What have you done in the garden today? Part 7

[Jimmyneutronsforehead]

Continuation thread from MereDint's previous threads.

We had mostly mist / sea fret today until a 5 minute downpour at 3pm. Unfortunately the wind cancelled out the rain, so I've been slavishly watering the pots as usual. I really must think about transplanting some stuff out of pots and into the ground. When I find some energy.

Sorry, no!! Maybe you could try growing your own from seeds out of an ordinary pomegranate from the greengrocers.

I don't know how people do it. Maybe I have mutant slugs and snails in my garden, but no hosta would be safe. Nor petunias, come to that. I even found them in a hanging basket up a tree once. Six feet in the air and suspended by chains, and the damn slugs still found the petunias.

Okay, I'll say it.

I've never been a fan of Monty Don. He's not a proper gardener.

<runs and hides>

@Yamadori I was visiting my Dad one time and I popped upstairs to use the bathroom. There was a snail making its way across the bathroom window.

😂

We used to have a climbing jasmine up the back of the house, all the way up to the eaves. I was once in the bath upstairs and thought - hello, what's that behind the curtains? As I moved the curtain, a mouse fell into the bath with me!!

I played with my new toy. I bought an electric garden paint sprayer for my fence panels for £60.00 with two extra bottles for £20.00

i was dreading the roller and brushes, oh my god what a revelation! No thinning, poured from paint tub to container, each 6x6 ft panel takes four to five minutes for both sides and so much more enjoyable and easier, don’t have to squat down either, just point the gun and pull the trigger

Thoroughly recommended

@Yamadori , I do agree and yet he did a little piece on roses the other day and described them as glorified brambles, and I am willing to forgive him quite a lot for that moment of demystification.

@Dimdam

Wonder why I don't see firms offering this like you do jet washing.

Hahaha me too! People are weirdly protective of him. I watch Gardeners World but fast forward all the bits where he talks He just repeats the same stuff every year anyway. Also, a few years ago I felt he was being a bit rude to James Wong (on Chelsea tv). I love James Wong so piss off Monty. Looking forward to his retirement tbh.

My hostas are usually decimated by slugs. It's been a drier Spring where I am so I think there's a lot less slugs about, and my hostas in pots in a new position in the sun are, to me surprisingly, doing better than when I've had them in the shade.
I think maybe we've been fooled for thinking hostas need damp, shadier conditions because that's obviously where the slugs hang out too.

I’d been think about it myself lol

He's not a professionally trained horticulturalist, that's the thing. Good television presenter, but... ah well. I grew up with Geoff Hamilton presenting GW, and then Alan Titchmarsh, so different animals really.

I don't watch GW now - unless on the rare occasion one of my friends is on it.

My mum’s garden is mainly hostas! She thinks that the more you grow together and the healthier they are the less slugs eat them. I took a few photos of them …

Those hostas are stunning. I’d love to have some here. I have just the spot to do some like that. We do seem to have less slugs and snails so far this year. Hmm. Tempted now.

The beds look lovely from early May till the end of September. My Mum is obsessed with hostas - the miniatures and giant ones are impressive!

Oh my, I think I would like hostas if they looked like that in my care!

Have a friend in North America that has over 300 hostas in beds and pots - absolutely stunning.

This afternoon's achievemants:

Pull out bindweed, bindweed, bindweed, crocosmia, bindweed, crocosmia, bindweed, bindweed, bindweed, crocosmia, bindweed, crocosmia, bindweed, bindweed, bindweed, crocosmia, bindweed, crocosmia, bindweed....
The odd herb Robert was a refreshing change 😁

Biggest task was taking out a ceanothus which had really outgrown its space. I cut it back hard the last two years but it's an absolute thug so it has had to go. I left it until now as the bees do love the flowers. Fortunately once all the main branches had been lopped off digging out the stump wasn't too difficult.

Rhubarb has also gone mad this year so I hope to give away lots of crowns in the autumn to get it back to a manageable size. Whole compost bag of leaves and thick stems into the compost bin. Deadheaded a lot of flowering perennials too.

Now to sit on the bench with a cold beverage and contemplate what might go in the gap I've created, which is of course one of the best gardening jobs.

Potted up the tomatoes and peppers that DH keeps buying. Planted some alyssum around the water feature that DH put in. It’s shady so I don’t know if they’ll take but they were £1 for 10 so worth a try. I love the smell of them. Makes me think of lying on the lawn as a child when DM always had it in the borders.

Weeded a bit and deadheaded and put new stakes in the sweetpea pot as they’ve outgrown the ones I put in. I tried tying them in a spiral but they weren’t having it.

I picked sweet peas and raspberries.

Pruned the elderflower. I like the flowers, but not the berries. Searched for places to put the annuals grown from seed. This year everything came up, I’ve given loads to friends and family and even put them on DH’s allotment, which could be getting some more. They’re not perfect specimens, but I can’t bear to discard them.

Tell your mum I'm jealous.

Yesterday I deadheaded a few roses, trimmed up a planted container as the pansies were a bit leggy, watered the pots as I'd been away for the weekend and they looked very dry, checked my beans and tomatoes which are going fantastically well now, for the next two weeks the weather looks glorious so that should give them a boost.

Regarding hostas, I believe the bluey coloured leaved ones are a bit more resistant to slugs etc. as the leaves are thicker, I have one in a pot and it is looking pretty good with flowers now appearing.

Monty Don went down in my estimation when he sneeringly dissed begonias, the bedding variety. I usually have some in the garden and they are the one plant that withstands any amount of wind and rain and will bloom continuously.

They're not my most favourite of the summer plants but they do a good job in filling gaps and cheerfully keep going all summer, so take that Monty!

I love begonias. I keep getting sent catalogues with beautiful hanging baskets of begonias in and they're stunning. Can't keep hanging baskets alive though. One of my many gardening curses.

The problem is I'm 4'11, and if it's above my line of sight I forget they exist and they dont get watered.