A Busy Week In The Garden

16
Aug
2016

Last week I decided that I would divide and repot the Auriculas.  The ongoing care for these amazing plants is, quite frankly, laborious!  They have a reputation for being difficult to grow,  reluctant to flower, and they simply conk out for no reason.  Auriculas are demanding rather than difficult because they need alpine conditions and only do well if placed somewhere cool and airy away from the midday sun.

Mine flowered too early last year as they were situated on the Northern verandah in full sun to keep them warm during a cold winter.  Instead of that perfect single bunch of flowers poised above the leaves,  most plants had numerous single flower stems flopping about the pot and so I decided to divide them this year so that the offsets were limited. 

 

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One of last year’s flowers
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I removed the plant from the original pot, and gently pulled it apart before planting them in two separate pots into which I had added pebbles which I hope will assist in the drainage.

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Pressing down the potting mix around the Auricula

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After adding pebbles to cover the soil
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Some of the re-potted Auriculas
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The greenhouse is brimming with pansies and foxgloves that are just about ready to plant out into the garden.
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John and I comparing our handy work

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I’ve been picking lots of Violets for my bedside table and just adore their fragrance.
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Gorgeous Gladioli in the hall – store bought flowers at this time of the year are a necessity.
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This is the first time I have put Wattle into a vase and perhaps the last!… They dropped within two days!
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I had a group of lovely ladies over for lunch on Friday
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The first tulips I have brought inside this year and I’m hoping they will flower..
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I’ve also fed all of the indoor plants
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The Hellebores are all in flower now

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English Galanthus which was given to me by a friend
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Delightful snowdrops dotted all over the garden
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The Auriculas are doing well
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The Pelargoniums are beginning to flower
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My Hydrangea cuttings have all taken
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The Hydrangeas cuttings beneath a cloche.
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An unusual double Daffodil which was given to me by a friend
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After a day in the garden, soup for supper is usually the easiest.

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The soup was delicious and so was the boiled egg on toast.

Happy week everyone!

ps – since posting this, I have read that the best time to divide the Auriculas is just after they have flowered… oh dear… fingers crossed!

COMMENTS

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  • Hello Marilyn – Thanks so much for the lovely comments – so appreciated. There is nothing I enjoy more than browsing opp shops for bits and bobs!! xx

  • You will adore the Helebores!.. They are so beautiful and so are the leaves – you will love having them in the garden! Thanks so much for stopping by xx

  • Yes – the Helebores go on for ages and then when the flowers are finished the leaf cover is also so pretty… such a valuable plant in the garden. Thank you for stopping by! xx

  • Marilyn Wood says:

    Good luck with the Auriculas-en masse and in flower they really are a sight to behold.Its such a lovely time to be in the garden with the warmer weather approaching and spring flowers to look forward to.
    Your garden is just beautiful Jenny and I always love your photos of the garden and your beautiful table settings and indoor arrangements. Has me out in opp shops looking for more interesting containers for such arrangements.
    Happy gardening
    Marilyn xx

  • Good luck with the auriculas. Everything is looking 'bloomin' wonderful'. I planted a hellebore for the first time and the buds are slowly emerging, great excitement. Love the snowdrops.

  • The greenhouse *sigh* – what a lovely thing to have. Your hellebores are lovely. I wonder if they are long-lasting where you are. Mine bloom for a very long time and are always such a nice little surprise, planted where I can come across them when using the back door.
    Lovely lunch table!

  • Anonymous says:

    Such a beautiful picture of the grouped auriculas – very pretty – so can see why you persevere. Don't think I'd have the patience though. Most likely would kill them. Your pics are all so glorious and I'm in awe of your greenhouse – so neat and beautiful – meticulous really. Also the beautiful table place setting – so fresh and pretty. Lucky ladies! Pammie