3: Gardening Diaries ...

[alp]

Good night to @DirtMechanic ! And good morning to the others!

Yes, that delphinium has closely packed florets as well. I must seed some next January! My first ones are from seeds and are still flowering in the searing heat, although in a very pathetic form. The hollyhocks, on the other hand, are singing and dancing!

I used to have some catanache singles. But the snow and heat have had other ideas. To see it here, so pretty, makes me determined to seed them next year. They travel on their own volition as well.

My washing machine on, dishwasher on and the water tap for the garden is on. There was so much demand on the water that I had to stop watering after an hour. The lawn is in a dire state. Can't wait for my first dahlia to say hello.

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Morning all

Well the rain that I saw on our forecast for the weekend has ..........disappeared!!!!!!!!
Own up ,who's nabbed it!!!

Out early this morning on family matters but back to dead heading when I get back

Enjoy your day

 

[Zenj]

Morning all a bit hazy this morning but not a bit of wind very still the birds are unusually quiet too? We have had very little rain for a good while now the pond is around 16 inches below its usual level .

 

[alp]

Morning all

Well the rain that I saw on our forecast for the weekend has ..........disappeared!!!!!!!!
Own up ,who's nabbed it!!!

Out early this morning on family matters but back to dead heading when I get back

Enjoy your day

Same here! Saw it on Monday or Sunday and then the 7 day chart has it removed! More tears!

 

[alp]

Morning all a bit hazy this morning but not a bit of wind very still the birds are unusually quiet too? We have had very little rain for a good while now the pond is around 16 inches below its usual level .

How about us? Hehe! We have cracks all over the lawn. I spent more time watering the lawn than the flowers. Yellow patches, bald patches with 1/2 inch cracks that open up to Australia! I can see Australia from my lawn!

Yes, it is a relief from the intense sunshine. The sky is hazy and the sunshine broke cover and has now retired again. What a relief! I put out my tiny echinaceas. I needed to clear my mind with fewer trays. Hope it's going to stay like this for another 2 hours so that the water can work its magic!

 

[Perki]

Morning , sun cracking flag again. I don't see any rain on the horizon either. I got a plant delivery today

 

[alp]

Morning , sun cracking flag again. I don't see any rain on the horizon either. I got a plant delivery today

Same here! Exciting time when you have a plant delivery. Planted out the rest of the so-called Chrysanthemum Easter Star. @Upsy Daisy has the right one whilist mine is yellow!

Replanted pointy pepper into 4 big pots and pinched the top. Broadcast Gallardia seeds and zinnia seeds wherever there is a tiny space. The cosmo sulphureus seeds have already germinated.

Now, you can all say hello to all Antipodean cousins

Via this big crack on my lawn. I am sure they will say hello back.

A blurred Salvia Hotlips

A self-seeded sunflower! Not bad for NO effort on my part!

Jasmine with beautiful scent

Fuchsia Flush

How can you NOT love Dyson's Joy! I can hear

Salmon Dance

Gaura Red. The pink has died

H Rod gooseberry - lovely flavour

Sweetcorn seedlings

Oleander very poisonous

Echinops showing its colour

Black raspberries. Half its normal size because of the heat!

Hydrangea at its early stage of flowering - could be paniculata!

Cerise Queen

Today's favorite

There are achilleas and achilleas. This one is so much more elegant and exquisite! Delectable! Share yours please!

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Gosh and wow @alp.....you got a lovely 'bloomin ' lot there

 

[Upsy Daisy]

@alp, I too have a mixed pkt of Easter Star too

 

[alp]

Lovely Easter Star! I hope I can see some of those bi-colour ones. I planted some out next to the Piquesqueak and now I know why they looked dodgy. The raised dwarf walls literally are frying the plants. Went out to look at the newly planted Easter Star and they were all drooooopy! Thank you for the reassurance. I hope they are like these. But mine are still babies except for 3. I sowed them in batches.

My Hagley Hybrid flowers are now 1/4 of the size of those last night. Sad state of affairs!

 

[Aldin]

Lovely Easter Star! I hope I can see some of those bi-colour ones. I planted some out next to the Piquesqueak and now I know why they looked dodgy. The raised dwarf walls literally are frying the plants. Went out to look at the newly planted Easter Star and they were all drooooopy! Thank you for the reassurance. I hope they are like these. But mine are still babies except for 3. I sowed them in batches.

My Hagley Hybrid flowers are now 1/4 of the size of those last night. Sad state of affairs!

Oh I saw the thyme plant with white edged leaves too yesterday! Very herby smell. But opted for the lemon thyme we are Indians so more spices and lemons are welcome

 

[alp]

I love lemony herbs. Do you have a recipe for Balti please, @Aldin ? I'd love to have one authentic one! Or Balti doesn't exist amongst you!?

Can you actually grow tamarind? Love that as well.

 

[alp]

Britain BUCKLES in the heat! Roads melt and gritters hit the streets to stop concrete cracking in 'extreme' conditions while commuters head home as mercury pushes 90F on third-consecutive hottest day of 2018

• Britain could record hottest day of 2018 for third consecutive day today as temperatures near 90F (32C)
• Heatwave gripping UK causes huge wildfires, fears over train tracks buckling and a public health warning
• Met Office says heatwave could end on Sunday when spell of thundery weather could move into the South
• Rail providers have imposed speed restrictions amid fears train tracks will buckle in sweltering conditions
  
  One wonders how the Indians go about their daily business in their kind of heat!?

Meanwhile road temperatures in parts of Ireland reached 44C, causing the road surface to melt

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...Britain-set-warmest-day-2018-today-again.html

This is the best bit

• Met Office says heatwave could end on Sunday when spell of thundery weather could move into the South

 

[Aldin]

Oh wow! Just last evening I made Rogan Josh which is our version of Balti.I use vahchef recipe on YouTube he is an awesome chef

 

[alp]

Thank you, @Aldin ! Need to broaden our repertoire. My son is now learning to cook. He has marinated chicken and crackling pork as ex is coming tomorrow.