Garden in flower

Cherries

After the red berries now it is time for wonderful cherries. Black, blacker than in the photo. Thick, at least as thick as these types get. Just by picking the cherries in reach, I get 1.2 kilo and that makes me 4 jars of jam. Doing it the quick and dirty way: boil them with the stones, and then press them through the culundar. Gets rid of the skins too.

A bit of a nasty aftermath though: the cherries drop on the neighbours floors, and we get a gardener to remove some branches. Some of the branches on our side go too, too much! Well, let's hope they grow back again.

Lion's mouth and my Grandmother's garden

The Lion's mouth bought in Switzerland. My grandmother used to grow them against the garage, a rather sunny spot, where the shade would only start at 3 pm. But she had them about 60 cm's high, this must be a different breed... It is probably an annual too... we will see next year.

I guess a lot of my gardening reminds me of my grandmother. The Pelargoniums, the grape vine, the red berries, Roses. She grew them all. In the Summer, when we staid with her, every evening it was time for "Blumen giessen", watering the flowers. She would drag an enourmous water can through her garden and water all the roses, who stood in the full strong Swiss summer sun and liked the extra water. The vegetable bed was easy peasy in comparison. I can also still see the water reservoir she had behind the house: a watertap ran into a metal square container. And the water stood there for at least 24 hours before being used. A good way to take the chlorine out.

Kamille-like weed rescued

Another weed that got rescued. I love the brightness! It is a keeper.

The pond full of algae

Yes, the algae have definitely overtaken the pond. And still it is looking beautiful. I am still doing the dredging approach in small phases. The pond must also be leaking, seeing how fast it drains. I suppose at one time we will have to empty the pond, but I am fearing that day, it must be frightfull to kill all the animals inside.

In Memoriam the Eucalyptus

In Memoriam the Eucalyptus

Blue bush

Wonderfull delicate flowers on this little bush. I am glad I rescued it from overgrowing by the pelargonium.

Red berries

And the red berries!! Why they are so abundant this year, while we didn't have any last?? Is it the rain? We have already had 6 portions for two people out of them.

Blue arrow

Where did this come from? Was it here last year? Look also in the back: the new Azalea and of course the weeds!

Dianthus

I had seen a special on Dianthus on the BBC, and it is indeed a wonderful plant in a sunny spot. It is still a bit overtaken by the Alchemilla, but that will change next year!!

Sage Cassis

Sage Cassis (2)

It is impossible to make a decent picture of this Sage Cassis. It looked dead after this cold winter, and cut it back a little bit. Well, it trippled in size with respect to last year! Just don't hold a camera close!

It is perhaps my most favourite plant, as it is so delicate and abundant.

Red Echidna

It will be an annual no doubt, but a beautiful one anyhow. Bought in Switzerland, in the Coop. Bright, isn't it?!

The red rose

The Roses are splendid this year - the cold winter?? In the background the farmer's jasmine and the hydrangea.

Registration of weed: the little purple flowers

This is the little purple flower. Look well at he leaves, and perhaps next year it won't grow so abundantly!!

My biggest frustration this year: I don't recognize the weeds from the valueable flowers. I may already have removed some nice ones by mistake....

Garden with the BBC

Another Friday night with BBC Gardening world. Some good advise:
- leave a rock with the name of the plant where they are.
- Astrantia: likes edges of forest.
- Calendula Officiales

White Rose

The white Rose was burried under the red berries and weed last year. But this year we have uncovered it, and it has beautiful white roses, rather a wild rose look. Cute.

Chestnut bush?

Not sure what this is called. I think I have seen it in one of my books, but where? The leaves are a spitting image of a chestnut, although rather large. But the flowers are cheery, somehow. They later fell over....

And what is the purple stuff????

Alchemilla - flower heavy

The flowers of the Alchemilla are so heavy, the stems bend. It gives a nice yellow glow over the garden, and I want to put some in the border under the trees. It won't like it so much, but it will do fine anyway, no doubt. Is it a weed? A nice weed! And it reminds me of the Swiss mountains, where I first saw Alchemilla in the mountain forests - a bit smaller than this variety ;)

Garden in June

This is the garden in June. It has been a warm, but also normal-wet spring. But a very cold winter.

Pelargomium

You can't say it isn't abundant!! And somehow I managed to tie it up cleverly this year and it is even manageable.....

Peony

I never knew that we have a Peony?!? It is gorgeous, but unfortunately rather hidden. Perhaps I ought to cut them and put them in a vase? It would be a pity. Funny, I always thought that Peony's were just like Roses, but it completely disappeared last winter - unlike Roses.