Sunflowers

They have been still standing tall but with bowed heads and died flowers for some time.  At the weekend we decided it was time for them to come down and so we saved the seeds from one head and the others put onto freecycle (and had someone wanting them straight away).    We could have had saved them for feeding the birds but next door feeds the birds already and the mess that it creates is a constant problem for us!

Meanwhile, the smaller multi-headed sunflowers in the front are still doing well.  Certainly a good idea I think.

Related:

• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers finished in the back
• July 28, 2008 -- Small Sunflower
• July 14, 2008 -- @week13 - sunflowers
• June 27, 2008 -- Patio cleaned up
• June 13, 2008 -- Radishes and Rocket Planted
• September 5, 2008 -- The Late Seeds - Result
• August 21, 2008 -- Baby Sunflower Child
• August 18, 2008 -- w18 sunflowers are grinning
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers at the front
• July 31, 2008 -- w15 - Sunflowers in front

The seeds that were planted a little bit late (see http://sunflowers.moleville.co.uk/more-seeds-too-late/) have had semi success.  They took a long time to do anything, and the cats didn’t help too.  This means that the Canterbury Bell, Larkspur, and Chrysanthemum have not been seen - or if they have they failed to flower which I suppose is not unlikely.   The Viscaria and Candytuft have done better, started off with lots of leave but now has flowers and is making quite a nice simple country wood type feel, especially under the shade of the tree.

Related:

• June 10, 2008 -- Last Seeds of the Year
• June 9, 2008 -- More Seeds - Too Late?
• September 9, 2008 -- Autumn Flowers
• September 24, 2008 -- RIP Big Sunflowers
• September 7, 2008 -- Spotted - Chrysanthemum!
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers finished in the back
• July 28, 2008 -- Small Sunflower
• July 25, 2008 -- Seeds were maybe too late…
• July 14, 2008 -- @week13 - sunflowers
• June 27, 2008 -- Seeds in the Back

“Didn’t they do well?”  I am quite pleased, and now we have a load of massive sunflower heads that I need to cut down and do something with, no doubt save some of the seed for next year.

Related:

• September 24, 2008 -- RIP Big Sunflowers
• July 28, 2008 -- Small Sunflower
• July 14, 2008 -- @week13 - sunflowers
• June 27, 2008 -- Patio cleaned up
• June 13, 2008 -- Radishes and Rocket Planted
• September 5, 2008 -- The Late Seeds - Result
• August 21, 2008 -- Baby Sunflower Child
• August 18, 2008 -- w18 sunflowers are grinning
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers at the front
• July 31, 2008 -- w15 - Sunflowers in front

Out of all the large sunflowers, there were two that never really grew.  One just seemed to not do anything, while the other one I planted quite late and so I suppose it never really was going to do too much.  But even so, while we have been wowed by the large ones, the small tiny ones have flowered too and they are just as good and impressive, if just a little bit smaller.

Related:

• September 24, 2008 -- RIP Big Sunflowers
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers finished in the back
• July 14, 2008 -- @week13 - sunflowers
• June 27, 2008 -- Patio cleaned up
• June 13, 2008 -- Radishes and Rocket Planted
• September 5, 2008 -- The Late Seeds - Result
• August 21, 2008 -- Baby Sunflower Child
• August 18, 2008 -- w18 sunflowers are grinning
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers at the front
• July 31, 2008 -- w15 - Sunflowers in front

The flower seeds that I sowed late and didn’t really know if it was a bit too late have shown that actualy I think it was a bit too late!  Between the heat, lack of water, and the cats, a lot have not really made it.   They all came up but the cats decided it looked like a good toilet and so we lost loads.   The ones that have made it have come up but are small and their flowers are coming out and so I looks like that is as large as they are going to go.

But no worries.

Related:

• June 27, 2008 -- Seeds in the Back
• June 17, 2008 -- Flower Seeds now Showing
• June 10, 2008 -- Last Seeds of the Year
• June 9, 2008 -- More Seeds - Too Late?
• June 4, 2008 -- @Seven Weeks - Wildflower seed
• September 24, 2008 -- RIP Big Sunflowers
• September 5, 2008 -- The Late Seeds - Result
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers finished in the back
• July 28, 2008 -- Small Sunflower
• July 14, 2008 -- @week13 - sunflowers

Mostly now all flowering, def all stopped growing and now onto their flowers.

Related:

• September 24, 2008 -- RIP Big Sunflowers
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers finished in the back
• July 28, 2008 -- Small Sunflower
• June 27, 2008 -- Patio cleaned up
• June 13, 2008 -- Radishes and Rocket Planted
• September 5, 2008 -- The Late Seeds - Result
• August 21, 2008 -- Baby Sunflower Child
• August 18, 2008 -- w18 sunflowers are grinning
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers at the front
• July 31, 2008 -- w15 - Sunflowers in front

We are starting to get a nice display of ‘flowers for wildlife’ at the back.  The seeds we sowed ages ago are now mini flowers starting to flower, while the seeds we sowed a little bit late at the beginning of the month are going well.

Related:

• July 25, 2008 -- Seeds were maybe too late…
• June 17, 2008 -- Flower Seeds now Showing
• June 10, 2008 -- Last Seeds of the Year
• June 9, 2008 -- More Seeds - Too Late?
• June 4, 2008 -- @Seven Weeks - Wildflower seed
• September 24, 2008 -- RIP Big Sunflowers
• September 5, 2008 -- The Late Seeds - Result
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers finished in the back
• July 28, 2008 -- Small Sunflower
• July 14, 2008 -- @week13 - sunflowers

We spent a lot of the day tarting up the patio area.  One day this will all be different, but for now we have it and so it should be kept to look good.   A lot of weeding out grass and things from the cracks, lining paving slabs back up, and then scrubbing it all clean.

Related:

• September 24, 2008 -- RIP Big Sunflowers
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers finished in the back
• July 28, 2008 -- Small Sunflower
• July 14, 2008 -- @week13 - sunflowers
• June 13, 2008 -- Radishes and Rocket Planted
• September 5, 2008 -- The Late Seeds - Result
• August 21, 2008 -- Baby Sunflower Child
• August 18, 2008 -- w18 sunflowers are grinning
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers at the front
• July 31, 2008 -- w15 - Sunflowers in front

I am not too sure about this bit of the garden.  It houses the worlds biggest collection of rose bushes in such a small space, fortunately a lot of them are climbing ones.   They compete with a cherry tree and a wild elderflower bush.  The elderflower grows meters every second or so, while the cherry tree has never been touched and so puts a dark shadow over the whole bed.    

I have now cleared it all up, cut the lower branches off the cherry tree, cut back hard the elderflower, tied up the roses and cut them down a lot.    The long term plan is not really decided although it will look a lot different later on in the year possibly if I ever sort out the patio - maybe this is something for next year. 

Related:

• September 24, 2008 -- RIP Big Sunflowers
• September 5, 2008 -- The Late Seeds - Result
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers finished in the back
• July 28, 2008 -- Small Sunflower
• July 25, 2008 -- Seeds were maybe too late…
• July 14, 2008 -- @week13 - sunflowers
• June 27, 2008 -- Seeds in the Back
• June 27, 2008 -- Patio cleaned up
• June 17, 2008 -- Flower Seeds now Showing
• June 13, 2008 -- Radishes and Rocket Planted

The photo does not do it any justice, but here we have the seeds that I sowed the other day, the “Last Sowing of the Year” - they are starting to pop up.

Related:

• July 25, 2008 -- Seeds were maybe too late…
• June 27, 2008 -- Seeds in the Back
• June 10, 2008 -- Last Seeds of the Year
• June 9, 2008 -- More Seeds - Too Late?
• June 4, 2008 -- @Seven Weeks - Wildflower seed
• September 24, 2008 -- RIP Big Sunflowers
• September 5, 2008 -- The Late Seeds - Result
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers finished in the back
• July 28, 2008 -- Small Sunflower
• July 14, 2008 -- @week13 - sunflowers