Success stories with climbers

As the summer progresses we have learned something about the clematis in our back garden.  Named after a local village, it is a 'star' but a one than can easily strangle others.  Cutting it back towards our boundary fence my husband has discovered two other varieties of clematis struggling to express themselves, a pink rose, a white delphinium and a red rose that has almost given up the fight.  This vigorous climber has been reduced and (fingers crossed) is now going to be guided in an appropriate direction towards the back boundary and wildlife hedge.  Moral: control impulse buying and keep borders uncrowded.

A climber we have keenly nurtured is the honeysuckle we brought here from a cutting on our allotment.  This was a cultivated variety, a present from friends.  At last it is beginning to make its way up the trellis we provided for it.  No flowers this season, but at least it is established.

The Morning Glory I grew from seed, an annual that is only a few steps away from the weed convolvulus, has put on growth and found the trellis too.  However, it is not a permanent competitor and its pastel pink and purple flowers brighten up a corner that enjoys morning sun.

Our jasmine, my sister's rescue plant that I mentioned in a recent post is still doing well next to the porch.

Our most recent purchase came from the largest garden centre in the region, seven miles or so up the road.  No rescue job here, but the full price for another jasmine to grow up a newly painted trellis (thanks again to my sister) behind the shed.   It's a variety that brings back happy memories and a fitting fifty ninth birthday present.

Solar Gain (s)

Well, I think that is what she said.  L is a biology teacher and we were describing to her how we had positioned our winter squash in large containers under our bay window.  The front of our house faces south and west and the sun's heat soaks into the brickwork, to the benefit of our plants.  It seems to be working; our winter squash are courgette sized and very tasty.  If we can refrain from harvesting all of them now some may mature to the full size we knew in the south. 

Another plant benefitting from the rays is our jasmine.  This is about to flower for the first time.  A 'rescue' plant, this time from my sister, it came down to the south east, spent some time on the allotment and moved up here to our shed where it wasn't doing very much.  We repotted it again and put it outside at the back.  Lots of leaves but no flowers.  We relocated it to the front by the porch and now for the first time it is about to flower. 

Our final 'convalescent' group in need of sunshine were potted up this afternoon.  We bought six large geraniums on 'yellow sticker' to complement our tubs of summer bedding.  I hope there is enough of our northern summer left for them to pull back.

A wren in the greenhouse

My usual reaction to a bird trapped in the greenhouse is slight panic.  It must have flown in through a door or open window.  How shall I usher it out to safety?  Indeed, on a smaller scale, I spend time nearly every day trying to persuade winged creatures - moths, wasps, flies - through open windows into the garden. 

But the wren is different.  Our greenhouse was erected on paving stones in front of our wildlife hedge and slopes along one edge.  The wren, the smallest of our garden birds, has found an entry point where the frame does not quite meet the ground. 

Once in the greenhouse the wren occupies itself among our potted tomato plants or flies down to the floor.  I hope it is eating the ants that have nested underneath the pavers, the ones we have decided not to poison.  Satisfied after this tour of inspection our wren exits safely and either makes for the hedge or inspects the gap formed where preserved wooden timbers raise the base of our potting shed above the damp flags.