Uncategorised

Wishing you a great summer!

Gosh this blogging break idea is way harder than I thought it would be! I haven’t managed the postings I had planned (lots of distractions) but keep getting ideas for other things I want to share. After blogging so long, subconsciously a ‘next posting’ is always there 🙂

Even now, I’m tempted to chat on but I’m going to try and keep this simple. I’ll stick to just one photo too. The others I have just cropped will appear again. My pond dig is now confusing my OH… nope… I’ll keep this for another time.


The photo above is of Fritillary seed pods spilling out their bounty. This is what I want to leave you with. This is one of my garden loves… making new plants for free!

I get such a buzz out of propagating my plants with division in Spring or Autumn being the most common method I use. However, I love to take cuttings too and always forget how easy they are to do over the summer. I’m not going to miss the boat this year 🙂

Little brown envelopes holding seeds collected in previous years are lined up in a row in a box in my (newly tidied) potting shed. They are probably no longer viable. I’ll maybe try some out of interest. However, this year I thought I’d try sowing some seed fresh for a change and store some (with good intentions) to sow next Spring.

Dry days are best for collecting and storing seed. Our dry spell has been a bit ‘blown away’ for the moment with very heavy rain and strong winds. Of course, the wind can blow the seed around too resulting in new plants germinating without an intervention whatsoever from us. I like that too.

I enjoy hand weeding and always keep my eye out for any new seedlings as I go. I’ve got my eye on a few at the moment but will wait until they get a little bigger before I lift them.

My greenhouse tidy is almost complete and I absolutely love to see pots of new cuttings in it. I look at them with a warm pride that I created these new plants. It is so rewarding and if it is something you have never tried before I would highly recommend it.

You don’t have to have a greenhouse. All you need to do is research the type of cutting recommended for the plant you’d like to try. There are many books on propagating plants and information can be found online too. I’m sure you’ll be hooked once you start.

This seems to be a good time of year to buy seeds too with some garden centres selling them half price. Not just flowers either… if you know what veggies you want to grow next year you could pick up seeds for them now too.

Oops… done it again! Sorry, I just can’t help chatting on. It is well after midnight again too… just one final thing. Garden birds would appreciate seed at this time of year too. Pre blog I never thought you needed to bother feeding birds over the summer but they do still come to our gardens for food.

So that’s me for now. On a personal note this is the last summer that we will have a child with school summer hols. I have to say I was quite reminiscent last Friday lunchtime. As a family, we will be making the most of this precious time. Wow… only one school year left!

Wishing you an absolutely wonderful summer doing what you like to do. If you’re off on hols soon… have a great time. Enjoy the plants, birds and wildlife wherever you go. Thanks for all your kind wishes… I’ll catch you later 😀

Sorry, I haven’t answered all the comments in my last post before posting this. Just to say, I will be back to do so tomorrow. If you are a blogger, I hope to visit you over the summer too.

18 thoughts on “Wishing you a great summer!

  1. Hi Shirl,

    Have a great summer, I hope the weather clears for you soon 🙂

    Propagating is a great idea, shame I never know what to do so I stick to seeds, sedums are pretty much the extend I'll go to… Lol, I'm such a well refined gardener aren't I? 😉

  2. Hi Shirl. Just thought I'd say "hello". I still manage to read your blog posts, but I must admit I mainly post on Flickr now (however there are times when I think I need to blog again). Looks like you might be having a bit of a rest as well – I think it does you good. Makes the creative juices flow again. Hope you are well. Take care. Jane

  3. Hi Shirl, So glad you are enjoying the summer and getting lots accomplished. Doesn't it feel good!? This is a beautiful photo of the seeds. Have a great summer. Keep those post thoughts so we can see what all you are doing now. Cheers.

  4. Hi Shirl

    I let shook some of my Fritillary seeds around the base of the others about 2 weeks ago – they really are nice big seeds. I think after all the wind we had at the weekend there won't be anymore to gather. I don't think I'll have to hose many plants either for a little while as my soil is now saturated after the thunder storm.

    I would like to propagate some more lavender this summer.

    Have a lovely summer

    Rosie ♥

  5. Well isn't it hard not to get carried away by some new thought for another blog, just when you meant to have a bit of a break! I love the collecting of seed too and the thought that I have something for nothing and can also give away some goodies. Have a great summer. G.

  6. Have a very happy Summer, Shirl! Enjoy the last of your daughter's school Summer hols. Enjoy your lovely garden and the creatures which visit it and come back to us when you feel ready 🙂

  7. Lotus leaf, hello again and thank-you! I’ve been missing blogging, I have to say 🙂

    I do hope you do get a chance to see the fritillaries one day too. Just popped over to see what’s blooming with you today and what a pity the hibiscus is going out of fashion as that one you have really caught my eye!

    Wishing you a good week 😀

  8. Liz, thanks… wishing you a good summer too!

    Like everywhere this last week, the garden has had plenty of rain with more to come this week. We missed the worst here being away on hols. From memory you’ve had some rain too. The plants will be happier now.

    Lol… there’s the thing… I keep meaning to sow seeds! I buy the pkts, put them in a safe place but don’t make a note to myself to sow them… must try harder 😉

    For me, I love the challenge of taking the cuttings. They don’t always take, partly because I don’t always follow the suggested methods 😉

    Refinement in gardening? No fun there 😀

  9. Well hello there, Jane!! Thanks so much for taking time to stop by and for continuing to read my blogs. I expect you’re pretty busy with the Dorset Trust nowadays 🙂

    Thanks too for the thumbs up on your flicker album. I’ve just taken a look… wow you’ve some fantastic shots there. I see you get comment exchanges there too which is great 😀

    Lol… my problem was more that I couldn’t find the time to keep up with my creative juices! No flow prob there 😉

    However, I don’t want my blogs to get stale and too predictable so stepping back a little might help me keep things fresh… I am missing it though so don’t expect to be away too long. Then again, if the rain stops long enough for my pond build to start again 😉

    Thanks, keeping well and hope you are too. Great to catch up. Enjoy your summer 😀

  10. Hi again Lisa, yes thanks and I’ve made a good start! We’ve been away on hols too which has been good although now when I can get back in my garden rain is expected. Ah well… if it’s not too wet…

    Thanks, I loved that seed photo too. How pretty the seeds were in the morning sunshine coming on to my desk. I thought they looked like tiny gold coins 🙂

    Thanks for the summer wishes too… I must say I’m missing blogging already so don’t expect to be away too long! Missed bloom day but blooms were all around on a garden visit that week of my hols. I do like that clematis of yours… ah and monarda I always admire… alas no room here 🙁

  11. Hi Rosie, guessing you’ve got rain again now too as I write this. Thanks, was doing well re accomplishments when it stayed warm and dry. Then went on hols and now it’s raining… pity the new pond is missing out on the rainfall! Fortunately, I filled in the hole before we left though… OH still confused about that one 😉

    Yes, usually my frit seed pods are empty by the time I could collect them. This one was a find. Good to hear you were able to make the most of yours 🙂

    Yes, now (back from hols) I can keep an eye on cuttings I’m going to get started. I really do love making new plants. Good luck with the lavender, I had success with that a few years ago and many of the young plants went to MIL’s garden for a strip along her path 🙂

    Thanks, wishing you a good summer too. I doubt very much I will be away from my blog too long. I am missing it. Thanks for the thumbs up on the butterfly survey on Liz’s post. I’ve added a pic and link on my sidebar now 😀

  12. Hi again Gerry, ah yes… you could well be right there. It has been a power struggle on/off with blog thoughts I can tell you. I wrote some down in a notebook the other day and that has helped. I want to remain focused… at least I think I do 😉

    Yes, there is just something special about the garden giving us back plants for free. Almost like an exchange thing going on 😉

    Thanks, wishing you a great summer too… love that pic on your latest post of you (guessing) as a child with a sibling at the beach. Have pics like that too 😀

  13. Hi Jan, thank-you 🙂 It’s really weird to think that we are approaching the final school year!

    Re blogging I’m a tad struggling to keep away. Lol you’ll probably see me posting again soon. Fortunately the fav garden creature is not being seen at the moment. Don’t know where the hogs have all gone.

    Wishing you all the best with your next eye op. Hope all goes well. Have a good summer if you can 😀

  14. Hi again Shady, lol… this wasn’t the one either!!

    Thanks, I loved that seed shot too. Looking forward to getting my pond completed… school daughter keen to dig for me which in theory will speed things along 😮

    Wishing you a great summer too 😀

  15. I've been out collecting seeds too over the past week. I didn't know I could collect them from Fritillary, good to know for next year.
    I hope you area having a great summer with your family. Time does go by fast and kids do grow quickly.

  16. Hi Shirl, good to know you're still blogging. it's a hectic business, but we all come back to it…. as I have done. Enjoy the summer. Andrew

Leave a Reply