garden party gazebo

Happy’s Garden Update Part 4.  

What a wonderful time we have had in the garden these past few weeks…the weather has been lovely…But once the temperature got to near the 90’s, it was too hot for me and a little to hot for the garden too!  I have lost a few plants in this heatwave…I was going out there everyday dead heading and watering, but then I just couldn’t manage the heat and I stayed inside, in my Birthday suit! with the fan pointed directly on me! It was all I could manage to get myself a drink and all we were saying was ‘Cor ain’t it hot!’

english cottage garden

This is what the garden looks like at the moment…ok so this was taken a few weeks back, but you get the drift!…The grass was beginning to look very pale and straw like, but I concentrated on watering the plants rather than waste it on the grass, as I didn’t want to waste any water…we didn’t have a hose pipe ban in Kent, but I was expecting one, so I tried to conserve water where I could.

adirondack plastic chairs

The Sumach plant just behind the ladder is no more!…we had some very strong winds and as the branches are very frail…they were blown down, so I sawed most of it back…it has never done very well, as the wind on that corner is really strong and is always doing it some damage.  Behind it I found a virginia creeper from my neighbours garden and I have now trained that to grow around it…I know they can be quite vicious, but I am quite a dab hand with the shears, so I won’t let that get the better of me and plus I like the way it goes a kind of red colour in the winter.

There is lots of things going on in that corner…I am trying out a few different plants…but my dream is to have a corner shed there, which I would like to turn into an art studio for my Hubby!…Eventually Perhaps!

passion flower

I have managed to grow a passion flower! Yay! I am so pleased with myself…It has grown quite a few foot this year, so I can’t wait to see what happens to it next year!

pink gerberas and digitalis

Freddy bought me a few nice plants at the bootsale near us at the start of the season.  I have not gone to any Bootsale’s this year…I have been so tied up, what with one thing and another and actually I don’t want to bring any more junk back into our home, as I feel I still have so much to get rid of myself…but I do miss buying plants there!

Soon though I should be self sufficient and will be able to divide my plants up and grow some from my flowers that have gone into seed! I now know which plants do well in my garden and which don’t! It’s all been trial and error and would have been easier to of bought a soil testing kit, but that would of ruinned the fun of it all.

pretty garden grey shed

You must all know by now that I am a bargain hunter…well the bargain hunter in me loves going to garden centers and looking in their bargain corners…Yes every garden centre has one! so you can imagine my delight when my eyes feasted upon this gorgeous hanging basket for £5.00 reduced from £40.00! I had to have it! Ok so it was a little sad, some of the plants had seen better days…but I bought it home with me and gave it a good old tidy up and a little feed and hey presto! Look at it now!

Grey painted shabby chic shed

We have had a couple of celebrations in the garden…we had a Father’s Day Garden Party and a Happy Birthday Rosie Barbeque, which was enjoyed by all the family…so of course I had to put up some bunting and pretty paper chains.

vintage metal furniture in cottage garden

For about a week now it has been raining on and off, so I haven’t been out there much…I am currently getting my Mums garden in order too! I took a hedge trimmer out into her back garden! lol! but that is a story for another time!
I know once I go back out there I will spend all day gardening! It has become my new hobby…I love it so much and to think that this garden is just a little over a year old since we started planting everything in it…check out what it used to look like HERE.

pink hydrangeas

I am loving growing all kinds of plants, especially Hydrangeas…My Grandad’s Favourite plants and now one of mine…I am also looking forward to taking cuttings of my favourite plants and putting them in my little plastic greenhouse to see how they fare…How have you been spending time in your garden this summer?

Did you like the heat or are you glad to have a break from it?Have you lost any plants?

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