What's your garden like at this time of year?

[musicalpilgrim]

Those ones seem to be a different shape, musicalpilgrim. Pretty colour!

they are Turks cap lilies...the flowers last quite a long time.
We are in mid summer, well, being England there is a mix, my daughter's tortoise thinks it is time to hibernate and has gone to sleep, as some of the days have an Autumn feel ...rain etc.
Your garden sounds like a quite delightful Spring!

 

[joyshirley]

they are Turks cap lilies...the flowers last quite a long time.
We are in mid summer, well, being England there is a mix, my daughter's tortoise thinks it is time to hibernate and has gone to sleep, as some of the days have an Autumn feel ...rain etc.
Your garden sounds like a quite delightful Spring!

Yes, almost Spring here now, musicalpilgrim. I wasn't describing my actual garden, though. We do have some camellias here, but no magnolias. I see them round the region when out driving, and also rhododendrons flowering profusely right now.

 

[rebornfree]

The lilies are beautiful musicalpilgrim, and in very good condition. You must be a competent gardener.

Js, it sounds as if spring is nearly there in NZ, with a nice variety of plants. I didn't realise that you could have daffodils and rhododendrons flowering at the same time. Here our daffs are usually out in March and the rhododendrons not until June.

I've killed the chrysanthemums! I didn't know what I'd done, as I'd planted them in general purpose compost, until Monty Don happened to say on Gardeners World that they like a particular type of soil (I can't remember if it was acid or lime loving). That explains their lack of flowers. The dahlias, petunias and fuchsias are all doing well, and everything else is okay except that a tree had branches with dead leaves. I pruned it, but more leaves turned brown and then I realised that, like musicalpilgrim's daughter's tortoise, it thought it was autumn!

 

[Pilgrim]

dry

 

[joyshirley]

The lilies are beautiful musicalpilgrim, and in very good condition. You must be a competent gardener.

Js, it sounds as if spring is nearly there in NZ, with a nice variety of plants. I didn't realise that you could have daffodils and rhododendrons flowering at the same time. Here our daffs are usually out in March and the rhododendrons not until June.

I've killed the chrysanthemums! I didn't know what I'd done, as I'd planted them in general purpose compost, until Monty Don happened to say on Gardeners World that they like a particular type of soil (I can't remember if it was acid or lime loving). That explains their lack of flowers. The dahlias, petunias and fuchsias are all doing well, and everything else is okay except that a tree had branches with dead leaves. I pruned it, but more leaves turned brown and then I realised that, like musicalpilgrim's daughter's tortoise, it thought it was autumn!

I watched a repeat of Monty Don's gardening programme recently. He is so inspiring, isn't he?

I'm sorry to hear about the chrysanths, Sue...better luck next time, eh?

Our section is looking great right now with lovely green grass looking neat after a cut today. My husband seems to almost enjoy cutting the lawn these days as there isn't too much of it so he whips through it pretty fast. I have a bit of weeding to do in the little stone borders - mainly little tufts of grass that have managed to infiltrate among the stones. There are flaxes planted here and there among the stones. Tons of gardeners over here now go more for flaxes and grasses and native shrubs which remain looking good all year round. It can actually be a lovely surprise to come across a section that has lots and lots of flowers planted.

 

[rebornfree]

dry

I'm sorry to hear that Mr. O. I pray that you get rain soon.

I watched a repeat of Monty Don's gardening programme recently. He is so inspiring, isn't he?

I'm sorry to hear about the chrysanths, Sue...better luck next time, eh?

Our section is looking great right now with lovely green grass looking neat after a cut today. My husband seems to almost enjoy cutting the lawn these days as there isn't too much of it so he whips through it pretty fast. I have a bit of weeding to do in the little stone borders - mainly little tufts of grass that have managed to infiltrate among the stones. There are flaxes planted here and there among the stones. Tons of gardeners over here now go more for flaxes and grasses and native shrubs which remain looking good all year round. It can actually be a lovely surprise to come across a section that has lots and lots of flowers planted.

Yes, I enjoy watching Monty Don, but also like Alan Titchmarsh too. Some of their advice goes over my head though. I really need the basics.

At least now I know what to do about the chrysanths - at least I will when I've looked up the soil type needed!

Freshly cut grass is a lovely smell in the springtime, isn't it? How nice that your husband seems to almost enjoy cutting it. Mine never did and it was a job I hated. I'm so thankful that there isn't any here! It must be nice to see a border full of flowers if many people are planting flaxes and grasses these days. Nice to have the foliage all the year around, but I think that there is nothing to compare with the beauty of flowers.

 

[joyshirley]

I'm sorry to hear that Mr. O. I pray that you get rain soon.


Yes, I enjoy watching Monty Don, but also like Alan Titchmarsh too. Some of their advice goes over my head though. I really need the basics.

At least now I know what to do about the chrysanths - at least I will when I've looked up the soil type needed!

Freshly cut grass is a lovely smell in the springtime, isn't it? How nice that your husband seems to almost enjoy cutting it. Mine never did and it was a job I hated. I'm so thankful that there isn't any here! It must be nice to see a border full of flowers if many people are planting flaxes and grasses these days. Nice to have the foliage all the year around, but I think that there is nothing to compare with the beauty of flowers.

Yes, 'almost enjoy' being the operative words, Sue. My husband isn't into gardening at all - never has been. Traditionally we have had a lawn chap come and cut our lawns, but the lawn at our present home is small enough that my husband said he would do it instead. I am glad because when he does cut the lawn, he cuts it well, not leaving missed bits. It always looks great when he has finished. I find the mower quite heavy to push round so I am never expected to cut the lawn, for which I'm thankful.

My parents have had lovely flower gardens through the years. Dad has pared his down a lot now that he has moved into a home with a smaller section, but his current flower garden always has a lovely display in summer.

I love iceland poppies. En masse, they are so beautiful.

 

[rebornfree]

I used to find mowing the lawn harder work than going to the gym! Must have been something wrong with the mower! My father used to do it well, and it looked good when it was done. I'm very happy to look at a well cut lawn, as long as I'm not the one cutting it!

Your Dad sounds like a keen gardener, as was mine. I hope his flowers do well this year.

I've just looked up Iceland Poppies, as I didn't know the difference between them and the red ones. Having seen some pictures I agree that they look beautiful.

 

[joyshirley]

Time to cut the lawn again here. I hope the sun stays out long enough for it to get done this weekend. I went and bought a lawn edger today as we don't have a weedeater. It only cost 20 dollars, which I was pleased about. We always used to have a lawn edger but when we moved a couple of years ago, some of the stuff in our garage was whisked away to be donated and I think our spade and lawn edger accidentally went with that stuff. So I had to buy a new spade as well, a while back. It hasn't needed to be used once at this new place we're in, though.

 

[rebornfree]

Time to cut the lawn again here. I hope the sun stays out long enough for it to get done this weekend. I went and bought a lawn edger today as we don't have a weedeater. It only cost 20 dollars, which I was pleased about. We always used to have a lawn edger but when we moved a couple of years ago, some of the stuff in our garage was whisked away to be donated and I think our spade and lawn edger accidentally went with that stuff. So I had to buy a new spade as well, a while back. It hasn't needed to be used once at this new place we're in, though.

Ah, now if you weren't 11,000 miles away you could have borrowed my lawn edger, as it's not needed here, but I've kept it in case one day it should be in use again! (I've let some things go though, which I've later had to replace.) Glad you managed to get another one at a good price, js. It sounds as if spring has really arrived in NZ.

We seemed to have had autumn weather in August, and now it's almost wintery here some of the time. However flowers are still blooming - one of the fushias, which was looking a bit sad earlier in the year, is now doing very well and the sedums are just flowering.

 

[Rescued One]

This photo was taken a couple of days ago.

 

[rebornfree]

That is beautiful Phoebe Ann.

 

[Rescued One]

Thank you, rebornfree and Mr. O. I had to take a picture because I never had such luck before.

 

[Tayla]

I live in a 100 year old cabin in the dense forest of Washington State in complete quiet and solitude, the nearest house 1/2 mile away. My garden is..., well, the forest. I blazed many walking trails in the 7 acres I have access to. Spring growth was crazy; I couldn't keep up with it and finally had to purchase some gasoline powered tools.

I love autumn. The growth has subsided, the leaves of the maple trees are turning, Douglas Fir needles are strewn about (along with cedar leaves and sticks and other brown woody things from the trees), it's still not too cold, the insects and annoying mosquitoes are mostly gone. I thank Jesus for providing me and my wife (and dogs) the desires of our heart.

 

[rebornfree]

Sounds lovely jesus316. I love autumn too.

I've tidied up the garden and got rid of the annuals to make room for some spring bulbs: hyacinths and daffodils so far. I've pruned a few plants, but some are still flowering. I think my cape daisy in biennial - it seems to flower in spring and autumn and has buds now. It is one of the best plants I have ever had.

 

[musicalpilgrim]

This is so beautiful! Phoebe Ann, I love the angel as well...

I thank Jesus for providing me and my wife (and dogs) the desires of our heart.

Oh yes, same here although our little patch is somewhat smaller...

I've tidied up the garden and got rid of the annuals to make room for some spring bulbs: hyacinths and daffodils so far. I've pruned a few plants, but some are still flowering. I think my cape daisy in biennial - it seems to flower in spring and autumn and has buds now. It is one of the best plants I have ever had.

just what I am doing, tidying up, which is quite satisfying... my husband found a pile of leaves in the corner of the garden and underneath is a hedgehog hibernating. We covered him up carefully...

 

[joyshirley]

I have some weeding that needs doing here and I hope to have a young friend of ours call over and whip through it for me. He does a great job and works fast. I will pay him for his time and it will save me a lot of work and probable pain. Now that Spring is well underway here, everything, including weeds and grass, are going for it.

 

[joyshirley]

just what I am doing, tidying up, which is quite satisfying... my husband found a pile of leaves in the corner of the garden and underneath is a hedgehog hibernating. We covered him up carefully...

I haven't seen any hedgehogs here where we live now, but we had one at our previous home. I used to enjoy watching him snuffling about in the garden in the evenings.

 

[Rescued One]

This is so beautiful! Phoebe Ann, I love the angel as well...


Oh yes, same here although our little patch is somewhat smaller...


just what I am doing, tidying up, which is quite satisfying... my husband found a pile of leaves in the corner of the garden and underneath is a hedgehog hibernating. We covered him up carefully...

Thank you. I got rid of my flowers today. We've had two overnight frosts.

 

[joyshirley]

The yard here is looking very good at present. My husband cut the lawn this weekend just gone and our young friend did come over and whip through the weeding for me. The grass is looking very good right now when cut. I do love green grass. It is so nice to walk on barefoot and on a hot day, it instantly makes me feel cooler just by looking at it.