Last Post 597 days 8 hours ago
29 September 2011 13:55:16
Oh woe is me I'm feeling down
My face is just one big dark frown
I'm sick of fog and mist and rain
The sun may never shine again.
Tis four long days of dark and gloom
While I just roam from room to room
Hoping that the gloom will lift
The rain will stop the clouds just drift.
There's bulbs to plant and grass to trim
The banks do badly need a strim
The weeds just grow and seem to smile
And spread their seeds with evil guile
The cat gave up and went to bed
The dog just sleeps as if she's dead
While I just think what should I do
But just for now adieu , adieu.
28 September 2011 22:27:52
Iris pseudacorus
My reasonably small patch as seen in the picture has increased and multiplied so I attacked them. Cut back leaves and wrenched a mountain of rhizomes from the ground.So if anyone would like some they are welcome, just keep an eye on them and control the growth , I should have done this sooner and avoided such a big job. They do look pretty in June/July.
27 September 2011 15:20:20
That here in Cobh it is a rotten foggy,dark wet day and I hear in Dublin it may be the hottest day of the year!!! Please send some sun this way.
Anyhow cleaned out the potting shed place, sorted the pots, potted up some seedlings. Then the house got a shock as I did some de-spidering. Off now to visit a friend for a cuppa.
Enjoy the sun you lucky people.
25 September 2011 15:45:57
While attacking another huge mountain of rubbish/compost today I had a thought.Up against this pile was a more wecome heap of wood chippings result of the hawthorn tree massacre. Now the task was to go through this pile of rubbish and cut up all the sticks and stems, a rather large undertaking but had to be done. Lots of it had rotted down which was great, very close to being compost. Anyway I stuck my hands into the wood chip and they were actually warm. First time I have met that welcome sign in any compost adventure. So, eventuall, I come to the point. Surely a good deep mulch of chippings around winter vulnerable plants would help a lot during a severe Winter?
I know about not putting them too close to plants but when Cannas, Dahlias , Lillies die back the chippings can go on top of them and maybe prevent frost damage. They would also absorb some of the wet to prevent rotting. I would tend to just heap it on the borders and hope for the best. I am lucky to have a pile but even a few bags for very tender plants might help. I am going to treat my Kniphofia northiae to a big pile around it and then it might survive get big and have little ones that I can give Bruno as it is one of his favourites.
23 September 2011 23:29:07
Hi Erika , a kindred spirit here!! I love your wall and have enjoyed building them mysef. However I never seriously attempted a free standing one but built into soil which is much easier. I wonder what ratio sand to cement you use or is it a dry stone wall? It looks as if you are almost finished , great job. Have you a plan for the interior of your circle? Any more building projects on the agenda? See ,lots of questions:)
23 September 2011 15:47:16
Bed to be changed
This round bed is undergoing a revamp. Instead of having a hodge podge of plants it will become a pastel coloured plants only area. I hope to put quite a lot of white and then pale versions of the other colours. As you see it is a Nasturtium experience at present but they will be banned next year. Luckily I have a good few pastel plants waiting to find a home some bought and some presents from kind iers. Actually now that I wrote that how about an iers bed ......mmmm......now theres a thought but not for this area.
23 September 2011 10:52:25
cor Jacinta just looked through your latest album, what wonderful colour you still have in your garden. It could be mid Summer by the look of things. Great to keep it looking so good. By the way is the wall in no.54 'the famous wall'?
22 September 2011 18:44:06
Yes the pond is leaking. The leak appears to be about 10 inches from the top of the liner. Meg dog has a habit of scratching at the grass that grows down into the pond so I am blaming her! Anyway I spent about half an hour on hands and knees examing the water line for holes just in the area she frequents. I think I found a tiny hole about the size of a pin head. There may be more. So how do I fix it, I think I heard of patches but would have no idea where to get them. If anybody has been down the leak path advice would be most welcome. Situation is not too drastic because if I fill the pond it takes overnight to drop down to the 'leak level'. Also I now see an enormous Water lily rhizomey thingy which needs to be removed , it is huge.
19 September 2011 19:45:12
They are lovely pictures, did not know of this garden and it looks so interesting. I think picture number 12 may be an Abelia
17 September 2011 22:41:37
Fran I am about to add a photo of the Pheasant grass with other grasses around. I have this in part of my garden. May give you an idea of how a big clump looks!
17 September 2011 19:28:31
Yes it is weird that several iers have said they are feeling sort of burnt out and for some reason I am working harder in the great outdoors than I have for the last few months. As ever there seems little to see for all my effort but I know those jobs were done!!
I will put an album with a few pictures to show various areas and some of what remains to do.
17 September 2011 19:21:55
Whatisit
A very pretty little plant. It flowers from Spring through Summer and still has flower. I will put it in an album later as this picture may not show it clearly.
12 September 2011 21:35:43
I was looking at Woodie's website to see if they listed plants and came across this one. it looks to be most interesting and I wonder if anybody has grown it? Woodies listed lots of plants but I don't think they are all current stock as they included many early Summer varieties such as Petunias etc. I would like to get my hands on this Euphorbia though!
Have a google and see what you think?
10 September 2011 22:35:15
Does anyone grow Valerian? I have been growing the red one for the last few years and find it a great plant. It lasts for ages and though it does self seed ,even in gravel it is easy to control. I would love the white one, it grows on a bank quite near here but the road is too narrow to stop and get seed. Keep saying I must walk down and get it but forget or maybe I am lazy.!!
10 September 2011 13:43:25
Yes it can and I wonder if I will last out. You see it is this border called the 'mad' border that I decided to make. Well I wonder did I decide or did Scrubber's cherub make me do it...mmmmmmm. Anyway so it is rotovated and tons of stones removed and looked quite inviting. Then kind Tony arrived with bags of horse poo to put on it. So I did this and covered it with membrane intending to leave it until Spring. But I have all my plans made and lots of plants sort of shouting 'plant me'. I explain that in the spring it will need to be rotovated again to mix in the manure but they are unconvinced. I am a great believer in soil preparation but will I stick it out.........
07 September 2011 23:12:07
Don't forget Lidl tomorrow. Hope I get there in time, see Enkianthus for sale amongst other great goodies. That plant has wonderful Autumn colour so may plant in a pot.
06 September 2011 19:36:45
Getting back on feet slowly. Aided today by having Maisie cat home and the arrival of a big box from Irish plants....all Rachel's fault.!! In it were;
Poppy Patty's plum
Weigela Brigele
Hemerocallis Frans Hals
Lupin tree
Lupin My Castle
Fuchsia microphylla Pink
They will probably overwinter in their pots.
I also got seeds of Orelya grandiflora from a friend. This one was new to me but I am very impressed with what I read about it. The seeds are like tiny hedgehogs, weird.
Probably some of you grow this plant and there are plenty of seeds on offer. But I have about 10 to spare if anyone interested. Should more than one person want them and there are so few maybe a 'draw' would be the best idea !! Hopefully I will be able to give iers like Hosta. Bruno and Tony , who live nearby baby plants it they want them and the seeds do what seeds should do.
04 September 2011 23:23:40
Well there I was on Friday evening with my little bag packed, the dog in the kennels and the cat in the cattery and all ready for my few days in West Cork. We had hoped to visit some gardens and I was so looking forward to the break. Off to bed ready for to travel in the morning.
Then as midnight struck so did some pernicious bug and I was sooooooooo sick. So holiday cancelled and here I am , feeling rather weak and sorry for myself. While i must admit that it was just as well Meg dog was on holiday as I would not have been able for her , it is so lonely without them both and I wish Maisie was here for a cuddle.
Ah well tomorrow is another day and hopefully I will feel almost normal again.Please send a few vibes to cheer me up!!