It would be fair to say that each year I forget how mad May can be. It is always a popular month to get married, especially down here in Cornwall as so many of the stately home gardens are at their best in May. Coupled with this the garden cries out for so much attention - like a child that keeps asking you for food from the treat cupboard it would seem everything in my life grows in May!
Images by Imogen Xiana Now as I glide into June I’ve kept a few weeks wedding free so I can get into the garden and take stock before another very busy July. I know I bang on about it but I love June and September for that matter. June for me is the point when all annuals should be grown up enough to handle themselves outside, perennials are looking good and bulky and you can start to plan your bi-annual crop once again (I constantly live in the following year!).
Thankfully after a pretty dry May we have now had a good dumping of rain which the garden seems to be loving - I’m sure I can see the annuals growing in front of my eyes. This is the moment however that I wished I’d staked things a little better (note to self for next year!).
Images by Holes in the World StudioThe indoor grown crops have been brilliant for the early weddings and now the trick is just to keep successional sowing of annuals for late autumn flowers. These can be done directly into drills outside (I’ve mainly been sowing between the roses as I’ve no more room). Later in the autumn I’ll let the Nigella go to seed and it will scatter around the roses which is the best sowing as it’s done by nature.
Images by Holes in the World StudioThe roses are starting to really flower well and that makes me so happy. The first crop has been better than I could have imagined and the new roses I’ve invested in are so beautiful. I chose to add Roald Dahl and Emily Bronte to the group of roses I’ve grown previously at the farm. Roald Dahl has been incredible, if you are a rose fan you need to go and buy one this weekend!!
Images by Holes in the World StudioSo I’ll leave you with a few things I’ll be doing this month…
0.1. Seeds I’ll be sowing this June:
Dianthus - such a great filler in May and if you can get the white variety it’s so handy.
Digitalis - I love the white and peach.
Hesperis Sweet Rocket - I’ve used so much of this in May so I’ll be making sure I’ve got oodles again for next year.
Honesty - I grow this for the seed pods in late Autumn and I’ve just had another tray germinate really well.
Icelandic Poppies - such a great flower and I tend to mix my crop inside and out for staggered growing.
0.2. Staking Dahlias before they get too big.
0.3. Planting out my autumn annual crop into outdoor beds.
0.4. Feeding roses at the end of June as the first flush finishes.
0.5. Reframing from buying anymore seeds, plants or bargains I may see!!!
Happy gardening x
