We’ve had a couple of spells of rain this week but nowhere near enough and so it’s been a week of watering that doesn’t seem to help (I’m trying to be mindful of drought in other parts of the country even though we’re technically not under a hosepipe warning here). So there’s very little creating a wow factor out there. Entry one is the notable exception but I’ll let you read about that.
As always thanks to our host Jim for SixOnSaturday. Visit his blog and from there all the other participants’ blogs.
Sunflowers – I have a checkered history with them. The first year I grew them (2020) I planted over 45 in pots and spent the whole summer running in and out picking up the pots as they fell over. I’ve never grown that many again and this year I only managed two dwarf varieties in pots. The bird feeders in the garden had other ideas this year and two enormous specimens are growing in the lawn, presumably from seeds dropped from the fat balls we hang up. I don’t think I have ever successfully grown sunflowers like this. A definite wow and more to come when the flowers open.
Dahlias – I always have dahlias. I absolutely love the vast number of varieties. I have some smaller ones from earlier in the summer but I recently bought some larger specimens from the garden centre and they’re doing well in a sheltered part of the garden.
Petunias – something I’ve grown a lot over the years but in much larger quantities than I attempted this year but I still love their velvety petals.
Japanese anemone – I recognised this early on in the season – masses of leaves from a plant I inherited with the house. It’s only flowered quite recently and it’s still looking amazing. It’s sheltered by some kind of big spiky rose plant – previous readers may remember my distaste for this particular genus – it’s doing a fine job creating just the right environment for the anemone.
Cosmos – another favourite of mine. And another throwback to 2020. That was my first time growing them and they flowered right up to late November that year. So it’s always my mission to take great care of them and try to better that record.
Cucumber – I have two very pale looking cucumbers. I need to feed them more regularly I think as they are not looking like ripening any time soon (I have checked the label – they are supposed to be green). Roll on next year when I hope to have a greenhouse.
That’s it from me this week. Got everything crossed for more rain for everyone around the country.
The Garrett Garden 
I think a flower bud is one of the most exciting things in gardening. You have managed to keep your dahlias looking good, mine have gone on strike! I love petunias but, you might think me a bit odd, I hate the sticky feel of the stems so avoid growing them. I can admire from afar though! Maybe you have left your cucumber too long and it is going over, they do tend to go yellow when that happens. Have a good week.
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Ha I do love how the petunia petals feel.
cucumber definitely not been green yet so not sure what’s up with it.
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Congratulations with the Sunflowers! I’ve only grown them a few times, and they’re amazing, but they do seem to need strong supports. I’m a little more lax with my False Sunflowers (Heliopsis helianthoides), but they seem to ramble and roll and look decent without supports. We have the same favorites–Dahlias, Cosmos, Cucumbers (yum!). And when I was a kid and Mom let us pick flowers for her garden, I picked Petunias. I haven’t grown them for years, mostly because my garden is too shady. Beautiful “six”!
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Thank you! I haven’t staked the sunflowers that have sprouted on their own, mostly because they have enormous stems and look plenty strong enough on their own!!
I love growing cucumbers – nothing quite like fresh cucumber from your own garden. Roll on greenhouse growing next year!
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Dahlias are a favourite of mine too….can never resist buying more and more varieties!
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It’s an addiction! I have one plant that has overwintered in its pot for two or three seasons now, it surprises me every year when it comes back!
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