I cried with joy this morning

[Whiskycav]

So, this is the first year I have done my own gardening. Exh used to do it all, but he was an abusive twunt. I now live in a small terrace hour with my 2 kids. For the first few years I just moved the lawn and left it.

As I have been working from home, I have been less exhausted and more inclined to be in the garden on an evening. Then kids said they missed the sunflowers they used to grow.

So this year we made an attempt at it I have never been had green fingers, so didn't expect much. We are also isolating at the moment. I just let the dog out and one of my red ones has bloomed and some of the yellow ones have. I was so happy I cried.

The giant one reached 9 feet but hasn't bloomed yet.

I can't wait to show the kids but they are asleep so I thought I would share them here.

🥳

@LemonViolet I have marked it to watch!

Thank you @CityCommuter & @Kdubs1981

@RainingYetAgain I need to keep my eye out for cheap seeds. Even for next year. I can't wait to do it all again next year.

Though I am looking forward to autumn. I love it and looking forward to all the work to get plants ready for winter. I need to think of things to do in winter too.

I'm going to copy your idea and get some lovely orange sun flower seeds for next year.

@LemonViolet

Definitely check out Gardeners World. I love starting my weekend with it - it always begins with just the sound of the garden, Monty tinkering away at something, and then he says “Hello, welcome to Gardeners World”…. it’s like instant zen calm for me!

There’s a whole world of Gardening YouTube as well if you want to really geek out.

I love the beginning too with just the sounds and sights of the garden. I also love the videos people send in and seeing other people's gardens from all over the world. I like the enthusiasts for particular flowers like peonies, sweet peas, auricula.

@Whiskycav
Plant your bulbs in the autumn. I like hyacinths in pots. Plant a lot because they won’t all come up . I like narcissi daffodils, my favourite are called Pheasant’s Eye.

The cosmos you could buy and plant now, but I don’t think it will survive the winter, it’s a luxury item
You could also plant cornflower seeds in the autumn too. Love in the mist (nigella) is also very pretty.

@Celandines

I'm going to copy your idea and get some lovely orange sun flower seeds for next year.

Do it!! They are so lovely. I posted a photo of the ones I used, earlier in the thread But I can share it again if you need me too!

@RickOShay ah put bulbs in, in autumn? I am going on the hunt for things I need! Immediately 🤣

I also live stationary so going to break out one of my fancy note books, for planning 😁

Yes bulbs in autumn
Cosmos now!

Hope it’s a flowery one

OP I started a garden in lockdown after leaving an abusive relationship too and this year I cannot believe how amazing it looks. It was jut grass when we moved in and DD keeps saying she can't believe but I've done! Not perfect by any means and there have been some disasters but it looks beautiful. I'm most proud of my mini wildflower meadow patch. In the autumn I'm going to buy a new tree!!!

I agree there's something about it for rebuilding and healing , it's helping me a lot . I guess it's seeing things grow especially from seed , being patient, learning all the time , and just quietly achieving something creative

@RickOShay

Yes bulbs in autumn Cosmos now!

I am on it. I have my list. As I can't leave, either my dad has to go to the garden centre or wait or Internet shop. I have next week off work and we can go out, by then so might wait

Or might order some on the Internet...and still go to the garden centre next week. Andbyes, it's flowery! 😁

@olivethegreat it's so amazing. It really is healing. I think its the physical aspect of building something good or seeing things change and the achievement. I, genuinely, think more women in our position should know this.

But not sure how it would be communicated with out sounds twee. But its really helping me in the last steps of healing.

Beautiful well done!

I’ve never been able to successfully grow sunflowers, I’ve tried roses and mint because mint is unkillable (apparently).

@frazzledasarock I’ve killed some sort of mint before
I got cornflower seeds from ebay. They were great. I’ve also ordered from farmer Gracy. Good but a bit pricy.
In September time Lidl do lots of bulbs which are reasonable and good.

@RickOShay so glad I’m not the only one!

I’ve recently actually found that orchids work for me, I keep forgetting to water mine and it’s flowered a second time. I was/am utterly thrilled. And wondering if I can take credit for repeatedly forgetting or water it.

Aw op, I've just found this thread and I'm so happy for your and your children. Great stuff. Enjoy your peace, and garden for many years to come!

@frazzledasarock you definitely can
Sheer skill that took.

@frazzledasarock

Beautiful well done!

I’ve never been able to successfully grow sunflowers, I’ve tried roses and mint because mint is unkillable (apparently).

My mint (ages ago) got 'mint rust' couldn't get rid of it 😭 it had to be abandoned. It went all weird and looked dead.

Orchids are so difficult, that's amazing!

@PuntasticUsername thank you

Beautiful sunflowers. Am so glad your garden is bringing you joy. I am also a relatively recent convert to gardening. I like dahlias but found they arent doing so well this year for me but I am not doing anything different so might just be the strange weather this year.

Seeds wise, sweet peas and cosmos are quite easy to grow. I started mine on a windowsill then put them out after frost risk. Same for tomatoes but they need a lot of watering so mine are looking a bit worse for wear now although have loads of fruit. Courgettes are quite easy too.

If you are growing spring bulbs, try wallflowers too. I think you plant seeds now for spring flowers. Check out the Sarah raven website. Quite pricey but beautiful mixes and pictures so might give you ideas for spring.

@Whiskycav I love flowers I really really love a beautiful garden. And I have the opposite of green fingers. I’m so glad I’m not the only one who murdered the mint, my friends regard my gardening endeavours as hilarious.

As the expert on orchids on this thread, here’s what I did. I was given a pot of orchids in December (Tesco orchids which were blue). The flowers predictably died as soon as they got wind I was trying to keep them blooming. A friend around that time posted on her Facebook her gorgeous orchids which bloomed a second time. So I didn’t throw the orchid in the bin. This I feel was the gardening masterstroke. Then I promptly forgot to water them (actually need to water them right now), and they re-flowered about a month ago. I was so so so happy. Kept thanking DH for the orchids (which have white flowers not blue Tesco must put a dye in the water to make the flowers blue).

So there we have it. Do not put orchids in the bin, do forget to water them. And ermmm I have no idea why they’re still alive 🤷🏻‍♀️

PS Anyone know how to keep aloe Vera alive? And I killed our Christmas cactus too 😔

Apparently I don’t know how to attach pictures either sorry I didn’t mean to attach three!

My son can kill mint- it appears to be his hobby. Mind you, can't blame him for the one that died when he was standed here from Dec-April.
Be careful when you buy seeds on line, there have been reports about concerns with seeds that don't comply with plant health regulations.. See extract from Which? I think the sainted Monty has also mentioned it
^A spokesperson from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) told us:
‘We are aware of concerns around the online selling of seed from outside the European Union which does not comply with our legislation for quality and plant health. An APHA working group, including UK seed companies, has been created to discuss how best to address this issue.’ ^
PP has suggested Sarah Raven, Thompson and Morgan, Sutton Seeds, and Dobies are good as well.

@frazzledasarock
That’s a beautiful orchid well done. Where did you put your Christmas cactus?
There’s one in a window I see on the school run, looking more parched by the day. I don’t rate its chances.

@frazzledasarock that's absolutely gorgeous! It's just stunning.

My ex mil had a way with orchids. She had beautiful ones all over her house. She could never really understand why they did so well either because she ignored them most of the time. Maybe that's the key. Maybe they are introverts

I do give my plants human qualities. I used to have an angelica, when I was young, that would often collapse on a warm day. Give some water and it would pop back up in half an hour. But I used to tell her she was an attention seeking and very dramatic, but I loved her anyway.

Can I ask another question. The box that has the sunflowers, pretty much gets full sun all day. The other side of the garden has the neighbours fence so only gets sun until 1pm at most. Early and later in the year its until about 10am. Is that side of the garden a write off? The soil is really clay like, so I was thinking of getting the bedding area on that side done like my sunflower box.

Like one long planter box. But as it doesn't get a lot of sun, not surebits worth the expense.

Also does anyone know, where is good to get compost and soil delivered from, in large quantities?

Congratulations OP.

If you're on FB, check out Addicted to Gardening.

@LemonViolet

Definitely check out Gardeners World. I love starting my weekend with it - it always begins with just the sound of the garden, Monty tinkering away at something, and then he says “Hello, welcome to Gardeners World”…. it’s like instant zen calm for me!

There’s a whole world of Gardening YouTube as well if you want to really geek out.

That “Hello” is the start of the weekend for me!

Congratulations OP. Such joyful flowers!