“If the first of July be rainy weather, It will rain, more of less, for four weeks together.” English Proverb
The proverb has come true here so far and these rainy summer days have spurred the plants to grow like Billy-O. Wonderful to see but a headache in terms of moving them without incurring too much damage. Some like the giant hostas and exuberant erisymum ‘Bowles Mauve’ have now gone ahead with my daughter whilst at the other end of the extreme, I have several young seedlings of Leptospermum scoparium (Manuka) which will accompany me on departure next Saturday.
A bit of a side-track now for the seedlings have their own story…I sowed them as memento of my (pre-lockdown) 2020 New Zealand trip but also because I rather rashly had left behind my potted Manuka shrub in London. (Moving ‘the garden in a pot’ from place to place has always meant choosing which shall stay and which must go). Anyway I did the stratification thing of seeds on damp paper and plastic bagged up for 6 weeks or more in the fridge then planted them, paper and all back in March. And just as the impatient gardener was about to give up, seedlings began to sprout in May. They’ve just been transferred to individual pots and so far all 15 have made the move. It almost makes me feel green-fingered!
Those of you who know my future plans for a Japanese style garden might wonder what place Manuka will have there. The answer is there will be part of the garden that transitions between the Orient and the Occident and besides that, it will be more Japanesque than purist but more of that another time.
Meanwhile, this last post on this garden is perforce, a kind of eulogy, taking stock of where I’ve gardened for the past 18 months.
In truth it was love at first sight – a back garden only, bare, gravelled and walled, with an old pantiled outhouse as pottering shed. There was space enough to fit all the potted plants, grow more and still be able to sit amongst them.
This proximity gave a more intimate relationship with the plants which in turn has enhanced my appreciation of them as living entities rather than garden decor. I’ve spent time documenting each one (‘meet the plants‘) and enjoyed moving them on and off centre-stage as the seasons dictate, rather like successive vaudeville acts.
But the last word must go to the silent gardeners who throughout have made rich toppings of soil and some liquid manure from shreds of paper and vegetable waste. Just what potted plants need since they cannot forage for their own needs!
“Sadness gives depth. Happiness gives height. Sadness gives roots. Happiness gives branches” ~anon
I’m feeling both. Au revoir! See you on the other side.
Take a scrolling last stroll through the Garden in a Pot in July
Last view of the Garden in a Pot 
hosta blooms live up to their name of plantain lilies 
‘Empress Wu’ blooms still standing in the rain 
thick and ‘waterproofed’ leaves of ‘Dream Queen’ hosta 
have only just identified this hosta as H. ventricosa 
aka Blue Plantain lily with purple flowers! 
outer florets of Japanese hydrangea vine ‘moonlight’ 
10ft tall since I planted this now resident hollyhock seedling last year 
small but bold – cutting of Salvia ‘peach cobbler’ in first flower 
lysimachia ‘golden globes’ blooming later this year 
yellow corydalis hitched a lift from my London garden in 2019 
this buff-tailed bumble queen loves them 
leaf cutter bees take bites out of Fuchsia genii leaves overlooked by F. ‘Mrs Popple’ 
‘Samaritan Jo’ clematis always so demure 
and blue star creeper full of charm 
first of the delicate odorous pelargonium flowers 
the leaves are aromatic and attractive too 
herb garden gathering ready to go 
small pots collectively wait removal…to Derbyshire!
My Japanesque Garden 
There’s much to be said for pot gardening. This is a lovely array. Bon voyage and good luck with the move.
thanks Tish – they are all higgledy-piggledy now like colourful travellers waiting for the train. Quite a few will remain potted for the future garden whilst others will be planted or eventually let go if they do not fit the landscape or the climate – colder still over there!
Wishing you and your plants happy & safe traveling, Laura!
As you know, my own garden is huge, but I have to say I’d be more than content with a potted garden the size of your current one…
small can be beautiful too unless you like to wander in a garden and grow fabulous roses! – thanks for the good wishes Kiki – looking forward to the next challenge!
They all look lovely and healthy, hope they make the journey without mishap and I can’t wait to see how your new garden develops and which of these plants remain. Your hostas all look extremely good btw. My large one has been totally shredded this year!
unless in pots surrounded by gravel or a deluge of slug pellets etc Hostas seemed doomed to gastropods but apparently there are some that are more resistant to the taste buds of slugs etc and these are the thicker, bluer or corrugated leaved ones – some like Dream Queen have twice the chromosomes and hence thicker stems and leaves.
p.s. next post will be the blank canvas which is far from blank but will of necessity be more of a building site
I think I shall pass on more hostas, though I have bought three ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ which are thicker leaved. They are very small plants and in pots. So far only one nibble. Quite lovely flowers. I may risk one in the border and see how well it copes.
‘have ‘mouse ears’ on my wishlist and they look charming in a pot too 😉
They are cute. Not sure how big they grow, but small is good, then the leaves won’t reach the ground for the S&S to climb aboard!