Six on Saturday: In Need of Rain

I got this idea from a school that involved their students in making a colorful rainbow rocky river. I knew it would give my own yard a beautiful burst of magical color and wanted to make my own DIY rainbow river rocks.

It’s hard to tell whether it is just the natural scheme of things or if the last twelve month’s weather conditions have made a difference, but there are a number of things in the garden that have proved to be real good doers this year, starting with the lovely white larkspur above, L ‘White King’. Larkspur seed can be tricky to germinate, and I kept this seed in the freezer for at least a week before I sowed it. For some reason, the blue larkspur I sowed last September germinated really easily and gave me enough plants for the cutting beds as well as to add to the blue & white borders, but overwintering left them leggy and they only flowered a couple of weeks later than the white variety sown in February. Last year, larkspur seemed to flower for months, so hopefully that will be repeated.

Every plant needs a different amount of light to grow, and you have to be a little careful when it comes to their sun exposure. So, is there any way to be sure of it? Yes, there is. Here are the most important Signs Your Indoor Plants Need More Sunlight.

Water is essential for life. Your plants need water to grow and thrive, and more during the hotter months. Ever wondered about catching rain to use during times when there is less or no rain? Installing a rain barrel allows you to do exactly that: collect and store a natural resource for later use. Harvesting rainwater has many benefits from saving money on your water bill to utilizing what freely falls from the sky for times when raindrops aren’t so abundant.

Although I say it myself, the garden is looking pretty glorious at the moment and there is a lot of standing and staring being done; in the overall scheme of things, however, I have but a small part to play, as the roses, the clematis, the annuals, the dahlias and all the other plants in the garden go about their business more or less independently. Despite a floriferous fortnight or so and a massive thunderstorm last Sunday, the roses are still looking wonderful and should still be on top form next Sunday, when we open the garden for the NGS. Their impact is augmented by a gradual  injection of colour from the viticella clematis, which are just coming into bloom, as in the above picture where ‘Lady Emma Hamilton’ (lower left), ‘Crimson Glory’ (pergola) and ‘Rural England’ (a mass of pink froth in the apple trees) are boosted by Clematis ‘Margot Koster’ and ‘Madame Julia Correvon’.

Despite doing as many tasks as possible in advance of our first summer garden opening of the year tomorrow, there will always be things that can only be done nearer the time – and not just deadheading! There is furniture to be rearranged to create our pop-up café, signs to erect in the garden, cups and plates to be brought down from the loft and a whole host of other things. Having toiled since I first got up this morning, I didn’t realise till part way through the afternoon, towards the end of deadheading the roses yet again, just how tired I was (not helped by the steadily increasing temperature), so I permitted myself a break  and sat down on the shady bench behind the shed. This vantage point provides a pleasing panoramic view (partially shown above), taking in the gallery and (well-stuffed) main borders, the bronze heuchera bed, the clematis colonnade and the fringe of the woodland edge border.

If you’ve just built a shed in your backyard and are wondering how to protect it best, installing a gutter might not instantly come to mind. Nonetheless, it’s crucial. 

If you are a fussy plant parent who always forgets to take care of his green friends, then here are some beautiful Succulents that Don’t Need Water Before a Month that you can grow without worrying about maintaining them!

1. Soil isn’t the Only Solution:

Gardeners are most worried about the flowers that bloom repeatedly throughout the blooming season, and they have to pay the price for it–vigilant deadheading. Though deadheading may not be that difficult, it is surely time-taking. If you want to save yourself from the hassle, grow theseFlowers that Don’t Need Deadheading!

When heavy rain strikes, chimney leaks can pose a significant problem for homeowners who rely on fireplaces or boilers for heating. Not only can these leaks damage roofs, ceilings, and walls, but they can also result in costly repairs. This article will explore the causes of chimney leaks during heavy rain, highlight the importance of flashing and chimney caps in preventing leaks, and underscore the risks associated with ignoring these issues.

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