July ramblings,
As I write these ramblings for July, the Society has just staged its annual garden party at the home of David and Annie Scotland. Keenly anticipated, it lived up to expectation. It was a grand occasion attended many members, held in a magnificent garden which was brimming full of inspiration for the many members attending.
At the same time, awards were presented for the “Best Garden in Wellow” competition. Contrary to my expectation that there would be few, there were 13 entries from owners of gardens large and small and great diversity. It would not have been easy to judge them and we were very fortunate to have as judge, the winner of the BBC’s Gardeners World gardening magazine “ Garden of the Year,” Wayne Amiel.
Each garden was visited and judged against criteria laid down by Wayne and awards were made as per the Royal Horticultural Society’s system i.e. bronze, silver, silver gilt and gold. Each garden was in receipt of an award and the overall winner was that of Di Dalgleish and Johnathon Knights on which Wayne commented he was “blown away” by. Receiving their award, Di and Johnathon invited anyone present to visit their garden the following day.I have just returned from such a visit and have to say that I was equally blown away by the garden that was truly visionary.
Back to more mundane matters: June served up a disappointment in terms of weather with below average temperatures and rainfall but things have improved of late but we could still do with a significant amount of rainfall. Today my water butts delivered their last drop of rainwater.
Most things in the vegetable garden are growing nicely particularly onions which were a disappointment last year. The plot is bursting with vegetables of all varieties and we are currently eating, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, broad beans, carrots, mange tout, courgettes and so many strawberries we have been making jam with them. For those of you wondering why potatoes don’t get a mention in this list, it is because, like a lot but not all gardens in the village I have soil bordering on the quite alkaline which results in potatoes suffering from blight which, although edible, would certainly not win any prizes on the show bench hence, I do not grow them.
In the ornamental garden, activity features mainly dead heading and feeding paying particular attention to sweet peas, roses and dahlias.
I pride myself on gardening organically and was interested the other day, to receive an email from a well known company offering a complete range of organic pest controls including, would you believe, ladybirds. Whatever next!
At this time of year, the tool that gets most use is the hoe, ensuring that plants get an unrestricted access to the best that the soil provides. I find it a most therapeutic activity. Most by now will have a good idea of what they want to enter in the show and schedules are now available. Don’t forget, even if you are not entirely happy with your produce it could well be that other gardeners are also suffering from less than perfect specimens. Let the judges decide. Don’t forget, the flower show is a week earlier than normal this year on Saturday 31 August.
Happy gardening,
Alex