/lilac freesias, ivy and eucalyptus. My garden is all purple/pink, I need more white to freshen it up.
Bertha - My alliums have suffered too - it's my first year with them so I didn't realise how much. Of the 6 different types I planted, only the purple sensation have flowers (and they are sensational!). Should I pull the blind ones up or see what happens next year?
I have a Sore bum again tonight as I spent hours in the garden yesterday - appearing to do very little. Mainly weeding the borders and mulching with bark. Worthy jobs but I couldn't believe how long it took.
DH finally got the quince rootball out so I dug that bit of border over and planted a yellow hollyhock. He says we're not allowed to plant any of our own shrubs, ever. Luckily, he didn't notice the viburnum tinus I put in.
I do share his fear of putting something in only to have to dig out woody roots a few years down the line - but nice shrubs, in the right place, really fill a space. annuals or perennials are so much more work and don't keep the weeds down as much.
Today was more fun as I planted some peas (onward and mange tout), made a strawberry patch (in a shady raised bed, so fingers crossed) and potted on my cosmos seedlings. The cosmos are from seed that Rake sent me, so thank you Rake (NC?!).
I made DH sprinkle evergreen on the lawn. Anybody else used this before?
I was v disappointed by the lack of tulips in GW. I think Monty is deliberately flirting with you lot ;-)
I am going to give the beechgrove garden a go - if I ever get the DC to sleep...