How does your garden grow?

I thought I'd use this fine, sunny Saturday to answer a couple garden questions that have popped up.

Judy S. wanted to know what this flower was...

 

That is my "Red Fox" Speedwell. I picked it up on clearance this year and I really hope it survives the winter, because I love it.

This is it when I first brought it home. It's a tall spiky plant, and as it blooms, the flower heads start to look like little fluffy fox tails

And as you can see... the bees love it.

Kathy B. said: "I have the yellow/red paintflowers? too. Do you use Miracle Grow? Any feeder?"

Those are the Blanket flowers also picked up on clearance - and a fantastic buy too. The blooms are big (cone-flower size) and bright and cheerful.

And when the petals die off, you're left with the funky pom pom centre.

And to answer your question - no feeders, no miracle grow. I buy good (but inexpensive) black topsoil from the garden centre every year to top up all the gardens. Come fall, I'll buy up come mulch on clearance and put a thick layer over everything to give the roots some extra warmth and nutrition for winter.

Oriental Lily - also a clearance buy

This year, Dad gave me a giant bag of his home-grown compost (mostly made from leaves and grass clippings) which got mixed in to a few of the gardens. I do normally add coffee grounds, but so far this year, I've only done that for the butterfly bush. I was reading about epsom salts in the garden, but I haven't done it yet.

Cupid's Dart - clearance by from the first year of the garden. Growing well!

Other than that - it's just consistent watering. Unless we get a good rain (which we haven't had much of this year), I go out every night around seven or eight and give everyone a good drink.

Pear tomatoes getting ripe!

Have you got any garden secrets to share?