They are still flowering now - one sunflower in particular is like a huge sunflower tree - not just one tall stem with a single flower on the top, this plant is pushing out flowers like there's no tomorrow!
When I went down to tidy them up a few weeks ago, I realised that quite a few of the flowers had been picked during the time they were there (or rather there was evidence that people had torn off the flowers rather than cutting them). But because there were so many of them the loss of some didn't seem to matter - although I was a bit annoyed that some cack-handedness on behalf of the pickers had damaged one of the plants so that it was laying along the ground rather trampled.
I did have interest and vague offers of help from a few individuals over the summer, but nothing has come of it so I'm fairly resolved to the fact that it's my patch to look after and any contributions - whether in person or anonymously - will be a welcome addition.
I got a nice surprise a couple of weeks ago when I noticed that the wall around the bed had been repaired - finally!
A few of the slabs had been missing for a long time, but it was way back one February morning that I witnessed an idiot lorry driver demolishing one side of the flower bed with his appalling driving. Being the neighbourhood busybody I did take his numberplate and lorry details and report the damage to our local authority - I have no idea whether they bother to follow these kind of things up or not - but it's great to see that the wall was finally repaired.
I'm leaving the last couple of sunflower plants there for a little bit longer, they are a welcome bit of colour in this rather humdrum corner, but I've also planted a few clusters of bulbs which I'm chuffed to notice are now coming out of the ground!
I also collected a few hollyhock seeds which I've planted on the balcony and in the flower bed - the ones on the balcony have already popped their heads out so things are looking good for next year!
3 comments:
Hoorah for guerilla gardening! Sunflowers are so cheering, and it's rather remarkable to see them this time of year. I noticed some a few weeks back that had grown in a corner near the railway arches.
next summer you should get some nasturtium seeds - they don't need any indoor propogating and if you get the climbing variety, if they don't have anything to climb on will just spread out and give you lovely ground coverage. Also, like sunflowers, they last until the first frost so you should get several months of flowers from them.
Thanks for the suggestion Rowan, I will definitely try that! This year it was a last-minute effort, but next year I'm going to be much more organised (famous last words...)
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