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Californian poppies (Eschscholzia
californica) are just lovely and these self sown seedlings are
flowering earlier on the warm balcony compared to those in the ground, giving a
much needed splash of colour after a long wet spring. There is a wonderful
genetic variability in the seed giving rise to a range of tones, from these
deep oranges to a light lemon, as well as many differences in the forms. My
favourite photo of the day.
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The bright green new growth on the Box (Buxus sempervirens) contrasts with last year’s
darker, more mature growth. We have two Box balls that we usually place either
end of the sofa we take out onto the balcony in summer. Sitting right by the
arm rests it encourages you to run your fingers through, releasing that
wonderful scent. Slow growing, Box is expensive, especially when clipped, but
these came from a chain DIY store during a hot June and couple of years ago,
when the idea of using water on the plants didn’t seem to occur to them. Wilted
and rather unhappy looking we bought them for £5 each. If you are willing to give a little
TLC it’s amazing what bargains can be found, as well as a warm glow that comes
from rescuing a plant from uncaring hands.
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We've no idea how this clump of forget-me-not (Myosotis)
got up onto the balcony, but this is the first year we remember it - perhaps
we sowed them or we had one or two plants that set seed last year. It's going
over now, but has given a much needed lift to this corner. However it arrived
when weeds are this pretty they are more than welcome.
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This Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Altona') must be as tough as old boots. It's the
second variety we have had up here, as the first withered and died at the first
breath of sea air that blew across its leaves. Last year family matters meant
that all our plants were abandoned without water and at the start of spring
this year this new Hydrangea was pronounced dead too. Then on a closer
inspection we noticed just one tiny shoot from the base, then another and
another. So we pampered it a bit, some water, a warm spot and it has rewarded
our attention with the fresh new growth. I wonder if it will flower this year?
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| It doesn't show up quite so well in the picture as it did on the plant, but this bright yellow streak of pollen looked quite shocking set against the vivid orange of the Californian Poppy (Eschscholzia californica). |
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I am always amazed that for a Middle Eastern plant, with
such an exotic appearance, the fig (Ficus carica) is one of the earliest plants on the balcony to awaken
from its winter slumber. At first you don’t actually believe that the figs are
swelling, to soon surely?, and its
only when the leaf buds start to break that you realise that it is gearing up
for the coming seasons. What could be more hopeful during a wet and damp March
than the sight of the juicy summer figs starting to grow? A couple of nights
ago I heard Bob Flowerdew suggest a fig as the ultimate balcony plant for
absent minded gardeners looking for something edible and unusual, that is virtually
indestructible. The key thing is to keep them in a pot to restrict the roots,
so that they produce fruit as well as foliage. Ours is only the usual ‘Brown
Turkey’, but Reades Nursery hold the national collection of figs and can supply a wide
range of plants.
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It’s the first year we have grown Dahlias (‘Coltness Mix’)
from seed for cut flowers at the allotment and in doing so have we also learnt
an important lesson in bringing on plants. The seeds were sown in a covered
seed tray back in March and once the first true leaves appeared we pricked out
a few into pots. For some reason (we might have run out of compost) we didn’t
prick them all out. Those that had been potted on went into a bay window in the
house. After a few weeks most were transferred to the greenhouse at the
allotment, leaving a few in the window and at the same time the remaining ones
in the seed tray were potted on. Well what a difference at planting time. Those
that were left in the seed tray and potted on late were considerably behind,
with poor root growth – good enough to go out, but behind. Those in the bay
window, that I had always considered to be bright & light, were rather
lanky and delicate looking and it is these that we have potted on to
mollycoddle on the balcony, as in the photo on the left. Finally, the ones that
were potted on in a timely fashion and then transferred to the greenhouse are
wonderfully stout, sturdy plants that look great planted out in a row. Of
course it’s nothing that you don’t read regularly in the gardening books, but
often it’s only this firsthand experience of seeing the difference that makes
it sink in.
The photo on the right shows some Box cuttings I took a couple of years ago, but never
got around to potting on. They had stalled, but I repotted them this
winter and they have now started to put on new growth. The cuttings took easily
in the usual way and I intend to take lots more this year, when I prune the Box
balls, for use as edging at the allotment.
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This is a hardy Osteospermum with lovely flowers, although I
have no idea of the cultivar. We had ‘Silver Sparkler’ a few years ago, which
was a nice plant with whiter flowers and variegated foliage, but it was tender
and we lost it very quickly one unexpectedly cold night. This hardy plant
survived some reasonably cold nights, including snow, although the balcony is
spared the worse of the frosts. One thing I could never do was get ‘Silver
Sparkler’ to take from cuttings, but I’ll have a go with this one as I would
like a second plant for the allotment for use as cut flowers.
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This Copper Birch is possibly the most unsuitable tree that we
could have bought for the balcony! Seeing it (Betula nigra ‘Summer Cascade’) discounted at the local nursery, I
imagined that as Silver Birch is almost endemic on the sandy commons here in
the Sanderlings it would cope with our salt laden winds and tolerate dry soil, as
it was to live in a pot on the sun baked balcony. Once we had got it home,
carried it through the house and upstairs (sadly breaking one or two smaller
branches) and got it planted into its specially made pot, I looked up the
particular cultivar and found it was an American bred river birch...!
However, we have fallen in love with its form and after a rough start (it had to be laid on its side for four weeks because the painter was in), it is responding to daily watering and starting to come into leaf. The best thing, and one of the reasons we bought it, is that it is acting as a sign post to the garden for birds, which seem happy to share the small space with us. |
