Wild flowers and Weeds in Wales. My Summer in Monmouth.

“A weed is but an unloved flower.” 
― Ella Wheeler Wilcox

I can't get enough of this UK weather.

I live in Dubai, you'd think I would've had enough of the sun by now, but for quite a large chunk of the year, it's too hot in Dubai to enjoy the sunshine.

As well as the sun, I can't get enough of the countryside, the greenery, flowers and even the weeds.

Did you know that Monmouth has a castle? The birth place of Henry V

Natural alternatives to weed killers.

Despite living in the desert quite a lot of plants and trees grow and thrive quite well. Especially the weeds, they seem to grow without the need for water.

They seem to have quite a strong root structure to survive these temperatures.

I can't buy weedkiller in Dubai, I also can't find out why it is banned, despite extensive google searching.

So I've been looking into natural alternatives for killing the weeds, fertilising plants and pest control.

I measured 3 tablespoons of white vinegar with 1 litre of water and some dishwasher liquid to help the vinegar solution bind to the weed.

One week later the weeds looked like this.

I'm now spraying the weeds daily with the vinegar solution and hoping that I can eradicate the weeds from the path. I'm going to add a tea spoon of salt to the mixture also, but will be very careful when spraying it, so it doesn't contanimate the grass and other plants in the garden.

Did you know the Greek's and the Roman's used salt to poison the ground as salt renders the soil sterile, ensuring their enemies were incapable of feeding themselves and their families?

Creating a garden in the desert and summer plant camp

This week saw some last minute gardening. I sowed some seeds a few weeks ago I never imagined that they’d actually grow now we are in summer in Dubai. I’ve transplanted them now but I’m in Canada and relying heavily on hubby to water them for 3 weeks.

However, the weeds seem to be growing very well in the sand. I had to finish outside by 8.30am as that’s when the sun hits the sandpit full force and by the time I finished it was 33c with 66% humidity.

My Garden in the Sandpit has been entirely experimental, observing what the municipality is growing, visiting garden centres and just sheer potluck.

The marigolds were a great success, they grew well and flowered for ages, but sadly, this week, I was left with a big gap in the raised sandpit that needed filling.

During my visits to garden centres I’ve been purchasing ‘bargain’ plants. You know the ones no one wants to buy as they are at the end of the season and finished flowering, With a bit of TLC they are thriving and as they are annuals, they will flower again next year and slowly I’m establishing a nice looking flower bed.

Our garden and that of the neighbours is surrounded all year round by these plants, I have no idea what they're called, but they're very pretty.

Bringing the garden inside just hasn’t worked, it looked lovely for a few days, I had to refresh the water daily as it was heating up and the herbs and cut flowers don’t seem to like the constant air con and wilted within 3 days.

3 of the 4 tea cup plants have survived as they are houseplants and the two I placed outdoors in my bargain buy planters from Ikea are also doing well.

I have wondered what people do with their houseplants when they flee Dubai for the summer. Easy Dubai Garden Centre are offering to look after your plants free of charge. You are limited to 6 plants per person and no more than 1.25 meters in height, simply drop them off, the garden centre take care of them for you and you collect on your return.

I have some seedlings that weren't big enough to plant out before I left, I recognise some of them as Basil, but will have to wait and see when I get back what the others are.

Sadly, since taking this photo at the start of the week, the tomato plants are no more. They never really survived the move from direct sunlight to the shade and have failed to flower.

I just have to keep reminding myself that not much grows in a UK winter so why should it grow in summer in Dubai when the temperatures are at such extremes.

Next weeks post will be coming from South Africa and a trip I took in September last year to see the spring flowers in the Western Cape.