The cutting garden is starting to wind down a bit now, mostly because I’ve not been completely keeping on top of deadheading all the annuals and the some of the flowers are a bit smaller now and going over a bit quicker.Though that warm spell a week ago did push on the Zinnias a bit and I had a big flush of flowering. Especially lovely has been Zinnia ‘Purple Prince’, here with Zinnia ‘Mammoth’ and ‘Cactus’. The vibrant purply pink is glorious, you need your sunglasses for these.
I don’t think its been a particularly easy summer for Zinnias compared to last year. They like lots of sunshine and warmth and the damp grey August that we had here up north wasn’t particularly conducive to lots of flowering. They are also a bit of a slug magnet! I sow mine in modules and pot them on at least once to get them to a good size before planting out so that they have half a chance. I think I need to find them a slightly sunnier spot so a different location is needed for next year. But they are definitely worth growing for their vibrancy alone, adding a bit of pizazz to bouquets.
Another late summer annual that are still romping away are the Rudbeckias, here we have Rudbeckia ‘Marmalade’ a brilliant warm yellow with a dark brown button centre. Gorgeous.
Put them together and you have a vibrant colour clash! With Salvia viridis (yes still flowering away), Calendula ‘Ice Maiden’, Cosmos ‘Fizzy Rose’ and Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’
Much excitement in my garden this month with the first flowering of Cobaea scandens. They are one of the first things I sow in the new year (this year on 10th February) and one of the last to flower but look at that flower! They get potted on and kept in a cool greenhouse until I planted them out in May. I have planted them round my old chicken run and they have romped away and are now starting to escape into next doors garden.
I’ve got lots of buds all over so hoping for lots more flowers but it all depends on how warm it stays as to how long it keeps flowering.
Still flowering nicely are Cosmos and Phlox, they are just so productive, to create a cooler more relaxing combination I have been picking the lovely perennial Aster ‘Little Carlow’ (also know as the tonge-twister of Symphyotrichum ‘Little Carlow if you want to be proper). It creates a lovely haze of lilac blue daisies which combines beautifully with Cosmos ‘Purity’ and ‘Apricotta’, Phlox ‘Creme Brulee’ and ‘Sugar Stars’, also includes Astrantia ‘Buckland’ having a reflower and the pretty white stars of garlic chive flowers, also spot some of the Cobaea.
I’ve been busy in my potting shed sowing some hardy annuals for next spring. Key for me are the Cornflowers they are so reliable and if you sow now they make lovely big plants and flower so much earlier. They have been such a big part of my bouquets this year. If you follow me on Instagram you will know that I lost a few of my autumn sown annuals last year after that really cold spell but not the Cornflowers! So tough. I’ve also sown Cerinthe, Calendula, Corncockle (I’m also trying the white form this year), Echium, Cynoglossum, Daucus carota and Orlaya grandiflora. Have you sown yours yet? There is still time but time is getting on now, last chance to get the discounted bundle of seed for sowing now.
Having a break now and will come back and sow my sweet peas in October, get ready for the Higgledy garden sweet pea promotion soon. We have some new varieties on the way!
Higgledy Anne
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