A few years ago, the plant stall on the market was selling cyclamen, so I bought a white one and a deep red one. As I walked around town, I could see lots more cyclamen in people's windows. They were all doing well, while mine started wilting after the first week, and then dropping leaves and flowers. (I learned later I was over-watering).
This year, I bought a cyclamen and planted it out in the garden and ignored it - and it's still alive and thriving!
Some plants really do perform better when neglected. My friend has no luck growing orchids, but she has a friend who just leaves them alone and they appear to thrive.
We've had a really really hot few days and I think the sweet peas are beyond saving, so I think I'll just leave the pods to dry out and I'll have a head start for next year.
The Tree Chaps came - punctually - yesterday. I now have a wonderfully neat hedge, and 80% less pyracantha, cotoneaster and lilac. The ivy has been beaten back behind the fence, and my favourite apple tree is now neat and straight.
Of course the garden looks a wreck this time of year. I leave a lot of dead foliage to shelter the new shoots. But I am so looking forward to a) getting in among the weeds that have been sheltered by the overgrown shrubs and b) putting in new planting.
So glad to read about your garden tidy and refresh, it will be absolutely lovely to look out your window and rather than seeing jobs, you can enjoy the tidiness of it all and the fun of planning your new plants and how best to lay those out. Good times!!
We had rain on and off all weekend and even though I am expecting a new batch of weeds to emerge, I am so grateul to look out and see the green lawn and the pond across the way sparkling in the sun and just looking so fresh and beautiful.
I might do a trip out to the garden centre later just to pick up a couple of punnets of seedlings to replace dead things in pots. Getting them in after the rain is probably an opportunity not to pass up!
Comments
This year, I bought a cyclamen and planted it out in the garden and ignored it - and it's still alive and thriving!
We've had a really really hot few days and I think the sweet peas are beyond saving, so I think I'll just leave the pods to dry out and I'll have a head start for next year.
Of course the garden looks a wreck this time of year. I leave a lot of dead foliage to shelter the new shoots. But I am so looking forward to a) getting in among the weeds that have been sheltered by the overgrown shrubs and b) putting in new planting.
We had rain on and off all weekend and even though I am expecting a new batch of weeds to emerge, I am so grateul to look out and see the green lawn and the pond across the way sparkling in the sun and just looking so fresh and beautiful.
I might do a trip out to the garden centre later just to pick up a couple of punnets of seedlings to replace dead things in pots. Getting them in after the rain is probably an opportunity not to pass up!