MIKE BYFORD's GARDEN

 

 

2nd June -gave the laurel bush as good hack as seems to have weevils attacking it - cut off all the bad leaves and branches sprayed with bug spray and put weevil killer on soil. Planted a lonicer and wigelia in space

7th June - bottom of laurel now opened up showing loncier which should grow to about 3-4 feet tall / wide

14th June - mock orange starting to flower

2nd June -woodland border looking really good - everything growing well

put mirror on back gate to provide a focal point of depth reflecting path and grass ( and tree trunk)

need to soften it with trellis frame 

( 9th June - trellis no good ordered some plastic ivy to cover edges; will update picture in July episode...)

15th June - New addition to woodland area - This is fathers day present from the kids, an olive wood stump with platforms which I've planted up with house leeks and an alpine in a bigger grey pot 

2nd June -rockery and grasses making progress. Jasmine

starting to climb up greenhouse

The green mass on the top and right hand side of the rockery is aptenia cordifolia (baby sun rose)

which grows really well with minimal watering

2nd June -This border looks good - but geranium has gone mad and taking over will have to trim back

2nd June -most of this part of border now planted up and making progress

2nd June -this part still looks bear under elderberry but have got wisteria started to produce shoots and new passion flower climbing well. lots of ground cover and bushes planted recently so need time to get going

14th June -The neighbours complained about my big elderberry cutting light out from their garden so as you can see its had a drastic chop.One of the benefits is that my garden also has a lot more light now and the passion flower and jasmine should grow quicker. Also I can now train the wisteria along the cleared wall area and

the elderberry will throw up new growth in no time

Also planted a climbing rose at the base of the trunk lets see how long it takes to ramble

2nd June -wisteria over pond growing well and pond weed starting to grow. planted more pond plants and creeping jenny starting to cover waterfall

goldfish basking in the sun light

7 big uns  ( plus 3 small black babies)

2 June - passion flower sprouting - it's second year. only trimmed dead leaves

last winter and the new growth is coming from old wood. maybe prune down low next year to get new stems from low down.

The plant pots have begonias just sprouting and in the clay pot is an Australian tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)

2nd June 

Hanging baskets slow to get going - probably not enough sun yet

Geraniums in grown planters or now 3 years old still going good 

2nd June - dogwood and busy lizzy planters growing well

8th June - This is my veg patch with runner beans, mange toute and sugar snap peas, potatoes all growing nicely

12th June -Just another quick snap of the rockery  because I've planted lavender and rosemary plants on the top. not strictly rockery plants but rosemary should grow to around 3 - 4 feet high and hide greenhouse view from patio while the jasmine and climbing hydranger establish themselves

June 2008 weather summary

Very unsettled and changeable for the time of year, with only short spells of fine weather.

1st to 7th
The first week of June was very unsettled due to the close proximity of low pressure. This meant a changeable mix of sunshine and showers, with the warmth of the sunshine leading to some heavy and thundery downpours in various places.
25-40 mm of rain fell across much of central and southern England on the 3rd, with 47 mm being recorded at Benson (Oxfordshire) over 24 hours. Feeling reasonably warm by day in light winds, though disappointingly cool during the wetter spells of weather. A chilly night on the 6th/7th, with a minimum temperature of 4.8 °C being recorded at Shawbury (Shropshire).

8th to 11th
A ridge of high pressure extended north-eastwards to give mainly warm and settled weather. Essentially dry and fine across much of England, albeit cloudier at times in the north with the odd light shower.
Pleasantly warm by day during the 8th and 9th, especially in the south, where 26.9 °C was reached at London St James Park on the 9th. During the evening and night of the 11th, a spell of rain brought an end to the good weather.

12th to 15th
A brisk north to north-westerly air flow brought cool and showery weather. The showers were locally heavy during the afternoons, especially on the 15th where thunderstorms cropped up locally across in the south-west and the north-east. Funnel clouds were reported near the Humber estuary on the 15th.
Despite a fair amount of sunshine between the showers, temperatures were below the seasonal average, with a brisk breeze making it feel cooler. Unseasonably chilly at night, with rural ground frost occurring in places across central and northern areas, with Shap (Cumbria) recording a minimum temperature of -0.1 °C overnight on the 15th/16th.

16th to 20th
After a brief settled spell across northern and western England on the 16th, it then turned unsettled again with showers or longer spells of rain and a rather stiff south-westerly wind. The rain was particularly heavy across upland parts of northwest England on the 17th.
Central areas faired best during the 19th and 20th as showers became confined to the north and south, though it was still unusually chilly at night, with a minimum temperature of 3.3 °C at Woodford (Manchester) overnight on the 20th/21st.

21st and 22nd
A deep depression tracked steadily north-eastwards across Ireland and Scotland, to bring wet and windy weather to northern and western areas on the 21st, and very windy weather with scattered showers on the 22nd.
Unusually for this time of year, the westerly wind widely reached gale force on the 22nd, especially towards the north where gusts as high as 65 mph were recorded.

23rd and 24th
Mainly dry, warm and fine under the influence of a ridge of high pressure, before further rain spread from the west during the evening and night of the 24th.

25th to 29th
A south-westerly air flow brought spells of wet and quite windy weather to northern and western areas. The rain was particularly heavy and prolonged across northern England on the 26th.
Towards the southeast, in was generally warmer, drier and brighter. The temperature reached 24.1°C at Manston (Kent) on the 28th. On the 29th, very blustery winds were reported in the Sheffield/Manchester area in association with some heavy showers.

30th
The month ended on a fine note, as high pressure extended northwards. Pleasantly warm in the south and east, with Heathrow (London) recording a temperature of 23 °C.