Sorry, I don’t really have anything to show at the moment… I’ve been too busy with Uni work when it was sunny, and then Saturday was generally miserable with some sporadic sunshine…
I have some more bulbs to plant – not to worry I didn’t buy them! My mum gave me some for my birthday – Bluebells and a mixed box of spring bulbs such as Crocus, Grape Hyacinth, Snowdrops etc. As expected the Crocus are already attempting to grow, so I have to find time today to get them in the ground otherwise they’ll be wasted.
There’s very little to report at the moment, fewer flowers are surviving as Autumn creeps into Winter and I hear snow is a possibility for almost anywhere in the UK by the end of the week. I will have to cut the Cosmos flowers for a vase as I’m loathed to let the Snow kill them off before I get a chance to admire them.
For now I’ll leave you with some photos from the end of October that I never posted…
Carex Buchanii comes into its own at this time of year
I have some more bulbs to plant – not to worry I didn’t buy them! My mum gave me some for my birthday – Bluebells and a mixed box of spring bulbs such as Crocus, Grape Hyacinth, Snowdrops etc. As expected the Crocus are already attempting to grow, so I have to find time today to get them in the ground otherwise they’ll be wasted.
There’s very little to report at the moment, fewer flowers are surviving as Autumn creeps into Winter and I hear snow is a possibility for almost anywhere in the UK by the end of the week. I will have to cut the Cosmos flowers for a vase as I’m loathed to let the Snow kill them off before I get a chance to admire them.
For now I’ll leave you with some photos from the end of October that I never posted…
Carex Buchanii comes into its own at this time of year
They are rather too crowded, I need to do a little moving in the ‘new’ border…
It’s all very dense, a mini jungle.
I’m not too sure about this self-sown Euphorbia or the nettles just to the left of the shot…
For a long time I was unable to get here thanks to the large Flat-topped Aster.
The black Lilyturf are doing very well.
It’s spreading around the tier… I’m not so sure I wanted this to happen!
Thankfully these don't die off over winter, so you might see a fair few photos of these over the next few months.
25 comments:
Hi Liz, I love the jungle look. I understand though, sometimes it gets just a little too congested.
Looks like you may have to extend that border.
Love the black grass.....nice you have seedlings dotted around. All to be added to your borders.
What a shame the cosmos bloomed so late. Could you do indoor sowings this year in a cool room?It would bring them on early and hopefully by the time you put them in the garden, they would bloom all summer. Just a thought.
Have a good day......
Hi Cheryl,
I packed things in this year not expecting them to grow quite so much, the back corner has grown especially with the super Geranium and mount Everest Nicotiana... All due to my home-made compost being concentrated in that area!
I'm not too sure what the Black lilyturf is growing on, because there's a weed layer and a thick layer of sand around 6inches deep...
With the Cosmos I did sow them indoors way back in February or March! This is why I can't understand why they've all done so poorly. I sowed them much earleir to ensure an early show and yet they flowered 4/5 months later than last year.
It's that time of year again Liz :( I expect we will all be resorting to our archives soon, trying to cheer ourselves and others up with memories of Summer :)
I think those Cosmos are playing games with you!
I have some Ophiopogon in my garden (I didn't realise it was also called Black lilyturf) it is supposed to be very invasive but I haven't found it to be so.
great photographs on your "about me" page - thanks
Catherine
I too like the jungle look. However, I dont like the lilyturf but if you post pics of it alot over the winter I might get converted - though I doubt it as I know lily bettles like it too!
Gorgeous photos, Liz. I hate lilyturf as it's invasive here and peppered all over my veggie garden -- but your photos are still lovely. :)
Stay warm and cozy with all the snow coming in!
I love Black lilyturf!
My cosmos were very late in flowering this year too. They're just about still going, but a couple of hard frosts have dinted their enthusiasm somewhat!
Yes that snow looks as if it will descend in some spots this weekend ........... brrrrrrrr. I was busy in the drizzle yesterday afternoon planting crocuses which had already sprouted. Most fond of ophiopogon and anything that does not die down in winter :)
LIz
I can never get enough of your blog's elegant design and the intrinsic loveliness of each photograph - you possess a special magic, that je ne sais quoi!
warm wishes,
Alice
aka Bay Area Tendrils
(even when I'm not commenting, I'm vicariously enjoying Gwirrel's Garden ...especially since I'm engaged in a major move.)
I had no idea Ophiopogon was know as black lilyturf! I love it, but mistakenly gave most of mine away earlier this year because I couldn't work out where to relocate it to. Then I relocated the compost bins instead, and am missing it... I always plant too close together, just in case, but love the jungly look so it works out OK in the end. My cosmos didn't get going until late July despite early sowing, and lots of other people report the same. No idea why, but hey, there's always next year! Good luck with all that coursework.
I adore that black grass. It is a favorite of mine. I understand why it is of yours too. Thanks so much for coming by and visiting my blog.~~Dee
In my garden, it's the Carex which has decided to make a move to take over and has self-seeded all over the place. I'm not even sure I like it!
Bulbs - today I bought two big packets of tulips to replace the ones I had bought as a present for someone else but planted in my own garden! They are sprouting in their already so I hope they will be ok.
Lucy
I wish people start giving me plants and bulbs for my birthday...
Love your black mondo grass!
As always, your photos are lovely! I have some black lilyturf, which has been slow to establish. It really is a beautiful plant. It's supposed to be a ground cover. I hope it eventually will grow as well as its greener cousins.
Hi Jan,
Definitely that time of year for archive photos! Especially with all the frosts and snow recently. We were forecast snow pretty much all week but have yet to get any... I hope remain lucky and I haven't just jinxed myself!
I never did cut the Cosmos and am not sure they have even survived the frosts over the past week. I've barely seen daylight let alone flowers and plants.
Thanks for the tip on the lilyturf - Ophiopogon, I hope I don't have any problems with it. It will be confined to the tier thankfully.
Hi Catherine,
Thank you very much :)
Hi Helen,
Ahhh, I haven't yet seen any Lily Beetles on the Lilyturf... Mmmm perhaps that's what's eaten some of the berries?
I added the Lilyturf for the contrast against the white/grey of the pebbles, although I would imagine most plants would create a nice juxtoposition!
Hi Meredith,
Haha, it would seem I've hit on an out of fashion plant! Oh well, I don't have many and hopefully they will not be invasive here. I do have a 'Big Blue Lilyturf' too which I've had years and seen very little action from it. Perhaps it is planted in the wrong place though.
Hi Liz,
Last I saw the Cosmos were still going, but I may have missed them now as I expect snow to come tonight/tomorrow.
Mine never had any enthusiasm, so at least the frost cannot affect that!
Have a good weekend, I hope you don't get too much snow...
Hi Anna,
Good job with the bulb planting in the rain, I never did get mine finished and hope I manage to do something this weekend... I know, I know... Naive of me!
Hi Alice,
Thank you very much, I'm thrilled to hear you enjoy your visits and appreciate my blog :)
I hope your move is going well and not causing you too much stress!
Hi Dee,
Thank you very much for visiting my blog too :)
Hi Esther,
I think I have a similar issue to you re:Carex, I am finding dozens of little grass seedlings all over my tier... Most likely from the Pheasant's Tail grass, which like you I'm not to sure I want all over the garden...
I think your Tulips should be ok, I planted some in December for the past couple of years and they've always come up just fine!
Hi Tatyana,
I don't often get plants or bulbs as gifts, but I do fear people will begin giving me too many or plants I don't like... That's how I have indoor plants which I don't buy on my own accord - for some reason I just don't really like indoor plants.
Hi Deb,
The Lilyturf here seems to be a little too happy, I only planted it last Autumn/Winter and it's already spreading as you can see. I'm just not sure what exactly it's growing in because I cut a hole in the weed layer to put the original plant in, so it may not be able to survive. However I have had less luck with the big blue lilyturf, I've had it over 5 years and only ever had two flowers on it...
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