Flowers, flowers, flowers.

Even though this Summer has been one of the wettest, dullest and coldest ever the flowers have played a blinder. If anything they have been better than ever. I think this is partially due to the fact that as the garden matures there are more areas of shelter and windbreaks. Did’nt see this lovely Hollyhock until it started to flower. Supposedly black, it is more like a very deep purple to me. Is there such a thing as a truly black flower?  This one came up through a pink flowered Fuschia.

Cosmos of course never fail to please. One of my faves. They mature fully from a Spring sowing and provided you keep them deadheaded will flower until well into Autumn.

White Mallow and Feverfew in the shady border by the chalet. This border has filled out really well. It was begun in March 2011.

Earlier this year we buried our dog Alice here…it was a place he liked to sit. A packet of wildflower seeds was planted and from it came mostly these beautiful Corncockle. As purple is my fave colour I really like them.

Even Lavender which likes good drainage and lots of sunshine has done ok.

The archway above the garden gate is not as heavily clothed as other years…but not too bad either.

Finally this variegated Lysmachia in dappled evening sunlight. It is doing well under the shade of the Birch tree.

The Wider View. Part 2.

The gate to the vegetable garden.

First thing to see is this Victoria Plum tree laden with fruit again this year.

Following the path, Blackcurrant bushes on the left, veg beds on the right.

There are 2 polytunnels. The biggest one is 63ft long, the smaller one about 22ft. Among the vegetable beds there is a seat, an essential in any garden. It is one of my fave places to sit and contemplate or just observe the beautiful nature which surrounds us.

At the bottom of the small tunnel and looking back towards the house there are fruit trees, Plum and Apple. These are planted in tyres as the ground here is heavy and wet. Herbs and flowers are planted round the bases of the trees.

More veg beds beside the small polytunnel.

Looking over the fence we can see the house through the Birch  tree. The cottage garden bed is at the other side of the fence.

Hope you enjoyed the tour!

The Herb Garden.

The Herb Garden is a new venture opening tomorrow in the Bush Craft Yard in Carrick-on-Shannon. Owner John Gaffey already has a small gift shop called The Crafty Cave in this lovely little courtyard. He is now extending beyond the paved area to open this new enterprise.

The main emphasis will be on herbs but John also does hanging baskets, window boxes, trees, flowers and vegetable transplants. Many of the plants are grown in his greenhouse in Mohill. In these days of trying to reduce air miles this has to be an added bonus for this venture.

John’s ingenuity is aptly demonstrated by this mini polytunnel which he made from some discarded piping and plastic plus some wood for the base. Is’nt it fab!

Love this arrangement of Oats growing around a Birch tree.

Less talking lads, work to be done!

So there it is, local person, local business, locally grown plants, very reasonable prices too. Go along and check it out if you are in Carrick-on-Shannon. Beside the Bush Hotel, which was the first hotel in Ireland to be awarded the EU Flower Eco-Label in recognition of its commitment to sustainable tourism and protection of the local environment.

Growing Flowers Naturally @ Prospect Cottage.

Galega.

Fruit and veg are not the only things we grow here in Arigna, flowers also have a large part to play. The flower is an essential part of every plant as it contains the reproductive organs without which the species could not continue. Sometimes this can be forgotten, we may look on flowers as nice colour shots in the garden.

Honeysuckle by garden gate.

Growing flowers naturally is easy if you accept them as they come, no tittivating and selection for the show bench. The biggest concession is to accept what does well in your area. For us this means no Dahlias, they don’t do well in our heavy soil, no Magnolias, they don’t like the winds we get here in the valley, no Bergamot, I don’t know why it does’nt do well here, several attempts have failed, I can cope with that.

Self-seeded Snapdragons in polytunnel.

What ever your soil type there are flowers that will love it. Gravel gardens, bog gardens, rock gardens, the possibilities are endless. The use of chemical fertilisers on flowers I find very sad, they don’t need it, they want to flower, it is their way of propogating themselves. People wonder why bees and other benificial insects are declining! Maybe that weekly dose od Miracle-Gro has something to do with it?

Verbena bonariensis does well on our ground.

The other great way to grow flowers is as companion plants for your fruit and veg. The right combinations can reduce attack from pests and disease.

Nasturtiums will repel aphids while Poached Egg  Flowers will attract hoverflies. The fave food of the hoverfly is aphids! Nasturtiums repel wooly aphids from fruit trees and chives will keep away fungal diseases. French Marigolds planted among your Tomatoes promote growth and repel harmful soil nematodes.

P.S: The plant in the last pic is of course Joe-Pye Weed not Verbena bonariensis.