Update

The kitchen is in - just need tiles & lights. Living area almost complete - just need skirting & curtains. Cannot wait to clutter it all up a bit, make it more homely. The new windows are coming tomorrow - am dreading it.

Back to the lovely world of flowers - have potted on lots of snapdragons and planted up the tunnel for Mother's Day next year - ranunculus, sweet william, wallflowers, narcissus in crates...... tulips still to go in. An autumn arrangement to be made for the weekend - will post a pic - I have lost my camera battery in the house upheaval - need to sort myself out big time. As a rather pathetic substitute I offer you a link to my autumnal pinterest board - http://www.pinterest.com/cherrytownsend/season-of-mist/

Laters :)

Chaos

What can I say....I have no kitchen, no washing machine, the builders have been living here since start of August....dust - don't talk to me about dust. Furniture piled high everywhere, I haven't watched TV for two months, I have very grey roots, very hairy legs but on the plus side have lost a stone in weight. Would you like to lose weight? Simple - just have your kitchen removed - it works wonders.

I shouldn't moan, things are starting to take shape and the new kitchen is coming this week.

Of course the garden has been rather neglected but I finished the season's workshops with a lovely bunch of ladies who were all friends and came together, on 21st September - the weather was beautiful and all went well.

 I am winding down now, putting the garden to rest, changing beds, making plans.

Was cheered up no end yesterday when a lovely lovely bride from last September emailed me some lovely pics of the wedding.

Makes it all worthwhile.

Thinking Ahead

Be prepared - something I find rather difficult but I have finally completed my bulb order for spring and ordered more perennials to bulk up the permanent planting beds from which I have removed the space wasters that weren't pulling their weight - out go the globe artichokes, anchusa, some hybrid tea roses, mathiasella bupleroides Green Dream (a beautiful plant but too precious for the cutting garden) and monarda (too scruffy!).

To fill the gaps, I am planting more of the star performers - phlox, veronicas, asters, toad flax, achillea, delphiniums and lysimachia.

I will also like to try something new each year but must not get carried away by the promise of something lovely in the seed catalogue, for instance, this year I tried achillea sibirica Love Parade. Basically, just like achillea ptarmica, the central "button" looks dirty when fully opened.

Bulbs for spring include more lovely multi headed, scented narcissus, some tulips and ranunculus for the tunnel.  And lots more alliums which are fab!

Pink ranunculus, Thalia narcissus and cherry blossom from spring past.

Mellow Fruitfulness

There's a definite nip in the air and yet, we are in for a pretty lovely month by the look of it.

Berries and hips and gourds.

Mist and golden leaves, the leaves are the best. It's early yet but here a few pics taken from last year....I'm hoping for a repeat performance.

I've started a new pinterest board ...check it out - here

Busy Bee

I can't believe the summer's almost over, I've been so busy that the blog has been neglected. They say you shouldn't mention that you've been a poor blogger but how can you not?

Very busy month and rather stressful - we're knocking three rooms into one at home, 3 weeks in and still like a building site...will keep you posted on progress - windows and new kitchen going in end of September so has to be finished by then.

On the flower front, been busy with weddings, workshops and orders.

On the garden side of things, my cut flower perennial beds need a major overhaul - there are too many plants not pulling their weight and taking up too much room - globe artichokes, anchusa, sidalcea bianca, achillea ptarmica The Pearl (it produces a tonne of flowers but as soon as they fully open, they look dirty as the centre of the button is a sort of beige colour. This means that there is a very short window for cutting).

I'm sticking to the stalwarts - toadflax, catmint, centranthus, phlox, veronicas, feverfew. I've had four good years now to try things out and am going to completely re-organise my beds. Watch this space!

Sometimes the simplest things are the prettiest.

Prairie Makeover

Last Autumn I had decided to make a new border along the lane, somewhere to move all of the hot coloured flowers that weren't in demand in bouquets. Heleniums, crocosmia etc.

We started planting up the border in March - you can check out the earlier post from March here.

The weather was so horribly cold that we thought that the plants would never grow but, since the mini heatwave in July, the border has suddenly filled out and although we ran out of plants towards the top, the first half looks pretty good (even if I do say so myself!) 

The heleniums are amazing - the plants were all purchased within the last 2 years and were divided in the spring - they clump up so quickly. The grasses will be slower but will give us something to look forward to next year. I have also bought achillea seeds - we are sticking to the hot colours within the red, orange, yellow, bronze colour palette.

The annual rudbeckias and calendulas make great fillers at the front of the border and we have also added some red geums to the mix.

I will post more pics within the next few weeks as the crocosmia are only starting to flower.

Last Autumn before we started.

We strimmed the area and laid cardboard.

Then we added grit to lighten the soil.

Grass clippings to add bulk.

Then lots of garden compost.

Spring planting.

In May, slow growth with the cold weather.

In July after a few weeks of heat and drought!

This week, above and below.

Will post more pics next week!

A Good Time

..had by all.

The Summer In The Garden open weekend was a great success, even if we did have thundery downpours on Sunday - everyone still managed to tour the garden before popping into the barn for some homebaked buns.....luckily very few buns left - the kids have eaten the leftovers...save me from further toothache and a growing muffin.

All of the lovely feedback makes the hard work worthwhile....who am I kidding...even if no other soul was to step foot in the place, I would still pack in a 70 hour week.....one could have a worse addiction, like prosecco and rolo (my current consumption)..so much for no toothache.

Trusty waitresses - my daughter and her friends.