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Post by andy on Aug 12, 2008 13:30:05 GMT
It has probably been the worst year for busy lizzies that i've ever known. Mine died in a short space of time, next door, who usually has a superb display took theirs out last week and my dads, which is usually a sight to behold are all starting to die. It's almost certainly weather related although could a dodgy batch of seeds be the problem.
As for the best, after last years complete disaster where i don't think a single one was produced, next door has said they've had the best tomato crop in over 40 years of growing them.....and they usually love the sun !!!!!!
He also said the same for runner beans....absolutely spot on.
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Post by isabella on Aug 12, 2008 14:25:06 GMT
Andy - I thought it was just me that had lost busy lizzies! Mine started to 'go over' the week of our garden open day - they have gone completely now  I too have a wonderful crop of tomatoes and peppers ;D |
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Aug 12, 2008 14:44:11 GMT
I think that this year's chrysanthemums have been disappointing here, especially the little white one 'Snowland'...and I'm hoping that the dahlias and cosmos pick up speed soon as they've been rather slow to come into flower this year.
Best? gazanias (kiss bronze and inferno), verbenas (compact and rigida) and agastache (golden jubillee) all have been flowering since the end of June and are still putting on a lovely show.
My tomato crops haven't been as good as yours Andy & Isabella...my own fault, grew the blinking 'gartenperle' again (had seed left) Mind you, the cape gooseberry, beans and taters have all cropped well. ;D
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Post by Weeterrier on Aug 12, 2008 14:44:57 GMT
I was in two minds this morning when I looked at my tomatoes. I just don't think they warrant taking up the whole greenhouse, and I toyed with the idea of chucking them all out.  Unbelievably, apart from that, the rain, which has been almost constant hasn't seemed to do much harm at all. The garden has been looking slightly bedraggled, but still lovely. Though my Pelargoniums haven't started flowering yet. So I don't suppose they have been a success. Their leaves are lovely though. Must be disappointing to have disappointment with bedding plants, if they are a big part of the summer. I gave them up a while ago, when Scotland stopped having Summer.  In other gardens, Tuberous Begonias are doing really well. Very dependable up here. |
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Post by Rosefriend on Aug 12, 2008 15:01:57 GMT
My busy lizzies are, and have been, a dream this year, fuchsia's - all bedding plants have been very good. Exotics very good this year, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Chillies, Peppers, Onions, Cucumbers, Herbs - all excellent. Parsnips, Carrots and Parsley Roots coming along well.
Sweetpeas were a total disaster, Beans - only 4 meals this year, Sunflowers were bad this year as well.
RF
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Post by Weeterrier on Aug 12, 2008 15:21:17 GMT
Once again, life ain't fair. My Sweetpeas have been going great guns. They must like RAIN. |
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Post by Tig on Aug 12, 2008 17:15:35 GMT
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Post by Ladygardener on Aug 13, 2008 15:16:04 GMT
It's been a good year for phlox, clematis, delphiniums,the aqulegia this spring and the spring bulbs were really great too. It's not for me been a good year for my sunflowers, so many of them died off or did'nt do, Also although there are millions of them my tomaotes are still green. |
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Post by Ruthie on Aug 13, 2008 19:18:22 GMT
Can't compare as I haven't grown tomatoes for several years until this year, but we're getting quite a good crop off the bush tomatoes, and sooooooooooo sweet! Got loads of sweet peppers coming (although the slugs keep munching them and then they rot so have lost a few). Roses have been great with more promised and the garden is burgeoning generally. When we have a dry summer (which for myself I prefer) it looks VERY sad about now, despite watering......poor dry soil you see, but with the rain comes continued growth (and more weeding and pruning which I haven't been able to do 'cos it's always raining!!!!!)
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Post by andy on Aug 18, 2008 15:32:07 GMT
There was a house we went past in the middle of July. It was right next to a level crossing and the barriers were down. This house had over 60 tubs and baskets all along the paths and fences of her front garden and they were full of mixed busy lizzies.....and it looked awesome. Went past the same house yesterday and they were all gone !!!!!! |
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Post by farmersboy on Aug 18, 2008 16:00:37 GMT
Its strange about those Busy Lizzies,mine have been going great guns this year, My worst this year were my peas,but it was my fault,i absent mindedly applied some growmore before sowing,and they dont like that,  |
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Post by Ladygardener on Aug 19, 2008 8:01:52 GMT
Thats a great display of Busy Lizzies FB. Do they require a lot of feeding and water?
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Post by farmersboy on Aug 19, 2008 15:38:29 GMT
I give them a liquid feed about once a week,lng,and if theres no rain and its hot,i water every day,but normaly i water every other day
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Post by Jardack on Aug 19, 2008 20:56:50 GMT
Worst for me has to be plums - my tree has NONE! Not one single little plum Best, for me although not the largest crop, has to be cucumbers, we've had about a dozen from two plants and the girls have loved them  JArdack |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2008 17:46:13 GMT
Best - my cats & my shed, well nearly, but seriously, best hanging baskets for me this year and this is my 3rd year of them. Not great by most of my neighbours standards but good for me.
Worst - everything else, but particulary my sweetpeas & marigolds
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Post by Auricula on Aug 20, 2008 21:17:29 GMT
Phlox were lovely but short lived,likewise sweetpeas.However it's hard for me to judge as I haven't been able to deadhead anything and that may be why they stopped flowering ( not the sweetpeas as they were picked every day - just too much rain I think). Bedding plants were ok except for the lobelia which got waterlogged!!  |
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Post by snowowl on Aug 22, 2008 14:34:03 GMT
The best for this year has to be my Rudbekia i have never grown them befor and they are flowering their socks of and withstanding all this crazy weather we are having.
The worst is my Coreopsis it did well lat year but hasnt been good this year.
Hollyhocks have not done well either i may have planted them in the wrong place though.
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Post by Chuckles on Aug 22, 2008 20:48:17 GMT
The best of 2008 was discovering Crocus and getting good quality plants delivered to the door ;D The worst was looking at my bank account and seeing how much I've spent with them Seriously ;D the best has been my home grown Cosmos, definately be growing them again. Worst, my Delphiniums, so much wet and wind ruined them  |
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Post by Shrubrose on Aug 24, 2008 7:16:53 GMT
It's been a totally disappointing year all round really! My roses have loads of buds on them but the flowers have been totally ruined by all the rain  The only really good thing is my onions. Harvested them all yesterday and they seem fine. Thank goodness the soil in the veg patch drains well |
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Post by andy on Aug 24, 2008 8:54:49 GMT
Well all my bedding has now seen better days. It's suprising how quick things deteriorate after a few days without dead heading. I could cut them back and give them a good feed but by the time they looked any good again, it would be time to pull them out.
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Post by Amo on Aug 24, 2008 10:18:11 GMT
My best has been after two years of no garden at all and three years being here and basically just looking at it, actually getting stuck in and achieving what could just about pass as a garden. Lazy afternoons on the terrace with wine and food and family.
I've started removing the summer bedding that are past their best and it's revealing bare soil again but there is a small framework of shrubs and perennials beginning and I'm not so daunted by the whole bare bed thing.
We have found toads, slow worms and frogs and an abundance of insect life to support them. The European owls came back and the songbirds were nesting everywhere. Everything was very lush and didn't need watering twice a day.
I found new friends on the forum.
Bad thing is I'm still waiting for summer. And these darn flies! And next doors filter pump on the kids pool (24/7 I kid ye not!!) The wind was relentless and I hate the wind the most. It's nearly Christmas.
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Post by Tig on Aug 24, 2008 22:39:37 GMT
You can go off folk you know - mentioning the 'C' word when we haven't got to the end of August yet ;D |
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Post by purplejulia on Aug 25, 2008 6:59:11 GMT
Worst for me has to be plums - my tree has NONE! Not one single little plum JArdack Glad I am not the only person with few plums. It has been a very bad year for me. Year before last (my first year in garden) a bumper crop. 2007 was reasonable but this year hardly any at all. Good year for my sweet peas and my spuds! PJ |
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Post by 4pygmies on Aug 25, 2008 7:07:21 GMT
It's been a fairly disappointing year in my veggie garden this year - mainly because of being so ill for several weeks in April, followed by being away in June for GWLive so it's my own fault generally The garlic and onions have been appallingly dismal, the pears harvest is nearly zilch, runner beans not done as well as usual either...but the spuds have been good, the crops in the PT are going really well (picked a monster aubergine this weekend while Karen was staying) and despite being severely chopped last winter the apple trees are groaning with the weight of fruit....So it's back to my usual routine - oh well, it'll be better next year when I finally get organised..... ;D |
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Post by Weeterrier on Aug 25, 2008 8:27:11 GMT
Despite one of the most awful summers I can remember, I am amazed at how well one of my plants has done. Naturally, the Rodgersias and other moisture lovers have been relishing the rain, so have flourished better than ever, but the star, for battling against huge odds, has to be Geranium 'Rozanne'. Covered in flowers for the whole summer, and reaching a diameter of five feet it has outdone its previous achievements. Of course, it has swamped everything around it, but I couldn't bring myself to moan about that.
Some new introductions are a big disappointment, but this one was worth the work the breeders spent on it.
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Post by andy on Aug 25, 2008 11:03:51 GMT
One thing i have noticed this year wherever i go is the superb displays of petunias around. Generally, petunias don't like the rain and tend to go over quickly if not dead headed and fed well but i've noticed a lot of displays around restaurants, pubs and even civic buildings where the sufinias and other petunias have been top notch.
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Post by Weeterrier on Aug 27, 2008 8:45:07 GMT
That's true FA.
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Post by Jardack on Sept 7, 2008 18:48:18 GMT
Worst for me has to be plums - my tree has NONE! Not one single little plum JArdack Glad I am not the only person with few plums. It has been a very bad year for me. Year before last (my first year in garden) a bumper crop. 2007 was reasonable but this year hardly any at all. Good year for my sweet peas and my spuds! PJ That is the same as here - year before last was my first year here and it was great! Wonder if I am doing something to kill them off now! |
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Post by borderbabe on Sept 10, 2008 19:51:59 GMT
Best of the year my runner beans - worst everything else!!
Roll on 2009 and we can do it all again!!
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Post by Ruthie on Sept 10, 2008 20:16:38 GMT
Was just thinking today how good my Persicaria have been this year. Sorry Can't remember the variety but they're only about a foot tall, flowers come out white and fade to red......very common.
If we have a dry summer they wilt and sulk and refuse to flower but they're looking marvellous this year!!
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