Last weekend we took a trip to our favourite local garden centre. After a quick walk around their little doggy walking orchard, Mavis wasn't really in the mood as there were strimmer noises coming from nearby, we had a spot of lunch and then went into the open greenhouses to fulfil my mission.
I had pulled out the raspberry canes just before the fence was re-stained as they had been attacked by something and were looking dreadful, and to be honest I don't like raspberries very much anyway!!
I needed something nice to fill the gap and we both agreed perennial flowering plants would be much better there.
Mission accomplished.
I think it looks so much better now, and we can both enjoy the flowers from our respective patio doors.
I am keeping this one raised bed near the shed as my only vegetable growing area, it's all I need and want for the moment. The empty space was full of kale until the other week, then the cabbage white caterpillars decimated it over the course of two days.
Alan's pride and joy, his recent purchase from a food fair in Morecambe a couple of weeks ago and now fondly known as 'Tractor Man'. I bought Alan the fuchsia that's in it from Sainsbury's (for the grand sum of one pence, they were selling off all the Summer plants) as he was gutted that the little pot of marigolds that it was displayed with was not part of the sale. 🚜
I must say it's a relief having the garden so low maintenance now, which is not something I thought I would ever say until very recently.
End of month figures:
This month I have spent a total of £139.40. 😮
Which, if you have been following along supersonically carefully, means that you know I now have only £6.38 in my carried forwards amount. Am I worried by this, not at all, it is a brand new month tomorrow and I can visit the cashpoint and get my next £100 ... which this time I will try not to spend all of.
I hope you have a great weekend. 💖
Sue xx
Mission certainly accomplished, and your new plants look lovely.
ReplyDeleteI only wish that I was so good at arranging plants. Your gardens have always looked so carefully considered. Xx
We love the new look garden. Perhaps teaching retail merchandising comes in handy when gardening too. 😄
DeleteI love that 'meme' (and your new perennials - that bed looks great).
ReplyDeleteIt's a good one isn't it. 😀 We love it, in fact I spent the first couple of days that it was planted out stepping out of the door just to admire the new planting. 😂
DeleteYou did make me smile with your admitting to not really liking Raspberries that much anyway!!
ReplyDeleteMy food budget is being ambushed by having Tam and Danny here, so have to get wine and beer in as well, but it's worth it.
I really don't but Alan does and when the neighbour offered him some raspberry canes he said yes. He got to eat TWO raspberries last year, so when the leaves started curling up and turning brown I quickly told him they were diseased and HAD to go. 😄
DeleteI've started over a few times now and think I've finally got it right :-) I love the end of the month, adding up totals and looking forward to the new month :-) xxx
ReplyDeleteOh I think we've both started over and over quite a few times, but we get better at it each time, and learn so much in the process don't we. ❤️
DeleteI love each fresh month as my new money arrives and I can plan things again. I must do better in September though. 😀
Your garden looks lovely with all the new flowering plants. Too bad about the kale getting eaten!
ReplyDeleteI was shocked the little caterpillars ate it so quickly, I had no time to react. 😔
DeleteI love all the flowers. perennials are my favorite. I'm lucky to have my daughter as 'the gardener' since I cant really do it anymore. I do a few things like clipping roses etc but the bulk of the gardening is done by her. I do wonder though should we try and simplify all of it. I know I'm not canning as many tomatoes, etc. I guess maybe my age is catching up with me. Ha!
ReplyDeleteIt's lucky that your daughter likes to be your 'gardener', you must have brought her up with a love of nature. :-)
DeleteI am simplifying it all as I can't garden for more than half an hour or so without really suffering the next day. But I do need to have some colour and a few things to eat from the garden. Age and ill health catches up with us all.
Garden is looking lovely and well done on the very inexpensive plant for Alan. Catriona
ReplyDeleteIf I'd spotted that the plant was only 1p whilst I was still at the supermarket I would have bought a lot more, as it was I'm more than happy with my bargain. And I did admit to Alan that his gift only cost me a penny. :-)
DeleteYour garden looks lovely. Wow what an inexpensive plant for Alan's Tractor Man.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
A rare and very welcome bargain.
DeleteThat's a great quote. I didn't realise that caterpillars ate Kale! Years ago I grew beautiful cauliflowers one season, so many that I wondered how we would eat them all, whilst I was chopping and washing one ready for steaming, suddenly I could see them - the luminous green baby caterpillars - it was the same with my lovely broccoli heads. Put me off growing brassicas, because at least one, probably more, always slips through onto the plate....... yuk
ReplyDeleteYour garden is looking very pretty.
Alison in Wales x
Neither did I, perhaps because that was the only really green leafy plant in that bed this year the butterfly thought sod it I'll lay my eggs here. Next year I'll be netting it for sure!
DeleteOh yes, Alan has tucked into more than one salad with wildlife still residing in the broccoli. :-)
My raspberries are poorly too and I don't think I will get any fruit at all this year. They're coming out very soon and I have bought some new canes to go in once I have refreshed the soil, etc. I do like them very much, especially the autumn fruiting ones. xx
ReplyDeleteThey went over really quickly, one week really lush and sort of promising and then the leaf curl started and they all went crispy. I'm so sad. ;-)
DeleteYourl garden looks very tidy and well kept, ours is too big and we've had to get a gardener to help with the weeding.
ReplyDeleteWe've gone from over 5 acres, to just over 5 yards ... so much easier to keep tidy. 😄
DeleteLove your garden photos❤️
ReplyDeleteThank you, it's nice to end the Summer with it looking neat and tidy. 😀
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