Sunflowers

rain rain rain rain rain…..  sunflowers still hanging on.  The extra grass seed that we planted is starting to come up.

Related:

• June 4, 2008 -- June 2008
• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• September 14, 2008 -- Autumn Grass Seed
• September 5, 2008 -- September 08 Snapshot
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers at the front
• August 11, 2008 -- August 2008
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sweetpeas
• July 31, 2008 -- w15 - Sunflowers in front
• July 28, 2008 -- New Lavenders from Gardener’s World
• July 10, 2008 -- Buddleia escapes!

It must be autumn, not only are the mornings so dark and depressing, but after last weekend of bringing the sunflowers down, this weekend it was the turn of the wigwams.  I didn’t actauly have to dismantle them too much as one had been resting on the wall for a couple of months due to the wind (which had uprooted the peas and beans growing up which had since died) while the other one was leaning quite a bit with half uprooted giving one side of nice green and flowers and the other all dead.     They are now all down and stored for next year.   I am rather chuffed that painting them red and green seemed to work and so will do the same again next year.

Related:

• September 7, 2008 -- Wigwams blown down
• May 30, 2008 -- Second Wigwam
• May 21, 2008 -- Wigwams
• October 5, 2008 -- Snapshot October 08
• September 14, 2008 -- Autumn Grass Seed
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers at the front
• August 11, 2008 -- August 2008
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sweetpeas
• August 11, 2008 -- Beans Beans Beans
• July 31, 2008 -- w15 - Sunflowers in front

We bought some top soil, the first time ever I had bought it!  Normaly I have managed to find someone on freecycle wanting to get rid of some, but not this.   So, bought a little amount and covered some of the worst areas in the front where the seed just hasn’t managed to get going yet.  If we keep doing this every year, should have quite nice grass after six or seven years!

Related:

• June 23, 2008 -- First Cut
• June 4, 2008 -- @Seven Weeks - Grass
• May 8, 2008 -- @Three Weeks
• April 28, 2008 -- We have grass
• April 21, 2008 -- Grass Seed
• October 5, 2008 -- Snapshot October 08
• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers at the front
• August 11, 2008 -- August 2008
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sweetpeas

It’s windy and rainy…. which means the sunflowers at the front are a little bit sideways.  But still, it is always nice to see a sunny sunflower, even more so when it feels like the middle of winter.

Related:

• July 31, 2008 -- w15 - Sunflowers in front
• May 21, 2008 -- Small sunflowers planted outside
• May 8, 2008 -- @Three Weeks
• April 27, 2008 -- More Sunflowers Planted
• October 5, 2008 -- Snapshot October 08
• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• September 24, 2008 -- RIP Big Sunflowers
• September 14, 2008 -- Autumn Grass Seed
• August 21, 2008 -- Baby Sunflower Child
• August 18, 2008 -- w18 sunflowers are grinning

The time has nearly come to do something about the grass in the front.  It has come a long way since it was a gravel driveway and so I am sure with another year’s work it should start to look a bit better.  The plan then is to get some more top soil, more seed - pull out the weeds.

Nothing too exciting apart from the sweetpeas and the sunflowers.  The wild flowers are now rather wild but I will keep them there for a while more for the birds and things.  Next year I think a whole load of coneflowers and see about more colour throughout the summer.

Related:

• October 5, 2008 -- Snapshot October 08
• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• September 14, 2008 -- Autumn Grass Seed
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers at the front
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sweetpeas
• July 31, 2008 -- w15 - Sunflowers in front
• July 28, 2008 -- New Lavenders from Gardener’s World
• July 10, 2008 -- Buddleia escapes!
• June 27, 2008 -- @10 weeks - Apples
• June 24, 2008 -- Lavender looking good

Not too bad seeing as I didn’t do anything at all apart from plant these.  Sweet Peas from last year’s seed.

Related:

• June 4, 2008 -- @Seven Weeks - Sweetpeas
• May 30, 2008 -- Second Wigwam
• May 21, 2008 -- Wigwams
• May 8, 2008 -- @Three Weeks
• October 5, 2008 -- Snapshot October 08
• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• September 14, 2008 -- Autumn Grass Seed
• September 5, 2008 -- Sweetpeas along the side
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 Sweetpeas at ‘the side’
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers at the front

The smaller sunflowers in the front garden seem to have grown rather large and are swamping the small apple tree - whoops.  I suppose in sunflower terms they are still quite small.

Related:

• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers at the front
• May 21, 2008 -- Small sunflowers planted outside
• May 8, 2008 -- @Three Weeks
• April 27, 2008 -- More Sunflowers Planted
• October 5, 2008 -- Snapshot October 08
• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• September 24, 2008 -- RIP Big Sunflowers
• September 14, 2008 -- Autumn Grass Seed
• August 21, 2008 -- Baby Sunflower Child
• August 18, 2008 -- w18 sunflowers are grinning

I sent off for these from the BBC Gardener’s World which were free of charge with the magaine (I just paid P&P).   They arrived by post and I have potted them up and kept them in doors.   I will prepare some ground in the front garden for them.

Related:

• June 24, 2008 -- Lavender looking good
• October 5, 2008 -- Snapshot October 08
• October 5, 2008 -- Gardeners World Lavender Potted Outside
• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• September 14, 2008 -- Autumn Grass Seed
• August 20, 2008 -- Plants for dry places from Gardeners World
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 Lavender cuttings keep going
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers at the front
• August 11, 2008 -- August 2008
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sweetpeas

It has been rather windy here and when it gets windy it definatly does get windy!   The Buddleia was tied up with some wire until the wind broke this, and so I replaced it with two bits of wire.  It has now escaped again :-o    So maybe three bits of wire this time?

Here it is, on a wintery July day:

Related:

• October 5, 2008 -- Snapshot October 08
• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• September 14, 2008 -- Autumn Grass Seed
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers at the front
• August 11, 2008 -- August 2008
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sweetpeas
• July 31, 2008 -- w15 - Sunflowers in front
• July 28, 2008 -- New Lavenders from Gardener’s World
• June 27, 2008 -- @10 weeks - Apples
• June 24, 2008 -- Lavender looking good

We missed the blossom from the apple tree as I was not doing this website back then.  A pity as we did have a lot of blossom which is now turned into apples.  I am sure I should take one or two apples off to give them all a bit of room to grow, maybe I will.

Related:

• October 5, 2008 -- Snapshot October 08
• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• September 14, 2008 -- Autumn Grass Seed
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sunflowers at the front
• August 11, 2008 -- August 2008
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sweetpeas
• July 31, 2008 -- w15 - Sunflowers in front
• July 28, 2008 -- New Lavenders from Gardener’s World
• July 10, 2008 -- Buddleia escapes!
• June 24, 2008 -- Lavender looking good