Spring Fever

I've been back! The Hollyhocks almost frighten even me. They are really very keen, inspite of the rust. I tidied them up a bit, mainly where they were shading other plants too much.  In another month they will be in flower! I think there are a great many Hollyhock seedlings.... [Guerrilla Gardening anyone?] Must check regularly before Southwark brings in industrial help! There is some other weed too, which could be good, could be bad, could be trees... Any ideas? The California Poppies are getting away, with a few really needing more regular watering [supposedly it will rain tomorrow]. The Euphorbia and the Lychnis are the real stars at the moment [thanks Mum!]. I added in a cluster of the infernal Crocosmias [with several more pots to go...] and some more established looking Michaelmas Daisies. 

I am hoping that everything I've planted looks more like a plant than a weed in case any Council workers do happen to lay into it. And one more photo, just so you get a sense of my dicing with death. Normally, if it was me, properly, and I was spending money and thought on aesthetic concerns there would be some dark leaves for contrast. But all the plants are dug up from either my garden or that of my parents or neighbours, and if it can hack dry neglect it goes in. Looks a bit like a caterpillar.

Sow it Begins: the Nasturtium Prize for Bad Gardens

Yesterday I walked down to East Dulwich with a packet of climbing Nasturtium [technically Tropaeolum Majus] in my hand. Last year one seed covered 3msq of the most difficult patch in our garden [remains of a dead Chestnut tree]. The flowers are edible and attractive to bees. Those who neglect their gardens - and in which there is still some space and daylight! - have been awarded a Nasturtium seed. Just about managed to restrain myself from also attending to anal retentive box hedging without any flowering perennials. But up the top of the Grove there is a Chestnut stump which is pretty moist, so I inserted a seed there too. Call it an experiment in neglect. More to follow.

The Pits

Well the patch will really appreciate the rain. Meanwhile, on a miserable trip to locate an ATM in order to bribe the incompetent moody goons that came to remove our broken washer/dryer and install a new one.... I noticed the tree pits at the back of Morrisons. Not the really miserable rubbish dumps in the car park, but in the little square thing near Wren St (i think). Miraculously the council planted two Magnolias there and at least one of the tree pits - the one in my line of sight when crossing through 'Butterfly Walk' [there is a Camberwell Beauty Butterfly apparently] - looks diggable and not over likely to have people walk over it. I'm thinking that some of my white daisies [Leucanthemum] and Euphorbia Robbiae would look good there...

Guerrilla Girls Fight Back

Finally did some team Guerrilla work! Well, there were 2 of us [thanks R!] attending to the 'weeding'. Up close and personal not all of my plants were demolished thanks to the Council's lazy job of just pulling the tops off plants randomly. The teasel will return. We've added in some unknown oriental poppies, some blue Geraniums [hope those make it!] another blue leaved mystery plant, a Bergenia from one of my neighbours and some California poppy seeds. The Bergenia could probably do with some decent watering given the leaves...

Southwark Rules....

Dang and Blast. Serves me right for so-so weeding. I went past the Patch last night and discovered - Look No Weeds! Alas those employed by Southwark can only recognise a handful of plants. The Euphorbias, Lychnis, Acanthus and maybe one Fennel remain [and are starting to look springy]. But the real Bee-treat plants - the teasel [Dipsacus], the hardy geraniums, the convovulus, one of the Fennels planted with a blue thistle [Echinops] have been ripped out.... Oh and the lilac Asters - such useful plants in this neglected terrain - destroyed...  And, that low growing tenacious little weed that carpeted the Patch is clearly endemic to the soil and will only arrive back. Today I'm going down there, armed with a few more plants. Dare I use the Echinops? I'm meeting a fellow GG for the first time - and she has seeds! Great seeds that will easily get away in a location like this, if only Southwark can consistently neglect it rather than periodically strip it to shreds.

I am wondering about using labels.

Photo to follow.

Weeds

All the bright, lurid, low growing stuff is a delicate little weed. I don't know what it is called, it even flowers so is probably a good eco-friendly weed. But it is trying to smother any other plant life. I've pulled it out of other plants but - obviously - not laboured any further. Planting is more fun than weeding.  I have added in 3 more Euphorbia Robbiae and 2 mystery plants from a lovely neighbour. The blue foliage looks rather iris-like though I've yet to see it flower. Plenty more to go. If you feel like weeding, don't hold back!

The Ends of Guerrilla Gardening

Just as I've been posting in the Southwark thread on the Community bulletin board on the main GG site, Richard goes and ditches that part of the site. Well, I guess not many people were up to speed having devolved into the amorphous squelch of facebook. Anyway, I hope Rosebud finds this site and contacts me re continuing the bee-fest planting on Dog Kennel Hill this spring. And other like minded people.

Hm. It all seems to be back in place now: