FORKING POTATOES

I don’t know why I do it, but I always use a fork to lift my potatoes and then inevitably the fork goes right through them as I dig down.  Spades can be just as bad, slicing through instead of pronging them.  There’s probably a special tool somewhere that will lift potatoes without damage.  If it removes every tuber (that’s the other problem - any left in will grow up as weeds through next year’s crops) I’ll get one.

I’ve grown lots of different sunflowers - some brown, some deep rusty red and a few (because there were only 6 seeds in the packet) pale lemon yellow.  I’ve also grown some lovely ones that look a bit like how I imagine an eclipse would be - dark centres surrounded by a striped lighter corona. But my favourites are the cheerful yellow ones with deep velvety middles.  Sunflowers and daffodils should be yellow, serving to nearly make up for any lack of sunshine.

The insects in the garden are in a frenzy of activity, collecting nectar and pollen and generally making honey while the sun shines.  The constant low hum of their busy buzzing and the delicate fluttering of the butterflies is so delightful and uplifting that it makes me not care about all the jobs I should be getting on with.

                                       

There are certain plants that are real magnets for the nectar seekers.  The bees love Lavender, while the butterflies are flocking to the Hebes (“Great Orme” is the one pictured).  Verbena bonariensis seems to be the plant that all the insects find irresistible.  If you want to attract butterflies and bees into your garden it’s best to choose single flowered plants rather than frilly double blooms and sterile cultivars.  An infertile plant has no need for nectar or pollen.

Some more good plants for a nectar bar:
Contoneaster
Scabious
Sedum
aster
Escallonia
Privet
Most herbs when in flower
And nearly all wild plants

MIND THE GAP

It’s hard to keep the garden full of colour all through the summer.  Once the early rush is over (Delphiniums, Lupins, Geums and other cottage perennials), there can be a dull patch in the border before the late summer flowers like Dahlias, Asters and Rudbeckias arrive.  There are some ways of avoiding this:  The first is to grow long season performers that just keep on flowering from June until the frosts - things like Verbena bonariensis, Guara lindheimeri and Geranium ‘Rozanne’ (above). Secondly grow annuals like Cosmos, Nicotiana, Sweet peas and Mina lobata (a tender climber pictured right).  This is labour intensive, but will ensure fowers for a ong time - providing you keep dead-heading them.  I also cram bulbs like lilies and Crocosmia in between the other plants - either in the ground, or in pots, depending on the space available and the bleakness of the scene.

But whatever steps you take to avoid it, like a trapped air bubble, the gap can sometimes appear when you’re not expecting it.  Our weather makes it all very unpredictable. I have a feeling it will be late this year as all the end of summer stuff’s already here.  there’s no remedy for this, except perhaps to bring in some early autumn bedding plants ...