This week there's a garden update on water and my clover lawn but most of the post to devoted to my visit to Hillside, Dan Pearson’s remarkable garden near Bath.
Thanks for this Sally - it's also interesting how much temperatures are varying across the country. While it was 33 degrees in London earlier this week it was only 18 here in Newcastle - quite a difference. Quick question: why do you need the clover to dry out before mulching your courgettes with it?
The sudden rising and falling off temperatures this spring has been so strange in the region around Philadelphia, PA, US. It was 100F/37C for days, and today, it was 75F/24C. That sort of change comes with wind and storms - more garden damage. The fluctuating temperatures makes it difficult for gardeners to harden off to the heat as well. My body, with lots of water and an extremely large straw hat to make shade around me, will get used to working in 90-100F heat. But it's been too much, too soon, after a cool spring, and now it's cool again. On collecting water in the UK, are mosquitoes not a problem there? Too cool most of the time for them to make a home?
I’m in the midwest of US and even my sun loving tomatoes were suffering from the heat. Those in pots I was able to move to an area that provided some shade. I enjoyed this piece. Thank you.
Thank you Sylvia - it's been a learning curve here to see which plants cope and which don't - my outdoor toms are quite young so not really ready for intense heat
Thanks for this Sally - it's also interesting how much temperatures are varying across the country. While it was 33 degrees in London earlier this week it was only 18 here in Newcastle - quite a difference. Quick question: why do you need the clover to dry out before mulching your courgettes with it?
Like lawn clippings I find that it can collapse into a soggy mass which draws in slugs, so I dry it off before spreading on the beds
The sudden rising and falling off temperatures this spring has been so strange in the region around Philadelphia, PA, US. It was 100F/37C for days, and today, it was 75F/24C. That sort of change comes with wind and storms - more garden damage. The fluctuating temperatures makes it difficult for gardeners to harden off to the heat as well. My body, with lots of water and an extremely large straw hat to make shade around me, will get used to working in 90-100F heat. But it's been too much, too soon, after a cool spring, and now it's cool again. On collecting water in the UK, are mosquitoes not a problem there? Too cool most of the time for them to make a home?
Yes too much heat too soon - no end in sight here. Re water - we get biting insects - gnats and mosquito - but that brings in dragonflies and bats.
I’m in the midwest of US and even my sun loving tomatoes were suffering from the heat. Those in pots I was able to move to an area that provided some shade. I enjoyed this piece. Thank you.
Thank you Sylvia - it's been a learning curve here to see which plants cope and which don't - my outdoor toms are quite young so not really ready for intense heat