Watching flowers in the rain!

Im just sitting watching flowers in the rain

Feel the power of the rain making the garden grow,

Im just sitting watching flowers in the rain

Feel the power of the rain keeping me cool.

Flag Iris

All gardeners live in beautiful places because they make them so.

All gardeners live in beautiful places

because they make them so.

- Joseph Joubert

Lillies and the lily beetle.

Our lilies gave a stunning display this year and we we hope will be repeated in years to come. The plants are probably ready to be divided though I will do that in the spring. Rather worryingly is the profusion of the red lily beetle that is to be found in the neighbourhood. The beetle, which has a red top but black undersides, has a voracious appetite for lilies and similar plants; though it is the larvae of the species which causes most of the damage. This is an Asiatic bug, just as the lilies themselves were an Asiatic plant, though the bug is found now throughout Europe. The pest is believed to have profited through containerised plant sales, which allows an overwintering adult lily beetle to burrow into the soil. Our own lilies were grown from bare bulbs so our garden pests obviously came from elsewhere in the neighbourhood.

If you are trying to eradicate this particular pest without resort to harmful pesticides, then the handiest of garden tools is the thumb and forefinger, which can be used to pluck the adults from the plant. The orange coloured eggs and larvae of the lily beetle are easily spotted during the initial infestation. They can simply be crushed with the aforementioned thumb and forefinger. After a few days the larvae use their own excrement to conceal that orange colour changing it to a grey black colour resembling mould which is more easily missed. As soon as the spring foliage emerges so do the adult beetles, if you are vigilant then you may stop the egg laying process. It is thought that adults locate the lily plant by scent which seems likely given the fragrance of the blooms. If that is the case then we gardeners need to be vigilant throughout the year.

Carol's sister Marie and husband Alan who garden near Cambridge in south east England fear that the lily beetle has killed off their first year planting. This is a fast spreading pest.

Flower of the year

Simple flowers are shown to striking effect on this Echinacea 'Pink Parasol'. I had already decided it was my flower of the year for 2007 before Thompson and Morgan elected it as their choice for next year's flower of the year promotion. So it would seem that at least I shall be ahead of the game when planning next year’s garden campaign. The plant a hardy perennial flowered in it’s first year but has put on a better show with a little more maturity. Flowers of 3” + have appeared in the second year. It does make a good cut flower but for now I prefer to see it in the garden.

Of course what I would really love to see, is this particular flower growing prairie style with other suitable varieties across our finca, the problem is the soil is so poor even tough plants struggle. Therefore we are going to have to generate as much compostable material as possible, from the planting areas we have already developed if we going to be able to improve our soils fertility. Green manures and catch crops will have to play a part in the process too. Animal manures are gobbled up by the crop farmers who really seem to relish a little muck spreading. We always seem to be down wind of the spreader too

Crocosmia

The Crocosmia bulbs I planted last year have done well. Even before flowering their heavily pleated and sword like foliage gave a bit of height to the newly planted beds. I have more bulbs to plant this year, and this trouble free easily grown plant will add texture shape and colour to my garden.

Once established Crocosmia multiply quickly and look their best in large groups. If they grow two big for the space you have available they are easily divided.

The plant leaves are quite fibrous and can tangle up in the shredder if you overload it.

A much smaller though similar shaped plant the monbreita is planted nearby and the contrasting heights but similar form should work well as they develop.

Crocosmia make useful cut flowers with their bold shape, they also give off a saffron fragrance when placed in water, all in all those qualities are not bad for a plant that is so easy to grow.