Dick's Journal

Very little done in the garden to day, the reason being that even though it was so mild, you could never be sure if the rain would stay away. I got the David Austin rose planted. I had been looking fpr a place for it and eventually found it. It is in the area I reclaimed beginning about now when the snow had cleared. No sooner had I planted it and made the ground firm when the rain came down again. There was of course plenty of house work to do and am glad that it is done. Watering the indoor plants was required. Sometimes they may be neglected as I prefer to be working outside and I am in arears as I was away for nearly a week. The Hypericum shown, seemed dead a year ago but now due to the milder weather I have them all to day. If it is free of rain to morrow I will plant out the roses that were rooted since Autumn 12 months. I believe to morrow will also be mild.

Shortly after 10 a.m. as I was just back, the postman was behind me and included among my post was the magazine. I see that one can now get the same magazine in the digital form or get the magazine through the post. If we get it through the post we can also get it on our computer. Isn't that. As the Gobán saor told his son, you get the skin and the price of it. I am looking forward to reading it but too busy now, I may get a bit done in the garden. It is better than yesterday.

I mentioned last night about the presents I got for Christmas. Here are some: Corylus avellana  Contorta otherwise Corkscrew Hazel; Festuca glauca "Intense Blue' and David Austin rose. I still have not planted them as it is quite cold to day after the lovely mild weather we had uo to yesterday.

Santa collected some great presents for me, one from my niece in Clane, two lovely plants, will show them to morrow. He called to another niece near where I was staying and what he got for me was a David Austin rose, looking forward to planting it this week and to two sources, books on gardening. I will show them to morrow. It is gone 12 o'clock so time to retire.

Arrived back home, to day. No I wasn't across the water but to my sister's place in Co. Dublin, near Clonee. She has nine children, all grown up and 23 grandchildren. I enjoyed my stay there. You see that I have no better half, I always go away for Christmas. Since I started working in 1959, I have always travelled from my place of work. I enjoyed the weather, how different it was compared with last year when I travelled by train. This time I took the car or you might say it took me! When I got home I found something like 55 messages so it took some time to get all opened. Good to hear that Rachel has a new camera. An anagram would be Mac era, think of all of the I Phones, I Pods, I Pads, one might say As sure as God made little apples. How pleased I was to view Peter's (Scrubber's) beauties, really angelic and there was I thinking that the item under cover was the sub atomic particle that seemed to be called after a man living in the Phoenic Park! Think of Christmas 2010 at sub zero and this year at 10-14°C. One could go out and not fear getting cold. 

I am taking a break for about a week but not leaving the country. I want to thank you all for your contributions in garden.ie I wish to thank in particular Rachel for her organisiatin of so many events. Sorry I was unable to get along to so many get togethers, the last being in Johnston in March last year. One reasoon was the death of my niece Josefa. She was also my Godchild and meant so much to me. There is something coming up related to her which her mother Nora has told me about and I cannot divulge it at the moment. All I say is that it should be of interest to gardeners. Again a Happy Christmas to you all.

A happy Christmas to all in garden.ie. I really learned so much on gardening from you. Isn't it great to have the mild weather again and that during the coming week at least we can get out and enjoy the goodness of what God has given us.

This Oncidium orchid was shown within the last month. It had shown a little growth. Now there is further growth and one may notice the roots which have come. Perhaps Rachel and Líga may comment on it. I got the orchid from Rachel last summer 12 months and could see nothing coming. are there flowers on the way.

Very little done recently due to the very cold weather, although nothing like this time last year. Almost all of the pruning is done. The roses will wait until the new year. Prunings have been taken to the side of the house. Some holly was cut to day and although we have been told thatthere are plenty of berries on the holly, mine have none but still it is good to have some greenery in the house. I was pleased to hear that the temperature would be rising soon, as high as 10, 11, 12oC  perhaps like we had in November.

 

Scrubber tells us that a certain particle will be revealed on Christmas Day. Would I be correct to suggest that it is the Higgs particle which seems to be the missing link in physics. Now the name Higgs seems to be an abreviation for the name of a well known Irishman. Scrubber tells us that although nobody knows what he is about to reveal that inadvertantly he revealed it not so long ago after he had bought it I think in Waterford and on RTÉ this evening a physics lecturer in Waterford IT spoke about it. 

Yesterday, it seemed too cold to do anything in the garden but to day while the night temperature was below zero and at 9 a.m. there was still plenty of frost, as time went on it became milder and hours were spent in the garden 1. using the hoe to remove weeds, apparently there is growth all of the time, 2. digging at the back in reasonably prepared ground to put down the roses that are rooted, they should go down next week, Monday if the weather is right, 3. pruning Cotoneasters in the front. Almost all of the work on the Cotoneasters is complete. As we all can remember, no work like this could be done this time last year. At 4.45 p.m. the work had to be abandoned due to darkness taking over. I was piping hot after the work and I really enjoyed it. Sorry Jacinta, no photos this time.

This robin seems to come near me more than ony of the other birds. The smaller birds like sparrows and bluetits are more timid. There have been occasions when the robin fluttered in front of me as to say where is the food you have for me. Hen pheasants seem to frequent my back garden but it seems impossible to take a photo of them. I think of a programme shown recently where Éamonn de Buitléar was interviewed of the early days of Telefís where he and Gerret Van Geldron had a programme on wild life Amuigh faoin Spéar and it must have taken some patience to photo these creatures.

At about 8.45 a.m. I was amazed to find that it was so mild. The thermometer in the car read 11 degrees, so different from yesterday when it was quite cold and think of last year. On this day 8 th  last year, I was unable to get the car out due to the snow. While there is rain there should be growth. I was glad that I got the lawn mown just over a week ago and how green the grass is at present. It is great to look at plants and see that they are looking so good. I was at a meeting last night, one which was cancelled last year  due to the snow. Wellie (Angie) was there and it was her birthday. She and the family had had a great day.

After a lovely mild November, what a change. Nevertheless this month so far there were some days that appealed to me but was not available when the weather was ok. Yesterday, I had plenty of time and tried several things but as it was so cold I retreated to the house. To day was much milder but I was tied up with meals on wheels in the morning. Then in the early afternoon, I got some pruning done and enjoyed it but I had an appointment with the dentist at 3.30 p.m. and when I got home it was too dark. They tell us that Thursday will be mild so I hope to get a fair bit done. You all remember this time last year with the snow so what might have been done then I am at it now and hope to get this job complete.

For a number of days, I got practically nothing done in the garden. Reasons - weather and other things to do. To day was a great day for that work, fairly good temperature, no rain and more time for the job. As I mentioned earlier I bought tulips and alliums in Woodies at half price. The tulips went down earlier on to day, then the grass which had not been collected was taken to the compost heap, then the loppers came out and quite a bit of pruning done. The work was mainly on Cotoneasters which had grown too high. I was hoping that I would finish the job but the darkness arrived and the work was curtailed. I believe some cold weather is on the way but please God it is only a temporary little arrangement. The Alliums will have to wait for another day.

Rachel, you gave me this Oncidium some time ago and there seemed as if I would not get a flower in it. Now there is something appearing. what do you think?