Tickle the earth with a hoe, and she will laugh with a harvest

[Rhubarbgarden]

Potting shed chat for all those interested in wittering on about gardens and sharing the love of plants. Plenty of dusty old deck chairs to sit on and sloe gin to warm the cockles; join us!

[funnyperson]

I'm having a lovey day today weeding and planting and stuff.
Here are some late summer thoughts

[funnyperson]

sorry I mean lovely

the pictures are Heleniums with grasses. This solves a question I have been thinking about for a while, which is how to plant a warm and cheerful orange without creating a 'hot' and rather angry display.

[Rhubarbgarden]

Gorgeous, funny! You've figured out putting photos up - hurrah! I've just got a new phone which lets me do it too. I immediately uploaded a photo of Nutter onto the cats thread in Chat and now I'm stalking the garden... Not much going on though at the moment.

[Rhubarbgarden]

I have a metal obelisk which last year had nasturtiums climbing it. Nothing climbing it this year, didn't get round to encouraging the nasturtiums to climb so they just got dwarfed by the calendulas. It still looks nice though, and is a focal point in the garden.

[Rhubarbgarden]

My naked obelisk. I like the way it's framed by the Leylandii arch behind it. Please excuse the very-much-gone-over calendula

[mausmaus]

is this an anemone?
it popped up near the virginia kreeper.

[Callmegeoff]

That looks lovely funny

traviata I bought cheap metal black obelisks this year....damn! I suppose if I just use them for sweet peas and take them inside in the winter they may survive.

There is an offer in Hayloft for 20 Penstemons for £20, tempted.

My favourite pot at the moment is an accidental pairing of Hosta and Crocosmia. I have so many Crocosmias I'm planning to move them in amongst all the Hostas.

Not much gardening, the grass is dead, the hedge badly needs cut back especially the brambles. The pansies I sowed for the winter are already in flower. Lots to do but feel guilty not doing things with Dc's, so in a bit we're off to wrestle with the crowds and watch red arrows and fireworks ( end of Cowes week)!

[Callmegeoff]

Mausmaus it looks like the flowers Monty planted a few weeks ago in his spring border except I can't remember what it was called

[mausmaus]

a quick google says 'late blooming' or 'japanese anemone'

it's a nice surprise to find at this time of year.

[Callmegeoff]

rhubarb I love your leylandii arch, btw did you cloud prune the other bush?

Just had a mooch round my garden with the iPad not great pictures but anyway ...

[Rhubarbgarden]

No, not got round to it yet... I'll get to it in September, when I get some life back, hopefully.

[Rhubarbgarden]

Your Hosta/Crocosmia combo is indeed lovely.

[funnyperson]

Your obelisk is beautifully framed by the arch rhubarb

Those photos aren't my garden they are from the Helenium society website.

I think I have worked out a way to post photos if i can find my phone.......

[Blackpuddingbertha]

Yes, japanese anemone mausmaus. I have a couple rescued as partial root bits when shed place next door ripped them out of their yard. I love them but they've never really been happy in my bed and rarely put up more than a few flowers. At the shed place they were amazing and survived on total neglect.

[Blackpuddingbertha]

In my head my long bed looks like this. But actually these we're taken at Hampton Court Palace today. Also loved their new vegetable garden.

[NotAnotherNewNappy]

Geoff - lovely pots. What are the dahlias?

Mause - you lucky lady, that is a Japanese anemone. I bought one at a farm show but it hadn't flowered yet. I love them, great for late summer colour.

[Callmegeoff]

Thank-you, they are Sarah Ravens' purple collection. Well worth the money, the cheap tesco ones still haven't appeared. I probably shouldn't have put Petunias with them though

[Rhubarbgarden]

Lovely photos Bertha. I love the gardens at Hampton Court.

I went to Borde Hill Gardens today; the rose garden especially was looking stunning. Everywhere I go I see Lady Emma Hamilton at the moment, calling me. I have to have her.

No photos, sadly, as my memory was full on my phone. I don't understand how; I got a new phone to deal with this problem and the problem has just transferred itself. Gah.

[funnyperson]

Your dahlias are lovely Geoff Sarah Raven's dahlias are well worth it, I had the venetian collection last year, though I can feedback that they don't overwinter in the ground at least in my garden. Next year I'm going to wait till they are on special offer actually and then get loads.

[SugarPlumTree]

Lovely pictures all round. I've inherited Mum's metal obelisk which is currently supporting sweet peas,hoping it lasts for a bit. Japanese anenomes is one of the few flowers that were here when we arrived .

My dahlias are just starting to flower. Not all came through but I did just chuck them in fairly late on and no nurturing was involved. They were cheap £1 a shot Wilkos ones so don't feel too upset about the ones that didn't make it.

I keep looking at Sarah Raven's tulip collections but have so far been strong and resisted temptation.

[SugarPlumTree]

Making the most of being awake at this silly hour and have just bought RHS membership using Tesco clubcards vouchers.

I'm hoping next week to settle on a price for a tiny business, please cross your fingers for me. It is sort of horticulture related, I could run it from home and is just what I need to move forward into next part of my life as the DC's are more independent. Feel horrible haggling with the elderly owners but I've done my research very carefully and have to be realistic.

We're off to France next week and I'm finally hoping to finally get to Paris. Any suggestions about must go places where I can feast my eyes on horticultural delights, bearing in mind we'll have a 10 year old and 15 year old in tow? We're staying in a gite on a farm which has a lovely looking terrace with loads of flowers. Can't wait to sit out in the evening after a day's sightseeing, the best of both worlds.

[funnyperson]

sugarplum Giverney is a marvellous garden in all seasons, and quite near Paris: an easy day trip: there are lovely cafe's in Giverney too. xxing fingers for your business!

It rained here last night and there is more on the way, so I'm making the most of it by planting out some of the perennials I've been nurturing. Its been too dry since May to do much planting really.

[Rhubarbgarden]

Ooh, Jardins Albert Kahn is absolutely beautiful. Gorgeous rose garden, exquisite Japanese garden and his 'Blue Forest' - you could spend hours there. Truly inspirational.
Promenade Plantee (where New York got its High Line idea) also worth exploring.

Good luck with the venture! Keeping my fingers tightly crossed for you and waiting to be inspired by your undoubted success!

[ppeatfruit]

What's that lovely blue plant behind the heleniums funnyperson? I need a memory stick to post some pix. My new phone is telling me that there's no photos in my memory which is weird because they were loads on the sim that I put into it. I'm no techie though.!

There was loads of rain yesterday it's filled my water butts hooray I've finally planted the bastard balm and pulled off the dead stalks of astrolmere which is still not planted because I can't decide where to put it. Oh also I gave the roses an organic feed which will hopefully cheer them up.

[ppeatfruit]

If you fancy a day or 2 away while you're in Paris sugar there's a lovely Chateau called Rivau near Chinon with a glorious rose garden and a very interesting history (Joan D'Arc stayed there). You need to get a TGV to Tours it's 1 and a half hours from Paris.