Its been a while

I haven't updated this for 3 months! Been busy and not done much in the garden. It looks great from teh lounge window but there are some big gaps in the garden.

In the cottage bed the foxgloves and aquiligas worked well earlier in the year and the fennel has done really well and the penstemon is good. But the delphinums didn't come up at all and there is a big gap where something else failed (lupins I think). The lavender looks a bit messy and the pinks weren't happy at all this year. At the front I planted some lobila which has (as always) done well. The cosmos went in very late and aren't as good as last year. 2 lily bulbs that are still in a pot have done really well and have looked fab for the last couple of weeks. the coreopis at the front hasn't come up at all. The rose looked pretty in May and June but had no flowers in July. Ther is a really big gap at the back which could do with another shrub or bush. A late flowering rose might work.

The hot bed has just not worked at all. The poppies looked great for about 2 days. The lupins and corepois haven't come up at all and left a big gap. The heleniums are a bit weak. The red hot pokers came out for about a day. The rudbeckias are just starting to come out but don't look nearly as good as last year. I bought quite a lot of annuals to go in this bed and the slugs got them. I grew some sunflowers in pots and the slugs got them as well. So this bed just looks empty and a mess. I was going to get some achillea to go through this bed but haven't. I wonder if the site is sunny enough. But they are meant to be drought resistant. Maybe lots of these would be a good idea. This bed just hasn't worked really and has a big gap at the back as well as at the front.

The bed along the side by Joe's house has been quite successful. Really could do with another 6 or so heuchera. I should def divide the ones I have in spring or autumn to finish this bed off. The hydranger I added last year did well. Maybe a hydranga could work at the back of teh cottage bed. I'd like a purple one with a mix of big and little petals.

The fern garden at the back just does not get enough water. I need to move the dogwood to teh hot bed and move a couple of the ferns that are by the fence forward. One of the laurels at back has died - I assume not enough water and the Japonicas are def not getting enough water.

Didn't mange any lawn care in autum or spring and its now covered in clover.

Planted 3 tomato plants and they certainly haven't done as well as last year. Just beginning to get some toms now. The strawberry plants did well earlier this summer and we had one good crop of salad leaves as well as some from mum.

Tried not to spend to much on annuals this year. Have a few fushias in blue pots and 1 hanging basket that look good. Not had a chance to plant up pots for front steps or the silver containers.

All in all - must do better next year! This autum need to feed the beds and the lawn. In the spring do some dividing and moving of plants and plant up seeds for toms, potatoes, salad etc.