At the moment it has been warm and dry for a while and I am spending a lot of time outside, sometimes weeding, sometimes pottering around in the garden. The Husband has done very little out there this year, as he has had some vile virus since before the New Year. I, on the other hand, have managed to spend some time outside each day since Spring finally arrived in April. The garden is looking quite nice, if I say so myself. There are, however, some gaps in the beds, all ready for planting up - and that is when the difference in philosophy between the Husband and myself begins to appear. He likes lots of annuals everywhere, with brash and bright colours. I, on the other hand, prefer green shrubs and perennials everywhere. Usually we reach a compromise without any difficulty, as the bedding plants go in all the gaps between the shrubs and perennials. However, this year it is an unspoken rule in the UK that, at least in the South, bedding plants are not P.C., what with the drought (much of the South East of England is under, a least, a hosepipe ban and in some places a much more severe water shortage). Still he wants the annuals and I accept that as it is his garden too he has a right to plant in it what he wants, as well as what I want. But this year when all watering is being done by watering can he can water his plants, and I will water those of mine that have still to establish.
Talking about the garden there is a big gap in the bed just to the left of the Laburnum and in full view of the sitting room. The Husband has suggested growing some Nepata (Catmint) there, as it is a good looking plant and a perennial herb to boot, I think it a good idea too. There is, however, one major doubt in my mind. Our garden is not only occupied by Nimrod the Mighty Hunter and his sister Pickle it is also prowled by several other neighbourhood cats too (Nim at least isn't at all territorial). The thought of that lot rolling all over the Catmint .... well, it won't last very long. I've looked on the Web and see that experts recommend protecting it with wire netting or something. One school of thought is to place an upside down (hanging flower) basket over each plant and to let the herb grow through it as the basket will protect the main body of the plant from the loving attentions of cats. Sounds like a very good idea, but now I am trying to work out how to secure each basket in place. Nimrod may not be the brightest cat in the street but Pickle could win the feline equivalent of Brain of Britain without any difficulty and I am certain she would work out how to move the basket aside so that she could roll all over the actual plant and destroy it.
4 comments:
This is one time when being laid up is definitely not to The Husband's advantage. She who does the work gets to pick what gets planted and tended. *smiling* Sounds like the cats have divided the brawn and brain work between them.
As to protecting the cat mint (although, why anyone would deprive cats of the ability to roll in the stuff is beyond me as I thought the stuff was for the cats!) Do you have excess wire clothes hangers? I have cut the wires a few inches from either "shoulder" of a wire hanger, producing two wire "V"s. These "V"s may then be driven into the ground, catching the rim wire of the hanging basket, to retain the basket in position.
I haven't needed to make wire "V"s since moving into this house. The landscapers used hundreds of specially-made wire "U"s to secure the dribbling hoses throughout the planted areas. I soon determined that the dribbling hoses were not doing a good job and ripped them up, reserving most of the "U"s.
Oops! The comments on wire clothes hangers is from me! Cop Car
Well, we want some Nepata because it is a ery attractive plant and so we want it for us as well as the cats. But if we don't protect it none of us will have it in the long term.
Yes, I think your suggestion on wire "V" are the way to go. hanks.
You're welcome. CC
Post a Comment