Dick's Journal

All of the branches of the poplar tree as well as leaves have been removed and some of the tree has been cut back. I had some perennial plants in the bed mainly Yellow Alyssum Helianthemum and Geranium including the one Linda gave me in Rachel's garden. There are a few others like Geum,  Ajuga and Oxalis which are available at present also Aubretia which I have but hidden at present and should appear in the Spring. I plan to make a sort of rockery out of it. I planted some daffodil bulbs in an area where I had removed some dead wood. The water supply was back this evening so I should be able to do some spraying of weeds to morrow. Some shrubs like Hydrangea seem to be affected by the dry weather. I have seen very few wasps recently. A lot of ladybirds seem to inhabit my garden recently. It is good to identify them with the spots but the other red beetles without the spots, they are a nuisance and almost impossible to get rid of them.

The morning was taken up removing some branches of the poplar tree to the side of the house and cleaning around the area where the tree was rooted. Some alpines are already growing beside where the tree grew. In the afternoon, I went to Woodies, purchased some Japanese onion seed which should be sown to morrow, also a fuchsia priced at €4.99 which I considered good value. Some time was also taken up looking through the Irish Garden.

How interesting to read in the Irish Garden about Rachel's trees one for each of her family. I have been getting trees for some years as presents and now one of them is gone, the varigated Poplar. I did feel after some years that it was too near the house and wondered should I cut it down. Now the problem is solved. It is lying in a horizontal position.a position of stable equilibrium. Of course the other trees are sound including the three Cordylines which are definitely alive, shoots coming from the base. Other trees include a Sycamore, the very first tree given to me as a sapling and of course not suited to a small garden, a Liquidambar which will look gracious in a month's time, a Cedar Atlantica Glauca, an Acer Crimson King, two silver birches and a Monkey Puzzle(Araucaria). All of these were presents except the last one which I bought. Among the dwarf types I have an Acer Crimson Queen given to me by my niece, Josefa. She was my God child when I was in my 20's and is special. Say a prayer for her that she will recover soon.

Here are some of the Hydrangeas which i slipped in June. They are well rooted and hardened at this stage

Last week I did a bit of tree surgery by removing the upper branches of one of the three Cordylines. This week there was a different type of tree surgery. i walked out the front door on Monday at 4.45 p.m. what did I see? The poplar tree about 30 feet high was no longer that height but that length. It was lying on the lawn. Fortunately there was no structural damage. However plenty work was needed to clear the area. Items like saw, secateurs and loppers were introduced. Now the place is fairly clear with branches cut up and foliage removed from branches. I had heard at one stage that this Populus candicans Aurora which had been given to me as a present about 30 years ago was shallow rooted, could undermine structures and should not be planted near a house. In addition I noticed some rotting of the wood near the base of the tree and felt that perhaps a tree surgeon would have to be employed. Now there is no need for a tree surgeon but plenty to be done to clear the place. I noted afterwards that the view of the front garden is now better than it was.

Did no work in the garden as usual on Sundays. Was at the hurling field in the morning and in the afternoon only entered the garden during the breaks. Why: to watch the rebels playing. What a finish? Things looked good for the Dubs early on but it takes a good team to come back. Now for the final! Dublin are better that I expected but Cork had the subs when needed. 

This Cordyline was the first of three to show life at the base. To day some of it was cut away. Some of it was dead, is it all dead? What is left seems sound and difficult to cut with a saw. Note the shoots at ground level.

Cloudy, warm and humid at 9 a.m. and it seemed that perhaps the sun might not appear, but later while at the Country Market it did. Sales were good and good contacts were made in connection with an organization of which Wellie and I are members. Tomatoes are turning and the crop is very good and what a pleasure that I can enter the greenhouse again. Some more pruning is done on the vine, more to be done later. Deadheading of roses continues and some shrubs and herbaceous plants are standing up again after yesterdays rain. In a certain flower bed the removal of spent flowers of Lady's Mantle, dividing of Bearded Iris and weeding  and the front is looking better. Wellie's Solanum is brought to the back near the wall of the house so that it will be facing the sun and planting out will take place when the ground is clear. Runner beans are making steady progress.

The rain has at last arrived and while it is welcome (difficulty in watering the plants) at the same time very little done in the garden. I did some trimming of a Kerria hedge near the road and just as I was finishing, I was driven in by the rain. Hydrangeas are hardened and well rooted. I will be at the Country Market to morrow with my plants. Hydrangeas which were established over the years and gave a good display over the last two months are beginning to fade. Passiflora which seemed to be dead early in the year is now 7.5 feet high.

I entered the greenhouse tis evening and felt for the first time since the wasps came that I was safe. The grape spurs were pruned away and some of the branches. I had the opportunity to tackle the tomato plants as they were reaching the roof of the greenhouse. While I looked forward to a great harvest of grapes, nevertheless, i have learned a few things viz The fruit would have been very good, good yield and good flavour also the grapes would be ripe in mid August. Now what can I say but What's another Year?

These grapes a minority but nevertheless I recovered them at night when the Haemenophthera were apparently asleep about 10 p.m. They are sweet  and if I got so little out of them there is no danger that people will try to steal my tomatoes or indoor plants vis Coleus, Aloe vera etc by day!

Wellie arrived this morning at about 11.15. I had just arrived back from town and wondered who was ringing at the door. What a surprise. It was her first visit. We have been meeting each other mainly at meetings up to now. She had two children with her, one her daughter Robyn whom I met before and a little boy. We toured the garden seeing the good and the bad. I wont mention the ugly. She saw where my Cordylines are recovering like hers. She saw the grapes in the greenhouse that is what is left after the wasps. She had to leave early as John was expecting her home. This was the second visit by a member of the Club.

Still no sign of the wasps' nest. Yesterday, I spent some time searching for what might be described as a wasps' nest. I thought it might be in an area where I had put branches of a tree so I began rooting without success but what is the result? these branches are rotten, dry and brittle so plenty of firewood when I have the job complete. Next I tried the compost heap. The turning was easier that anticipated and while I looked on it as a mountain, not as high as Mount Brandon or Knock two either but down low I found that there was fairly rotten compost. Not all of this is complete but should be so to morrow. To be candid I was somewhat afraid to turn it, not so much as I would come across wasps that might sting but was my anatomy back to normal. It seems so, so now I have my compost heap turned and some compost to spread on certain parts of the garden and firewood to burn but to night after 10 p.m. I ventured into the greenhouse where I dared not go in for some days. Some wasps are dying and even though I had a great crop of grapes as I thought, at least I am still alive, got only one sting fully under control. I am off to the Country Market to morrow with Coleus and others as well as Hydrangeas which were slipped in June and are now well rooted.

Black currants are all pruned now, soon I will clean the ground around them and probably shred them. At the rear of the back garden there is a blackthorn hedge growing out of all proportions so to day some pruning carried out, more to be done yet. I attacked the Phormium again. Many of the leaves came freely by pulling, others removed using secateurs. Some of the plant was rotten and young green leaves replacing the bad ones. I thought that I had removed a lot early on but I took away as much to day. Very few withered leaves left. A lovely day to be in the garden. We have had very little rain recently in this part of the country. Still no sign of the wasps' nest. Roses are not doing well despite the fact that I fed them just after Rachel had left. 

The front lawn was mown in the afternoon. The grass was taken to the compost heap and if this procedure continues the compost heap will be my mountain, not quite as high as the one Martin climbed.  The wasps are continuing to invade the greenhouse. I am looking around to find where they have their nest without success. No photos to day.

I am now getting control of weeds in the back garden. There is one Yucca in that area that has really established itself and may become a parent plant in the future. There are side shoots coming out and I look forward to seeing it in a month's time. Another Yucca is planted at the back, coming from one of the large ones at the front. Some black currants were pruned to day and weeds removed from around them. A piece of ground at the back which was tilled early in the year and had nothing planted in it was dug to day  and I am planning to put something in it within a few days. Yesterday I was in the Askea Country Market. Some plants were on display and who did I meet but Wellie who bought some plants including Coleus. I would have them free for her if she had collected them elsewhere. She had been at Duckett's Grove and told me how things went and people she met. Sorry no photos to day. I should have them to morrow. I bought a Cambria orchid in Woodies on Thursday for €4.99 less 10% discount as I stated before and to day I was in a garden centre near me and the same type of orchid was priced at €19.99, what a difference!

Wasps have invaded my greenhouse and are enjoying the grapes. does anybody know how to solve the problem?

The Lawson Cyprus hedge needed trimming so I got at it early in the day although did not finish it.  One offset was taken from one of the parent Yuccas and planted in a clean part of the back garden. Went to Woodies as there is 10% discount for senior citizens on Thursday. Last Friday, Rachel went there and bought an orchid. I noticed to day that the price of these exotic plants was reduced, some being as low as €4.99. I bought one  named Cambria. I now have three types of orchid, the second one given to me by Rachel less than a week ago. In the evening I tackled a part of the back garden. It was a part I was afraid to tackle early in the year but not now D.G. Rachel must have been disgusted looking at it last Friday. I still have a lot to do there. 

Some of the outdoor tomato plants required potting on. While doing so I noticed that some side shoots had grown a bit more than anticipated, so extra shoots went by the way. Some cuttings of black currants were put down in one of the onion beds. In another onion bed a Yucca which was in a part of the garden which was in a bad condition with weeds was planted beside yesterdays Yucca. There is still one Yucca in that weedy part of the garden. Old leaves were removed and it seems that shoots are coming from that plant. I plan to remove as many offsets from the big Yuccas in front and take them to the back where they will have plenty of room to grow. Periwinkle asked me if the climate in her part of the country would be suitable, would it be too cold or wet. I can assure anybody at least with the Yuccas I have that they will stand up to low temperatures. After all the lowest temperature was recorded in Co. Carlow. As regards soil being too wet, I could not answer that question as the soil here is somewhat sandy but I think that the Yuccas would do well in any part of Ireland.

This relates to the weeds. Having cleaned the onion bed after lifting them, weeds were removed. Some black currant bushes were pruned. A big offset from one of the Yuccas was removed and put into the bed vacated by the onions. The front was looking good but the back garden neglected. Now things are beginning to be under control. I would say it was the best year for Hydrangeas. Not only do they look good but they tend to prevent weeds from getting light.  By the way I have two big Yuccas and I get the offsets from them. It is remarkable how many I have been able to give away and there are as many there afterwards. Yucca is known to many as Adam's Needle, the tips of the leaves are very sharp. As a result of the name I refer to the two large Yuccas as Adam and Eve.

Here are a few roses, one Evelyn Fison, grew from a cutting and is now in bloom in the back garden, the other Iceberg a present given to me probably over a decade ago. Cordyline No 3. A lot of work was done yesterday Monday to remove undergrowth revealing some shoots

People have at times asked me "Where are you going for the Bank Holiday?" My answer is simple: "Into the garden!" Some of them do not understand as working in the garden means nothing to them. To me it is a great way to relax. Others will say to me "Don't kill yourself at the garden!" Again they don't understand. To day I spent nearly all of my spare time in the garden. The mower was out at once I was free to do so and very soon the grass margin by the roadside was looking good, then into the greenhouse. Coleus plants were somewhat pot bound so get out to the greenhouse some larger pots together with some compost and the job is done. Also some pots containing peppers were in need of potting on. This done the bag of compost was almost empty and what was left was used to pot on a tomato plant outside. Of course I have three bags of compost which I bought on Thursday. Next the plants I got from Rachel on Friday, what is the best place for them? Eventually, the best places were found. Persicaria was planted  near Liga's Polemoniums and the other plants got a suitable place to grow. I had another look at the third Cordyline. It was difficult to see anything at the base but then when the undergrowth was removed, there was life once more, three shoots better than at the second one so now it three out of three. a considerable length of time was taken up removing so many plants woody and herbaceous. A little bit of deadheading followed and then it was time to retire and report on the work done which gave me such pleasure.  Not enough time for photographs to day, perhaps to morrow! Had Rachel's visit an effect on the second and third Cordyline? The remainder of the onions except for a few were lifted to day so more ground for a catch crop of some sort.

I have already reported on life in one of the Cordylines. Yesterday Saturday, I had a look at a second Cordyline. A very small shoot was visible at the base. So two out of three aint bad! Perhaps I will get some life in the third one. While my camera was good enough to take a photo of the shoot in the  first Cordyline, I am afraid I would require Martin's camera for this one!