CarolynW

Thank you

That's exactly it.

I think this is Salvia Blue Suede Shoes? I thought it had been killed off by Winter frosts, as it took so long to reappear. Finally it is flowering it's socks off, just in time for November frosts. I've taken insurance cuttings this year, just in case. 🌱

Cutting garden Chrysanthemums. Originally the Apricot colour, slowly being overtaken by the pink, which I assume is a parent. Luckily I like both. 🌱

Love it.Self seeds magnificently for me in my light, sandy soil.

Birthday bowl treat to myself. Just need to wait for it to rust properly. Seating nearby so I can admire it in my grass garden. Grasses from Plantsmans Preference over the years. Fabulous local Nursery. 🌱

Bottom trawling to continue in English protected waters, government rules Defra says blanket ban on ‘destructive’ fishing practice disproportionate as MPs urge minister to reconsider

www.theguardian.com/environment/...
This really grinds my gears. Labour is turning out to be a disgraceful disappointment.

Update re plants: apparently suitable plants are sold off in October, usually on Wednesdays. I'll be on the look out for the dates as I fancy the Salvias.

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK Abbey Gardens always have an immaculate Summer bedding display. Well worth a visit to this historic town.
Wonder. What they do with the Salvias when the display ends in Autumn? Hope they are overwintered but suspect not. 🌱

Added rusted daisies to a corten planter today. Pleased with the result. Fills a gap I've been wondering what to do with for the past 2 years. 🌱

I feel very lucky to have this spring fed swimming pond for refreshing swims. Clear water and 15ft deep. Dug in 1975 on the family smallholding. Lush and bounded by fabulous wild flowers 🌱

Kendo Nagacatty cleverly likes to rest amongst our decking Agave. This protects him from the evil Nasty, next doors cat. Clever Kendy. Agave grow well here. 🌱

East Ruston Old Vicarage garden ands a sea swim for me. Let us know what Wentworth was like.

Over the years, I've come to love Zinnia more and more.
Easy to grow from seed, stand hot weather, each flower lasts for ages, and the colours are so zingy.
A must for me. 🌱

I'll give that a go next year. I really struggle with fruit set. This year I'm growing them in their own greenhouse with peppers and chilli's. Thinking they didn't get enough light in the tomato house.....ever hopeful.

How do you get them to set so early?

I'm a failure too, despite extreme pampering. Never get beyond fist size.

A small epiphany (can an epiphany be small?) this week. I grow lots of mint. I buy mint teabags. Why don't I make my own mint tea? It tastes much better than the bags and is free. Doh! Think of all the plants I could have bought with all the money wasted for years.....🌱

Happy to let these self seeded beauties flower next to our decking. Alive with insects too. 🌱

Found this dug out wasp nest just yards from my bee hives in the orchard. Look how beautiful it is inside. I'm not opposed to wasps like some of my beekeeping pals who slaughter them at the drop of a hat. If your hive gets cleaned out by wasps, it wasn't worth keeping, is my take.

Farmers' daughter here saying your wheat needs to be completely straw like. Yours is still way too green. Harvest when you bite through a grain and it's hard and white inside, not steely grey. Used to be able to bite a grain and tell the moisture level ready for harvest after copying dad for years

Would be great if it did.

Another first for me. Homegrown pink Cauliflower. What a beauty. 🌱

First time growing Acroclinium. These are doing well in the shelter of a willow dome. The ones in the open are not going so well. Seriously Chelsea chopped by deer but will recover if not chopped again. Interested to see the young flowers start with a black centre. 🌱

They look good. My issue is with deer but simple netting keeps them off.

A beauty. Dyk the name?

An enjoyable couple of hours this sunny Suffolk Sunday. Made a hazel hurdle to christen my new billhook. This Tradescantian path interloper has been annoying me for weeks as I have to weave around it every day. Annoyance solved. 🌱

I feel lucky then, not to have raccoons or groundhog in the UK!

Not super photogenic, but yesterday’s garden cauli is now a tasty veggie curry. Contains kale, turnips and new potato from the garden. The only bought ingredients are spices, onion,tinned tomato and chickpeas so it's also frugal. A delicious alfresco lunch with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

Persistence paid off then. It'd be rabbits, pigeons, deer or caterpillars here! All my veg is netted.