It is already late June in the City Garden and I am starting to feel that I am on the right track, at last. But of course, with gardens, you are never quite sure. This is a very difficult garden, partly because of all the trees and partly because I am ambitious about wanting variety. The scaffolding has finally come down and pots are back in place – now I need to think about what else I can do this year.
Fernery
The fernery is at the side of house – lots of ferns which are almost all in pots. They are lovely this year but then I have been here, and I have had time to water them! Mostly they survived the last two years of neglect, and absence during hot weather. The only casualty has been an asplenium which I divided, and which is not happy. I only have one very small survivor which I am going to put in a small pot in the shade and wait and see what happens.
And there is another small fernery starting in the shade near the back wall.
Hydrangeas
Yes I know I wrote about the hydrangeas before but I like them! and the flowers are starting to colour. When I prune them I stick the cuttings in a pot and generally they take – I can’t bear to throw them away.
Death of Acanthus (i.e. more hydrangeas!)
OK, I thought, I have had enough of seeing the acanthus dripping with snails. So I dug it out and gave it away. This opened up a space which seems to catch some late afternoon sunshine. Previous cuttings from Annabelle have rooted and I have planted four of them in the space. Inbetween there are cuttings of geranium Spessart. I have dug in compost and bonemeal and now I hope it will grow. Three of the cuttings are growing away nicely which is ok, and I will put more prunings in pots next spring. Meanwhile she flourishes in another corner – gorgeous!
Cistus
Pretty and aromatic!
Gardeners’ Garters
Yes, there are fine and colourful, but they are invasive and I will have to do something about them. The are growing too well in late June in the City Garden and swamping the miscanthus and other grasses which are also in this bed. I think they will have to be moved into pots – perhaps even the pavement garden. Another big job for the autumn or spring. In the meantime they are handsome.
Lysimachia
I planted a variegated Lysimachia but most of the variation has disappeared, swamped by the green original. I also have a purple-leaved version which is rather floppy. But it is flowering…
Late June in the City Garden is looking quite nice and I enjoy sitting there in the evening, with a glass of wine. There is always a bird singing somewhere and it is peaceful at the end of the day. I am sure The Propagator will approve!
Ferns are so lovely and underrated I think. The Gardeners’ Garters are lovely, never heard of them, they look like outdoor Spider Plants! Your city garden sounds like a lovely place to end the day Candy.
Lovely looking ferns and of course the hydrangeas.
Thank you. I love the ferns but I am starting to wonder how I could display them better. MY garden space is limited and small pots dry out so fast, although ferns are more resilient than I thought. Hydrangeas seem to grow well and so they multiply for gardening ease!
I love the fernery! What is it about the ferns that make one feel cool just viewing them? I guess, because they grow in the cool shade!
Yes, you may be right – we associate ferns with shade and feel cool. It makes us very suggestible! I love them because they are simple and complex at the same time, but they are difficult to photograph…