Do you remember this post with my love for planting galvanised tubs? While we don't have a pretty patio area in the new garden yet to create a big summer display, I wanted to plant a few bits up {hydrangeas and geraniums} in buckets and baths to sit outside the front of the house to add a bit more curb appeal. 

It's become a tradition over the years to go and buy a huge garden centre haul of summer plants for my galvanised tubs and watering cans. Geraniums, trailing lobelia, cosmos, stocks, little daisies etc. But because we're not living there yet and we're away a fair bit this summer, it felt silly to buy a load of plants that would only last for one season if we weren't there to enjoy or water them. So this is the first year that most of my tubs are sitting empty, or with some old spring bulbs still sat in them! I've bought a couple of geraniums and a tray of bargain mini Marguerite plants from Columbia Road flower market last week as a token but it feels like a waste of money to buy much more that will be over by the end of summer. But one thing I have been buying a lot of though are hydrangeas. 

Hydrangeas will last for years and years if you look after them and it makes a change from my 'fill a tub for one season' way of gardening. These were both from Columbia Road {see this post from last week} and cost just £5 each! In most garden centres around me they've been £12-15 for this kind of size. They do like to be kept hydrated {there's a clue in the name hydr-angea} and prefer a position that has morning sun and afternoon shade ideally {they like sun but will wilt very fast on a hot afternoon if in the sun all day} but other than that they're super easy to keep. You get lots of different types, these should flower all summer. But a lot of my other ones that I've had for a couple of years now aren't in flower yet and will start flowering from August onwards giving a nice display through the autumn.

Lavender is also a good option for longevity in tubs, I've got some in a trough under the window and that doesn't mind getting a bit thirsty occasionally!

The climbing rose that I planted back in April is growing {in the bottom left of the photo} so hopefully by next summer it will have covered the wall in blooms. We're keeping the front door as it is for now. I love it and while it could do with a repaint eventually, it's an old house so who cares if the paint's a little crumbly for now.

R <3 xx