Our Kent Garden 9th May '24. Part 1.

As it was such a nice day I thought I'd take a look around the garden. There is a Part 1 and a Part 2 because the camera stops after around 10 minutes and I hadn't quite finished. I'll do another look around when there are a few more things to see. The poor old Wisteria has really suffered Woodpigeon damage this year which I've never had before. It's getting to be more of a problem apparently. They eat the young flower buds as they start to grow and fill out. Nothing I've tried deters them.

[@wendybartlett6717]

I always enjoy your garden tours Peter as you have a lovely garden. I was tempted to buy Madame Alfred Carriere at the garden centre today but resisted as I'm running out of room. I did however come home with a car crammed full with bedding plants! I was like a kid in a sweetie shop as their was so much choice. Off to watch part 2 now.

[@peterhaymaker7562]

Hi Wendy and thanks for your lovely comments. Mme. Alfred Carriere is a lovely rose as you know and it's basically thornless so easy to look after. I've bedding plants to put out too. Tomatoes, climbing French Beans and Cucumbers too. A busy weekend ahead. I hope you have a good weekend. Try and find something to do, ha ha! P.

[@Jay_Jay]

Lovely Peter your garden is immaculate and you have obviously been gardening for some time :) it shows and it looks really fantastic. Funny looking at your garden you remind me of Linda (soulgirl) then I read her comment!:) made me smile. My Madame Alfred is stripped back to pretty much bare now the black spot started to get at it. Paul’s Himalayan sadly is infested with black spot, I cut much of it back despite it being in bud but it is really infested and I know it will spread throughout my garden. The moment it flowers it’s getting the chop! You’ll see it if and when you come over.

[@peterhaymaker7562]

Thanks for the lovley comments Jay Jay. OK, I've been with this garden for around 18 years but before that I really didn't do much gardening but did do lots of growing - I worked in farmng. As and when you see it you'll see I've got plenty of weeds which don't get the attention they need. I'm very sad to hear of your blackspot situation. I guess the weather we've had over the last few months has played a part in that. I don't think we can blame the rabbits for the problem. Have you told the Paul's Himalayan Musk of it's possilbe demise? Have you contacted any of the big rose growers to see what they say? I know you've been to David Austins place and they can be very helpful but I also know they have an armory of chemicals that we don't have access to. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing your garden very soon. P.

[@soulgirlktf]

Hi Peter, your garden is looking beautiful. I can see you've been busy growing on pots and pots of baby plants I love growing plants I need to curb the propagating this summer if I can ! I am running out of room :) Himalayan Honeysuckle is fabulous I have a few of those, they were already here when we bought the house. I'd never seen one before. They make excellent canes, I cut them back quite hard and up they go, 7 or 8ft in a season haha the canes are similar to bamboo and they have wonderful fruits after the flowers, if you let them fully ripen they taste great sort of a dark chocolatey toffee flavour, really nice but they need to be fully ripe or they can be bitter. Mme. Alfred Carriere wow that has really grown, almost up to the soffits, looks great already but is only getting started will be spectacular I'm sure. All your roses are looking lovely. The white flowering bulb I think is Ornithogalum umbellatum (Star Of Bethlehem). Niobe looks very happy there :) Thank you for the walk around all looking magnificent of course, I enjoyed that with my morning coffee you have a wonderful garden. Have a great weekend, we are enjoying some welcome sun this week, take care.

[@peterhaymaker7562]

Hi Linda and thanks for the lovely comments and info. Yes, I grow far too many young plants but enjoy doing so. I give away to friends and sell the rest. Three Himalayon Honeysuckles found new homes today, also some tomatoes and other plants. Plenty more to go but fewer to water now. With the Himalayan Honeysuckle I'll try to get some berries but the Blackbirds like them too. I didn't actually cut the Him' H'suckles back this year either. I've looked up the 'Star of Bethlehem' and I think that answers that question; thanks. I did what you suggested with the Pieris too. It already looks much better with lovely new leaves. Again, thanks. Yes, the roses are coming along nicely too. I've got some young Begonia Sutherlandii plants to pot up tomorrow. Do you know them? Sadly lots of people don't and they're lovely. They're not like oridinary Begonias. Most of those will be given away. I've got some Flowering Qince seed just coming through the compost too. Always something. I hope you have a good weekend. P.