Flower power

When in doubt, pot on verbenas.   I do so love this plant. It self seeds, it is tall, it doesn’t need staking, it is elegant, purple and transparent at the same time.   Heaven.   Alack, it doesn’t really thrive in the cold climate here, so I do need to resow fresh each spring.   But collected seed from last autumn works perfectly and off I go on verbena bonariensis production.   This is the potting up stage; and next week I shall plant them out.   I must have hundreds.

And how about this for a success story. Last year I saw these nasturtiums at Andrew’s: Cherry Rose Jewel.   A stunning colour and such a healthy looking leaf. (The aphids haven’t needed to attack them yet, they are too busy colonising the broad beans on the terrace below.) I ordered the seeds, up they came and now all four planters in the courtyard are festooned with the plants.   And the flowers are just starting out. A jewel indeed.  

I didn’t dare photograph them from ground level as you would notice that I need to paint all the planters again. A summer task.

One thing I won’t be planting out is the dread verbascum. I’m going to have to do another sweep of the lower terraces with a sharp knife to cut out the latest blasted growth.

This one was growing cheekily right on the rocks above the courtyard. How could I have missed it? Actually I suspect they have the most tremendous growth spurts. This one looked like it grew a foot in just a few days. No wonder they are successful. Up, flowering and sending out seed in no time.   This one won’t. It’s the compost bin for this one. Hah!