Rain & Humidity!

A great growing combination. What is it about rain that makes the garden grow far better than any watering you do!
This week has been so very humid, interspersed by downpours of rain. You could literally see everything growing in front of your eyes.
Everything is now taller than me!

The plants in the next pictures are mainly annuals, in fact most of the plants I grow start as corms, or seeds. The bananas (Ensete/Basjoo) are rested over winter, then restarted in the spring. It still amazes me just how much plant comes out of a little seed or corm.

Here we have a Basjoo at the back, Canna and Ricinus centre and right.

Yep this Ricinus is way taller than me now.

Canna in between all the Big Leaves!

My stunning Hiniba I planted this right in full sun this year and it has lapped it up, growing bigger than I have seen for years! The red stripe is what makes this.

Just to give you an idea as to how much things grow, this was back in June

Today

June

 Today

All is growing well, can you tell I am trying to keep myself occupied not thinking about my dog!!??

Propagator & GroLight plus.

You will remember my lovely huge propagater and beautiful growing light,

well, I have had problems with the plugs, they are quite odd shaped and did not like my sockets,

so I have done something all electricians will be telling me I shouldn't, I have plugged them into an extension!

I can assure everyone that I wish to be alive on the opening of my garden and that these cables are well out of the way of any water!

As you can see I have also put a time switch on the light plug. This has made switching on and off alot easier as I didn't have to remember when to do it. Initially I did wonder how long I should put the light on for. On the box it said 18 hours a day. But which 18 hours do you use? I plumped for 4pm to 10am, why? I have no idea it just seemed a good idea at the time. My daughter made me laugh when she said, don't the plants need to sleep? My answer 'I have no idea' lol! Do they?

Well it has worked I planted a load of Coleus seed and Nicotiana on 8th and they are all through.

Top 2 Nicotiana 'Only the Lonely' and 'Variegatum'

Kong varieties

Bog standard Bedding Coleus. I shall use this to fill gaps.

Basjoo, still upright and still firm. Not frozen firm if you see what I mean. Fingers crossed.

Fatsia, been hit by the frost, always looks bad but usually springs back quite quickly.

Inside the house I have one or two plants (wish I had a conservatory)

Lots on the trolley, 2 Bird of Paradise in front, one sending out a new leaf! I am sure they should be bigger?

My Cycas Revoluta I won off Ebay and some baby Alocasia's.

My big Alocasia, which flowered late last year and a couple of weeks ago was looking decidedly ill. So I moved it to where it is now, right by the radiator and it is looking so much greener and healthier.

an assortment of plants, including on the left another Strelitzia.

My Bougainvillea, is flowering, quite how I got it to do this I have no idea, neglect and watering, it really should be potted up.

Orchids, my daughter and I have a few of these. We each grow some and there is a bit of a challenge going on between us as to how many we can get to flower. She currently is better at it than me grrrrr!

Not Been in the Mood!

For quite a long while now I have just not felt like blogging or visiting blogs, its been getting to the stage when all I do is sit at a computer. This is not doing me or my knee any favours!
Its not I don't love finding out what you are all up to, I do, and I miss seeing whats going on but.................. I'm sure you know what I mean!!

Anyway, autumn was fast approaching





the caster oil plant has put out more flowers than ever before
and we even had the Rayburn lit,





and our only tree has decorated itself in autumn colours.

The greenhouse has been wrapped up



the foil is 2 survival blankets I bought off Ebay for a very good price, the back of the greenhouse is always chillier so I thought this might help insulate, as well as reflecting light!
Then 2 weeks went by and we have been hit by a heat wave, at night it has been 13C and the silly sparrows are nest building!! So the Rayburn is out, the windows are open and we await winter again!

But this allows me to view beautiful skies



and find hidden flowers in the garden!