Thursday 3 July 2008

Lovely Lupins

What do you think? Not a bad return on £1.50 spent at the WI stall in the Butter Market. My glorious lupins are flowering their hearts out and the rest of the border is really taking shape. Everyday I just have to pop out and see what's going on in my precious little patch. Even on the busiest of days I squeeze in a minute to pull up a weed or drench my hanging baskets and I've started hanging the washing out the other side of the line so that I get the best view of my flowers.
The rose plants Woody gave me for Valentine's Day are blooming too, you can just see one in the corner of the picture above and its actually a lovely pink rather than the deep red on the label. The other is a patio rose and is covered in velvety scarlet blooms and I must take some pictures of it this weekend if the sun peeps out.

Pinching out the tips of the cosmos is definitely paying off, plenty of flowers and tons of buds to come for the next few weeks. What a brilliant treat that'll stretch the £2 spent on 6 plants out for ages. Next spring I think I'll try again to grow some annual seeds myself - I'm hopeless and forget about them usually but now I've got a proper garden I might give it a proper shot and see if I can be a real gardener.

More lupins, not sure what type but they're the loveliest shade of dusky rose. Only thing is I've gone and planted them next to deep pink verbascum, pinky/purple foxgloves and a pink. Hmmm, I think this end might need a bit more planning for next year! One day I'll get around to posting some pictures of the front garden and the other borders at the back but they're looking a bit hopeless at the moment so I'm keeping my eyes trained on this side of the garden for now.

Thanks for the lovely wishes about my job. In all the excitement I'd completely forgotten to say what my new post is, typical. I'm going to be working on a new project for the NHS in our region as a Communications Manager, part-time still which suits us perfectly. All quite exciting and a still daunting but now I've had time to let it sink in I'm feeling much more confident.

And another thank you to the lovely Sairer who has one of the most beautiful and entertaining blogs I know. If you like vintage florals, beautiful gardens and delightful chickens pop over and say hello. Thanks Sairer, I'm very touched and still so chuffed to think people actually read this stuff that tumbles out of my head! Blogging is one of the highlights of my day and i want to pass this award onto 5 other smashing bloggers but the laptop battery is about to give up the ghost so if it's ok I'll pop back with those tomorrow.

Thanks again for all the lovely wishes!

23 comments:

jessica daisy said...

how lovely your garden grows, such beautiful lupins. I wish I had a WI market new me, you get some great bargains on the flower front. congratulations on the award, you really deserve it!
Jessx

dragonfly said...

Steph, your border is fabulous. I am green with envy!

Pipany said...

Hello Steph and thanks as ever for your lovely comments. Your garden is so pretty. Our lupins did well this year, though unfortunately the white one is right next to other white flowers and can barely be seen! I love the dusky pink one you have. Just beautiful. Have a lovely weekend xx

French Knots said...

Your garden is looking lovely! A true English summer inspiration.

LinenandRoses said...

Your border is looking gorgeous. No wonder you want to be out in your garden all the time. It really is addictive isn't it? I've got my first garden and I feel just the same. Every evening I can't wait to get home to see how everything is doing. We just bought a gorgeous deep red patio rose. I wonder if it's the same one you have?

Leisa said...

Your garden is beautiful - I have just ordered Lupins and am waiting on the mailman to bring them and some other yummies. I hope they flower as well as your!

prettyshabby said...

oh I LOVE lupins but they dont love me..they are the one plant that really refuse to grow in my soil and yet a chap up the road has a whole front garden full of them in every shade:0(
Your borders are looking gorgeous..I must admit I'm forever moving my plants around because of colours not being quite the right shades together so I know what you mean..but trust me, it looks fab as it is!
p.s thanks for the lovely compliments..I'm totally flattered! x

Garden Girl said...

Steph, the flower border looks beautiful, really cottagey and the time you have spent on it really shines through- have you been singing to those lupins?! I threw some seeds into an empty bed about 5 weeks ago now and am struggling to work out which are weeds and which are flowers. Not Good!x

Rosie said...

Your lupins are wonderful, they looks so healthy - mine are really struggling it's a constant battle with snails I afraid. All your flower borders look lovely. Congratulations on your new job :)

Sal said...

Just the sort of garden that I love!! ;-)

This Vintage Life... said...

Your lupins look lovely...mine have all gone over so I'm waiting for the hollyhocks now! If you ever find out what variety the dusky rose one is, let me know, it's fab.
Deb x
Ps. Did you get my reply re. picture? I am having some problems with my mail system - people not getting newsletters which isn't good come saletime!

The Fairy Glade said...

Hi Steph, your garden is looking very pretty now. You left a comment a while back asking what was behind the garden gate opposite our house. Well take a peek at my blog and find out! Have a lovely weekend. Dev X

Ragged Roses said...

The garden is looking fab Steph, so tell me what's your secret. The slugs in my garden have munched my lupins before they're even planted!
Kimx

Aqeela said...

What a lovely garden you have, beautiful flower compositions, and im also a big lupin fan although i dont have any :-(

Congrats on the new job, im in the 5th week of my new job too and it was very daunting but now im enjoying it.

I look forward to seeing other areas of your garden, your blog is becoming one of my favorites!

Lindsay XX

periwinkle said...

you are doing so well with your garden, my lupin went to lupin heaven last year! Congrats on the award too.
lisa x

Deb said...

Your garden looks gorgeous Steph.

pinkgreen said...

Your lupins look fab. They are some of my favourite flowers but the snails always get them in my garden (it is walled and tiny with plenty of hiding places for them) so I have given up. I can just look longingly at yours instead!
Cathy X

Carol said...

All of your Blooms are blooming marvelous! sorry about the pun! my lupins have failed yet again!
The garden is looking really colourful Steph and interesting.
I love to see a jam packed with so many gorgeous flowers.
I agree about the pining out dead blooms - and dead or droopy leaves...it seems to give them more strength to keep blooming.
Carol x

Unknown said...

I love lupins, would have had a nice batch except the slugs and snails had an all night rave.
Good luck with the new job, and great that you don't have to commute to Broomhill anymore. What a journey that must have been on a winters night!
Rosie x

Summer by the sea said...

Your garden looks lovely - I hope we have some nice weather this summer so that you can really enjoy it - Natalie x

Funkymonkey said...

It looks like a lovely lush cottage garden.

JuicyFig said...

Love the garden, and hope the new job is going well for you!

Kath
x

Schotzy said...

Dear Steph, I have always enjoyed your blog so much. I have passed the Arte y Pico Award on to you. Check my blog for the details!