Cold, wet, windy, grey – thoroughly miserable and definitely not a day to be outside, which is a pity because there is plenty to do. After some weeks away the garden is looking good, but untidy! I am going to share my quinces and more from the Fortnight Garden this week.
1.Quinces – I was looking forward to a bumper crop but a surprising number, from the lower branches of the tree, seem to have disappeared in my absence – curious… However, there are enough to keep me happy until next year and there is plenty of jelly and membrillo in the store cupboard. Sadly many of the fruits have split, and searching on the internet I find that this may be as a result of too much rain. I am going to cut out the spoiled parts and bake the rest anyway – I love baked quince and creme fraiche!


2.Lamb’s tails, Stachys Byzantina, grows under the hedge and next to the pavement. However, it is spreading and so I have had to dig out and thin. These cuttings will be going to a friend, and into some tubs.

3.Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ is over this year and as I cut back I push some of the cuttings into pots – some will take and I have a home for them.

4.The grasses are still flowering, and rather fun – slightly blurry, but I did say it was very windy!
5.More exploding Japanese Anemones! They need to be cut off – I have more than enough in The Fortnight Garden.

6.And finally, the Hen and Chicken plant is putting out more plantlings than I can possibly need. I hate throwing plants away – what on earth am I going to do?


I hope The Propagator will feel this is more solidly ‘on the ground’, although I could wish to be closer to the ground rather than looking out on rain! I hope that my fellow gardeners enjoy my quinces and more from The Fortnight Garden this week.
I love Japanese anemone seed pods. Mine aren’t there yet, for which I’m grateful, as they do spread easily. There are plenty of gardeners on FreeCycle who are willing to take all your extras, if you don’t mind doing the advertising part. Your grasses are lovely.
I hadn’t thought of Freecycle – thank you