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Thursday, 29 June 2017

Don't Give Up


 
 
"Don't give up, I know you can make it good."
 
OK, that's a truncated version of the chorus of the song but those are the words that resonate today as I type this post.
 
A few weeks ago, I accepted that my hedychium had finally given up the ghost.   My Garden Guru Jean thought it was just resting.  My take was that after so many years of fighting for survival in the hands of an inept gardener, it had finally gone to meet its maker, was pushing up daisies, departed to that mysterious country from whose bourne no traveller returns ... etc etc
 
 
 
But Jean was right*!  This week a miracle happened and it metamorphosised from a bunch of gnarled old corms to 24 inch high healthy leafage.  So life's lesson also applies to the garden.  Don't give up, folks.
 
Hedycium and palms:
 
I'm hoping by the end of the summer I will be able to show you its lovely flowers.
 
*This lady is good. Not only did she know that my hedychium was waiting for its moment, she hit on the winning grey mix for my little navy skirt recently too.  I'm going to hang on that lady's every word ...
 
 
Elsewhere in the garden, all things are flourishing.  Could it be the recent burst of heat, perhaps?
 

 
We've already been feasting off rhubarb.
 
 
 
This bush which usually only shows a couple of roses at a time, has burst forth this past week.

 
I love its yellow petals.

 
Pink roses pop up, fit for a wedding table.

 
 
I tried to sneak in a shot of my newly tutti fruitied nails, but failed.  White roses are so classic.
 
 
Heavens knows what these are but I allow them to self-seed in the gravel to break up the flow of the pathways, here by my utility area.  They produce blousy yellow flowers.
 
All in all, I think my garden has thoroughly enjoyed the little heatwave I arranged for it.


So, peeps, with gardens, as in life, Don't Give Up ...
 
 
 
Doesn't Kate just have the ultimate in pouts?!
 
 
 


A la perchoine.

 

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10 comments:

  1. Anna of Mutton Style and Years29 June 2017 at 13:16

    We planted a pear tree in Feb that immediately got ant and greenflied. Mr Him dug it up and checked it. It really looked dead. I replanted it and cut it back totally. Nothing to lose as he'd thrown it on the compost heap. Anyway this week there are some healthy leaves.

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    1. thepoutingpensioner29 June 2017 at 14:28

      That's a wonderful Don't Give Up story Anna, thanks for sharing. I like your 'nothing to lose' approach. Hope it bears fruit this year, though that might be a bit soon after planting.

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  2. CindyL29 June 2017 at 13:47

    The self-seeding thing with soft leaves and yellow flowers is Wooly Mullein (Verbascum thapsus). Enjoy the summer!

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    1. thepoutingpensioner29 June 2017 at 14:36

      Wow, amazing! I had no idea it had a name, and such a fancy one at that. I've looked it up and discovered so much about it, like it can grow up to 2 metres - why do so many tall flowers plant themselves in my little garden, I wonder.
      Anyway, welcome to my blog, Cindy, I hope you keep popping back.

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  3. Gail Is This Mutton?29 June 2017 at 16:15

    Your garden is looking great! Well done to the friend who knew the hedychium was only resting. I feared the worst when I came back from holiday with the heatwave but the garden was mostly OK - a bit of rain helped and brought back the heucheras.

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    1. thepoutingpensioner29 June 2017 at 17:55

      Thanks, Gail, though it's all down to sun and not my gardening skills. Yes, wasn't Cindy a darling to identify that plant. So relieved to hear your garden survived the heatwave. Love heucheras but they got swallowed up in my garden, hmmnn, I think I've just worked out why my garden is populated by tall plants ... they're the garden bullies and only the tallest survive!

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  4. Jean Campbell29 June 2017 at 20:01

    You are too kind. I can only tell you about how things grow here. Isn't it interesting that mostly they act the same way 'across the pond? I'm glad the Butterfly Lilies (Hedychium) came back for you.

    Bullies in the garden usually survive because they have fleshy roots so they can go dormant. I stopped trying to grow things like tulips and instead grow what have survival skills.

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    1. thepoutingpensioner29 June 2017 at 21:20

      And another amazing snippet, Jean! Thanks for that, a few tulips do manage to grow here, but it's the big bruisers, the echium, agapanthus and also crocosmia that push the insipid plants aside. I'm going to pose another challenge for you and Cindy soon!

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  5. Amy Johnson5 July 2017 at 13:55

    Gorgeous! I can't grow roses at all. I've tried, but they don't like me. They look good the first season I plant them, but they usually die over the winter or are eaten by bugs.

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    1. thepoutingpensioner5 July 2017 at 19:27

      Well your garden is so well-stocked and well-tended that I hadn't spotted that you avoid roses. Black spot is my ongoing battle.

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