Periwinkle's Journal

Good neighbour!

Have not had time recently to write a journal entry, but I have been doing some gardening as it was a great week to get outside and the stretch in the evenings gives opportunity to get even a few minutes after work. On Monday last my neighbour brought me a tractor linkbox of seaweed and it has since been spread on the remaining part of the front side of the shrub border. Yesterday evening he arrived with another one! I am so pleased as this is the perfect time to get a good mulch on. And I have found that removing any weeds is quite easy after the frost and while the ground is still damp.

Its a great feeling to get a bit done that will make things easier later on. As always we need to make the most of dry weather.

While waiting for dinner!

 Just waiting for dinner to cook so saying Hello!

I had a lovely evening in the garden, mainly tidying up, but great to be out there! Did a bit of weeding around the base of some of the trees so they are ready for a good mulch of seaweed, (or something) when I manage to get some more. Intend to do some more weeding around shrubs and trees if the weather continues to stay fine. Giving them a good mulch at this time of year helps to retain moisture, surpress the weeds and improve and feed the soil. So well worth the effort and saves valuable time later on when the weather warms up and so many jobs need doing! After a very frosty night last night we had a lovely day today and looks like another frosty one tonight.  Very concerned about my pittosporum tobira as the ends of each branch are badly frost damaged and I just wonder if it will survive any more frost.

Beautiful sunrise this am, I was just noticing how much further east the sun is rising now compared to Christmastime! Spring just around the corner!!

More Seaweed!

This was a great day to be off work! I brought 12 more bags of seaweed and after clearing moss, leaves and weeds I spread the seaweed underneath the shrubs on about 1/3 of one side of the shrub border! It was backbreaking work but I felt very satisfied at being able to get so much done at this time of year. Should keep the weeds at bay for a good bit of Spring as well as feeding the shrubs.

Was noticing some more damage done to shrubs, pittospornum tobira - badly burned but hopefully will survive. Ceanothus'Blue Mound' looking poorly also Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. Repens is quite badly affected. Melaleuca gibosa 'Honey Myrtle' is burned but will survive , I hope. Time will reveal the casualties in the herbacious borders. But no right to complain - we are not in Haiti.

Donegal Garden Trail!

Much colder today so the only gardening was done in the shed. Cut back pelergoniums that had been brought indoors at the beginning of the winter and gave them some much needed water. Also tidied up and watered plants received from Rachel and was trilled to see new growth appearing! So looking forward to seeing how they develope. Also had a visit from a gardening friend and neighbour and she brought me my stock of the  2010 Donegal Garden Trail booklets. If any of you are interested in seeing gardens in Donegal during the coming season it is a lovely book to have for €1! But all the information is also available on the website: www.donegalgardentrail.com  (You will find my garden in there too!)

Back to gardening!

What a wonderful day that was! So mild the birds, as well as myself, thought Spring had arrived! Got out and went to the beach and collected 16 bags of seaweed and now have it spead on the new piece of ground by the entrance! Put a layer off 4-6ins. deep all over the area so that should surpress weeds for a while and give me a headstart! when the seaweed rots down it will make good fertilizer and for free! There isnt a lot of seaweed on the beach at present but I will be watching the tides for more!  Just great to be back out there even if spring hasn't quite arrived yet! 

Green Grass Appears!

At last it is safe to go for a walk and this afternoon I did just that and, of course, finished up doing the garden tour!

Had a good look round the shrub border and was relieved that more damage hasn't been done. There are a few things that probably wont survive: my red Abutilon looks very sad and Im sorry that I had not taken a cutting but know someone who might give me a piece(!), (Rachel, your looks OK so far) Pittosporum Tobira has suffered but hopefully will survive, Melianthus Major also looking very sad and 'the book' says only hardy to 5C!! no wonder it is looking sad(!), I didnt look at the 'spare' in a pot but expect it to have fared even worse. Some polyanthus that I had divided in late Autumn and planted in a new border by the path in the Wilderness have all but disappeared but the Bergenia that I planted with them seems to be alive! Anyway, its now a case of waiting to see!! FUN REALLY!!!

Salute to Postman!

I dont know about were you are, but here the postman has been out every morning during this icy weather! And believe me the country roads here are no joke! Every day he faithfully brings the post and also checks to see if I need anything! Takes letters back to the Post Office to post and always with a cheery word and smile. Now I think that sort of service deserves a salute, dont you?

I have just put up some pics. that I took yesterday. I think they show the importance of evergreens in the garden.

Brave little beauties!

Helleborus

Had a good walk around the garden today and took some winter Pictures! But this little helleborus that Myrtle gave me last year really stole the show! So small and dainty yet so brave! Standing tall in the middle of the snow! It is such a delight!

Pied wagtail.

Pied Wagtail.

A bright, calm and sunny afternoon here after a light fall of snow in the morning. So I took a walk and checked on the bird feeders. A lot of activity out there! Then got the binoculars and sat in the porch to watch them for a while! took a picure (through window) of this wagtail as he was enjoying some crumbs that I had put out earlier.

Roses Ordered!

The most enjoyable thing that I did yesterday was to choose and order some new roses from David Austin Roses! The roses I ordered are: Claire Austin a white shrub rose, a climber called 'A shropshire Lad' - pink, Malvern Hills -a yellow rambler, Wild Edric- a deep pink recomended for wilder areas of the garden(!) and Darcey Bussell for Myrtle!             The Shropshire Lad I plan to plant at the new fence beside the gatepost and if I can make a hole big enough I will put Malvern Hills by the other gatepost. Wild Edric will go beside the boundary fence in the area that I refere to as the wilderness and I have not decided where to put Claire Austin yet! I cant wait to get planting!       

Isn't it great to be in the warmth of the livingroom looking out at the snow, while drinking hot spiced fruit punch and planning the planting of roses?!

No walk today as I'm nursing a headcold!

Symptoms and Remedies!

It is reported that an outbreak of Cabin Fever is widespread throughout the country and gardeners are particularly vulnerable to this debilitating affliction!The outbreak has occurred due to persistant frost and snow over a prolonged period necessitating gardeners remaining out of thier usual habitat for an exceptionally long time!

Symptoms of this condition are:

(1) An uncharacteristic interest in housework that was previously deemed unnecessary, such as hoovering and dusting. In extreme cases this can even extend to dusting skirting-boards!   (2) The re-arranging of pictures and ornaments!  (3) A sudden dissatisfaction with interior design that previously was quite pleasing!    (4) In most cases there is a tendancy to read all instructions for planting of plants that have not yet arrived from the nursery - this would previously be left until after planting was completed!.     

Remedies:

Remedies for this condition are few. But it is recommended that the patient apply a warm coat, scarf, and hat and studded boots and, taking a strong walking pole and considerable care, he/she should endeavour to walk as far as conditions allow. This remedy should be carried out daily and if the length of the walk can be increased there is some hope of recovery. Returning with a 'green leaf plucked off' is no guarentee of improvement and and the resulting disappointment may hasten the patient's demise.    The chances of recover are greatly increased if, while on the walk, the patient takes note of the exceptional beauty in the scenery around him and considers the less fortunate farmer in the field nearby who struggles to feed his sheep, noting, at the same time, that the sheep are limping from cuts and sores on their tiny feet. 

For those of more delicate constitutions it may be necessary to take more extreme measures to deal wth this disease that has inflicted so many. In these cases the only effective relief is to obtain, without delay, a one-way ticket to warmer climes !!

Fortunately, we are assured that the conditions causing this outbreak of cabin fever have never before persisted without end!!!!!!!!!!!                                                                            

Advice needed!

I got a new paper shredder for Christmas so as it was to slippery to go for a walk I decided to do some shredding! Did a big carrierbag full and have added it to my wormery bin. Now I'm wondering if I did the right thing????

The paper was mainly old ESB and Eircom bills etc. so had quite a bit of coloured print but not gloss. Wondering what it might do to my worms digestive systems!!

Advice welcome, please!

Its the Moon!

The Moon!

Took this picture this morning as the sun was rising at the front of the house the moon was setting at the back! Sooo beautiful- the picture doesnt do it justice!

A very happy New Year to you all! may you all be able to enjoy many sunny days in your gardens!

Over the holiday I have enjoyed looking through David Austin's Rose Catalogue and of course, want them all!!!!!

I made a very interesting discovery while reading the section on old roses. The rose that I refered to as 'Granny's rose' in an earlier journal entry, is really Old Blush China! Also refered to as The Monthly Rose which is what my grandmother used to call it but I thought that that was just refering to the fact that it blooms nearly every month of the year! It is a very old rose and grown in China for at least 1,000yrs! It was introduced into Britain around 1750 and is thought to be 'The last Rose of Summer' in Thomas Moore's poem! I have always valued this simple rose because of its family history here (probably been here nearly 100 yrs) but will appreciate it all the more now!!

I have never thought that I have many roses in the garden (as I consider them hard work to keep healthy without spraying) but on a rough count I discovered that I have over 20 different roses and multiples of some of those! But tonight I intend to choose a few more from David Austin's English Roses! I'll report my choices in due course!