tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28517495201077498812024-03-13T12:11:10.620+00:00ABSeedsabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-7888186311564771802020-07-02T11:16:00.001+01:002020-07-02T11:16:31.999+01:00Weather proof plants that don't flop in the rain<div><font face="arial">After days of heavy rain and after 60mph winds I'm taking a moment to appreciate the plants that have not flopped, sagged or turned to mush.</font></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial">No staking or other supports on these beautiful Halo Hollyhocks:</font></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XWGN3skfF88/Xv2xjN9OCMI/AAAAAAAAEH4/-zMvCZ-MoS8gyAaJ1hnZjYrhGcehdaJtgCK4BGAsYHg/s1200/IMG_7704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XWGN3skfF88/Xv2xjN9OCMI/AAAAAAAAEH4/-zMvCZ-MoS8gyAaJ1hnZjYrhGcehdaJtgCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h426/IMG_7704.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial">Eremurus looking perky alongside Knautia Macedonia, a pink/yellow lupin, and gorgeous Alstroemeria Summer Relieve, with Munstead lavender:<br /></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YA-zehigKwU/Xv2xucpf0oI/AAAAAAAAEIE/1B-B-kXhhWEV_2U8j3nntWkWKp63dPksgCK4BGAsYHg/s1200/IMG_7720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YA-zehigKwU/Xv2xucpf0oI/AAAAAAAAEIE/1B-B-kXhhWEV_2U8j3nntWkWKp63dPksgCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h426/IMG_7720.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial">Ring support </font><font face="arial"><font face="arial">at the bottom of Delphinium Nobility:</font></font></div><div><font face="arial"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UWLVySUabDE/Xv2yi-O0pJI/AAAAAAAAEIk/viEnWVo1E08XoT1O9rpC5o3Q0UmAcPdoQCK4BGAsYHg/s1200/IMG_7705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1200" height="604" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UWLVySUabDE/Xv2yi-O0pJI/AAAAAAAAEIk/viEnWVo1E08XoT1O9rpC5o3Q0UmAcPdoQCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h604/IMG_7705.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><font face="arial"><br /></font></font></div>abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-49910713609127988022020-06-18T08:54:00.001+01:002020-06-18T08:58:24.145+01:00Cassius: Fat spires <div><span style="font-family: "arial";">It's hard to capture just how substantial a Cassius delphinium spire is. Wide pyramidal spires of blue-mauve flowers with many side branches. </span><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PZmu3Th9Yeg/XusYUWOzNeI/AAAAAAAAEDY/Vqkh5_nLX4kXq3Pd9d0QlQ5-DU4LWekgQCK4BGAsYHg/s1376/20200603_171957.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Close up of Delphinium Elatum Cassius flower - blue and purple/mauve with dark eye." border="0" data-original-height="1342" data-original-width="1376" height="624" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PZmu3Th9Yeg/XusYUWOzNeI/AAAAAAAAEDY/Vqkh5_nLX4kXq3Pd9d0QlQ5-DU4LWekgQCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h624/20200603_171957.jpg" title="Close up of Cassius floret" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Close up of Cassius floret</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"></span></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZhfBhkTlGj0/XusYU_Clz1I/AAAAAAAAEDc/UXuiw5d65gkV5ptnjAGNY6y3b49ZYQUagCK4BGAsYHg/s2736/20200609_193355.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cassius, Pandora and Strawberry Fair delphiniums, left to right against a white wall.." border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="2736" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZhfBhkTlGj0/XusYU_Clz1I/AAAAAAAAEDc/UXuiw5d65gkV5ptnjAGNY6y3b49ZYQUagCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h426/20200609_193355.jpg" title="Left to right: Cassius, Pandora, Strawberry Fair" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Left to right: Cassius, Pandora, Strawberry Fair</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-72496434108749911242020-06-05T08:10:00.000+01:002020-06-05T08:10:06.188+01:00Weather resistant delphinium<div><span style="font-family: "arial";">After 40mph winds and heavy downpours, Jill Curley still looks lovely. What a thoroughly loveable white delphinium.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OfEQ0efKWuo/XtntC3uQeJI/AAAAAAAAD_M/htqyM_ysSdgsWAad7Juq-jLzgFXEnzKZQCK4BGAsYHg/s3264/20200603_172145.jpg"><img alt="White Delphinium Jill Curley after rain and wind" border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="1836" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OfEQ0efKWuo/XtntC3uQeJI/AAAAAAAAD_M/htqyM_ysSdgsWAad7Juq-jLzgFXEnzKZQCK4BGAsYHg/w360-h640/20200603_172145.jpg" title="White Delphinium Jill Curley - after the storm" width="360" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div>abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-49551051701235253112019-11-09T09:00:00.002+00:002019-11-09T12:49:54.072+00:00Delphinium Society Seedlings<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My first year with Delphinium Society seeds. Got a good collection of dusky pink and purples. Also a very pretty lavender (no pics - hopefully next year).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-46GEj6h2y80/XcZ9dZeL0fI/AAAAAAAAC80/i9jKDx-uBlAn5fS6q3CFFfVcHKA-lKqCwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/DuskyPinkDelphSociety.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dusky pink seedling with brown striped eye from Delphinium Society 2018 seeds, sown 2019" border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1200" height="636" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-46GEj6h2y80/XcZ9dZeL0fI/AAAAAAAAC80/i9jKDx-uBlAn5fS6q3CFFfVcHKA-lKqCwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/DuskyPinkDelphSociety.jpg" title="Delphinium Elatum, Dusky Pink Delphinium Society" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Delphinium Society - Dusky Pink dark eye first year flowering (November 2019)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Delphinium Society - Dark Purple with blue tips, white feathery eye first year flowering (July/August 2019)</span></td></tr>
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</span>abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-68107609954766099432019-10-07T10:13:00.001+01:002019-11-09T12:50:47.971+00:00Delphinium Elatum - Nobility<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VTQHjxw8j2U/XZr_yE2M0BI/AAAAAAAACxE/eMUO5zNilRwlF67kQ5bmtSFF_ySmnVzJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190905_153829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="First year flowering of Nobility in September. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VTQHjxw8j2U/XZr_yE2M0BI/AAAAAAAACxE/eMUO5zNilRwlF67kQ5bmtSFF_ySmnVzJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/20190905_153829.jpg" title="Delphinium Elatum Nobility" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Delphinium Elatum - Nobility</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A lovely rich purple pyramid with white eyes. The sumptuous flowers seem to glow. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This year it was one of the first to pick up mildew on the leaves, but the robust spike lasted well through heavy rain and moderate wind. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M_zB47atesw/XZr_hz4T3qI/AAAAAAAACw8/UNMyZOZok4QC4UBGsxoBeuLgwzo1jlB3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Nobility_Sq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Delphinium Elatum Nobility - first year flowers in September" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M_zB47atesw/XZr_hz4T3qI/AAAAAAAACw8/UNMyZOZok4QC4UBGsxoBeuLgwzo1jlB3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Nobility_Sq.jpg" title="Delphinium Elatum Nobility" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Delphinium Elatum Nobility - First year flowers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HSjdZgc7Pe4/XZsBmNLf9hI/AAAAAAAACxQ/Xq_QvFZA9l09DmFdXJ6pju6z0Mj0yuOUACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Elatum5_sq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mixed Delphiniums bulking up in 10L pots. Left to right: Delphinium Pandora, Nobility, Cassius, Purple Velvet, and a seedling from my delphinium society seeds 2018" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HSjdZgc7Pe4/XZsBmNLf9hI/AAAAAAAACxQ/Xq_QvFZA9l09DmFdXJ6pju6z0Mj0yuOUACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Elatum5_sq.jpg" title="Delphinium Pandora, Nobility, Cassius, Purple Velvet, Society Seedling" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-20095716939001269562019-09-13T09:37:00.000+01:002019-11-09T12:51:43.188+00:00Sky Blue Delphiniums<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There's something rather special about sky-blue flowers, and a towering delphinium brings a concentrated hit of this most elevating colour up to eye level. Caught against a blue sky in summer or autumn, they're breathtaking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img alt="Pacific Giant Seedling of Summer Skies, first year flowering in July from Feb sown seeds 2019." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1599" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dsyE74uMEMY/XXtSmozBY-I/AAAAAAAACuc/BQ6ACDDB3FkG3sGw6q7Fch7N-4s13r_TwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/sqSummerSkies_skyblue.jpg" title="Delphinium Summer Skies - sky blue seedling" width="633" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summer Skies - Sky Blue seedling</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Just look at that blue! I was amazed at how truly sky-blue this summer
skies seedling is. No Photoshopping the colours here! That's the colour of the sky and
the colour of the flowers; an almost perfect match in tone and intensity. for the week this was in flower I steered all visitors to my garden to these flowers, with a whispered "just look at those flowers against the sky." After the flower spike formed Summer Skies picked
it up mildew on the leaves, but cut back to the base after most of the flower spikes were spent, the trio of
summer skies planted together in an ericaceous pot (for the lilies, not
the delphs) have formed flowers almost ready to open this week (sept
14th). Just in time to compare themselves to clear autumn skies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img alt="Glowing light blue flowers of delphinium elatum Pandora in 2019" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="633" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o67HeYqLp6w/XXtR1TeUT8I/AAAAAAAACuQ/3MJ8r1_2_3Yv0NMkuYnxydfhW3moxtXegCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/sqPandoraCloseup.jpg" title="Delphinium Elatum Pandora" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pandora</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">darker blue of Pandora if enhanced by a beautiful eye: black striped with blue. A nice pyramid shape too. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Blue Lagoon</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O_zha_r_p5o/XXtPGlP-xmI/AAAAAAAACtk/CP4qbalT9c0g3adfIZUdTCRMIFB_4imYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/SummerSkies_HintofLavender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A mauve and and pale blue seedling of summer skies" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1254" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O_zha_r_p5o/XXtPGlP-xmI/AAAAAAAACtk/CP4qbalT9c0g3adfIZUdTCRMIFB_4imYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/SummerSkies_HintofLavender.jpg" title="Pacific Giant Delphinium Summer Skies Seedling" width="497" /></a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Blue Lagoon: Sky blue with hints of mauve and below, a similar colouring from a summer skies seedling. Note the pinked petal tips on the summer skies vs smooth points of Blue Lagoon. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This Summer skies was chunkier and more well filled than Lagoons first flowering.</span></span></div>
abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-30494963391826226312019-09-09T10:45:00.001+01:002019-09-09T10:45:43.628+01:00Lifting an overgrown conifer hedge <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We inherited a an overgrown conifer hedge that made it difficult to get down the drive and out of the car. We considered taking it down, but the tall trees provide useful screening between ourselves and our neighbour's windows - an really expensive thing to replace. So, we're lifting the canopy to create trees! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uBV1jxDf-y0/XXYbiM3Y-oI/AAAAAAAACow/mg1pm3sgWAYq9r5dWG9H5TOr7i8xaoBcACLcBGAs/s1600/ConifersPartDone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uBV1jxDf-y0/XXYbiM3Y-oI/AAAAAAAACow/mg1pm3sgWAYq9r5dWG9H5TOr7i8xaoBcACLcBGAs/s640/ConifersPartDone.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conifer canopy lift (or murder) underway</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conifers starting to show their trunks. New fencing put in plank by plank!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-89kjrlWNlm0/XXYbibX-kQI/AAAAAAAACo0/wrVACVGrOREhXEDjjEZ1zt4ZmoARFHkPwCLcBGAs/s1600/PlantingStarted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-89kjrlWNlm0/XXYbibX-kQI/AAAAAAAACo0/wrVACVGrOREhXEDjjEZ1zt4ZmoARFHkPwCLcBGAs/s640/PlantingStarted.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Optimistic planting underway underneath the conifers</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now we can walk underneath the hedge and we can both get out of the car at once. There's a new challenge of planting under the conifers. I've got a range of tiny plants getting ready to go in. When in doubt plant a geranium (or a foxglove). Hopefully at least some will cope in the dry partial shade if I help them get established with plenty of water. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The toughies being tested are: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Geranium Rozanne - mostly because it's lovely and I had so many spares it seemed worth a try! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Foxgloves - mostly seedlings of Excelsior mixed from packet seeds and saved seeds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vinca Minor - white flowered</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 types of Heuchera</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Euphorbia: Robbiae, Martinii, and Purpurea. The Robbiae should do just fine, I've got that in similar conditions elsewhere (the former owners of our plot really really liked conifers), and the purpurea should cope, but be a bit less colourful, Martinii is a punt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Festuca Glauca, which is supposed to cope with any kind of condition. First time with this, so we'll see.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A nice yellow leaved grass grown from seed who's name I've forgotten, Bowles something. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Convallaria majalis</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Euonymous Emerald Gaeity</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-76050953944667303462019-09-09T10:20:00.000+01:002019-11-09T12:55:47.018+00:00Delphinium Black Knight Group (Pacific Giants)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A0xJirFMGjA/XXYW0v8HhcI/AAAAAAAACoA/AbAixhcdOy8Kjeu_1uzMg_t27rzTVqqVACLcBGAs/s1600/20190905_154823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Intense purple Pacific Giant Black Knight Group delphinium with well filled flower spikes, flowering first year from seed." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A0xJirFMGjA/XXYW0v8HhcI/AAAAAAAACoA/AbAixhcdOy8Kjeu_1uzMg_t27rzTVqqVACLcBGAs/s640/20190905_154823.jpg" title="Pacific Giants Delphinium - Black Knight Group " width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chunky well filled Black Knight Group</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A beautiful well filled Black Knight's first flowering from seed sown in Feb 2019. This one produced 3 flower spikes in late August (initial growth was cut back so that more flowers would be produced, but later). </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">About 3ft tall
this year and at that height survived 20mph winds and rain without
support. The lack of support was carelessness rather than intention! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some mildew after a dry but humid summer. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have labelled this one "M" and will see if it comes back next year with the same vigour. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I don't think anyone could complain about the first year performance of this Black Knight from seed. </span><br />
<br />abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-24972970948338301662019-07-13T09:55:00.000+01:002019-11-09T12:51:15.715+00:00Delphiniums: Seeds, seeds, more seeds and plants<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WdxfxpP1jq8/XTGXNEkhE3I/AAAAAAAACPg/MmxN5koIAWouaxjjqOkeiHfEzvgDcqRUQCEwYBhgL/s1600/BlueBird1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Blue Bird pacific Giant Delphinium with interesting tufty black and white eye" border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WdxfxpP1jq8/XTGXNEkhE3I/AAAAAAAACPg/MmxN5koIAWouaxjjqOkeiHfEzvgDcqRUQCEwYBhgL/s640/BlueBird1.jpg" title="Delphinium Pacific Giants - Blue Bird" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delphinium Blue Bird (Pacific Giants) sown Feb 2019 </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I saw my first show-class delphiniums at the </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">RHS Chatsworth show in 2018</span>. Impressive towers of intense colour. Beautiful but expensive, I thought, "I remember growing delphiniums from seed." Things quickly got out of hand.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VqM0RsuuO28/XSmEfijMFxI/AAAAAAAACCQ/TN0Vtp_tciQTlWXxji2qGWtjdn2QsjcJwCLcBGAs/s1600/DelphiniumBlackKnight2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Delphinium Black Knight Pacific Giants from Seed" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VqM0RsuuO28/XSmEfijMFxI/AAAAAAAACCQ/TN0Vtp_tciQTlWXxji2qGWtjdn2QsjcJwCLcBGAs/s400/DelphiniumBlackKnight2012.JPG" title="Delphinium Black Knight" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Delphinium Black Knight from Seed (2012)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Years ago I
grew a beautiful delphinium from a packet of Tall Black Knight Seeds.
It was lovely for several years, then one year the flower spikes were
munched by some kind of caterpillar and all snapped off. The next winter I forgot about until a terrible crunching sound underfoot whilst weeding. That, and the increasing shade from a maturing sunburst cherry, probably led to it's demise. It never came back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Time for it's triumphant return! Tall Black Knight seeds went in the online basket, then some other lovely looking Pacific Giants: Cameliard, Blue Jay, Blue Bird, King Arthur, and Summer Skies.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Imagining a swathe of delphiniums gently swaying in the breeze, I germinated the seeds by chitting them in the fridge sealed in bags with some just-damp paper towels. Meanwhile: to the Internet! to read about my lovely seeds while waiting for them to germinate.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That search uncovered something unsettling; Pacific Giants are supposedly not what they once were. The strains, so they say, have become "a shadow of what they once were". My poor seedlings, dissed before they've even germinated. <br /><br />I joined the Delphinium Society (DS) to get my hands on their precious Elatum Hybrid hand-pollinated seeds. While waiting for them to arrive, I read some more about Delphinium Society seeds and discovered Dowdeswell Delphiniums of New Zealand. Starting from Delphinium Society seeds, Dowdeswell set out to create better seed-raised strains of delphiniums. Turns out the seed can be ordered direct from New Zealand! Hello there, cobalt dreams, sunny skies, black eyed angels, purple passion, pagan purples and blue lace.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Of course, I now had an appetite to see some of the famous AGM delphiniums listed by the Delphinium Society. There are a couple of sites listed in Yorkshire as good places to see them. The DS had even donated delphiniums to the refurbished delphinium beds in the walled garden at Castle Howard. Seems that 2018 was a really bad year for Delphiniums leading to the demise of many. By July 2019 there were only 3 on display at Castle Howard. At a nursery 40 minutes up the A1: perhaps half a dozen. Temple Newsam still holds a National Collection, but they moved their delphiniums from the dedicated bed (google for pictures of it, it was beautiful), into the mixed herbaceous borders in the walled garden, and they were rather struggling, and less impressive dotted about. There were perhaps 12-15 to be seen in June.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />If I wanted to see the elite delphiniums growing at their best, without the train fair to London or Wisley, I'd have to get hold of them myself. A fine excuse. So, now there's another 9 young delphiniums; Pandora, Blue Lagoon, Jill Curley, Pericles, Amadeus, Nobility (powdery mildew already!), Strawberry Fair, Purple Velvet and Faust (this latter bought in bloom from the garden centre). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now I've got dozens of seedlings, young plants, and flowering-size plants (from the early Pacific Giants sowing). At least I'll be able to compare them. Do the Pacific Giants deserve to be shunned? Will I fall in love with Dowdeswell's Delphs? Will I be awed by the English style hybrid elatums? I should keep some records. And breed my own of course. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Black Knight (pacific giants) sown Jan/Feb 2019</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">July 2019</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first one has oddly, but not unappealing hairy flower buds. They are less well filled than my first Black Knight, but they are still currently in 2 or 3L pots and it's their first year. So, maybe they will fill out. Flowers are a single or semi-double. The colour is an intense dark blue in shade and a dark purple in full sunshine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Blue Jay (pacific giants) Sown Jan/Feb 2019</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">July 2019</span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Two different plants of Blue Jay, pictures 1 and 2 are the same plant in different lighting, the first picture best represents the colour in sunlight. The first plant seems to have well filled spikes, the other has much wider spacing between the flowers. I don't know whether this will persist in next year when the plant is more mature. It's an intense mid-blue double flowers with hints of lavender purple.</span><br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summer Skies (pacific giants) Sown Jan/Feb 2019</span></h2>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">July 2019</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This one is growing in a much bigger pot that it's sharing with some roselilies in ericaceous compost. It seems to really like it. The flowers really are the colour of a summer sky - look at the first picture! Sky blue with small green dots on the petal edges. One of the three in the same pot has powdery mildew on the leaves. </span><br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Faust Bought July 2019 Garden Centre</span></h2>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">July 2019</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was bought already in flower. The flowers are double and an intense blue with hints of purple in direct sunshine. Very sturdy looking - which will in part I think be due to the nursery production, so won't be a fair comparison until next year.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xxVR79DieTk/XSx5Z4t49RI/AAAAAAAACJI/7ZlTgC4U4J4Pedwu56mdiReMJN6sKvWjgCLcBGAs/s1600/20190715_080537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Faust" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xxVR79DieTk/XSx5Z4t49RI/AAAAAAAACJI/7ZlTgC4U4J4Pedwu56mdiReMJN6sKvWjgCLcBGAs/s320/20190715_080537.jpg" title="Faust" width="180" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xg1pBCsTEgA/XSmbxsFx9jI/AAAAAAAACD4/-pgtcENBUSIxg6wccF7hSXSRIuZ_ouEbACLcBGAs/s1600/DelphiniumFaust2019_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Faust, Elatum Hybrid Delphinium bought as rooted cutting" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xg1pBCsTEgA/XSmbxsFx9jI/AAAAAAAACD4/-pgtcENBUSIxg6wccF7hSXSRIuZ_ouEbACLcBGAs/s320/DelphiniumFaust2019_2.jpg" title="Faust, Elatum Hybrid Delphinium" width="179" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vyqguig0Xd8/XSmbxzi7diI/AAAAAAAACD8/6qi8YvN8V-0HuuqDiAGF2-mHq2P849uWwCLcBGAs/s1600/DelphiniumFaust2019_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Faust, Elatum Hybrid Delphinium bought as rooted cutting" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vyqguig0Xd8/XSmbxzi7diI/AAAAAAAACD8/6qi8YvN8V-0HuuqDiAGF2-mHq2P849uWwCLcBGAs/s320/DelphiniumFaust2019_1.jpg" title="Faust, Elatum Hybrid Delphinium" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Blue Bird (pacific giants) sown Jan/Feb 2019</span></h2>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">July 2019</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Still in 2 or 3L. Just one flowered so far, closely spaced single flowers of intense blue with an attractive and interesting white-tufted bee. Tall slender spike. Very nice indeed. </span><br />
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<br />abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-61806820350051743362015-11-08T20:16:00.002+00:002015-11-20T15:37:35.226+00:00Easy, Quick, No-knead Soft Sandwich Loaf (UK Recipe)This is my Saturday morning bread recipe; a reliable sandwich loaf that's good for toasting, dipping in soup, and making sandwiches (of course). I make it most Saturday mornings, getting it started while I make my morning coffee before I've even woken up properly and it's ready by [insert suitable time of day that doesn't make me sound lazy]. It's easy, no kneading just a bit of folding, it's quick, no 24 hour waiting, and the ingredients are straightforward, no weird bubbling sour dough starters to keep alive.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ze1RRYNtUaA/Vj-hfh8wz_I/AAAAAAAAAf8/Kwgt-l341iM/s1600/IMG_20151108_161652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="376" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ze1RRYNtUaA/Vj-hfh8wz_I/AAAAAAAAAf8/Kwgt-l341iM/s640/IMG_20151108_161652.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">please don't look at how much my extractor switch needs cleaning, look at the lovely loaf. mmm loaf.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><b>Ingredients:</b></b><br />
<b>Dry</b>: <br />
375g (Organic) Strong White Bread Flour<br />
125g (Organic) Strong Wholemeal Bread Flour (or you could use all white)<br />
7g Easy/Quick Yeast (the kind that you add straight into the flour), this is about 2 tsps<br />
7-8g
Salt, (it's important to weigh the
salt because one tsp of salt flakes has a much bigger volume than 1 tsp
of table salt)<b> </b><br />
<b>Wet</b> (wet should come to 335 to 340g)<br />
1 tbsp of oil<br />
1 tbsp of cider vinegar (I use raw unfiltered organic cider vinegar)<br />
About 80ml semi skimmed milk<br />
"arm (not hot) water (about 200-250 ml, but weight it, rather than measure it, see below)<br />
<b>And..</b><br />
1 generous tbsp of honey <br />
<br />
<b>Equipment</b>: Large <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000KG8GVE/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B000KG8GVE&linkCode=as2&tag=ab0a4-21" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mixing bowl</a>, add-and-weigh <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0097R2RUI/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B0097R2RUI&linkCode=as2&tag=ab0a4-21" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">scales</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000LCLOCU/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B000LCLOCU&linkCode=as2&tag=ab0a4-21" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2lb loaf tin</a>, and some <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0001IX0GW/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B0001IX0GW&linkCode=as2&tag=ab0a4-21" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">measuring spoons</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0JxgPuVNNEk/Vki0d5znwaI/AAAAAAAAAgU/0jSzMTZSO5U/s1600/IMG_20151114_125456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0JxgPuVNNEk/Vki0d5znwaI/AAAAAAAAAgU/0jSzMTZSO5U/s640/IMG_20151114_125456.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ingredients, soft no-knead sandwich loaf, white & wholemeal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>1. Measure out your ingredients:</b><br />
You can weigh everything into the large mixing bowl to save on washing, just go
slowly when adding the water as it's the hardest bit to remove if you go
over! Weigh your flour, zero the scales and add the yeast, stir it in and add the salt. Zero your scales and add the oil and vinegar, top up with milk until your scales read about 100g, then slowly pour in the lukewarm water until the scales read 335-340g. Then add a tablespoon of honey.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Mix your dough:</b><br />
Stir it all together with a metal spoon, scraping the sides of the bowl down. You'll probably need to finish off with your hands. All you need to do is get all of the dough evenly wet making sure that you don't have any big lumps of dry flour. You don't have to knead the dough, in fact it's too sticky for kneading, which is a good excuse not to. Cover the bowl with cling film.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_8iBscNq7ec/Vki1GKqyZvI/AAAAAAAAAgc/RDYV-vBPWVs/s1600/IMG_20151114_125305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_8iBscNq7ec/Vki1GKqyZvI/AAAAAAAAAgc/RDYV-vBPWVs/s640/IMG_20151114_125305.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your mixed dough will look shaggy, like this, it's supposed to, honest.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>3. Prove your dough / First rise: </b><br />
Microwave a cup of water for 60 seconds to warm up the microwave interior. Then put the bowl in the microwave and leave it for 40 minutes. No microwave? Leave the dough somewhere warm (preferably about 22C, but 18-21C works, just add another 5, 10 or 15 minutes if the dough hasn't puffed up).<br />
<br />
In the meantime oil and flour your loaf tin. Use kitchen paper to spread oil evenly over the interior of the loaf tin, then sprinkle it generously with flour and shake it around so that there is a light dusting everywhere, then tip out any excess onto the board you'll be using to shape your dough.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nHNgDhFld10/Vki4pJf1ZzI/AAAAAAAAAhI/zSp5qX3bsGw/s1600/IMG_20151114_134437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nHNgDhFld10/Vki4pJf1ZzI/AAAAAAAAAhI/zSp5qX3bsGw/s640/IMG_20151114_134437.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oiled and floured Mermaid 2lb loaf tin, this makes the loaf slip out easily. No sticking! No Teflon required.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
After 40 minutes the dough should be big and puffy. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zST-yogXZm8/Vki19b4LIgI/AAAAAAAAAgo/-5tqmY4rG7E/s1600/IMG_20151114_134019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zST-yogXZm8/Vki19b4LIgI/AAAAAAAAAgo/-5tqmY4rG7E/s640/IMG_20151114_134019.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This dough has puffed up. You could leave this one a little longer, I used the dough like this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<b>4. Shape your loaf and second rise:</b><br />
Sprinkle a layer of flour over a big chopping board, or non-stick silicon mat, and spread it around with both hands. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M_bjKPysRP8/Vki3T-23anI/AAAAAAAAAg4/2BaU17dVIV0/s1600/IMG_20151114_134506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M_bjKPysRP8/Vki3T-23anI/AAAAAAAAAg4/2BaU17dVIV0/s640/IMG_20151114_134506.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flour your work surface; this is a silicon mat from Lakeland, less mess than working on the counter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tip the dough onto the board. It will be sticky, you'll see the dough be stringy - that's the moisture working on the gluten.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0gNoI1tHGQc/Vki31x_7V-I/AAAAAAAAAhA/2j85sW83_Ko/s1600/IMG_20151114_134537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0gNoI1tHGQc/Vki31x_7V-I/AAAAAAAAAhA/2j85sW83_Ko/s640/IMG_20151114_134537.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your dough should look stringy like this after first rise (without kneading)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-niZ3h4Ec2mE/Vki-AQxK1mI/AAAAAAAAAhk/67-FIb8MZRc/s1600/IMG_20151114_134846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-niZ3h4Ec2mE/Vki-AQxK1mI/AAAAAAAAAhk/67-FIb8MZRc/s320/IMG_20151114_134846.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(1) flatten</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You're not going to knead the loaf, but you do need to make the dough hold it's shape a little better. You're going to do that by gently folding the dough over, then making it the right shape for the tin.<br />
<br />
<br />
Flatten out your dough into a rough oval (1).<br />
<br />
Then fold the dough in thirds, by taking the right third over the middle third (2).<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9ptuIHFk0XU/Vki9_5CBqWI/AAAAAAAAAhs/DYiao_24wIM/s1600/IMG_20151114_134623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9ptuIHFk0XU/Vki9_5CBqWI/AAAAAAAAAhs/DYiao_24wIM/s320/IMG_20151114_134623.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(2) fold in right third</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Take hold of the left third and then gently stretch it over the other folded pieces (3).<br />
<br />
Fold the dough in half top to bottom, then squidge the dough flat and do the same serires of folds again, right third, left third, which will leave you with an oblong piece of dough.<br />
<br />
It should now feel a bit more cooperative, but
will still want to stick to your hands, don't worry, that's just what
this dough is like.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4rIjleN2G4M/Vki9__LyqoI/AAAAAAAAAh8/7EkkmtoBWcY/s1600/IMG_20151114_134642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4rIjleN2G4M/Vki9__LyqoI/AAAAAAAAAh8/7EkkmtoBWcY/s640/IMG_20151114_134642.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(3) fold left third over the other 2 thirds</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gJxELhLUY6U/Vki-AdecpfI/AAAAAAAAAig/dMJRX_ONjQ0/s1600/IMG_20151114_134920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gJxELhLUY6U/Vki-AdecpfI/AAAAAAAAAig/dMJRX_ONjQ0/s320/IMG_20151114_134920.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">roll up your dough like a swiss roll</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
To shape the loaf for the tin, you need to roll it up like a swiss roll. Shape the dough into a rough square that is a little bit narrower than
the width of your baking tin then roll the dough up tightly like a swiss
roll and tuck the ends underneath.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Turn the dough over, then flatten is slightly. Then gently roll the dough up again, you might only be able to do this in thirds or it might roll a little tighter.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OSGoJ_MVWMk/Vki-AsxZz3I/AAAAAAAAAiM/p-Xfymn4Y7M/s1600/IMG_20151114_135131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OSGoJ_MVWMk/Vki-AsxZz3I/AAAAAAAAAiM/p-Xfymn4Y7M/s320/IMG_20151114_135131.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">after the second roll-up, pinch the seam together</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Tuck the edges under, and pinch the seam together.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Lift the loaf and place it gently in your floured tin, seam-side down. Sprinkle with flour and cover with cling film.<br />
<br />
Warm the microwave up again by nuking a cup of water.Then put the dough in the microwave to rise for <b>about 45 minutes</b>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-snlEcSwptBU/Vki-AjUT3wI/AAAAAAAAAio/wGnir66yxgo/s1600/IMG_20151114_135155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-snlEcSwptBU/Vki-AjUT3wI/AAAAAAAAAio/wGnir66yxgo/s640/IMG_20151114_135155.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loaf shaped dough, just put into the oiled 2lb tin. The ends are a bit fat on this one, but it turns out OK!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ysDJiz0Q3Cs/Vki-A2y-8mI/AAAAAAAAAiY/p81Z07sFs9A/s1600/IMG_20151114_144430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ysDJiz0Q3Cs/Vki-A2y-8mI/AAAAAAAAAiY/p81Z07sFs9A/s320/IMG_20151114_144430.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The risen dough will puff up past the sides of the tin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<b>After
45 minutes</b>, the dough should be just starting to rise above the tin.
If not leave it a bit longer, but check every 5 minutes; this is a wet
dough that might collapse if you leave it too long.<br />
<br />
<b>5. Bake your loaf:</b><br />
Turn the oven on to heat up with a target temperature of 190C fan. After about 5 minutes of warming up, put the loaf in the oven (minus the cling film!). Set the timer for 25 minutes.<br />
This loaf is baked at a slightly lower temperature than I see for most
loaf recipes, that's to stop the crust from getting too dark or too hard
(the honey makes a loaf that burns easily) or generally becoming OH
unfriendly. My disclaimer is of course, that these are the temperatures
that my smallish digital oven claims it is baking at, your oven might
make different claims. I know my big oven burns everything it sets it's
eyes on in one back corner. So, use your experience of your own oven to
make adjustments.<br />
<br />
After 25 minutes, turn the heat off and let the loaf cook for another 5 minutes in the residual heat of the oven. The loaf should come out mid-brown. Take it out of the tin and a tap on the bottom of the loaf should sound hollow, if it doesn't it might need another 5 minutes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Uel_hQJgnQ/Vki-BBAXpjI/AAAAAAAAAiU/KcKNgdJNfKw/s1600/IMG_20151114_152505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Uel_hQJgnQ/Vki-BBAXpjI/AAAAAAAAAiU/KcKNgdJNfKw/s640/IMG_20151114_152505.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Let the loaf cool *completely* on a rack before trying to slice it. That's very important. The bread isn't finished until it's cool. Cut too early and the middle will make claggy dough balls. Patience friends. Patience. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vftxjglYpTY/Vj-hfpF9BWI/AAAAAAAAAgI/sZxDnEA2u5Y/s1600/IMG_20151108_161347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vftxjglYpTY/Vj-hfpF9BWI/AAAAAAAAAgI/sZxDnEA2u5Y/s640/IMG_20151108_161347.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
If you don't get through bread quickly, you can keep a sliced loaf in the freezer, just taking out a slice or two when you need it. No waste.<br />
<br />
<b></b><br />
<b>My bread-making equipment:</b><br />
This recipe makes a loaf the right size for a 2lb loaf tin. The loaf in
the picture is from one of my two hard anodised Mermaid tins, which I
like better than non-stick coated for high oven temperatures. I also use <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000LCLOCU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B000LCLOCU&linkCode=as2&tag=ab0a4-21" rel="nofollow">Alan Silverwood 2lb Loaf Tins</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=ab0a4-21&l=as2&o=2&a=B000LCLOCU" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, which are slightly lower and wider and also hard anodised rather than Teflon coated. You can double the recipe to make two loaves and bake them side-by-side.<b><br /></b><br />
<br />
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abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-27192018665173122782015-11-02T17:29:00.002+00:002015-11-07T09:26:29.147+00:00Interim allotment dividendSo, my new 1/2 allotment is mostly covered in black plastic and it's not exactly a vegetable production power-house as yet. But, since someone left a trailer-sized pile of horse manure at the lotty gate and no-one else wanted to barrow it up the hill, I piled it into 3 mini heaps amongst the sea of plastic. In a fit of enthusiastic optimism, I sowed some winter squash rather late, and planted them on the muck heaps.<br />
<br />
This is what I harvested last Saturday. In theory they are "curing"
(their skin drying and hardening ready for storage) basking in the sun
(!) in the warm (!?) conservatory on a slatted bench. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9bTb0KWHzqE/VjedZE0f2fI/AAAAAAAAAd4/MJqjvVIfgts/s1600/Squash-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="winter squash drying on a bench" border="0" height="329" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9bTb0KWHzqE/VjedZE0f2fI/AAAAAAAAAd4/MJqjvVIfgts/s640/Squash-1.jpg" title="winter squash" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">winter squash, pears and peppers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
From what I can remember, these are, clockwise from the front: Blue Banana (somewhat under-ripe, so more green than blue but you can see what it was aiming for), a majestic-looking Hubbard, 2 x Burgess Vine Buttercup, one large, one small, something intimidatingly large and a bit gnarly that I can't remember the name of, I dub it "Two-Hand-Carry Squash of Awesome" for now, and behind that is another one where I didn't check the plant label when I harvested it, it's a large zeppelin-shaped dark blue/green with light blue stripes squash that <i>might</i> be a Blue Banana but looks considerably darker and more stripy than the actually definitely a Blue Banana squash (note to self: check labels), behind the mysteries there is a properly ripe pale blue Blue Banana, and finally a Squashkin.<br />
<br />
You can also see some lovely Doyenne du Comice and Garden Pearl pears (from trees that grow in air pots on the patio) and the last 3 of this years Gypsy (sweet) Peppers from the conservatory. They are not quite ripe, but following a spectacular red spider mite breakout, the plants were ditched early this year. Much sprinkling of diatomaceous earth. Much sadness. Much grumbling. <br />
<br />
Anyway, actually bringing something back from the black plastic wasteland keeps me motivated to dig on. I'm clearing weeds by hand (well, with a shovel and a fork too, not just hands, that would not be super-effective) at the less than impressive rate of 10 sq ft per hour. abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-6878991464231656732013-05-14T23:54:00.001+01:002015-11-03T11:01:29.701+00:00Cherries Waiting for Summer Sun<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HlNuWAOqTYQ/UZK8ojZZiJI/AAAAAAAAANc/O_4wTMS6K7k/s1600/IMG_5904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HlNuWAOqTYQ/UZK8ojZZiJI/AAAAAAAAANc/O_4wTMS6K7k/s640/IMG_5904.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cherry Tree Summer Sun</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Spring blossom has come late to our garden after the extended cold, cold winter this year. Cherry trees of Colney, Merton Glory, Stella, and Vega, are still in full bloom. Others, like summer sun to the (left) and Sunburst have dropped their petals and have the first tantalising signs of tiny green cherries.<br />
<br />
Spring has been very changeable so far with warm sunny days, strong gusty winds, sudden rains and even a bit of hail, just to mix it up a bit. Cherry blossom probably doesn't appreciate this kind of weather, but the tiny green fruitlets are giving me hope that the summer will bring me more cherries than I can safely eat.<br />
<br />
Soon enough, it will be time to put up the "pop-up" fruit cage to protect the potted trees and to carry out the strange mummification of the Sunburst cherry tree that stands at the bottom entrance to the garden. It never works, but I try it every year. Below is last year's crazy effort to keep some of the harvest away from the blackbirds. Yes, that is a clothes peg. And not one, but two kinds of netting. At least the blackbirds didn't see fit to get themselves trapped inside. <br />
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MOYh7zodH0c/UZK_fZNRyvI/AAAAAAAAANo/z3e8h0ij6Rk/s1600/cherry_sunburst.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MOYh7zodH0c/UZK_fZNRyvI/AAAAAAAAANo/z3e8h0ij6Rk/s640/cherry_sunburst.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-31866863289820419172013-04-01T21:09:00.003+01:002013-05-15T22:17:28.033+01:00Darwin - Mendil Beach<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k2UE1ZJ0ngI/UVnpb6flE6I/AAAAAAAAALg/9zbZInJ3Rk0/s1600/IMG_0578-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k2UE1ZJ0ngI/UVnpb6flE6I/AAAAAAAAALg/9zbZInJ3Rk0/s640/IMG_0578-1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mendil Beach - Darwin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rY74AXQBm5Q/UVnpKHXIeEI/AAAAAAAAALY/Dcw3hyqULSY/s1600/IMG_0578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
I've been lucky enough to work in Australia for a few weeks. The heat and humidity was a bit of a shock, as was seeing what I think of as house plants growing as 30ft trees. The pictures is of Mendil Beach in Darwin - 35C and 90% humidity, but beautiful nonetheless.abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-79342752685853899472013-02-05T20:10:00.000+00:002013-02-10T10:05:50.548+00:00Queen of the NightBeautiful despite the snow, hail, wind and rain...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g8uZVnuQVF4/UQrPUxXI7xI/AAAAAAAAAKo/zvwKJInUeas/s1600/_MG_1750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g8uZVnuQVF4/UQrPUxXI7xI/AAAAAAAAAKo/zvwKJInUeas/s640/_MG_1750.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hellebore, Queen of the Night</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-84615476177614605582013-02-02T12:37:00.000+00:002013-02-02T12:44:26.810+00:00At last, a little bit of sunshine at the weekend! I've managed to get outside and start some weeding and tidying. After cutting back Hellebore leaves I found a dozen tiny Hellebore seedlings! It'll probably be a few years before they flower and I find out what colour they are. Still, I'm very pleased to have some self-sown seedlings.<br />
<br />
After all the heavy rain and snow the garden's not looking it's best, but there are a few things adding some winter cheer. Bright, crazy-haired grasses and red stemmed dogwoods are catching the low winter sun.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IGEc55RziN8/UQ0IEsNV4rI/AAAAAAAAALE/QUJdtDQcuSE/s1600/IMG_6134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IGEc55RziN8/UQ0IEsNV4rI/AAAAAAAAALE/QUJdtDQcuSE/s640/IMG_6134.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter grass in some welcome sunshine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-37288429037840887512013-01-31T20:32:00.001+00:002013-02-02T12:56:04.139+00:00What to sow in February<br />
I've been sowing <b>"sprouting" peas</b> indoors every couple of weeks for fresh pea shoots to bring some early spring to my winter salads.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-10JAf9n7luQ/UQ0GpUKMM5I/AAAAAAAAAK4/GnsXTyaGHjk/s1600/IMG_6137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-10JAf9n7luQ/UQ0GpUKMM5I/AAAAAAAAAK4/GnsXTyaGHjk/s640/IMG_6137.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chase Organic Pea Shoots - snip and add to salads</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Later this month I'll sow <b>Onions</b> in modules. I'll leave them in a warm spot untilt they germinate, then they'll be off the the cold frame so that they don't get too warm. <br />
The overwintered <b>broad beans</b> are doing well, and this year I think I'll sow some indoors in deep pots for a sweet treat that's really easy to grow. They'll need to be hardened off carefully before planting out. <br />
I'll wait until mid February to sow <b>sweet peppers</b> and the <b>hotter chilli peppers</b> as these need a long growing season. They'll start off on the kitchen windowsill.<br />
I'll hold off on sowing tomatoes or they'll be leggy before the weather is warm enough for them to be happy in the conservatory.<br />
I didn't sow autumn <b>sweet peas</b> so I'll start some this month and keep them cool if I can. abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-20811808133519941562013-01-31T20:02:00.000+00:002013-01-31T20:18:58.481+00:00waiting, waitingfor the rain<br />
to<br />
stop<br />
.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9af5L5lI3os/UQrNjuKg8oI/AAAAAAAAAKg/g1RRkQrvG-o/s1600/_MG_1755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9af5L5lI3os/UQrNjuKg8oI/AAAAAAAAAKg/g1RRkQrvG-o/s640/_MG_1755.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pink Hellebore</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-52026566689300702622012-08-07T17:29:00.000+01:002012-08-20T18:18:35.623+01:00Glorious cherriesThe rain continues to pound my garden into submission and most things are growing at a somewhat jaunty angle. As soon as the sun comes out the flowers open, to be once more spoiled by the rain. But, despite the terrible weather there's been a beautiful crop of cherries. The rain has taken it's toll with splitting fruit, but you can eat split fruit as you're harvesting the other perfect, shiny, succulent, dark red cherries. Or if you feel generously inclined, leave any split fruit on the bird table. They won't last long.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PrwS07SZm9w/UB6m6h1mi8I/AAAAAAAAAKE/0FQnfKtxkeU/s1600/IMG_6116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PrwS07SZm9w/UB6m6h1mi8I/AAAAAAAAAKE/0FQnfKtxkeU/s640/IMG_6116.JPG" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Merton Glory juicy cherries ripening in West Yorkshire </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I still find that people are surprised that cherries can be grown successfully in Yorkshire. I've had lovely cherry harvests for the last 3 years from Summer Sun, <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2283&awinaffid=127695&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thompson-morgan.com%2Ffruit%2Ffruit-trees%2Fstone-fruit-trees%2Fcherry-merton-glory%2Fdww3579TM" onmouseout="self.status=''; return true;" onmouseover="self.status='http://www.thompson-morgan.com/fruit/fruit-trees/stone-fruit-trees/cherry-merton-glory/dww3579TM'; return true;" target="_new">Merton Glory</a> and <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2283&awinaffid=127695&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thompson-morgan.com%2Ffruit%2Ffruit-trees%2Fstone-fruit-trees%2Fcherry-sunburst%2Fcww3402TM" onmouseout="self.status=''; return true;" onmouseover="self.status='http://www.thompson-morgan.com/fruit/fruit-trees/stone-fruit-trees/cherry-sunburst/cww3402TM'; return true;" target="_new">Sunburst</a> cherry trees. Stella has been a bit hit and miss for me.<br />
<br />
It's too soon to say how Regina (which purports to be resistant to splitting) will do. <br />
<br />
The blackbirds mocked my netting efforts on the free-standing Sunburst cherry, from which I picked precisely 2 cherries. The rest were removed in the course of about a day. Presumably there were several blackbirds under the hedge, resting on their backs rubbing their bloated tummies, too full of cherries to be able to take flight for the rest of the week.<br />
<br />
Take note: net your cherries carefully! The blackbirds never learn that they get trapped in netting. Never. They will find a way into your netting through the smallest gap. Infuriatingly, they will not manage to find their way back out of the gap that they came in through. Instead, they flap about inside stealing my cherries whilst waiting for me to rescue them. A blackbird got into the cherry fruit cage when I forgot to zip the door back up one evening. I found the pea-brained birdy flapping panic-stricken around the cage and had to chase it out of the door. Five minutes after walking away from the cage (after zipping it up this time) the blackbird was back trying to find a way back into the cage! <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YbGWCmSkgXo/UB6fNFr2miI/AAAAAAAAAJM/TdizqRqff6w/s1600/IMG_6120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YbGWCmSkgXo/UB6fNFr2miI/AAAAAAAAAJM/TdizqRqff6w/s1600/IMG_6120.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer Sun cherries ripening in early August</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The new <a href="http://abseeds.blogspot.co.uk/p/tarmac-orchard.html">tarmac orchard</a> cages have protected the cherries in pots and
they've been dripping with cherries for the last 3 weeks, safe from the
greedy blackbirds.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-61609791833264967222012-08-05T17:20:00.001+01:002012-08-05T18:28:40.892+01:00Pretty Ripening Plums<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vMuiKgtjYe0/UB6c27G6H4I/AAAAAAAAAJE/yPwq-ijLZkc/s1600/IMG_6126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vMuiKgtjYe0/UB6c27G6H4I/AAAAAAAAAJE/yPwq-ijLZkc/s1600/IMG_6126.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ripening Plums of Lizzie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QT64XSxlVMI/UB6kAejyXqI/AAAAAAAAAJw/Tw7QqNfstyw/s1600/IMG_6127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QT64XSxlVMI/UB6kAejyXqI/AAAAAAAAAJw/Tw7QqNfstyw/s640/IMG_6127.JPG" width="425" /></a></div>
Asian plum Lizzie produces sweet very juicy plums about the size of a large hens egg. Like other plums the skin is tart and has an attractive bloom. They ripen to a lovely violet-tinged shade of red. The picture to the left was snapped the day before all of the remaining fruit mysteriously vanished from the tree :(<br />
<br />
I think I may need to find space for these in the tarmac orchard cages. Most years the birds haven't bothered the plum trees. Maybe it's a revenge attack because the fruit cages have been so successful this year.<br />
<br />
This plum is self-fertile, which is just as well as it flowers very early, sometimes in late February, sometimes in early March.<br />
<br />
They've been largely trouble-free though they do show some shot-holes in the leaves and with the very damp late spring and summer the leaves are looking a bit ragged this year. They seem to be happy growing in airpots. Take care to thin the fruit out though. The fruit are quite heavy and can drag a branch down with their weight, sometimes breaking the branch off.abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-63318768609743166042012-05-07T19:56:00.001+01:002012-06-24T08:49:53.025+01:00Another reason pigeons are pestsGah! So, I've netted the brassicas, placed mesh over the newly planted lettuce, and even left clover in the lawn for the greedy pigeons. I sit back thinking the pests are taken care of, but no! I looked out of the windows to see 3 of the fat, feathered, fellows stripping the young leaves off a Sunburst cherry tree. I'm thinking of buying a gun.abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-66318876904731538302012-03-30T20:26:00.000+01:002012-05-07T20:00:34.681+01:00MirabellesIf you're looking for a small tree that's decorative and fruitful, add the uncommon-but-easy-to-grow mirabelle to your shortlist. You may have to look a little further than your local garden centre (and spell-checkers never recognise the word), but you may find that <span id="product_species">Prunus cerasifera</span> is the tree for you.<br />
<br />
In a race against the Asian plum (Lizzie) and the pluot (Flavour King), these are the first trees into flower in my garden. Depending on the year they will be in flower for much of March. Like the other fruiting plums they have beautiful pure white flowers that are produced densely all along the branches. They graceful delicate-looking in full bloom, but have proved to be tough and reliable. The leaves start to emerge just after the blossom has opened. They are a fresh pale mint green as they emerge creating an enchanting spring display; refreshing and cheering on a cool bright morning.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oh6nYmonbRo/T3YD3sNcpLI/AAAAAAAAAH0/7wbWpgti_8U/s1600/IMG_5826-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oh6nYmonbRo/T3YD3sNcpLI/AAAAAAAAAH0/7wbWpgti_8U/s400/IMG_5826-1.JPG" width="348" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mirabelle Golden Sphere</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mirabelle de Nancy is the easiest to find, available from <a href="http://www.blackmoor.co.uk/index.php?cPath=409" target="_blank">Blackmoor</a>, <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2283&awinaffid=127695&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thompson-morgan.com%2Ffruit%2Ffruit-trees%2Fstone-fruit-trees%2Fplum-mirabelle-de-nancy%2Fdww3679TM" target="_new">Thompson & Morgan</a> and <a href="http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/product.aspx?id=MIRNAN" target="_blank">Keepers</a>. Mine was from T&M. It produces small
cherry-sized orange/speckled plums quite late in the season. It's not
growing in an ideal spot, being in light shade for a good half of the
day, but it still produces a respectable harvest. The plums are sweet
fleshed with a tart skin. There were enough last year to tempt me into
making mirabelle jam, which has been popular with the family damson jam
fan.<br />
<br />
Mirabelle golden sphere (pictured in the pot), is growing in a more
favoured spot, but is obviously restricted to the pot. The small
yellow/orange fruit are particularly sweet and rich, with some tartness.
These are eaten straight from the tree whenever they look ripe. This one was ordered from <a href="http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/product.aspx?id=MIRNAN" target="_blank">Keepers</a>, who have a wider range of mirabelle's than most.<br />
<br />
Plant them is sun or partial shade, and give them a bit of potash in spring (or a general organic fertiliser like fish, blood and bone) if you're soil is not particularly good. If you're growing in pots, leave room at the top to add a handful of fertiliser covered with a fresh layer of compost or composted bark each year. I also feed mine once or twice a month with a dilute tomato fertiliser. Keep them reasonably well watered, especially if you're growing them in containers. They need no regular pruning, just remove any damaged or badly-placed wood in spring. As with cherries and plums they should not be pruned in winter.<br />
<br />
So far the trees have been largely trouble-free. Plum maggot (ick) found
Nancy last year, so this year I've made sure to use grease bands around
the trunks. <br />
<br />abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-53222767138818587312012-03-28T10:48:00.001+01:002013-05-15T12:39:46.814+01:00Peach Leaf Curl UpdatePeach leaf curl rates under the Serenade bacteria spray are looking
about the same as they did last year following spraying with an
"organic" copper fungicide. Again there is a big difference between the
number of infected leaves by tree type:<br />
<br />
Dwarf
nectarine Nectarella is the worst affected, most leaves at the tips of
branches are curled, leaves further down are largely OK. Perhaps the spray adheres less well to the shoot tips, or shoot tips are particularly susceptible.<br />
<br />
Dwarf Peach Bonanza
(pictured below) shows a slightly less infection, again concentrated on the shoot tips. Leaves are still emerging, so
this may or may not be the full story. Showed a few infected leaves last year. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yL4JK_YsrEA/T3LhFeAvaRI/AAAAAAAAAHY/h0gM3_lBhsY/s1600/IMG_5815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="488" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yL4JK_YsrEA/T3LhFeAvaRI/AAAAAAAAAHY/h0gM3_lBhsY/s640/IMG_5815.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dwarf Peach Bonanza showing peach leaf curl after winter Serenade treatmen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Nectarine Flavour Top also has a handful of infected leaves; a smaller proportion
than the dwarf peach. It doesn't look too bad. Nectarine Flavour Top didn't show much
infection last year either, but since I bought it the summer before from Blackmoor's I expect it was sprayed on the nursery over the previous winter. <br />
<br />
The two Avalon Pride peach trees are once again clear of leaf curl, fingers crossed that they stay that way. If you don't want to spray, this is absolutely the peach tree for you. You can buy <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2283&awinaffid=127695&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thompson-morgan.com%2Ffruit%2Ffruit-trees%2Fstone-fruit-trees%2Fpeach-avalon-pride%2F87129TM" target="_new">Avalon Pride</a> at T&M. <br />
<br />
Two more peach trees, Saturn and Redwing are yet to come into flower or
leaf (new last winter, so will have been shipped from cold-storage),
they've been sprayed with Serenade, but may also have been sprayed on
the nursery, so we won't know how they fare until next year.
<br />
<script src="https://www.awin1.com/wshow.js?s=395643"></script>abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-6409370153793425062012-03-15T18:37:00.000+00:002012-03-28T11:13:16.598+01:00Peach Leaf CurlThis year I'm trying a completely environmentally-friendly approach to treating peach-leaf curl, by using a new product called "Serenade." Flushed with success using the bacteria-based treatment Bacillus Thunbergensis (or BT / Dipel) to kill-off
cabbage white caterpillars before they can devastate a brassica crop;
I've forgone the usual copper-based fungicide application in favour of
using Serenade, which contains another commonly-soil-based-bacteria called
Bacillus Subtilis.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n2Lpa1GVkzo/T1-fdb7SGSI/AAAAAAAAAGk/Bt-qvNcY85E/s1600/NectarineFlower.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n2Lpa1GVkzo/T1-fdb7SGSI/AAAAAAAAAGk/Bt-qvNcY85E/s640/NectarineFlower.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
In mid-late February all peaches and nectarines were sprayed at least twice with Serenade at twice the
stated concentration (based on research from Canada this double concentration gave peach leaf curl control similar to standard fungicidal controls). <br />
<br />
the leaves are just starting to emerge on the
nectarines (left), which are always a little ahead of the peaches. The young leaves are usually flushed with red, so it's hard to see how many have been infected by peach leaf curl.<br />
<br />
Last year one dwarf nectarine was very badly infected and all of the fruit remained green and stunted, until I felt sorry for it and took them off at the end of the season. Avalon Pride was completely unaffected. New peaches this year are Saturn and Redwing (which is purported to be partially resistant). <br />
<br />
I'll let
you know how the new regime is faring by variety.<br />
<br />abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-80103660294644308142012-03-13T19:17:00.001+00:002012-03-13T20:15:52.669+00:00Early Plums in Full BloomThe very early Asian plums, Lizzie, are in full bloom this week and have been joined by the Pluot Flavour King. No signs of flowering from Flavour Supreme yet.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mkku86u55do/T1-dJyWPpyI/AAAAAAAAAGc/JoHkWvtb0ng/s1600/_MG_1881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mkku86u55do/T1-dJyWPpyI/AAAAAAAAAGc/JoHkWvtb0ng/s640/_MG_1881.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asian Plum, Lizzie, blooming in mid-March, Yorkshire</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851749520107749881.post-59727893725332782822012-03-03T21:12:00.004+00:002013-01-31T20:18:04.742+00:00The scent of winter drawing to a closeThe garden is a surprisingly fragrant place at the moment; a little sunshine and the delights of witch hazel, winter honeysuckle, and the lovely spicy honey scents of erysimum spring up on the lightest breeze. In the conservatory-come-greenhouse, freesias left to bake over the summer are now coming into bloom. The flowers have one of the most sweetly marvellous scents of all. For the scents of late winter you'll have to brave the cold, but here are some of the colours!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O-erQZyEN-Y/T1KECwQqzJI/AAAAAAAAAFs/wP3AgFwHNpE/s1600/_MG_1803-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="396" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O-erQZyEN-Y/T1KECwQqzJI/AAAAAAAAAFs/wP3AgFwHNpE/s640/_MG_1803-1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Witch Hazel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2kaZYjObxqs/T1KEGj8tqeI/AAAAAAAAAF0/ljcGgtehXzc/s1600/_MG_1828-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2kaZYjObxqs/T1KEGj8tqeI/AAAAAAAAAF0/ljcGgtehXzc/s640/_MG_1828-1.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hellebore, Tricastin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Above, the bright, spidery, waxy flowers of Witch hazel flowers in a
combination of bright sunny yellow and dark berry red are a true winter
treat. They seem to be indestructible, shrugging off any weather to
giving off their unique sweet scent whenever a ray of sunshine lights
them up.<br />
<br />
Left, the beautiful flowers of the late winter flowering Hellebore Tricyrtis. It's taken two years to get itself established, but is now producing snowy-white flowers with beautiful dark pink speckling. Like many hellebores the flowers are gently nodding, so you need to get down to their level for the best view. Muddy knees are a small price to pay for a glimpse of this winter beauty. From Parkers.<br />
<br />
The (relatively) mild winter here in Yorkshire has meant that the evergreen erysimums have been in flower almost all winter. The ones pictured below have a vanilla-honey-spice scent that's just lovely when it catches you by surprise on light winter breeze. One of the scented pack from Thompson and Morgan last year, which managed to lose their individual labels. Have a look at their <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2283&awinaffid=127695&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thompson-morgan.com/flowers/flower-plants/perennial-and-biennial-plants/wallflower-collection/p93268TM" target="_blank">erysimum collection</a> and see if you can tell which one this is!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pZ2Wxr0IGzg/T1KI2U7cHuI/AAAAAAAAAGE/P6pWjXOgsx4/s1600/_MG_1822-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="486" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pZ2Wxr0IGzg/T1KI2U7cHuI/AAAAAAAAAGE/P6pWjXOgsx4/s640/_MG_1822-1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Erysimum</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Meanwhile, in the somewhat more sheltered conditions of the unheated conservatory, the freesias have come into their glory. I can forgive their floppy leaves refusing to stay upright no matter what support I give them, as soon as the first bud bursts open and that wonderful scent draws me in. Heavenly.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7b0dih1QPSI/T1KK4w8L-2I/AAAAAAAAAGM/lUnvGrIPJcA/s1600/_MG_1702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="396" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7b0dih1QPSI/T1KK4w8L-2I/AAAAAAAAAGM/lUnvGrIPJcA/s640/_MG_1702.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">overwintered freesias</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Freesias available from <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2283&awinaffid=127695&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thompson-morgan.com/flowers/flower-plants/perennial-and-biennial-plants/freesia-crown-jewels-mixed/p89465TM" target="_blank">Thompson and Morgan</a> as plug plants for late summer flowers.abhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15341750475348183054noreply@blogger.com0