The Good - 2008

There's been plenty in the garden to enjoy, despite "The Bad" posted earlier. Below is a selection of some of the plants that have stood out this summer.


The Rudbekia "Herbstonne" has come back much stronger this year and although it's looking a touch untidy because I didn't tie it back early enough, it's still producing beautiful yellow flowers.

I planted the gazania that Dad brought me temporarily in a shady spot, waiting for spring when I re-jig the border, however it's kept on producing its bright red and yellow flowers throughout the summer and looks set to continue doing the same well into autumn.

My favourite addition to the garden this year is the fernery, with Fernley, the Dicksonia Antarctia standing proud over the Anthyrium nipponicum var. Pictum, hart's tongue, soft shield and lady ferns. The weather couldn't have been better for them this year - warm, wet and humid, leading to lots of healthy growth and hopefully an even stronger display next year.

The vine (Vitis vinifera 'Purpurea') has been quietly growing throughout the year and now has turned a deep, warm purple and next year will hopefully be able to cover the entire fence.

The Bad - 2008

It's almost the end of September and not all of the summer veg we planted has flourished. The gold rush courgettes that did so well last year have not cropped very heavily this year, with many of the fruits rotting on the plant but probably the most disappointing were our Gardener's Delight tomatoes. Planted outside in May, they were certainly the strongest plants we've ever planted but that's not enough when the summer is so wet and humid. All the plants succame to blight - I managed to save enough green tomatoes for chutney, but otherwise almost the entire crop failed.

When I lifted the last plants today I noticed that the roots of one of the plants was covered in what looked like a white mould that resembled ash.


One of the crops that I still have hope for is the purple sprouting broccoli, although they've been badly hit by cabbage whites they're still looking pretty strong.

The wet ground following the summer rain has truned the clematis armandii's leaves brown and they're dropping - I'm not sure what affect this will have on its blossom next spring since this year's growth is dying off so I might have to lift is and dig it a better drained hole in the new year.