Hello lovely gardeners,
My garden is looking glorious at the moment, with new growth everywhere and poppies giving me plenty of reasons to stop and admire them instead of getting on with things!
One that’s particularly caught my eye is a beautiful pink peony poppy. All those ruffles! I’ve been taking rather a lot of photos, as you can probably imagine.
I’m hoping to have seed from this lovely ruffly pink poppy available in autumn, once it’s harvested and ready. Something to look forward to!
There’s also a lovely mauve cornflower that my phone insists is much bluer than it really is, and lots of white statice just coming into bloom. I’m especially pleased about those, as white statice seed was hard to find this season. Hopefully there’ll be seed to collect later on, and I’m already looking forward to seeing what comes together for future poppy mixes too.
Meanwhile, my thoughts are turning to the summer garden.
If you’re planning a sunny patch of flowers, there are cosmos, sunflowers and zinnias to choose from, including the cheerful striped Candy Cane zinnias and softer Zinderella Peach.
Mine are sitting on the bench ready to sow straight into the garden as soon as this last sting of spring has gone. It’s been chilly here in Tauranga this past week or so!
In the vege patch, it’s the warmth-loving seeds coming into their own: cucumbers, pumpkins, squash and melons. Spaghetti squash has been going quickly lately too! If you haven’t tried it, the cooked flesh separates into strands you can serve with your favourite sauce. Delicious!
A little reminder to work with your local conditions rather than the calendar alone. Wait for warm soil and for frost risk to pass before sowing tender summer crops outside. I hear there was snow falling down south this week! Melons especially need a warm, sheltered spot, with extra protection helpful in cooler areas.
If you’re thinking about your next sowing, here are a few ideas:
🌻 Sunflowers for a cheerful summer display
🌸 Zinnias for garden colour and picking
🌼 Cosmos for airy summer flowers and lovely stems to pick
🥒 Cucumbers for fresh summer harvests
🍉 Watermelons, pumpkins and squash for a sunny vege patch
You’ll find these and more in our summer-sowing seed selection.
Spring is so exciting, isn’t it?
What’s looking lovely in your garden at the moment? Or what are you hoping to grow this summer? It’s always lovely hearing what other gardeners are growing.
Happy Gardening!
Love Cathy 🌱😊