Making a meadow – Help me please!

I have two small kitchen gardens in my garden. On of them will this year serve as a temporary meadow. I want to sow different colors of either Cosmos or Poppies.

As I want it to return as a kitchen garden next year, so annuals are best.

My lot is east facing, god soil on top 20-30 cm deep, red dry silt underneath. The lot is square 6 meters by 3 meters with path as a cross dividing it into 4 small lots.

I really do love poppies and I have loads of seeds of different kinds and colors (see picture), but I have sown them more then once before without the best success. Often the Californian type has been the easiest.
That is where the Cosmos came in. They always preform well, grow tall and flowers for a really long time.

Any one have any experiences that would help me?
Should I challenge myself and do the Poppies, or should I safe it and go for Cosmos?

Please help!

 

Here is my first order from Thompson and Morgan. Some for my meadow, and some for my greenhouse and borders!

Items ordered:

1 of Lathyrus odoratus ‘Promise’ – 1 packet

    Code: TT09137

    Price each: £1.99

    Despatch: Within 14 Days

1 of Solanum lycopersicum – 1 packet

    Code: TT01105

    Price each: £2.99

    Despatch: Within 14 Days

1 of Salad : Continental Salad – 1 packet

    Code: TM00159

    Price each: £0.49

    Despatch: Within 14 Days

1 of Cobaea Duo – 2 packets – 1 of each

    Code: T99507P

    Price each: £4.49

    Despatch: Within 14 Days

1 of Cosmos bipinnatus Gazebo Mixed – 1 packet

    Code: TT02026

    Price each: £2.99

    Despatch: Within 14 Days

1 of Papaver rhoeas Picotee Mixed – 1 packet

    Code: TX06973

    Price each: £1.49

    Despatch: Within 14 Days

1 of Papaver somniferum Tallulah Belle Blush – 1 packet

    Code: TM08277

    Price each: £1.99

    Despatch: Within 14 Days

1 of Papaver somniferum Violetta Blush – 1 packet

    Code: TX04250

    Price each: £1.49

    Despatch: Within 14 Days

1 of Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Sensation Mixed’ – Part of the Alan Titchmarsh

Collection – 1 packet

    Code: TA01367

    Price each: £1.99

    Despatch: Within 14 Days

1 of Plant Labels

    Code: TZ14383

    Price each: £0.49

Your Order Summary:

Subtotal Goods: £20.40

P&P:             £4.99

Total:          £25.39

Frosted morning glory in my garden

To be perfectly honest, I am off my garden frenzy these days. There is so much out there to be done, but the soil is wet to the core. Not very tempting. But it is still producing flowers. Even though the frost is visiting frequently at night these days.

I love the light of the morning and I am still freezing after taking these pics in my pjs and crocs  🙂

Indulge!

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Have a wonderful weekend!

Pictures from my lovely visit to Sissinghurst this week

Wow, such a great garden this is! I loved the area down by the river bank. The orchard and the nuttery was also big favorites and I could probably stay there on my knees with a camera for hours and hours on end!

What struck me walking around in the wilder parts of this garden was that the set rules that I garden by, is really just bullshit. Alt least for springplantings. Anything goes really. And since snow is such a big part of my year, a little wild mess of springflowering plants and bulbes just makes me feel so free and fresh.

After all, spring is my favorite part of gardening!
So more spring planting this autumn!

See all the pictures from my visist here >

 

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My lovely Lily of the Nile

Say hallo to my gracious Agapanthus. She is flowering now, a bit odd timing, but better than when she flowered this Christmas. 🙂 She is in the family with Amaryllis which is a Christmas flower, so that might be why she seems a bit confused.  I won´t be fuzzy, she can flower when she like on my account!
I might choose to move her from the greenhouse onto my kitchen table, just to let her shine!

 

Such a good day in the garden!

I took som pictures out in the garden today. It was sunny and warm and I might have got a bit sunburned on my nose 🙂

My Spotty Pulmonaria

Jeffersonia Dubia

The snow white Helleborus lights up a half shady corner

My best friend Bilbo

The absolutely gorgeous blue Crocus!

 

Hot houses!

ir really is time to get my plants out of the now very warm planteoom in my basement and i to the greenhouse!
I just started it this weekend and I am still a bit worried about the temperature.
I have installed an oven so the nights are good I think. It is the warm sun I am worried about. Even with the roof window wide open the tenperature goes very high during the day. But when I am off to work in the morning it is almost freezing out…
Frustrating! I hope I get better at this!

Early spring gardening

I am having such a good time gardening these days. The frost is slowing letting go of my soil, and I can do one more border each weekend. But it is still cold out, so here is a suggestion for some nice gardening clothes 🙂

Early spring gardening by bonica82 featuring skinny fit jeans

H M three quarter sleeve top
£13 – hm.com

Barbour union jack jacket
€349 – jades24.com

H&M skinny fit jeans
£30 – hm.com

Lace up shoes
$175 – bergdorfgoodman.com

Mulberry pink shawl
$325 – stylebop.com

Medium Mud Gloves
$5.95 – crateandbarrel.com

ELEMENT Katia Beanie II – lightpink | frontlineshop.com
€30 – frontlineshop.com

While waiting for the Magnolias in my garden

Popping by a florist on my way home the other day, I came across these boring twigs in a bucket. But I did recognize the big buds, and run home with a big branch!
After som houres in water and a fresh cut the lower buds started to open.

I now walk over to admire and enjoy it at least five times a day!

Hiking in the Surrey Hills

While waiting for my next hike!
 

The first snow has finally arrived!

My dog Bilbo and me got out to enjoy the first snow!
We where getting a bit nervous that this christmas would be grey, but it seems promising tonight!