Garden Blog - Blog Post

I Predict a (Garden) Riot

2 comments

It’s around this time of year, later in June, that I start to loose control of the garden and it begins to descend into – what I call – somewhat manicured chaos.

The patio really getting into the holiday spirit

In spring when the plants emerge and start growing again after the winter, the garden looks all neat, tidy, prim and proper. Well, it does if I have had chance to complete the winter clean-up before hand but that is rarely the case these days. As the weather warms, reluctantly at times, and the year advances, the plants fill out and many even start flowering.

A view over the manicured chaos

The days heat up even more, in June they become really long, with around 17 hours of daylight, and it tips the plant growth from, “mildly manageable” into, “insane”.

Future gap-fillers and bare-patch insurance policy

We’re at this point now. The border edges that I spent so long trimming and sharpening in preparation for the NGS inspection visit are lost underneath a billowing overspill of exuberant plants. It’s easier to see the garden as an amorphous mass of leaf and flower as opposed to individuals.

and I just luxuriate in it all.

The “odds-n-sods” overspill bed on the patio

Through the influence of many garden visits, leafing through many gardening books, gardening TV and also looking online at garden pictures and reading blogs over the years, the romantic garden style emerged as the style for the garden and it really comes into play when the plants start to take over in June.

Tree-rounds from a neighbour to break up a monotonous fence

It continues through the summer, past the dog days and into autumn and early winter, at which point, garden chores take over again.

The garden creates its own incredible atmosphere just by it “being” as it is and doing what it wants, without me having to apply strict control, just a casual edit here and there. This is a very round-about way of saying, “the garden does exactly what I want it to do, by letting it ‘go’ after early summer”.

Scent features heavily in a romantic garden

All the judicious work in the winter clean-up and in Spring preparation means the garden coasts beautifully into the summer months. I’m deliriously happy I don’t have to spend hours a day on it, I can finally sit in the sun and enjoy it some.

Which is exactly what I plan to do after I post this.

A new bench as a new relaxation opportunity
stay up to date

Subscribe

Enter your email address to subscribe to the Garden Blog and stay notified when new posts are available.

catch up

Recent Posts

Don't miss these recent posts.

delve deeper

Garden Blog Archive

Peruse the full Garden Blog Archive going back over a decade.

Visit the Garden

Inspired?

Visit the Garden at 13 Broom Acres on National Garden Scheme Open Days and by arrangement

author & gardener

Sunil Patel

I'm Sunil Patel, this is me. I created the Garden at 13 Broom Acres and I open it to visitors. I also bake and write blog posts giving a "behind the scenes" look into what it's like to maintain such a garden.

Visit the blog, then come and visit the garden. We can have a good sit-down, a jolly chinwag and a relaxing cup of tea with a sinfully generous slice of home made cake.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

2 comments

Jean at Jean's Garden 28/06/2022 - 12:41 am

I’m a great believer in making time to just sit and enjoy the garden. My garden, too, gets more exuberant at this time of year. This is also the time of year when I come to terms with the things I can’t control — the nibbles of the local deer and the depredations of the woodchuck (a.k.a. groundhog). Enjoy your romantic exuberance.

Reply
Sunil 28/06/2022 - 8:35 am

Thank, Jean, I’ve been taking some time out from the garden, only bothering to water the patio pots. To be honest there not much more than that to do. Sure, I could edge the border with grass shears or mow more often or tweak a few things here and there, but honestly, it would just be un-noticeable. I think things will pick up again later August when I need to have all the gaps filled in preparation for gardening opening next year. Until then, I can take the foot off the pedal a bit.

Reply

Blog Post Lucky Dip

Lose yourself in garden history with over a decade of blog posts to choose from.

neighbourhood explorer

Followed Blogs

Here's a favourite list of blogs that I love to curl up with a cup of tea, slice of cake and have a good read.

stay notified

Subscribe to the Blog

Enter your email address to subscribe to the Garden Blog and stay notified when new posts are available.

email address policy

Your email address will only be used for the purpose of sending you email updates to notify you of new blog posts. It will not be sold to third parties nor used for advertising or other marketing purposes.

© Sunil Patel. All rights reserved