Last Post 1456 days 16 hours ago
29 May 2009 23:13:40
Lightly fragrant blue flowers
Isn't this the most beautiful colour. These trees were growing all over Portugal.
19 May 2009 21:46:06
'Golden Rain 'tree
Lorna has a magnificent speciman of this plant and I asked her advice for a planting site. I wondered around my garden for ages trying to find a suitable site for mine. The ideal spot was the home of a young Rodgersia which had to be dug out and replanted in another suitable place. It was a beautiful afternoon for gardening. In this photo it looks as though the Rowan is growing out of the top of the Laburnum. I grew this tree from a seed I got from Enniscoe Gardens about sixteen years ago.
18 May 2009 22:30:31
Tree Peony
Yesterday we visited Lornas garden in Galway. It was a pleasure as always despite the rain. The garden is nearly 4 acres, with meandering paths leading through all the different sections. There is an enormous variety of trees, shrubs and plants. The plant sale was excellent too with some rare and special plants available. I got a Vallea stipularis and Campanula alliariifolia. ~Today I noticed the one and only flower on my Tree Peony had opened.
16 May 2009 17:06:20
Saxifraga urbium 'London Pride'
I managed to get the fleece today in the 4th shop 'Homebase' size 4.5 m X 2.2 m. It cost €12.75. ............I had seen it previously in Archway Stores for €2.50, Aldi €4.00 but hadn't taken notice of size. My stalks are well up so now they will get protection in case of late frost. The spud patch measures 2.8 m X 2.5 m .I took a photo of what I call the 'fairy flower' I think they are so delicate, they look lovely in a vase.. They are so tough and don't need any looking after.........Looking forward to visiting Lorna McMahons garden tomorrow thats always a treat!
15 May 2009 14:25:32
Something cheerfull
Had to photograph something to lift this dull day. So went out. in the rain and here is the 'loud pink' Azalea. The lush leaves in the front belong to Allium 'Molly' they are bright yellow~~~~~~what a clash~~~~!
14 May 2009 20:51:03
Pittosporum
What a change in the weather and I heard on the radio there is a blight warning out! Now do I spray or chance it? I went looking for fleece again today. None left in Archway stores and all gone from Aldi. This is for frost by the way. I bought a packet of cherry tomato seeds even though I should have done this weeks ago. This is a shot of the new leaves on the 'Tom Thumb' taken yesterday.
13 May 2009 10:12:38
Mexican Orange Blossom
This poor thing is still flowering inspite of getting frosted about 5 weeks ago. Ive had this Choisya for years and this is the first time its happened. I won't cut it back until after the flowers are gone, which by the way smell delicious. Ive put up some more photos of this mornings colours.
13 May 2009 10:07:18
Lilac tree
I went walking around the garden with cup of tea and camera of course~~~~. The sun is reflecting on all the new growth. There is bad weather on its way, is it in the east or south now ?????~~~~~its not here. The smell from the Lilac flowers is beautiful
12 May 2009 21:56:11
Early potatoes
I moulded the spuds as well, they are Sharpes Express. I know I didnt get the rows very straight. I'm going to get some fleece to cover them just in case of frost. I was disappointed to notice my Viburnum 'Snowball' is covered in yucky sooty mould so I don't think I will get any lovely snowballs this year.
12 May 2009 13:54:09
Love-lies-Bleeding & Sunflower 'Velvet Queen'
I painted the wall behind my shrubs and as I hate painting and want to get it done quickly~~~~~~painted a few leaves oops~~~~ But the wall looks lovely in the sunshine we are lucky to have to day. Here are the other plants I got as a swop from one of my gardening friends.
11 May 2009 22:24:11
Myosotidium hortensia
Had a very enjoyable and interesting woodland walk and talk with Lorna Elms at Turlough House yesterday afternoon. We all received a lovely handout of photographs of wild flowers courtesy of Jenny Seacroft of www.irishwildflowers.ie. I also got a lovely surprise when my friend gave me a piece of her Chatham Island Forget me Not as well as some other plants. Quite a few people had bought this plant at the 'Rare Plant Fair' which was held in Dublin yesterday.
10 May 2009 13:25:52
Healthy looking cuttings
These are the trimmings which I cut off 'Black Lace' in March. They were in the cold frame. the book says 'plant cuttings outdoors in autumn.' Hope they have roots! The common Elder tree(with lovely flowers for cordial) in growing wild in the Bluebell Wood.
10 May 2009 13:19:44
Black Elder
In the lovely sunshine this morning the s. nigra purpurea 'Black Lace' looks very pretty. Because it was small I only trimmed it lightly in March.
10 May 2009 13:11:08
Golden Elder
I know you should not move plants at this time but my poor Pulsatilla was sad. I moved it to a much drier place. The sun came to Mayo yesterday afternoon so I cut the lawn and the privet hedge. Just the Lonicera hedge to do now. This Sambucus nigra ' Aurea' gets cut back hard each March to give brighter branches but you lose the flowers by doing this. It grows about 6' every year.
09 May 2009 21:43:27
Invaluable book
Had to copy you Rita. I use this book a lot and also the 'Expert' series for 'how and when to do everything'.
08 May 2009 13:59:42
Verbascum
During my normal Friday morning shopping I visited the fairly new 'Farmers Market' in Castlebar thanks to 'Sallysarah' for the information. I treated myself to this lovely plant to cheer me up from all this awful weather. It cost €4.50. I already have a dwarf purple Verbascum
06 May 2009 20:35:06
Weeping Copper Beech
Taking a walk around I noticed so much water lying about. The lawn is like a sponge with lots of moss!
06 May 2009 20:32:44
Acer
Couldn't do much in the garden over the last two days on account of all the rain. Lawn needs cutting and hedges! I replanted my two new Acers into larger pots until they get bigger and put them in a very sheltered place. This is another Japanese Maple which I dug out of a friends garden 2 years ago. It is facing east so I will have to keep an eye on it.
04 May 2009 21:43:09
Native Bluebell ?
There are Native, Spanish and hybrid(mixture of these two) Bluebells. . A friend gave me 'Native' one.???? I looked up on internet and am now really confused. See album!
03 May 2009 22:33:53
Bed dug over
I spent most of the afternoon under the trees sheltering from the showers. When they stopped I was digging out all the Kaffir lilies from this very moist area. The lilies and soil(good quality) were dumped in a heap and covered with plastic and next year this should be good soil material. i replanted the Astilbe and also put in the orange Dahlia hoping that this site will not be too wet.
03 May 2009 17:28:44
Japanese Maples
Look what I got in Tesco when I for the Sunday papers!
03 May 2009 17:23:35
New residents
This is what went into it -: Euphorbia 'Fireglow' and Lychnis coronaria 'Alba' courtesy of a friend. Also, from underneath the spreading Alstroemeria aurea, I rescued a white, a red and an orange Dahlias. The white and red Dahlias went in too.
01 May 2009 23:42:08
Calendula
Happy May Day everyone. How lovely to find the 'May flowers ' on your doorstep. Last year at the Museum of Country Life Turlough we were shown the old custom of decorating the 'May Bush'. Next Sunday we are going on a walk around the grounds and then we are going to make a 'May Posy'. This is my first Marigold to flower for May Day.