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| Pulmonaria and Galium odoratum (Lungwort and Sweet Woodruff to give them their country names!) |
Last Monday, my neighbour and I (the gardening team) were standing having a chat about the garden and agreeing about how much we loved interplanting veg with flowers. Another gardening neighbour (he who is responsible for growing swathes of cabbages around the flats and uprooting shrubs to do so) stopped to tell us, "Why are you growing all these flowers? You can't eat them; you should rip them out and plant vegetables." I smiled at him and briefly explained the need for biodiversity, pollination and beneficial insects. To which he replied: "All you need for pollination is wind." **sigh** On which point, we had to amicably agree to disagree.
Those same flowers and pops of colour made going down to the garden yesterday morning a real pleasure. Warm sun on my back, raindrops on the leaves, bees buzzing and birds singing. (There's a little coal tit that has taken to visiting the garden as well as the starlings and blue tits). Wasn't Thursday's rain just fabulous?! Although I did feel sorry for all those garden teams over at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea frantically planting in the pouring rain to finish gardens for Sunday's Flower Show judging.
So the garden here has had a really good soaking; that should perk up the plants for quite a few days and give a boost to the veg and help to settle in newly planted perennials and herbs. I've got strawberries and the lovage to move this evening, hopefully the damp soil will help them to settle in. There are some wonderfully vivid colours in the garden at the moment so today I'm just going to celebrate my rainbow of flowers.
Oh, and by the way …. I rest my case m'lud. Bzzz, bzzzzz.
Maybe he is old school flowers is for womenfolk and veg for real men"
ReplyDeleteHe's from Zimbabwe where food crops are prized more highly. But I do find some of his views and gardening practises quite bizarre. Takes all sorts!
DeleteEven I recognise the desirability of bees! My Broad Beans look spectacular at present, in full flower, but they wouldn't produce any pods if it weren't for the bees.
ReplyDeleteBut do you grow flowers, apart from on the veg, Mark? I like to put a big metaphorical sign out for the bees to say 'Come hither …' !!
DeleteLovely pictures. I found myself nodding when I read this post as there are a couple of old-timers on my site who consider growing flowers to be a waste of time. Yesterday my plots was buzzing with bees.
ReplyDeleteFlighty xx
I think you've got it right, Flighty - ponds and flowers with veg. Little wonder that you're able to photograph lots of wildlife on your plot! xx
DeleteThank goodness for that rain, we all needed it. Well perhaps not by those building show gardens.
ReplyDeleteAnd perhaps not by those visiting on Monday either! Rain is forecast so I'll look for the silver lining and get some plants put out today, the rain will give them a good start. Let's hope for brighter weather to come.
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