Generous Geraniums

While I was studying horticulture, propagation-regardless of how fascinating I found it to be-was never my strongest point practically. Now that I'm on my own, I've encouraged myself to keep practicing, after all, as I'm often told by experienced professionals the best way for a horticulturist to learn is from her mistakes.

Where I work we have this lovely English country looking Geranium sitting outside our tool shed. The only one of its kind in the garden...and I wanted one. 

So after a bit of light reading on the subject, around early July I took one semi-ripe cutting from the parent. Risky taking just one I know, but ever the optimist.

I prepared the cutting, taking it down to about 10cm in length cutting just below a leaf node and removing the lower leaves, leaving two leaves and nipping out the soft tip. Dipped the cut end in rooting powder and set it in a hole in some multi purpose compost. I had read mixed things on using rooting hormone on Geraniums, some say use it others say don't as it rots the end (I can only assume creating an overly damp environment would do this) however I did use rooting hormone and after weeks of patience, my first little cutting found her legs and is now showing her first bloom.

A quietly satisfying feeling for any gardener. She will be coming inside shortly before the first frost catches her, she is definitely a fond favourite of mine. 

Something Old and Something New

No I'm not getting married, unless being married to my garden counts, but if nature could teach us one thing, it would be how to renew.

I often catch myself saying the phrase -'I could plant something in that'- My love for containerised planting results in me always on the look out for unique objects I can plant up, and today, at our local market, was no disappointment. 

Previously used as to collect eggs, this lovely tin bucket was the first thing to catch my eye.

My final find was these little tin milk buckets.

 Now, if there were two things that didn't go hand in hand it would be me and bedding plants, but reluctant to let my winter garden be a sad one this year (I have been re-landscaping my garden over the summer and haven't been prepared for permanent winter colour this year) I have succumbed to the bedding brigade and planted out some multicoloured winter pansies, and I'm pleased I did.

In my white bucket I have planted a single daffodil bulb for the spring and kept the other two and the egg bucket for winter interest with a little help from a rouge Dryopteris-fern-I had in sited a lonely spot in the garden and a rusted chicken my mum absolutely adores. 

Fortunately my love for terracotta pots over rides my usual disapproval of bedding plants. 

There's great satisfaction in giving a new purpose in life for reclaimed objects, they have a story and a tale to tell. Allowing something old in life to home a new life... there is something quite philosophical in that.

Horticultural Highlight- Lantana Camara 'Feston Rose'

The autumn feeling is very much in the air and as much as I particularly enjoy this time of year, my little piece of summer is still glowingly flowering.

 

I was given this Lantana by a friend of mine and was handed to me very pot bound and not looking in the best of health. A month or so later down the line and she's showing every sign of happiness in these gorgeous little bicoloured flowers. Although frost tender, Lantana camara bear flowers from late spring to late autumn and providing interest the rest of the year with evergreen ovate leaves, what more could you want from a shrub? Come the end of October-beginning of November- she'll need protecting for winter ready for her to start her delicate display all over again in the spring. I absolutely adore this shrub, so much so I have pushed my luck and taken some semi-ripe cuttings now she's settled her roots. A fraction late perhaps but, like most things in horticulture only time will tell.