We have always grown some flowers on the plot, even just for the colour, but this is the first time we turned over one of our beds for them. We used the seeds that come free with magazines and some we had saved from flower heads in previous years. Here’s the bed now, the colour is waiting to burst out ( I hope! )
Some rudbeckia, ageratum, nicotiana and chrysanthemums.
The asters are not faring well and keep getting munched, and we’ve had conflicting advice about the chrysanths. Take the the first flower head off or leave it on?? We’ll try some with the head off and see how it goes.
We always have a few pots dotted around the place just to entice the bees,
Cheery geraniums, sandwiched between the raspberries and a sweet dumpling squash. A bit random, but space is limited!!
And no allotment could be without some nasturtiums! Supposedly very good at keeping carrot fly away … This variety is called, ‘Empress of India’.
We’ve never tried them, but you can eat the leaves and the seeds.
We’ve been growing the sweet peas up a Bean pole ‘Maypole’ that was reduced in the local garden centre because the box was damaged! The verdict is out on how it looks but the house smells great with all the flowers. This variety is called ‘Royal Family’ we think. Bit of a royal theme going on !
A rogue cosmos always creeps in somewhere!
We have so many flowers, a lot in pots, that happily come back year after year and our bulbs that reliably return, and ensure the plot is colourful from spring onward. It’s all about the bees!
Three allium bulbs (corms?) were planted four years ago … multiplied a bit since then.
And to finish … lets get back to the veg. Here’s a pic of what we harvested yesterday. All the work is worth it.
PlotDaze 