Surprise Guest

Picking up my gardening gloves from the shelf in the outhouse made me jump a bit. We had a surprise guest snuggled under them.

A small Toad had somehow managed to clamber up onto the shelf 3 feet above the floor and hunkered down under the gloves.

I carefully took it outside and placed underneath the large rock slab outside the door, making sure it crawled under out of harms way.

Next day once again picking up my gloves, it was back there again!

It's easy for them this size to get under the door, plenty of gap to squeeze under, but how it manages to get up on the shelf is beyond me?

Perfect Wet Weather Plant

Our Summer seems to show no signs of becoming dry. Small intervals of dry days in a week is all that can be hoped for. A washout is the simple way to describe it.

Many plants though are thriving, perennials and herbaceous forms seem untouched. But one that absolutely loves it has grown into a superb plant this year. The cool wet conditions suit it very well.

 

Houttuynia cordata flora plena

Flora plena is not very often offered for sale as it is a little understated to the more popular variety 'Chameleon' The leaves of 'Flora plena' have a nice red edge to them and contrast well with the glossy leaves. Double pure white flowers show up perfectly against the leaves.

It grows in poor wet soil conditions in full sun or partial shade. A deciduous perennial, dying down completely to underground rhizomes. It spreads well by the rhizomes and can easily be propagated by digging them up in winter and replanting into another position. They take well to growing in a pot ensuring the compost is good at holding water as it needs being kept moist suffering if allowed to dry out at all.

Most people come across the Houttuynia in the coloured leaved for Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon'

Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon'

Treat it the same as 'Flora plena', though you may have to watch for reversion where the leaves revert back to green. Remove any of the plant that does not show the full colour in the leaves.

Striking colour

Dahlias are one of my favourite tender perennials, their often striking colours and vibrancy create a real Summery feel. The beauty of the Dahlia is that they are very attractive to Bumblebees. As long as they are single or only semi double flowers the bees love them.

One of my favourites is Bishop of Llandaff.

  Bishop of Llandaff

Deep purple leaves and vibrant red flowers, makes a striking garden addition. Well worth growing and easy to keep from one year to the next. I simply place the pot that it is growing in indoors once a frost has touched the top turning it black.

Cut the dead stem off and keep the pot frost free so that it cannot penetrate the pot. A shed will do to protect it.

In Spring the shoots will be seen poking through the compost. Its time then just to remove the top 2" layer of compost and replace with fresh. But sprinkle some fertilizer first such as chicken pellets or other organic fertilizer, then cover with the fresh compost.

Bring into the light where it is protected from late frost and grow on. Put outside once all frosts have gone.

Additional fertilizer should be given about 2 months after the first either another organic granular form or a liquid feed given weekly such as homemade fertilizer brew, liquid manure, comfrey etc.

Enjoy