Newsletter
Last year's high of 30.6C was blown away today with a high of 33.4C. It's still 32C out now at 5pm. And tomorrow is forecast to be even hotter. I'm due at Tatton RHS Show - I think I might go first thing,
Newsletter
With much work on there's just been time for a few quick snaps today. I might get out later for a bit of deadheading etc. The purple phormium has flowered for the first time and what a striking sight it is. For our next garden I'm
Newsletter
This lemon tree is my first proper plant 'patient', applying what I've learned this year on the RHS course to treat it. It was badly shaped, sick with scale and dying back five months ago and it's now healthy and vigorous. I will admit
Newsletter
This area has been in the process of mental planning as a prairie garden for about a year, ever since the squashes succumbed to cucumber mosaic virus last summer. It faces south with the conservatory on the north side and is 4.5m long by 3m deep at it'
Newsletter
One thing ends and another begins. Just as I'm rueing the fading of the spring border, two of my summer favourites spring into life. Purple hazelnut fruits with their surrounding frill are just beautiful with the light behind them. And I love the vibrant, complex flower of Monard
Newsletter
With the temperature reaching 30C by lunchtime, I've taken to getting up at 7am and putting in a couple of hours in the garden first thing in the morning. Once it gets too hot I've retreated to the home desk to get some proper work done.
Newsletter
It's too hot out to do anything vigorous and England kick off against Portugal in an hour so I took a few more pictures to keep me busy. DB likes this pretty yellow Anthemis 'EC Buxton'. It does look great against the lavender and purple phormium
Newsletter
The late evening sun caught this flower through the trees. Cephalaria gigantea stands high above everything else in the border, but is so delicate and airy, with a light leaf base that causes no problems for anything around it. It's hardy, reliable and flowers till autumn. I love
Newsletter
I took the final part of my RHS Level 2 exam today (formerly the General). Trickier than I expected but I think I've done OK. What with revision, wet weather and keeping a promise to sort out the neighbours garden I've not done much in mine.
Newsletter
The reason I usually put close-up pictures of flowers on this blog instead of wider shots of the whole garden is that there is almost never a time when any major part of the garden is sufficiently tidy and photogenic. I've decided to put that right, so
Newsletter
The thermometer has just cleared 30C - the highest since I set up the weather station in December 2004. Even I have retreated indoors, leaving my plants to survive as best they can. Fortunately most of those in pots are in the shade tunnel, but those still outside are suffering. The
Newsletter
The college put out a call on Wednesday for extra help to prepare their show garden at the NEC so Den and I joined a small gang today for the trip down. Sweltering in near 30C we planted hazel trees and fruit bushes in the '5 a day'