Tuesday 26 May 2015

Growth time!

I think May counts as Late Spring, and Late Spring is when perennial plants put on lots of new growth. In this post I want to show you how this is happening in my garden.

This is the first thing I want to show off - Rhubarb. Last Autumn I moved my Rhubarb crowns into a big tub, which I filled with lots of rich composted stable manure. The plants have loved this, and have responded by putting up some enormous leaves:


I'm almost regretting my decision to refrain from picking any Rhubarb this year (letting the plants settle-in and regain their strength). They just keep putting up new leaves:


The Dogwoods which I pruned so severely a few weeks ago are responding well too - lots of fresh young shoots on all the plants, such as this Cornus Alba "Aureum".


And on this  Cornus Sericea "Cardinal"


Last year my Clematis produced a grand total of three flowers. I didn't prune it, and this year it has done much better. I know that you need to treat the various types of Clematis differently, but I don't know what type this one is (it was an un-named "freebie" from a magazine). Presumably it is one that doesn't like pruning!




My Blueberry bushes got a hard pruning last year, having become very straggly. They too are now putting on lots of new growth - which is of course what you expect when you prune hard. I don't think I will get much fruit this year, and the beneficial effects will only be felt next year. However, there will definitely be some berries:


My little patch of ferns is looking good too. I have five plants now. Every Autumn I cut off all the dead fronds, and every Spring a new lot grows back.


This one has made a circular "crown of fronds":


Look at the difference in this Purple Sage plant. This is it on March 7th (after severe pruning, you'll notice)


And this is the same plant on 20th May:


A big difference, I think you'll agree!  With June beginning next week, I'm hopeful that we will soon see the advent of some proper "Summer" weather, and then the plants should really take off.

11 comments:

  1. I always love watching the growth in spring. It is always amazing how well things come back.

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  2. Wonderful growth in your garden. I'm amazed at how big rhubarb leaves can be!

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  3. nice collection of photos Mark that rhubarb looks as if it could be delicious with your lovely recipe with orange and ginger

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  4. My fruit trees love it when I give them a severe pruning!

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  5. ooh I just fancy rhubarb crumble now :) your garden is fantastic Mark, hopefully mine should look like that eventually :)

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  6. ooh I just fancy rhubarb crumble now :) your garden is fantastic Mark, hopefully mine should look like that eventually :)

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  7. I have planted 2 small rhubarb crowns and it will be 2 years before I pull any amount. I have also set some seeds today, I have never seen Rhubarb seed before so it is something of a novelty crop, if it works I will be giving plants to all my neighbours.

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  8. Things certainly have got a wriggle on. I noticed lots of fruit have set in our blueberry,

    That clematis looks like a montana and it's the right flowering time. I think I'm right in thinking you don't prune them unless you needs to restrict its spread,

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  9. It is such a wonderful time of year when everything seems to grow overnight! We were also so tempted to pick our rhubarb the first time we planted it.Just imagine the good crop you will get next year! Sarah x

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  10. It does seem as if once things get going in the spring, they REALLY get going. My sage has come back with a vengeance too - and to think I that I though it was dead only one short month ago.

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  11. Your rhubarb's certainly settling in mark! I grow mine in a big tub too. My sage is just coming into flower on the allotment, I have several plants along one of my boundaries, must take a piccie! I usually prune it back but didn't get chance this year so maybe it's a bit earlier than normal.Nice to see things progressing in your garden :)

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