Summer 2023 Review
by Wendy Syddall
I start again by apologising for the silence. I haven’t really done much gardening this summer due to the weather although I don’t like to complain about it. I thought I’d do a little review of the summer in the garden. I’ll try to be as positive as I can!
I decided this year to try and grow less from seed to make things easier for myself. I sowed cosmos and none came up at all. I think they prefer peat based compost and I refuse to use it. I also tried to grow Tithonia from seed which has been successful in previous years but this time I think they were eaten before they grew very much at all. I did have success with the Sweetpeas which I sowed for myself and my friend but they were a little slow especially to flower but after a lot of rain got going

I wanted a few Ammi but the seeds are so small I ended up with about 100. I gave a lot away and planted some but they need better support than I’ve given them.
I have grown some wallflowers from seed too and they are very easy and are currently in the greenhouse waiting to be planted out.
It has been a great year for roses and I include a few pictures here. Sorry I can’t name them all




Fruit wise – we had less raspberries this year but that’s maybe because we had less plants. I had one Cherry I think off my tree this year and it’s looking rather unhappy with black curling leaves. The tomatoes are doing well, beefsteak and cherry ones and I have some in hanging baskets.
Finally a few of my containers – my hanging basket had a sunflower seed in it (not planted by me) and it’s how flowering

Also my new wheelbarrow is flowering well with pansies

Positivity and beautiful blooms are both good things.
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