So wet surely the ground cannot soak up any more water, but still it rains. Not sure I should contribute this Saturday in my current mood of sulky gloominess, but here goes with a more than slightly soggy Six.
But first a cheerful, hopeful start indoors with a book, bought this week, that I hope is going to kickstart an improvement in the planning of my garden: Christopher Lloyd’s ‘Succession Planting’. Bought after attending an absolutely brilliant and inspiring talk by Fergus Garrett about planting for all year interest at Great Dixter. Too busy concentrating on the beautiful slides of that garden to take many notes, so that’s where the book comes in. There are too many stuttering gaps with not much interest at all in my own garden and I am hoping that I can learn how to improve this. A long term project.
Next up are, on the edge of flowering and guaranteed to cheer me up, the anemone blanda snug in their terracotta pots and taking temporary shelter from the rain in the greenhouse.
Also in there are the various tender plants that have multiplied beyond the capacity of my windowsills. Chillies Joe’s Long Cayenne and Submarine; the small aubergine Slim Jim and cigar length cucumber Diva along with tomatoes, Stupicke, Black Krim, Sungold and Principe Borghese Just hoping they spurt into more solid growth when (or if) the weather improves.
Surviving, despite the wet and cold, are the surprisingly healthy looking small plants of Iceland poppy. Tentatively sown in the Autumn from a packet of old seed, they have survived my consistent Winter neglect and when the ground is a little more welcoming, it will be time to plant them out.
Five are the quick growing Cosmos Dazzler which will soon need potting on. Their deep and lovely pink is a real favourite late in Summer.
Finally are the unexpected buds of tulips planted for cut flowers two years ago which seemed to have disappeared, but here they are in the corner of a bed. Of course, can’t remember what they are called, but it doesn’t really matter as I am sure they will look absolutely lovely, especially if the now absent sun comes back to shine on them. Many more cheerful Sixes at The Propagator I’m sure, if you make your way over there – you won’t even need your wellies.
thedevelopingplot 
Thought it was a great six for such a wet day, agree I don’t know how much more of this rain the ground or indeed I can take
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Already cosmos … I have to check mine sown last week but I don’t think they are so developed …
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I love that book! Do you have the ‘Colour’ one too? Your poppies look so fresh and lovely. It’s great to get a surprise tulip, isn’t it? I just found one that I must have dropped when I was planting up my pots. It has rooted into the gravel on the drive behind the fence-post – must have been very determined to grow!
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Now that book sounds perfect, filling the temporal gaps being on my mind a lot lately. I will investigate further. I tried to grow Cosmos last year, the slugs were relentless. I have a packet of seed so I suppose I must try again.
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Cosmos!love them but they dont love me. Do.you sow one per pot? Or did you prick out into Those?
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Pricked them out after growing them in seed tray. Flowering time always a bit hit and miss for me. Sometimes graceful plants with lots of flowers. Other years flowers come at last minute on plants with tree-like stems.
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Any book by Christo is a good investment. I think I have them all. I wonder if it’s a bit early for Cosmos which may get very leggy. But the upside is that if that happens, just pot them on deep. By deep I mean a centimetre or so below the lowest leaves. When I plant them out, I ignore all the rules about “same soil level as in the pot” and bury them deep. Works fine.
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Good advice – thanks!
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I just found some Anemone blanda at work, and I really want to get a copy. I know very little about them, but I figure that they must go dormant sometime. They have probably been there for a long time, so are not going anywhere soon. I would like to plant them elsewhere and maybe find a better spot for them to really get going.
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I really admire how you’ve cracked on with the sowing, I’ve left it until now to start sowing indoors, although have chillies and tomatoes growing and broad beans down in the veg patch. I have both of Christo’s books, they’re great for the inspirational planting combos that you see at Gt Dixter. Try also Nick Bailey’s 365 Days of Colour – possibly in your local library?
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Thanks for mention of Nick Bailey’s book which I almost bought last week. Will be my next gardening read.
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Your greenhouse looks like Aladdin’s cave. And that book is something I also need to read. What a great Six for such icky weather.
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That book looks interesting, I too have a stuttering garden. You are ahead of me in sowing your cosmos. They look great. I love Dazzler. SOS is a good way to have some gentle reminders to get on with the jobs!!
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