What have you done in the garden today? Part 5

[MereDintofPandiculation]

What have you done in the garden today? What went well? What surprises have you had? What could have gone better?

Planted out or potted up the various things in the growhouse. Trimmed back some of the early geraniums, and hacked a load off one of the dogwoods that was shading the border too much. Discovered that it was harbouring masses of bindweed which was also growing up the climbing hydrangea, so I've pulled out a load of that.

We had our roof tiles and gutters cleaned yesterday, which took them most of the day. I'm now left with 6 bin bags of moss. I looked up on the web and was pleased to find several recommendations on how to mix it into the compost, keep moist and turn regularly to give it good exposure to oxygen as it breaks down. I will also put a thin layer onto the border as mulch underneath some of my more mature shrubs like mock orange, hydrangea and dig it into the soil round the cherry tree to see if it helps hold moisture in.

Today will be dahlia day. They've come on a treat in all the warm dry weather so I need to get the supports in place before they start flowering.

I've got a few trays of annuals to refresh the stone urns and pots on the patio, to add a splash of colour. Last week I took out all the spent bulbs (tulip, tête-à -tête, grape hyacinths) as all the foliage has died off so it just needs an hour or three to plant up the geranium, lobelia and fuschia.

Im fed up with ranunculus! For the past two years I've planted the little claws into pots, watched them grow lush foliage, then wait, wait, wait and no flowers. The foliage has now gone pale green as if they're dying. I'm on the cusp of chucking them out in disgust and never bothering again. They look so beautiful on websites, but I obviously don't have the knack for growing them!

I struggle with ranunculus too @daisychain01 . I planted about 20 last year and only one flowered. So I didn't bother this year!

I planted bare root fruit trees yesterday. Totally the wrong time of year but Gardening express had a deal of four mystery variety patio bare root fruit trees for £20 delivered. So I decided to take a risk and they actually sent me six! I received two apples, a pear, a plum, a cherry and a nectarine.

I fear I've been a bit silly planting them during the hottest week of the year so far. I normally plant trees in the autumn so I don't know if they'll survive or not but for that price I thought it was worth risking.

I spent four hours weeding the veg plot yesterday and have another hour or so to do today to finish it off. Even though all the cabbages, broccoli, and kale have been eaten by slugs, snails and birds, the root systems seem to be okay and they are starting to grow. I'm hoping they will survive.

Everything was incredibly dry here so I had to get the hosepipe out last night and drench the beds. Even the geums, which are normally very hardy, were wilting.

Oh and I bought a new rambling rose for a garden wall. Phyllis Bide 🌹🥰

@GameOfJones water them massively. 2 gallons each every few days. Was the soil wet or dry where you planted them?

That sounds like a gamble worth taking, GameofJones.

I bought some ranunculus very late but very cheap in the Farmer Gracy sale. They’re growing well, but you’re all adding to my fear that they won’t flower this year!

Thankyou for your ranunculus stories, @GameOfJones and @GertrudeJekyllAndHyde it's so frustrating isn't it. I've looked at the RHS website and they recommend lots of light and not to let them get dry. I wouldn't say I'd left them too dry, although the surface was a bit dry when I checked them earlier, so I've given them a drink and hope something will happen but I'm not holding out hope

On a positive note, I've finally made my cat's cradle for the dahlia, and remulched them with leaf and compost and straw. I've got another section of the border still to go later today.

My rhubarb has taken on quite an architectural quality after a very very slow shaky start. No growth at all up to May, they've rocketed in the past 2 weeks, making up for lost time!

Can't say the same about my weedy looking sweetpea - I laughed wryly when I read my Gardener's World mag which said "sweetpea will have mainly finished flowering but try deadheading to prolong the flowering season." I think the writer of that article has been living under a large rock for the past 2 months

A couple of photos

My sweet peas are variable - some have grown well but have only started flowering in the last week or so (one lot at the top of their support so I've put the pot in the back of the flowerbed, hopefully it'll colonise the fence wires ). But others are still puny. I'm hoping they'll get their act together and provide a succession.

Planted out all my plants, going to get DH to water later. I now only have a bit of woodland, and a few statement plants missing.

Felt very sorry for the plants going into the woodland bit. The soil is incredibly dry and there are loads of roots. Hopefully at least some of those roots belong to trees that are now chopped down but even so.

I may have discovered the most satisfying 'job' in the garden. My Himalyan birch tree was looking a bit shabby as cat likes to climb it and so has left scratches all over it. Started peeling some bark to reveal the white underneath, it is so satisfying was still peeling 20 minutes later.

I spent an hour sorting out our small pond that DH is supposed to look after. I took out 80% of a water hyacinth and loads of that green hair algae before topping up the water while DH cleaned the fountain. It’s looking better but he’s removed all the oxygenating plants ffs! I have ordered more and am going to ban him from touching them.
He’s well meaning but utterly clueless I fear!
It looks like we have 18 goldfish, baby newts and froglets so something is going right.

They're dwarf patio trees so have gone into pots with a really good watering. I suppose the benefit of them being potted is I can move them to a cooler part of the garden 🤞🏼🤞🏼

Finally gave my hairy caterpillar a trim! Before and after:

I hope there are googly eyes and joke antennae on the end @ILikeDungs

Busy day here, cut the lawns and cleared up after DH trimmed the bay tree. It’s his annual treat, bless him. It should have been done last month really.

Took the cuttings to the tip then went to the garden centre to get a pot and compost for Desdemona. Here she is potted up.

Also came away with some erigeron and a half price rose called Timeless Charisma. Now where shall I put them?

@BestIsWest

Like this?

Yesterday and today I've done quite a bit of useful tidying in lovely evening sunlight- deadheading, edging, weeding and cutting down some of the excessive dogwoods, testing the brown bin's Tardis-like capacity.

The borders are looking a lot better for the extra supports I put in last week.

I've done nothing as I'm away from home for a week. But DH has watered, he has strict instructions to water every day as the plants are new and it is so hot.

It's lovely seeing the results of everyone's hard work.

Just had a quick wander round deadheading and decided the new rose will go where the useless peony is.

I started the annual job of checking all the cacti and repotting those that need it. Houseplants next, and the pelargoniums and Christmas cacti from the porch, then all the trees in pots. And the rest of my mother’s cactus collection, which live in my son’s greenhouse.

@MereDintofPandiculation
We repotted a few cacti this year that hadn't been moved in 15 years 
The big boi in the middle here is heading for the ceiling, in about 5 years we'll have to relocate it or chop a hole somewhere in the ceiling or window ledge to give it space.

Planted Phyllis Bide 🥰. The spot where I decided to dig the 40cm diameter, 40cm deep hole was a nightmare! Like so much of our garden, it was mostly made up of stones. How things grow, I'll never know! Have given a good few handfuls of blood, fish and bone powder and lots of water.

@BestIsWest Beautiful rose. Desdemona is one of my favourites, such a powerful scent and always super healthy here.

I've had a morning glory flower come out today!

The new white rose and pink Thunbergia are doing well too.