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my photos

TUESDAY GARDEN RAKE

It's been another busy week!

Gardening isn't just about meandering around with your snips, cutting flowers and dead-heading, the majority of work is hard, and back-breaking.

It's always my job to clear the Bramble, and ending up looking like I've gone four rounds with the neighbour's cat!



The weather has been mainly cloudy with spells of rain, and there's been a drop in temperature.

Like me, the Centaurea Montana above is most happy when in sunny conditions, and manages to catch the very little there was this week.

Unlike me, as a rule, plants with fuzzy hair or silver leaves will tolerate being baked.



A plant more suited to semi-shade is Solomon's Seal.

Once established it will spread, and goes well with shade loving ferns in a woodland setting.



At this time of year, I do my best to keep on top of the weeds!

Aaargh! Two weeds new to my garden last year are Bindweed (which I promptly treated with a Glyphosate-based weedkiller) and sticky Cleaver,which I pull out by hand.

One weed which makes itself at home is Herb Robert (a member of the Geranium family). It does have a very pretty pink flower, so I tend to leave some, making sure I pull up before they set seed everywhere!



The butterflies in the garden have been a welcome distraction.

Holly Blue, Small White, Peacock and Speckled Wood.



Deadnettle and Sweet Woodruff work well together, just like our new coalition government?



The semi-shade border is filling out nicely with Campanula, Potentilla, Geranium, Astrantia, Japanese Anemone, Heuchera, Lamium, Sedum, Aquilegia and Alchemilla.



Potted on plants bought mail order.

Gaura Ballerina Blush and Salvia Mystic Spires for the borders, and Dahlia Bishop of York to plant up individually into large pots.



I enjoy keeping a watchful eye on the birds in the garden.

As well as House Sparrows, Dunnocks, Starlings and Blackbirds, there's been Great Tits, Blue Tits, and a pesky Magpie!

There's been daily visits from the Garden Warbler, and Chaffinches are in and out of next door's Hawthorn tree.

o