We have been enjoying one of the best summers for some time in the UK this year. I have been busy carrying out the usual high summer tasks of pruning, feeding and endless watering, one of the penalties of growing so many plants in containers and having sandy subsoil. Still, I cannot complain really, the roses this year have been magnificent as have the clematis. The importance of watering especially in dry spells is sometimes played down, but for hanging baskets, containers and all newly planted inhabitants of the garden it is essential for their survival. As to watering in general, the best advice is to water well. It is just no good to splash it around here and there, a good soaking is called for, otherwise the roots of many plants in the garden start to rise to the surface where the moisture is and get scorched suffering a setback. For the first time in living memory the water companies over here seem at last to have got their act together and have promised us all an uninterrupted supply whatever the weather, a refreshing change. Repairing all those leaks might have something to do with it!
Mid-summer has been and gone, the days are getting shorter and already my thoughts are turning to next season. Looking for new ideas and inspiration, I recently attended the new RHS Show at Tatton Park in Cheshire. This is a new venture for the Royal Horticultural Society, who up till now have staged all their major shows in or around the south-east of England. I have always considered this somewhat strange considering the large number of gardeners further north who either because of the expense and distance have been unable to seriously consider the trek down south.
The venue was certainly a good choice. Tatton Park is a 2000-acre estate situated two miles north from the village of Knutsford and 13 miles south-west of the large city of Manchester. Managed by the National Trust, it includes parkland, gardens and the stately home of the Egerton family for over 200 hundred years until they left the whole estate to the National Trust. The Show itself was held over four days towards the end of July.
My first impressions started before I had actually got there. Popular it certainly was, at least judging by the traffic jams, which started on the motorway some four miles away. Ample car-parking was available in the acres of parkland, but the idea of actually finding my car afterwards in this sea of motors seemed fanciful.
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Yes, of course I am stupid, you're on the other side of the globe. My excuse for what it worth, is that I wrote that at 1 am in the morning, and was feeling a bit worse for wear:))
Of cour ...
-- posted by GrahamL
4.
Aug 17, 1999 7:49 PM
Graham, no draught this year where gardeners garden with their feet in the air
I am keeping my fingers crossed, though, because our weather pattern seems to follow Europe - hot, dry summer for you, ...
-- posted by Gay_Klok
3.
Aug 17, 1999 5:05 PM
In drought we seem to have more time than ever for computers. All you can do to help is water - and that is not allowed until evening.
I am still laughing at how you managed to shoehorn in a few mo ...
-- posted by CarolWallace
2.
Aug 17, 1999 5:02 PM
Hi there Gay,
I'm amazed that what with the drought you can spare the time to use the computer, I would be have been frantic and was whilst ours lasted!
The lillies were bought in a pot and stay ...
-- posted by GrahamL
1.
Aug 14, 1999 8:13 PM
I couldn't help smiling, Graham, reading in one sentence of the difficulty of keeping the water up and then Lo and behold! I was seeing you marching out with new plants :-] Scratch a gardener and we a ...
-- posted by Gay_Klok
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