Gardeners World Viewer Contribution

Earlier this year I responded to the Gardner's World request for some viewers videos. During the first lockdown making TV programmes was quite a challenge, hence their appeal for material to help fill their show with segments other than repeats. Sadly, mine was not selected for screening, I am guessing the ambient noise from the virtually ever present breeze in the Pennine garden might have been the reason. Alternatively,  it could have rejected on the basis that my less than photogenic film star good looks were just not quite right aside:  but surely Mili would have compensated with her last scene appearance! 

Anyway I hope you enjoyed my little attempt, or at least had a chuckle at my screen presence!

Hecate and Mili in the Sunshine

The two cats have been enjoying the last of the nice weather when the opportunity presents. Perhaps they can anticipate the on coming autumn or perhaps they are just soft and feel more comfortable when the gardener is around to offer a little protection from visiting bandits!

Pots for Winter Interest

In a recent post I revisited the idea of putting together our bulb lasagnes. In a similar vein my better half decided that it would be a nice idea to have some winter interest, in the form of two winter pots. Placed on the patio near to the kitchen door she has composed two linked displays that should look just right all the way through to next spring.

The pots are packed with evergreens, they have plants with different shapes and form and only one specimen is duplicated, the red hook sedge. But the red hook sedge and the fact the pots themselves are matched serves to unify the two displays into a coherent and interesting splash of colour.

Top tip: when planning little displays such as these winter pots consider how you might be able to use the plants afterwards. For instance, if you use a dwarf conifer (as shown in the pot on the left) think about where it will be relocated to when the tub is emptied out in spring. I have a little space in the heather beds earmarked for this fine specimen.

Alternatively,

Top tip: to keep the costs of winter tubs down you might consider utilizing plants that you already have in the garden, not surprisingly, the grasses where taken from seedlings that had just self seeded and the red cyclamens is a survivor from previous years.