Wednesday 24 January 2018

And in the garden...

We have been having some scorchingly beautiful weather here in Timaru.
The garden has been busy growing.
Do you remember, way back in October, I showed a bag of Dahlia tubers that I had purchased?
Well, they all went into a narrow strip of garden along the back wall of the house. There was already a thriving colony of dahlias in situ, so I knew they would be just fine.
And now I see my reward. The big bush of red Dahlias was the original and all around it are new additions, some moved from another bed but most come from my bag of tubers.
The earwigs that usually inhabit these beautiful flowers seem to be busy elsewhere this year, so I have been enjoying them as cut flowers indoors too.
 Such beautiful flowers. 
 Not all of them started to flower yet, I wonder what other colours I'll get?
Elsewhere in the garden, my rose bush is looking resplendent.
I've taken many of its flowers indoors too. 
The garden centre had a special on fuchsias, so I bought a couple.
One I popped into a shady spot, where another is already growing. So I know it will be fine.
I think his bigger friend could do with a chop.
Not anytime soon though. The bees love to come and visit the fuchsia and just across the path is my squash patch, and I need the bees to visit those too.
 Mind you, I think the squash are trying to escape, look, they made it through the gate!!
They are at the top end of a long thin bed. This used to be all over grown with shrubs. Many were removed as soon as we moved in, the last two came out late last year, to make way for more veg and some herbs.
 Across the path and tucked in behind the porch we have a second bed of brassicas. With cabbage, cauli and broccoli all tucked in beside some courgette. I popped a net over them in an effort to keep the butterflies off.
There is so much more happening, but I think I'll rest here for now. The hot days mean we are spending time outside just resting and enjoying the warm air. This chap came to visit me. He is quite a big fellow, about the size of my thumb and he stayed around for quite some time.
Now I know who has been eating the leaves on my lemon tree!

*
I have a huge bowl of tomatoes, so my job today is......

Tomato sauce.

And Claire and Debs are coming to play.








3 comments:

Janice said...

Your garden is looking a picture. We have a couple of new dahlias. Only one has flowers so far. Many of our flowers are getting sunburnt in the extreme heat. Hopefully it will cool down a bit soon. Good luck with all your other new plants. They will look lovely.

Ali Honey said...

I like the creamy pale pompom dahlia. I love seeing what you are growing. It all looks very neat and tidy with your concrete edges - I envy you those. You are fitting lots into a smallish space. That's great . keep cool!

Diane-crewe said...

the hard work you have been putting in to the garden is really paying off now x beautiful x