Foxgloves (Wild)

Wild Foxglove have self seeded throughout the garden. Each year there seem to be more and more of them. They go nicely with my other cottage garden style plants (delphinium, lupin, aquilegia) although sometimes they look a bit messy scattered about. I like the spots inside the flowers - maybe the best part!

Left: Foxglove mixed in with lupin.

They provide lots of 'free' flowers, and easy to pull out if they come up somewhere you don't want them.

Last year I had white foxglove but this year they all seem to be shades of pink.

Slugs love Irish Guinness

I'm not too sure Guinness beer would be too happy... however I poured the dark stuff and served it to my garden slugs. And they loved it!
Serving Guinness to slugs is a one time occurrence - next time it'll be cheap beer!

Bottom Left: Some slug damage appearing on plants in the veg box.

Guinness poured... looks like a pint glass but its a shallow plastic container set down into the soil. It began to rain after I put these in and I was worried if it would work. Then it rained the next two days.

When I went out a few days later I found quite a few slugs drowned in both beer containers. I was surprised how many slugs came from that little veg box.

Beer trap at bottom left of photo.

Sticks /bamboo canes are for cat proofing purposes.

Managed to get my cabbage and broccoli planted and hopefully no little white butterflies will get to them. I hope my little cage withstands the weather!

A store bought onion was sprouting in the fridge so I stuck it in a pot to see what would happen. Its growing. I wonder if it will be ok to eat? Hmm.

Coriander grown from seed. I was using it rightly, in spaghetti,  chili, sauces etc. The young leaves really added superb flavour. Coriander is said to be good for stomach complaints and colds.

I assume once coriander is flowering there's no more harvesting? (I have so much to learn)

Since hardening off (getting them used to being outside and bringing them in at night for a week) and planting my courgettes, cucumber and beans outside, they've gone into a huff. They are not happy with the wind and rain we have been getting. This courgette plant was damaged at the base by gales so I have staked it to keep it from getting battered.

One of the cucumbers I've moved back indoors and it's perking up. When will summer arrive (and stay)?

Blogger's Bloom Day

It's Garden Blogger's Bloom Day - the 15th of every month.

Here's what's blooming...

L to R: Aquilegia still going strong: Poached Egg Plant (Limnanthes Douglassii); Coriander in flower, Rose (I think this is Arthur Bell).

L to R: Wild Foxglove first two photos; Geranium; Lupin. 

L to R: Geranium pink and purple; Aquilegia top R and bottom L; Rhododendron (I think).

At front Delphinium - in years past the flowers were more striking (taller and bigger flowers) - suppose it's true that delphinium need replaced after several years. In the background, the lupins are still flowering but will soon be finished.

Grown from seed: Aquilegia, Poached Egg Plant (Limnanthes Douglassii), Coriander , Lupin, Delphinium.
Self seeded: Wild foxglove.

More on Bloom Day: http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/