This has very much been my experience in north east Scotland. Hoeing is a joke - the hoe sliding along the top of solid mud. Lavender plants I grew on from the microscopic "special offer" plants that arrived in the post are looking very sorry for themselves. I would love to be continuing with clearing the overgrown borders I've inherited, but I'm pulling out so much soil with the roots that it's not worth it. On the plus side, I had absolute tree trunks of Cosmos, and the kale is a forest. My apple crop has been the best ever. We have also had much less in the way of gales in this north eastern corner. You are quite right about the emotional downs as well as ups of gardening - so much of gardening social media these days features the stylish and manically happy people who have only just discovered gardening and look! perfect bountiful crops. Thank you for the realistic but still uplifting gardening writing.
That's a long and depressing list, Jack, and I can't really disagree with any of it. Today however was a cold day with blue sky and no wind. A lot of leaves are still on the trees so the colour is pretty good, the birds haven't found my callicarpa bodinieri which is covered with slightly sinister looking purple berries and, if it wasn't for the fact that tomorrow's forecast is for wind and rain, I'd be almost content!
It has been hugely exasperating and so very hard when you put so much into it. I confess that it is hard being in the garden at the moment, but am trying to think how I can adapt it to cope better next year with new, water tolerating plants!
I confess it is hard to find positives with the amount of rain we have had ( though I keep thinking how marvellous it is to have full water butts!)My garden is currently teetering on the edge of being submerged and this was a very helpful piece to read.
10 problems caused by a very wet growing season
This has very much been my experience in north east Scotland. Hoeing is a joke - the hoe sliding along the top of solid mud. Lavender plants I grew on from the microscopic "special offer" plants that arrived in the post are looking very sorry for themselves. I would love to be continuing with clearing the overgrown borders I've inherited, but I'm pulling out so much soil with the roots that it's not worth it. On the plus side, I had absolute tree trunks of Cosmos, and the kale is a forest. My apple crop has been the best ever. We have also had much less in the way of gales in this north eastern corner. You are quite right about the emotional downs as well as ups of gardening - so much of gardening social media these days features the stylish and manically happy people who have only just discovered gardening and look! perfect bountiful crops. Thank you for the realistic but still uplifting gardening writing.
That's a long and depressing list, Jack, and I can't really disagree with any of it. Today however was a cold day with blue sky and no wind. A lot of leaves are still on the trees so the colour is pretty good, the birds haven't found my callicarpa bodinieri which is covered with slightly sinister looking purple berries and, if it wasn't for the fact that tomorrow's forecast is for wind and rain, I'd be almost content!
It has been hugely exasperating and so very hard when you put so much into it. I confess that it is hard being in the garden at the moment, but am trying to think how I can adapt it to cope better next year with new, water tolerating plants!
I confess it is hard to find positives with the amount of rain we have had ( though I keep thinking how marvellous it is to have full water butts!)My garden is currently teetering on the edge of being submerged and this was a very helpful piece to read.