Last Post 419 days 13 hours ago
29 March 2012 23:19:12
Random bunch of tulips
Still out of action It is only the views out of the window that is keeping me sane. These are some random tulips that are planted outside the bedroom window - not much consideration given to the colour wheel here anything goes - to all those going to Blarney tomorrow have a great time
27 March 2012 23:27:13
Pond shimmering in the sun
Some of you that has been with us for a long time may remember a "small" project that we embarked on a number of years backs. In Summary there was an island bed right in the middle of our drive it was full of very large and unsightly conifers. We decided after many years of pondering that we would like to have a water feature of some kind - a very natural looking stream was the first idea but due to the fact that we live on a steep slope this was never going to work we then settled on an idea which involved building 5 ponds decreasing in size built in such a way that the water would flow from the largest to the smallest. There would be a pump in the bottom one pumping the water back around. Well to say we underestimated the work involved is an understatment but we got there and the ponds were finished at the end of last year and we managed to get some plants in to the first three . The latest milestone has been passed and the pump is now in and working effectively. The sound of the water flowing now is wonderful and almost worth all the blood sweat and tears.
I would love to say that the project is finished but ah no we could not leave it at that we went ahead while the ponds were still under construction and put in a man made bog garden alongside the ponds and I have wrote journals on this before - the planting in this area has been in since Oct 2010 and is starting to look something this year although it needs lots more plants and needs to mature etc . However we now need to put in a path betweeen the ponds and the bog garden there is also space for a seating area and the foundation has to be put in for this. Once this is done I will finally be able to say this project is finished. I am not sure however what our neighbours,postman, family etc. will talk about then as it has been a greattalking point lots of salgging a general source of amusement and bemusement over the last "few" years.
However when Gerry and I are sitting with our glass of Vino on a sunny evening listening to the lovely sound of the water lapping gently we will have the last laugh:)
26 March 2012 23:42:19
What am I
There is always one every year a new plant that emerges and you scratch your head and think now what is that -well for me it was Aconitum last year and this year it is ????
26 March 2012 22:52:28
Primula in the bog garden
Hobbled outside today for 10 minutes (all I was allowed!!) OMG it was so gorgous the sunshine the lovely new growth unfurling on all the shrubs and trees, the hostas , astibles and lilies sticking their heads up to see what all the fuss is about , the newly mown lawns, the daffodils and tulips all intertwined,the bride bursting out in bloom, the blue pulmonaria,dicentra, primulas all putting on a show. Tadpoles oodles of them in our ponds skirting around my little boys face so excited to show them to me. Seeds germinating at at a rate of knots in the tunnell lots of exquisitive and exciting seeds that I have never sown before. I have been feeling very down for the last week ago but you know what that 10 nutes outside in the beautiful Spring sunshine I reckon might have done me more good than any amount of medication can
24 March 2012 23:54:44
Jug of daffodils
The kids brought me in a bunch of daffodils from the garden to cheer me up - you really do not appreciate them until you study them close up seemed to be about 8 different varieties.
23 March 2012 20:08:04
Wild Primroses
I have long been preaching to friends and family about my "obsession" been good for my mind,body and Soul along with all the other benefits that gardening brings. Well now I have the proof Researchers from Bristol University and University College London have discovered that there are friendly bacteria that are quite common in fertile soil that actually activate brain cells to produce the brain chemical serotonin. Low levels of serotonin are linked with various disorders including anxiety, aggression and Depression. So this explains why us gardeners are such a happy bunch - most of the time!! So this weekend those of you that are able:( get out in your garden and get down and dirty
22 March 2012 23:26:54
Epimedium in flower
Have been out of action since last Friday when I ran into a fairly serious problem with my back reoccurence of siatica which I previously had 5 years ago - Very fed up but know that there is nothing I can do except follow physio's orders take the medication and rest. Lots to do in the garden but it will have to wait.In the mean time I will have to content myself with reading what all you guys are up to :( and the weather is so nice ahh frustrating I am not a very patient patient!!
15 March 2012 23:07:08
Angelica Taiwaniani
I got this from June Blake at the RPS last year and was delighted with the way it developed in the garden last Summer - due to the mild Winter it never died down fully and this picture was taken today really love this plant.
15 March 2012 22:59:10
Drawn a blank
The lovely colours on the foliage caught my eye today but have drawn a complete blank on the name I think it begins with s............
15 March 2012 19:03:06
Saxifraga
This saxifraga was put in from a tiny pot many years ago - it has spread and spread and is just starting to flower now. When it goes over the flowers are cut back and it has a lovely carpet of green for the remainder of the year - an under rated plant which does exactly what it says on the tin without any additional TLC - I also have a white one which is also just coming into flower
14 March 2012 23:22:21
Woodland Bed again !
I am off from Today untiL next Tuesday which is great. I know the weather forecast is not great but I will not be put off and there is always the tunnell. Some of the seeds I set over the past fortnight has germinated - the usual suspects - Radishes, Lettuce, basil and chives,cauliflower and Cabbage , tomatoes ( have set six different varieties this year which if they all progress as planned will leave me with my requirement of 30 plants)Cosmos, Sweetpea, Stock, Lots of others that I have set no sign yet but will have a good look tomorrow to see if anything more exciting has obliged.
The plans for the next few days is to get at least one day in the garden - I have a few more perennials I want to divide daylily and asters. I need to cut down some Fushia, penstemons and Hydrangea. I have poppies that I grew from seed that I want to plant out. I have more seeds to sow and one of the raised vegetable beds is ready for planting with garlic and onions.
Our next big project is to put a path in between the ponds and the man made bog garden - We do not agree on what kind of path to put in - I am an idealist and Gerry is the realist so he wins out for all sorts of reasons so it will be a path of stones that will go in, I am hoping that we will get started on this over the weekend but it needs to be dry and I am afraid the weather will not oblige.
Have put up a photo of the woodland bed - now that the snowdrops have gone over it is the turn of the daffodils which will be shortly followed by the bluebells - I can not believe how they have spread around over the past few years. The stars of the show are still the helleborus which are still flowering away happily
Happy gardening to all
09 March 2012 20:27:17
What is the chances of getting a half an hour uninterrupted to enjoy Monty and gang??
08 March 2012 23:44:15
Happy Chappies
Well they look chuffed with themselves - got the two lawns cut for the first time this year makes such a difference - I will not be losing them anytime soon either with their illuminous jackets!!
08 March 2012 20:46:02
Primula Don Keefe
This is the primula that we got at the plant fair last week ( for Jacinta ) it is a lovely colour of red
08 March 2012 20:20:17
Clematis Armandii
This is an evergreen clematis that has flowered today - lovely star shaped white flowers sorry the photo is not great the buds are also lovely before they open - this only went in last year but has done very well on a south facing wall in shade clambering all over the wall
04 March 2012 20:21:07
Hazel and Martin and a strange guy who just jumped into the picture!!
Just home from a great weekend. Yesterday we were at the plant fair in Bellefield. I said a quick hello to Martin first before I made my way around the stalls - it had been a lovely morning as were driving from Cavan but it started to rain just as we arrived Gerry and I took cover in the room where Paddy was giving his talk - the room was already full and I could not hear Paddy as people were mumbling at the back of the hall. Gerry however managed to get a little way up and enjoyed the remainder of Paddy's talk very much. (which is very impressive as he is not really into gardening)
After purusing all the stalls and making the mandatory purchases I met up with Kirsta and Deborah for a few minutes and then tracked down Mary, Paddy and Hazel to say hello. We listened to a talk about Helleborus and then Hazel and I exchanged plants thanks again Hazel. Gerry and I went back into the gardens and had a walk around. Really enjoyable day and the weather was so much better than what had been forecasted.
We went on to Hudson Bay Hotel to meet friends for dinner and spend the night so relaxing. Back home today
The plants I bought are Cyclamen Hederifolium and Cyclamen Coum
Anemone Nemerosa (White with yellow stamens )
Aconite Cammichaelii Andrensi
Euphorbia Amygdaloides pompon
Primula Don Keefe
Saxifraga Rotundifolius
A nice dark Helleborus
and some more of the ordinary snowdrop to add to my woodland Bed
02 March 2012 10:50:06
Quick query - I received some seeds from Airfileld during a vist last Summer ( legally obtained !!) As you know this garden is now closed so I thought it would be nice to have some of their poppies grow on in Cavan. I set the seeds last Autumn in the polytunnell and they are now about 1ft high Can i plant them out into the Borders now or do I need to wait for another few months until all threat of frost have passed ? I passed around some of these at Johnston I hope they are doing well for you