Blogs

27-8-2024 a cat has discovered the catnip (Nepeta cataria) plants

verbena hastata White Spires self-seeded in a patio crack, with a bee

bee on verbena bonariensis

the fox-and-cubs flowering stem grew very long and broke, I think it's too much in the shade and was trying to reach some sun, if I can pot up some of the runners I'll plant them in a sunnier part of the garden

new buds appeared

flowers by my front door, grown from seed: cosmos, nasturtiums and morning glory

the bees have been liking the selection

23-8-2024 bee on blessed thistle (Centaurea benedicta) which is amongst the honeyweed / Siberian motherwort (Leonurus sibiricus)

I wanted the morning glory to climb up the railings but one shoot decided to go up the cosmos - actually looks ok doing that

20-8-2024 the cosmos is looking good, producing flowers

Livingstone daisy

20-8-2024 dandelions (Taraxacum) and beaked hawk's-beards (Crepis vesicaria)

I'm numbering them so I can track their development and see if they're really dandelions or beaked hawk's-beards. I examined them all today (28-8-2024) for hairiness. I am assuming the dandelions are hairless and the Crepis hairy.  I was surprised, some I thought were dandelions I now think are Crepis veiscaria.

1. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

closer view of this one

full view

2. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

3. dandelion  no hairs

4. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

5. dandelion  no hairs

6. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

7. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

8. dandelion  no hairs

9. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

25-8-2024 I moved that seed tray out of the way and gave the plant room to feel a bit more comfortable

10. dandelion  no hairs

11. dandelion  no hairs

12. dandelion  no hairs

13. dandelion  no hairs

14. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

15. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

16. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

17. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

18. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

19. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

20. dandelion  no hairs

21. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

22. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

 

21-8-2024 sunflowers a few days later

and the next day when that opened

another flower opened

18-8-2024 I tried growing sunflowers from seed but they did not do very well and were eaten by slugs. I shared my few survivors. So thank goodness sunflowers self-seeded from bird seed have performed very well. One is taller than the bird feeder.

15-8-2024 nettle-leaved bellflower I noticed in a neighbour's driveway

I had first noticed it back in May but I didn't realise what it was

viola Chicky Chick flowers

that first viola Chicky Chick flower in situ in the bowl of violas

I'm finding it difficult to photograph stone parsley (Sison amomum)

the stems are thin and the flowers are small, here amongst Shasta daisies

14-8-2024

Livingstone daisies at the base of the cosmos.

That one flower is the most amazing peach/pink but my camera just could not capture it.

Henbane has been a star performer - lots of flowers and now I see seeds forming so will collect to sow for next year BUT it is tiny compared to what I was expecting. Some sort of annual species.

Violas - one of my favourite flowers, probably one of the first I remember as a child and I still love it even though I can now grow weird and wonderful things such as henbane (awaiting flowering of the deadly nightshade and germination of the mandrake and datura seeds).

12-8-2024 I sowed 1 packet of cosmos seeds. It seems to me the flowers in the first 2 photos are different cultivars? but I'm no expert on cosmos.

Hoverfly on the first flower.

Livingstone daisies had found their way into the pot, first yellow flower.

11-8-2024

My amaryllis from a previous Christmas then put in the garden, has come to life and produced huge beautiful flowers unexpectedly.

view from the other side, I notice the flowering stem did not rise from the middle of the leaves as I would have expected but from the side of the bulb

verbena hastata self-seeded on the patio (I don't know how, I didn't have seeds but plug plants), photobombed by a cat, of course, in this case, Victor

the cornflowers are an exquisite blue (not sure it's coming through in my photos), blessed thistle to the left

sea holly above

lesser hawkbit - first I've seen it or is it just that I got down and looked at it carefully

as it was so much smaller than other yellow flowers there, such as this autumn hawkbit

like rough hawkbit, the buds face down

colour underside of the petals

this magnificent beast is growing at the front of my house

lots of buds

flower buds just opening

6-8-2024

globe thistle with a bee, small teasel in the background

purple loosestrife

saw-wort with bee

summer savory

close-up of the flowers

rosettes, dandelion on the left? beaked hawk's-beard (Crepis vesicaria) on the right?

beaked hawk's-beard (Crepis vesicaria)?

 

hardy geraniums with bees

blessed thistle (Centaurea benedicta) that I grew from seed

hibiscus buds

ragwort with two kinds of bees

henbane in flower, although it's very small, why are my plants so small this year, the very cold spring??

poppy in bud even so small

hibiscus, first time blooming in my new garden

and it was visited by a bee - what could be better!

new flowers on the Verbascum Arctic Summer

stems with that amazing "snow"

wall lettuce with all stages: buds, flowers, seedheads

tiny sunflower I found growing in a crack on my patio, I eased it out and potted it up (initially it looked very poorly but eventually perked up), still quite small but looks like it's actually going to bloom soon

Scarecrow behind the ragwort

Victor in the flowerbed

knautia macedonica with bee

nepeta with bee

canterbury bells  (Campanula Medium Blue)

Campanula persicifolia Blue

with all the animals in the garden, sometimes plants get damaged, this phlox was broken off so I put it in a vase inside, I'll see if the bud opens

hawkweed oxtongue (Picris hieracioides)

this small pot has lots of seedlings, the easy ones are forget-me-not at the top, red wall lettuce in the middle

strawberry on the right

I don't know what this one is

below looks like a nepeta above a snapdragon but too early to be sure

I also don't know what this one is although it looks delphinium-ish

another pot with intriguing seedlings, was supposed to be Poppy Black Magic but there are 3 that look a lot like lupins, I don't have any lupin seeds and the only lupins I had in this new garden are 2 that were decimated by slugs before any seed pods were produced so maybe the seed packet had lupins by mistake?? primula at the top, poppy top right and a tiny poppy with a bud bottom right

closer view of those seedlings from the pot above

closer view still of the poppy with a bud, I'm curious to see what poppy this is

autumn hawkbit rosette (Scorzoneroides autumnalis) and small-flowered crane's-bill (Geranium pusillum)

perennial sow-thistle (Sonchus arvensis)

 

small-flowered crane's-bill (Geranium pusillum)

Agastache Black Adder

I'm still discovering new plants in the garden, golden creeping jenny, didn't know this at all before

clematis (montana?) I saw a vine I thought might be clematis but it has bloomed recently so become identifiable

evening primrose in bloom, didn't even realise I had it, must have been in a pot I brought

crocosima and hardy geranium in the background

these were some of the crocosima leaves back in March which I did not recognise as crocosima as mine were a bit different, I was skeptical they were crocosima but they did indeed turn out to be crocosima

Verbascum Arctic Summer had been damaged by mullein moth caterpillars but after I relocated them to the water figwort / buddleja new buds started to grow

this was the damaged stem to the right eaten by the caterpillars, 3 weeks before

saw-wort buds

first small teasel flower in bloom, the bees love this, I saw one this morning on it but couldn't snap a photo in time

I was heading over to this side of the garden to take a photo, when I got close I discovered Scarecrow in the grass - I didn't realise he was there. He's well-camouflaged.

a poppy in bloom in the patio cracks garden

I snapped a photo of a bee on the nepeta but it's not very visible, my visiting white cat to the right

perennial wall rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia), possibly in a wildflower seed packet I sowed in that pot last year - or - it just self-seeded

the flower is at the far right side of the photo above at the end of a long stem, here is a close-up

autumn hawkbit (Scorzoneroides autumnalis)

at this time of year, the yellow-flowered self-seeders tend to be either smooth hawk's-beard or autumn hawkbit and only examination of the flowers from the side can be definitive, (below shows smooth hawk's-beard with the 2nd row of phyllaries), this is autumn hawkbit with the top of the stem  tapered into the flower

the basal rosette of autumn hawkbit deeply lobed leaves, just one flower there, I'm finding locally it's just starting to bloom

closer view of the autumn hawkbit buds

lots of rosettes about without stems with buds yet

this spectacular rosette with lots of flowering stems has self-seeded in a neighbours driveway

 

smooth hawk's-beard (Crepis capillaris)

I moved to my current house in December, 7 months ago, and of course, I immediately started looking at the plants and taking photos. This was self-seeded at the base of a brick trough along the side of the driveway.  I thought it looked very catsear-like but not the usual hairiness.

December 2023

February 2024

March 2024  as it was on my driveway it was easy to take regular photos

June 2024 I see smooth hawk's-beard in bloom in that spot which I didn't immediately associate with that rosette which I had forgotten about being so busy in the back garden. Then I went back and looked at my photos and realised I had seen the earliest rosette of smooth hawk's-beard back in December.

a separate photo of the base as I'm struggling with my phone to take a decent photo of the entire plant

also seen near the autumn hawkbit,

goatsbeard (Tragopodon pratensis), close-up of the opening bud

entire plant

perennial sow-thistle (Sonchus arvensis) buds 

back in my own garden

agastache Black Adder

verbena hastata

phlox

rose buds

centaurea montana Amethyst

selfheal

hawkweed oxtongue, phlox on the left, Lauren's Grape poppy on the right

 

some wildflowers I saw recently on a walk along the Grand Union Canal in Sarratt

the largest burdock leaves I've ever seen

entire burdock plant

another nearby burdock plant

also time for extremely large common hogweed

white melilot

wild parsnip

hemp-agrimony in bud

left to right smooth hawk's-beard (Crepis capillaris), dandelion, smooth hawk's-beard (Crepis capillaris), gypsywort

closer views

two stems of Crepis capillaris and dandelion on right

gypsywort

thistle (not sure species, will research)

a lock along the Grand Union Canal

on the opposite side of the towpath, lots and lots of goat's-rue

it was on  the other side of a fence so although I was keen to get into that area to look at the wilflowers, it was not possible

a nearby central reservation had a lot of white flowers

I wasn't sure what they were as it was difficult to go too close but I saw this white melilot on the close side of the road so I think it's that. If I can, I'll go back and try to get close.

Agastache Black Adder

selfheal

I planted out the giant knapweed (Centaurea macrocephala) seedlings but they aren't looking great so concerned maybe I did it too soon

I found two others amongst the safflower seedlings so repotted them. I will keep them until they're a lot larger and stronger.

I also planted out the safflower seedlings - with two cats

it's very difficult to plant into the lawn of my new garden, where the seed tray was the grass was dying so easier to dig into so I planted those (above) but found another pot and couldn't get into the ground next to those but a pot had been to the left of the nepeta (see below) so was able to dig there and plant the safflower seedlings there

same with the milk thistle seedlings, I had to plant them where the pots were

29-6-2024 the garden on my patio growing in the cracks: red deadnettle, poppy, selfheal

close-up of the deadnettle

willowherb

borage

prickly sow thistle

verbascum

green alkanet

28-6-2024 today's speckled petunias

corncockle and cornflowers

cornflowers

purple loosestrife first floret opening

ribwort plantain huge flower

24-6-2024 Lauren's grape with a bee (maybe a little difficult to see)

Verbena hastata I bought as plug plants, now blooming

scabious in bloom

one in bloom and lots of buds

this self-seeded on my patio, not sure where it came from, wish I could repot it but doubt it would survive

bee on edelweiss (Leontopodium alpina)

fox-and-cubs

Speckled petunias

scarlet monkey flower (Mimulus cardinalis)

Salvia sylvestris Rose Queen and Salvia sylvestris Blue Queen

campanulas around giant knapweed seedlings planted out

verges can be a magical place for wildflowers

I've never seen so many teasels

the season for ragwort in bloom

closer view of the Sisyrinchium striatum shown in the centre above

Echium vulgare

lots of creeping potentilla

the pink flowers are common centaury

large swathes of common centaury, most I've ever seen

close-up of common centaury

hypericum

ragwort

creeping thistle buds

on the other side of the road, smooth sow thistle with a bee

wild carrot

ragwort, corn marigold above

goatsbeard seedhead

wild lettuce

wild lettuce buds

Lepidium campestre ? seeds

buck's-horn plantain

friend's building work started, garden churned up (previously lawn) but left so it gave the poppies (and others) a chance to bloom

Sweet William catchfly (Atocion armeria)

poppies

purple toadflax

beaked hawk's-beard (Crepis vesicaria)

pink linaria

catsear

lesser swinecress

the latest speckled petunia

I am loving this Verbascaum Arctic Summer I bought at the garden centre, a bargain as 1 of 5 perennials for £20

not sure which side is a better view, some of my seedlings in the background - growing from seed is slow! especially this year when it's been so cold, so it's great to buy some small plants at the garden centre (I can recommend Plants Direct (Roundbush Lane, Aldenham), I've tried different garden centres since moving and this is the only I've been to more than once)

self-seeded Lauren's Grape poppy

self-seeders at the base of the poppy: spotted persicaria (love those leaves), teasel seedling, red poppy in bud, forget-me-not and others

latest hardy geranium blooms

I do love self-seeders. Left, an iris I found in a pot I bought from a garden centre, hoping it's a reasonable iris. Right, Iris foetidissima I found in a pot I brought with me from my old garden where I had lots and lots of Iris foetidissima. Surprised I've only found 1 seedling in the pots I brought as I used to have lots of seedlings. I'll have to have a closer look, maybe there are others.

red poppies, purple loosestrife and other water plants behind, awaiting a pond I'm planning to dig - just a shallow one

my first verbascum blattaria in bloom a week ago

another in bud yesterday

13-6-2024  I bought this pot from ebay and this lamb's ear was in it. I just left it knowing they were resilient and the bees like them.

close-up of the first flower

also bought from ebay, these two pots into which I put my seed-grown nasturtium, it's been so cold, surprised to see buds yesterday

the water figwort's been blooming happily

what happens in my garden: trying to grow from seed, self-seeders I love such as poppies, overly enthusiastic self-seeders such as selfheal which has filled up too many pots

9-6-2024 more Lauren's Grape poppy flowers open, views from both sides

as well as the Lauren's Grape poppies, I have common / field / red / corn poppies self-seeded, I also see some opium poppies there that had self-seeded in the pot I planted there but not sure which variety so awaiting flowering, some of my seedlings above and below the poppies, sawwort above, nepeta to the left

more red poppies with Victor in the background

latest geranium flowers, the previous owner of this garden obviously likes geraniums as there are lots in the garden

water figwort, I had some small-ish seedlings which I popped in the ground and surprised to see them blooming in a very short time

ox-eye daisy, I had lots in my last garden but only 1 plant seems to have come with me to the new garden

8-6-2024 scabious flowers looking great, bees have been visiting

First Lauren's Grape poppies in bloom from self-seeding, not sure when they self-seeded but some time last year. I did plant some seeds but the seedlings are miniscule. It's been so cold this spring, my seedlings (from seeds that actually germinated)  are so small I can't imagine I'm going to see any flowers from them this year.

first flower (Petrorhagia saxifraga, I think, the flower varieties are not listed on the packaging) from the M+S Pollinator Flowers Bee Attracintg Selection pot

M+S Pollinator Flowers Bee Attracting Selection

M+S Cornflower Bee Attracting Mix

latest speckled petunias

this one is only half-speckled

this one has no speckling but got into the speckled mix

 

bees are loving the giant scabious (Cephalaria gigantea)

I am loving the speckled petunias - I don't often buy bedding plants but for these I made an exception

prickly sow thistle, lots in my new garden, yellow flowers are cheerful

I've found various wild plants in my new garden

hawkweed oxtongue

bristly oxtongue

a few beaked hawk's-beard

bee on a hardy geranium

bee just inside one of the foxglove flowers at the bottom

ladybird larva

I was worried it was only 1 or 2 bees in the garden I kept seeing but today I saw 4 at once so I know I have at least those four and I saw a smaller bee, definitely a different type so I have at least 5. Two on the giant scabious (2 photos, I just love seeing them up there), 1 on the melancholy thistle and 1 on a dandelion. I couldn't photograph the small one which was on a green alkanet.

a few days before

after the rain finally stopped, a bee on a dandelion; dandelions have become a treasured plant in my garden and when the bees are feeding from them, I am happy

foxglove, hoping I might see a bee go into a flower but I don't have that many bees in the new garden, sadly

lupin, one day might see a bee

jacob's ladder just coming into bloom

my seed-grown Centaurea montana finally in bloom

cultivar Amethyst bought from a garden centre

giant scabious in bud

Annual Mercury (Mercurialis annua), large female flower fruits - usually I have to hunt under the leaves for them but these were so large, so easy to see

male flowers for comparison

pellitory-of-the-wall (Parietaria judaica) flowers

Frankenstein Plants

that's what I call plants growing through each other and so close together they look like one plant but on closer examination they are separate plants, 2024's Frankenstein plants so far

May 2024

hawkweed oxtongue (Picris hieracioides) at the base of a willowherb (Epilobium species)

bristly oxtongue (Helminthotheca echioides), smooth hawk's-beard (Crepis capillaris)?, shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

April 2024

a few different shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), forget-me-not (Myosotis species)

There's an entire garden growing in the cracks in my new patio - and cats!

left to right, wall speedwell, deadnettle, poppy, selfheal, sowthistle

buddleja, wall speedwell, selfheal, smooth sowthistle

mouseear and I'm not sure, similar to green alkanet but it doesn't usually have that textured leaf, will have to wait and see

verbascum and violet, I think

not sure and prickly sowthistle

prickly sowthistle

Geranium molle

deadnettle

sowthistle, prickly I think

not sure on this one

common whitlowgrass, I think

some late additions I noticed after I took the first set of photos

spotted persicaria (Persicaria maculosa)

This was growing in a crack on the patio but wanted to pot it up and see what it was as I didn't recognise it. I can't believe I managed to get it out and it's looking fine now. It was looking quite poorly for the first couple days. I'm intrigued by the centre.

and I noticed nasturtium which was probably from seeds I sowed recently, one must have fallen on the ground, also deadnettle and not sure on the left

I live for moments like this, a bee on my melancholy thistle

a few days later

bee on the houndstongue (upper right)

closer view of the bee

I also saw a bee on this aquilegia but didn't have time to snap a photo.

It can take a long time for seed-grown plants to bloom but this is my longest. I sowed Centaurea montana seeds in 2021. I only had 1 seed germinating. It was in the pot for the last 3 years and seemed to expand but never bloomed. I planted it in the ground recently and noticed a bud yesterday.

 

the ladybirds seem to love the giant scabious

ladybird on red campion

my first scabious flower

it's been so hot, the cats have found cool places to stay

Erigeron karvinskianus

water figwort buds

Eastern rocket seen on a day back in Camden Town