Summer drought

Garden Journal (No.7) – Cobwebs and Gardens…

| Gary Webb

An escape to the coast that sort of worked; an update on working life right now; looking beyond the drought; bee holes galore; allotment toms and more – it’s all in here and more besides.

Hi and welcome to my garden journal, a personal record of my place right now where gardens, gardening and nature are concerned. [ Note: Due to a malfunction this is a delayed posting of this journal entry from August – edition No.8 to follow tomorrow! Bonus back to back editions! ]

Generally Speaking

Escape to the coast… In my last garden journal I looked forward to a summer break ‘swooshing around delightful gardens, gallivanting around the countryside and lying back on a sunny beach’. Well, that plan mostly worked, although not before a bout of illness swept me off my feet, followed swiftly by Storm Floris which delivered a less-than-ideal start to the holidays.

It wasn’t all bad however, although during the break I did chose not to visit any gardens, which ordinarily should give cause for concern; especially considering some quality heritage gardens were in the area visited, including Bodnant no less. (Maybe next time eh…) It was a family holiday though, and whilst the lure was undoubtedly there, this time I felt a need for a complete break, sweeping both cobwebs and gardens away. An explanation for this might be gleaned as I write on, but if not do not concern yourself, you’ll never keep me away from gardens for too long!

Sea holly flowers, or Eryngium maritimum.
Can’t resist a little sea holly, to look at though, certainly not to touch! 

I must say that the much-anticipated week away in north Wales did settle down swiftly after the storm, and all turned out well in the end. Okay, so some of the days may not have gone entirely to plan, but the weather turned out well, and we were blessed to have some much-needed time away from the treadmill. Crisp sea air filled my lungs, the eyes bathed in some incredibly beautiful landscape, and my spirit was indeed refreshed.

On the work front… I can’t be drawn on the details, but I have some quite involved stuff to deal with in the coming weeks, a process that’s already forced a good deal of reflection on my career journey thus far. Suffice to say that like many others, my career’s had its twists and turns, and whilst at times I’ve taken an unusual route, each turn has brought valuable experience. Needless to say, my horticultural journey is far from done yet.

Taking the helicopter view of where I’m currently positioned, I can see that it’s good sometimes when change comes unexpectedly, otherwise there can be a tendency to plod along and accept the hand we’re dealt. Right now, though, with my cards scattered across the floor, I realise that I might have been guilty of accepting my path in recent years, feeling somewhat powerless to challenge a system I knew to be flawed.

Time waits for no one of course, and whilst I’m a little at sea with it all right now, those recent years have certainly not been for nothing, I know that for sure. Looking ahead, change is unavoidable, and however things work out, I shall continue to adapt and grow just like I always have. To mention this at all is partly to capture where I’m placed right now, but also as affirmation of how I wish to move forward. More on this anon.

In the Garden

A touch on the dry side – Don’t worry, I’m not going to harp-on again about how dry the garden still is, as I sufficiently covered this last month. I was of course hoping back then to tempt fate, and whilst some liquid refreshment came during the stormy period, this is now a fortnight gone, and the ground again is fissured.

I’m resigned to the fact that as tough as gardening is just now, that’s just the way it is, and whilst extreme weather does cause significant issues in some locations, adapt to the circumstance we must. (Adapt seems to be my word of the moment!) The conditions I describe aren’t just local to me here in Warwickshire but are widespread, so we’re all facing the same challenges to one extent or another, and as gardeners we must learn from it and rise to the challenge.

So here’s my simple strategy: Firstly, a key focus for the cooler months ahead is to boost my water harvesting capacity, both in my home garden and for the allotment. Then secondly, I shall ramp-up again my autumn and winter soil care by introducing organic mulch that will feed the soil whilst helping both with moisture retention and drainage. There’s a lot of science to it but trust me, the soil and I will figure it out for ourselves.

Both tasks aren’t going to fix things in one season alone, but incrementally, I’m looking to make a difference.

Wildlife – On the face of it, wildlife must be having a tough time of things just now, and some species couldn’t be blamed for keeping a low profile. In my own garden, aside from the odd peacock butterfly or pigeons who regularly arrive to quench their thirst, there’s little to shout about. Even my beloved swifts have upped and left.

If I zoom in a little closer though the garden is still full of activity, and to the fore jumps the flying specialists such as hoverflies, wasps and bees. The wasps I have noticed have developed a particular interest in my box shrubs, visiting throughout the day now for the last three weeks or more. I can only assume they’re either searching for food, such as aphids, or they’re hooked on the liquid feed I’ve been using on the foliage – if you have the definitive answer I’d love to find out for sure.

As for the bees, we fixed a second bee hotel to the fence back at the beginning of summer, one of those little boxes filled with hollow bamboo canes that some solitary bees are drawn to. Due to its newness, I didn’t expect to see any guests this year at all but have been surprised to see rooms in the hotel already pressed into use.

A twin image, to the left bamboo tubes with some cavities plugged by solitary bees, and to the right leaves that exhibit where the 'plugs' have come from - nearby leaves.
The bee hotel taking its first guests, and beautifully nibbled plugs to seal each section. The wonder of nature… 

The hollow tubes attract female bees who construct a series of little chambers to deposit eggs and food, before neatly capping the end of each pipe with a moulded leafy plug. It really is a work of art, and if that wasn’t incredible enough, the leaf sections used to plug the tubes in the hotel have been nibbled from nearby Wisteria and rose leaves, which now resemble pieces of Swiss Cheese!

If it’s not too cheesy to say, it’s worth adding that we’re considering listing the accommodation next year on Air Bee-n-Bee… (Sorry not sorry!)

@AllotofPotential allotment – Aside from watering, the last input the allotment received was a flying visit just before we headed for the holiday hills, and that occasion was mostly restricted to giving key areas a thorough soaking – notably the glasshouse.

I’m glad to say that whilst it’s a pain to program, the solar powered watering system has again worked like a trooper this year, sucking up water from a tank inside the glasshouse and delivering it to the base of each tomato or courgette plant. I’ve dealt with feeding separately, and water the beds more thoroughly once a week if I can, but otherwise they’re left to themselves (I do use a shade net on the glasshouse).

The first of the tomatoes cropped this season, plus some French beans and courgettes – to balance the chocolate consumption…

Around three weeks ago the first tomatoes ripened for picking, albeit not from a purposely grown plant, but a self-seeded one. It popped up in a convenient place, so I went with it, and it’s now delivering some incredibly tasty cherry-sized fruits. Plants are good at figuring things out for themselves I find…

Elsewhere on the plot I just about managed to drop in some leeks before leaving the plot to its own devices, but having visited since, I’m happy to report they’ve settled in okay. Recent re-sowings of carrots and beetroot are up and away, as too are radishes that are always quick off the mark. The less said about parsnip seed the better, but if it’s not showing itself by my next visit, it may well have missed its chance this year!

Looking Ahead

Right now, I’m enjoying a sweet scented second flush of roses and the brightest red honeysuckle berries in my home garden. Out and about though, you can rest assured I’ll be looking to enjoy every drop of juice the summer season has left in its tank; I do hope you’re able to do the same.

I’m not wishing the summer away of course, but as the season cycles, I always anticipate the delights the ever-shortening days will bring. Whether it is golden seed heads catching an afternoon breeze, leaf silhouettes dancing across the fence or the last of the fiery red pelargoniums cascading from pots at the allotment.

Rosa ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ giving a second flush – it’s been a good year for the…

Now the home lavender trimming is safely in the rear-view mirror, I’m also looking ahead to tasks that’ll need doing across both home the garden and allotment. I’ve still to plant some brassicas for winter/spring harvest, compost desperately needs turning, and onions, potatoes, tomatoes, courgettes and cornichons need regular harvesting.

As if all that isn’t enough, whilst the no-dig approach appears to be working well, couch grass is quietly creeping in from the side paths, so that will need rooting out soon too. It may not be the most productive plot at the allotments, yet, but its care does demand focus and energy, which is what makes allotmenteering so appealing!

~

I shall sign off for now, by wishing you all the very best.

Until next time, Gary, Gardening ways.

Garden Journal (no.6) – Be like a tree…

| Gary Webb

Hello again and welcome back to my garden journal, a place to record my gardening world right now, look at where I’ve been and peer into the future.

Generally Speaking

Right now…I’m a tree… A few weeks have passed by since I last updated my garden journal, and despite the pause in posting I can confirm that I have been as busy as ever. Gardening aside, time has taught me that my personal motivation for writing does naturally dip during summer, so rather than squeeze out posts or journal entries I simply pause for a while. It’s not like I stop writing, I’ve just learned not to force it, to park the F.O.M.O., care less about social stats, and get on with other things.

All that said, whilst there might have been some beautifully long, slow and sultry days since the summer solstice, mine do seem to have been filled with a lot of stuff. Suffice to say that between roving around gardens for work, burying my head in books for research, private garden visits, (see image below!) a garden show and activity in my own garden and allotment, there genuinely hasn’t been much time to think – let alone write!

Still, in just a few weeks’ time I’ll be taking a little break so I must be patient. Yes, that dream of swooshing around delightful gardens, gallivanting around the countryside and lying back on a sunny beach each day will hopefully be realised. Naturally, I intend each night to kick back and watch the sunset with a long drink, a head full of inspiration, an open book and fully loaded pen – well that’s the plan. Until then I have some serious stuff to deal with on the work front, so I’ll keep searching for that balance between all that needs doing to keep the pennies rolling in (and the kids fed), and I’ll daily remind myself that I’m not weary, I’m adaptable and resilient, just like a tree. (Let’s hope nothing falls off in the meantime!)

A Japanese Tea House set in a wooded garden at Morton Hall
A favourite image from a recent visit to Morton Hall Gardens with the Japanese Garden Society – a lovingly crafted Japanese Tea House.

In the Garden

Bring on the Flowers – Although we’ve enjoyed some rain these last few days, since last writing we have had to endure some warm and windy weeks – flaming June having broken records yet again. It has been weather to kick back on a beach with an iced coffee or float around in a cool pool, but as for the gardening community, it’s been a challenging time for sure – beautiful sunny skies that have brought on the flowers, but tough under foot in more ways than one.

In my home garden, even though the ornamental borders were heavily mulched earlier in the year when the soil was moist, the ground has still dried, and cracks have appeared large enough to swallow a mouse whole – even after the weekend rain. At this point though and with such shrinkage, there’s little point in watering copiously as we might have done in days gone by, but instead zooming-in just on those plants that need it most and watering thoroughly.

Cracks in my garden foundations, but little to be done – they will come and go…

Yes, if you’re willing to take the hit on your water bill the hose is there and waiting, and nobody would probably notice. But really, in a private garden setting, and unless the plants are rare, I’d let them fend for themselves, urging all to conserve our water resource where we can. I’ll store my soapbox away now…

Wildlife – Even having a soft spot for wildlife, I was still a little miffed to be woken by some strange snorting noises coming from the garden one evening last week, a little after midnight. The snorts were regular, somewhat dry, and coming from somewhere underneath the plants in the front garden – but hanging out of my window with a torch couldn’t reveal exactly what it was.

Out I went then, clad in PJs with torch in hand, (ready to run if the need arose), only to discover not one but two hedgehogs, who suddenly went very quiet. The hogs were large and healthy it seemed and were clearly enjoying a night on the town.

Nevertheless, with it being a rather warm night I backed away, only to return with a dish of water to quench their thirst – the neighbours must have thought I’d lost the plot! Anyway, when next viewing from up above I could see they’d moved on, but as my head once again hit the pillow, I couldn’t help but feel guilty for interrupting a night of passion!

Niwaki – With work on my home garden presently reduced to plant feeding, deadheading, occasionally ‘topping’ the lawn and watering, progress, for want of a steady word has been slow. Where I’ve channelled my gardening ambitions therefore in a calming, meditative kind of way, is through some topiary work, trimming cloud pruned box shrubs and formative pruning a young hornbeam tree.

My ‘Niwaki’ tree, if I dare be so bold was planted maybe three years back and has been left alone to settle in whilst I plucked up courage to get busy with some pruners. Earlier this year though the time came to get involved and trim out the leading stem, as I don’t really have room for a forest-sized tree in my back garden!

A Gardener busy pruning and training a garden tree, against a garden fence with blue skies behind
I know, it doesn’t look much yet but give it time… 

In early summer I selected the side branches I wished to keep, most evenly spaced and with a good spread around the tree. Then came ‘special branch’ training, where I tied canes onto each branch to straighten them over time. Stone weights then followed, tied to each branch to lower them down a little below horizontal until the whole tree, all eight or nine feet of it began to look quite arty – trussed up, but artfully so.

All that worked for a while, but after some weeks observing and studying, I have now moved in for a second piece of work, upgrading my training system to canes and black string instead of stone weights. Whilst still in full leaf, the training system is now relatively well hidden, although close up I might easily be seen as a control freak! In my defence, I’d just say that I do like to experiment and stretch myself horticulturally, and after all – I’m only here once!

I shall keep you posted as to whether the tree thrives or turns it’s toes up!

@AllotofPotential allotment – Although it’s been steady-ahead in the home garden, the allotment has called for a little more input. Being free draining, holding on to moisture in the ground can be something of a challenge, although somewhat unsurprisingly, the wildflowers (weeds) do tend to cope admirably. Irrigation has therefore been increased to keep things green and growing in the heat.

The delicious broad beans have done well so far but have run out of steam now, and the strawberries have come and gone – mostly before I could get my hands on them. (I do need to up my strawberry game for next year). Tomatoes are racing up the canes in the glasshouse and the first fruits have been harvested from the courgettes, whilst pumpkins in their patch are sending stems here and everywhere, showing off their bright yellow flowers and immature fruits to an excited world. Seed-wise, whilst later than hoped, the first rows of carrots, parsnips, beetroot and radish have been sown, so fingers crossed there for some good growth beyond the full moon.

These pumpkins have @allotofpotential…(have a look on Insta!)

Overall, after a sluggish start, things are moving along nicely on the allotment growing front. On the allotment wildlife front though, I was ecstatic last week to see a ‘charm’ or group of goldfinches descend on the plot, focussing wholly on some self-seeded cornflowers that were left to grow in a floral border. The goldfinches, which never appear in my garden just a mile or so away, were a real treat, as were the skylarks who serenaded a delightful allotment gardening session.

Looking Ahead

Needless to say, that with record temperatures forecast in the days ahead, a heavy workload and the holiday season fast approaching, I’m not setting my gardening bar very high for a while. I shall just aim to keep things alive and well fed, with a little clipping here, a little tying in there, and a wish that all will be well.

Maybe I’ll be taking a leaf out of Mother Nature’s book and accept that with shortening days, there is a need to slow down, calm the pace and pause. Think of those cool early mornings when nothing stirs but the birds, or long summer evenings when plants cease moving and fresh air is nowhere to be found. Vibrant flourishing growth witnessed during spring and early summer is maturing, the frenetic activity we experienced has slowed, so things must give as we crest summer’s brow.

There’s much yet to come but remember the value of sitting back and taking time to appreciate our midsummer gardens, taking stock of the highs and lows of the year so far. With that frame of mind, I shall be looking myself for gentle contemplation and will make time in the days ahead to study plants more closely, observing how they’re responding to this highpoint of the year. I’ll be sitting down to watch bees extract goodness from the flowers, I will meditate on sunlit grass heads waving gently back and forth, and if I’m lucky, I will harvest some home-grown food here and there – that will be me for the foreseeable.

~

Wishing you all the very best, until next time, Gary, Gardening ways.