Successes and Failures

It seems to me that 2017 has seen more than  usual garden disappointments. So to cheer myself up I thought I would list the surprise successes to try to balance matters out. I am realistic enough to appreciate that gardeners will inevitably have their set backs and out right failures. Perhaps I  have a higher proportion than most, partly because of the hostile conditions but also because of stubbornness. I admit to not taking defeat lightly; why I imagine I can grow certain plants I do not know.......

Failures
~ the blackberries, victim I suspect of a virus from the neighbouring wilderness just beyond the top of the garden
~ the dahlia, not a single bloom despite being over wintered very carefully in the conservatory
~ the millet jester, for the second year I have attempted to grow from seed. They germinate and start to grow but promptly die when taken outside!!!

Right the black bamboo is beginning to from a screen
Below the water lilies are still blooming in October!  


Pleasing Successes
~ the water lillies, which produced more flowers than I can recall for a long time
~ the black bamboo, growing splendidly despite its rather miserable appearance back in March
~ the agapanthus, all of which seemed to flower this year (again they were over wintered inside but this time were not repotted)

In short the gardener must be philosophical.