Bulbs away!

Thumb: "Uh, honey? Umm... I may have overdone it with the mail order flower bulbs."

Mr Thumb: "<sigh>"

Thumb: "Just a bit."

Mr Thumb: "Overdone? You? I can't believe it."

Thumb: "Again with the sarcasm..."

I got maybe a third of them planted: some scillas (and let's see how those turn out...), crocuses, and tulips large and small. I'd post pictures but firstly, it was dark by the time I finished, and secondly, even if it wasn't, there'd be nothing to see but soil.

Pot luck tulips.

Early autumn pictures

In late summer I had a few weeks where I ran out of ammo to take care of the garden. Everything seemed to be going along nicely, so I just poured water on where plants seemed dry and Mr Thumb mowed the lawn. I couldn't fit any more plants in there and was running out of money anyway. It also seemed like autumn storms must hit Any Minute Now.

I'm still there just a bit, waiting for autumn that doesn't seem inclined to show up. I have no idea when autumn planting should be done - probably now, but I'm even more out of money now. I also feel like if I go to the garden centre I'll just come back with another clueless selection of random plants, which is what the garden now seems to be. We haven't used the garden as much as I thought we would, and I'm the only one in the family who actually enjoyes an outdoor barbicue, so that's a bit wrought.

Anyway, here's a few pictures from a nice weekend morning in the garden.

Little fly warming up on the spiraea.

Prelude to autumn.

When you get the light right, the picture's out of focus...

... and when it's on focus, the light is boring. 

Reaching up

Planning the back yard

1. This planter-y box will be dismantled in the spring anyway because it's falling apart. The plan now is to empty much of it and put in tulip and daffodil bulbs for spring colour, and move the last plants in the spring.

2. The planter at the back of the yard will be mostly emptied out. I'm thinking rhododendrons; or maybe move the hydrangea in the front yard here.

I had a tentative plan (a more long-term one) to take out the planter altogether and move the deck here, but it turns out the ground under the existing deck is basically just rock and any grass would just slide off eventually.

3. This is the back of the planter box. There are creepers here that aren't actually allowed to creep up the wall, because it's not our wall. Any solutions would be welcome. I'm considering suggesting to the Powers That Be (and I have no idea who that actually is - the housing association?) that we be allowed to put up a free-standing screen or something and only attach it to the wall at the upper end.

Mind you, the previous owners had rebelliously screwed in supports...

Hydrangeas / hortensiat

If you want a big bush, prune lightly in early spring or in the autumn after flowering, just removing  the wilted flowers; this gives smaller flowers but encourages growth. For larger flowers, prune more strongly, e.g., half the annual growth.

When young, water regularly and do not let dry out. Older plants only need extra water in very dry conditions (such as the summer of 2018).

The best time to move it is in the autumn after the leaves have fallen.

(More info in Finnish)

Planting stuff

Suddenly my Facebook feed showed me a link about garden planning (in Finnish) with the rider "August and September is the best time to plant perennials". Why thank you, yes, I think I will buy some more plants this season... Anybody got a spare 2000 € I could have? Also, could someone distract Mr Thumb while I quickly run to the shops?

I have plans, yes, I have such plans...

Planting peonies

I'm considering alternating phlox and peonies for the mostly-sunny flowerbed, so noting down related stuff here.

Plant peonies in the early autumn and it'll flower in the spring. Weed and clean the bed well. Do the same in the spring and maybe put some sand on top, so the surface stays well-ventilated. Here's more about planting: https://www.meillakotona.fi/artikkelit/istuta-pioni-oikein-ja-se-kukkii-jo-ensi-kesana.

Plant the phlox on the spring. Divide the roots with a sharp knife and replant at a distance of 35-40 cm. More: https://www.meillakotona.fi/artikkelit/syysleimu-on-todellinen-perennakaunotar-nain-takaat-pitkaan-kestavan-kukkaloiston.