Shrubs thru Ivy Tunnel

Please note this site is no longer active. My updated blog is:
http://kelliboylesgarden.blogspot.com/

Left: Photos are a good way to see your garden from a different perspective! I was looking at this photo thinking this area has alot of green but lacks colour. The pink heather provides a little late summer/ autumn colour; the calendula self seed and provide yellow flowers but I definitely need more wow factor! (A bit of a project to work on.)
Plants pictured:
Variegated Ivy, Ornamental grass, Calendula annual flowers, Box hedge, Heather (pink), Harry lauder's walking stick, palm trees.

Sweet Pea - is it worth it?

Sweet Pea... it germinates easily enough (70:30 germination ratio) however if I don't keep a watchful eye on it, suddenly I end up with a giant, knotted mess (untangleable). Also, it has to be deadheaded at least weekly to keep it flowering well. Sometimes I wonder is it worth it???

This variety is very sweet smelling and pretty. I have it growing in a pot up a metal trellis.

Variety: Sweet Pea Old Spice Mixed (grandiflora), Hardy Annual, Mr Fothergill's Seeds, 30 seeds, £1.85.

Nasturtiums - when nothing else will grow!

Easy to grow from seed, Nasturtiums will grow in poor, dry soil. I really liked these seeds; they grow quickly and aren't fussy. Variety: Nasturium Dayglow Mixed, Carters Tested Seeds, 35 seeds, 79 pence.

Calendula and Rowan Trees

I planted Wild Cherry trees along the driveway about 10 years ago, however, they were growing too big so I took them out one Autumn, gave them away, and replaced them with Rowan trees. Rowan, also known as Mountain Ash, get loads of beautiful berries in late summer which attract birds. Bare root Cherry or Rowan bought as 1.5-2 feet whips from Conservation Volunteers for 50p each. They establish quickly.

What a bargain - 50 pence per tree!

Accent planting: Calendula Orange King (hardy annual), Carters Seeds, 79p.

Flowers - Calendula and Everlasting Sweetpea

Grown from seed, Hardy Annual Calendula Orange King are edible (add some flower petals to salad), easy to grow and make a great show. They are bright orange (the picture makes them look yellowish?). I have them mixed with white Everlasting Sweetpea which is a perennial type of sweetpea and has no smell (bummer). Variety: Calendula, Carters Tested Seeds, 150 seeds, 79 pence per pack.

Lupins in June/July

A striking cottage style perennial... grown from seed, these lupins were sown a few years ago and they come up every year. The flowers really add colour in June/July. (Flowered in their first year even though the pack said 'first flowering the following year'.) Not 100% sure of the variety as I threw out the seed pack but think they are... Variety: Lupin Russell Mix.

Flower 'Snapdragon' Antirrhinum Intermediate Mixed

Grown from seed in April/May these tiny seedlings I had my doubts about, however, they turned out quite jazzy little things. Funny how many of the city councils used snapdragons this year and somehow theirs look healtier, bigger and more colourful (oh well). I'd definitely grow these again; great value at 79p per pack of 2,400 seeds! The seed pack says to space them 16" apart when planting out, but to get a good display they need to be jam packed (3" apart) and weekly organic feed. Variety: Antirrhinum Intermediate Mixed, Half Hardy Annual, Carters Tested Seed, 2,400 seeds, 79 pence per pack.

Flower 'Snapdragon' Antirrhinium Royal Bride

Sown from seed, this year I grew snapdragons for the first time. The pack says they'll grow up to 36 inches, however, mine have grown between 12-24 inches. This was dissapointing. The seeds were tiny and the seedlings itsy-bitsy but over time they grew (slowly!). The seed pack says they are 'Half Hardy Annual" so I imagine they'll be suffering from our cold evenings soon and will die with our first frost. I hope they self seed! Variety: Antirrhinium 'Royal Bride', Thompson & Morgan, 500 seeds, £1.99 per pack.

Sunflower (Giant Single)

Sunflowers are so much fun to grow... it's always a competition who can grow the tallest, or get the biggest sunflower head. Grown from seed, as of today, the tallest is 8 feet 2 inches and still growing. Slugs and ants seem to be eating on them but they are soldiering on. Variety: Sunflower Giant Single (Hardy Annual), Mr Fothergill's, 75 seeds, £1.25 per pack.

"Petunia n Boots"

I love the bright pink petunias this year... and the range of wellies available! In Northern Ireland we get rain, wind, sun and then rain & wind -sometimes all on the same day! This can make gardening difficult. It's only August and I feel like I need to bring the petunias indoor at night already (burrr)!