Last Post 1325 days 12 hours ago
30 September 2009 22:29:52
Overplanted Boarder
I planted this boarder last spring, it looked really well for the summer. This year i discovered that I have over planted the boarder completely. Plants are streching and reaching of light.
I have some time off in the next few days, so apart from working on the ''wilderness'' at the side I am hoping to move some things around and plant bulbs etc. Some of what I want to move are still in flower, is it to soon or would it be worth the chance.
29 September 2009 23:07:58
Got home from work, still some daylight. Deadheaded some flowers, cleared some weeds from the gravel, and treated some of my yellowing Camelias to some Sequestered Iron Plant Tonic. And all before it got dark.
If you didn't know better, you would say that's an expert talking. Only heard about this Tonic last week from Jacinta's comments. See the way we learn through each others comments.
Thanks Jacinta.
29 September 2009 21:43:33
If you ask a gardener why he or she gardens, you might as well ask them why they breath -- it's because they can't imagine life without it. Gardening is part art and part science, but more than anything else it's a craft that is fuelled by a subterranean passion. It's all about nurturing and achieving, triumphing over nature and harmonizing with it. It panders to our primitive hunter-gatherer instincts.
It can be incredibily satisfying and also very humbling, it can also be frustrating, annoying and, let's be honest, disappointing. But one thing I can promise you is that once you get started and have the thrill of seeing your first seedlings flower, or your first new boarder bloom, you'll be hooked for life.
OK, yes I would like to claim these words but sadly they are the introduction to ''How to be a Gardener'' By Alan Titchmarch, a recent present from the kids.
Thought you might appreciate them.
28 September 2009 21:54:08
Driving around recently, I was looking at the strong autume colours in the Rhus trees (fab tree at this time of year for colour) some of the trees will loose their leaves with the next gust of wind. I have a Rhus in the garden, it is still totally green, not a hint of colour yet. Anyone know why?
In recent days some one in a journal said that while dead heading Dahlias, it is hard to tell new buds from spent flowers. I was doing the same on Friday, when i noticed that if you look closely the are buds are rounded while the spent flowers are pointed. This is the case with a red 'Bishop of Lunduff' ???? Not sure about other types. Might be of use.
24 September 2009 22:02:00
With all the heavy work going on to the wilderness and side area the front garden was neglicated of late. Today I tidied up one of the beds. Weeding, moving some plants (little early but will chance it) sitting, looking, thinking, enjoy the day that was in it. A few things came out of this work, they are,
1. While turning the soil i was amazed at the Dandalions that had set up home in such a short time. We all know that if you pull one of these weeds from the growth end, it just breaks straight away. By pure chance i discovered that when the soil is turned, and you pull even a fine root gently through the sod, it will not break. At times I was able to pull lengths of 6/8inches, without breaking. Try it. it might be of use, to early to be certain but let me know, out of interest.
2. I took out a Rhus (stags horn) (fab autume colour), two years ago. I knew there were some suckers growing. I was amazed at the root mass on these plants. Some had streched out 4/5 feet from where the parent plant was. I will pot these up tomorrow, if anyone wants one, let me know and I will put your name on it. I will then keep it till spring to ensure that they have taken. They are at present 8/12 inches.
24 September 2009 16:14:25
Penthouse
Jacinta, please check your ladybird house to see if there is a copyright stamp on it, if there is not then I'm ok. My one is a penthouse with a tiled roof.
20 September 2009 07:19:18
Into the unknown
After many many weeks of planning, burning the midnight oil, meetings, emergency arrangements should anything go wrong. One final check on fuel, safety gear, the journey into the unknown section of the front/side garden began. At 08.00 hours, yesterday morning the first nervous steps were made into the undergrowth. And this morning there is good and bad news, the good news is that I am really happy with the first days results, 3ft taken off one section of the hedge, the strimmer was heard during the night trying to excape from the shed, it does not know what happened it yesterday, going over and over the same areas. But finnally at the end of the day a decent clearence was made. (much still to be done)
The bad news is I am feeling every one of my years this morning (plus VAT) Going to Belvadere today so will have time to relax a little. There is a great buzz at having made a start, and seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. I must do a drawing of the garden and a take photo, I bet I have the strangest shaped garden due to the cul de sac, and the embankment on the other side. I did find signs of a campfire and my guide, called ''Herindoors Withteaandcoffee'' says we are only days behind Liveingstone. I am more hopefull of meeting him again, I think he came to me in my dreams last night, or maybe it was the effect of a strange insect bite, or most likely the wine from last night. Photos wil be posted soon of what is happening here.
19 September 2009 19:41:10
Climber position
What I want to do is this, in the centre of the two slabs I want to put a large wood post into the ground. To this post I will build a wood frame/pergola fixed to the side wall of the house. The hedge on the right is 6ft, new hedging to the left as you can see. Question is, if I plant a climber (to be decided) and let it grow up the post, it will grow faster than the hedge. But as the hedge grows will the climber be ok as the hedge closes in around it. There will be plenty of growth on the arch, will that be enough to keep the climber alive? Please advise, thanks.
16 September 2009 21:28:43
I was on a half day today along with my sixteen year old son, who I had informed I would need a hand to move two tons of gravel for the side area. When he had done about 7 or 8 barrow loads, out came the question '' how much are we doing today''. His face was a picture when told ''all of it'' Despite the moans we got it in and leveled. This area is where the clothes line is, but it is amazing how an area can be improved with a little ( or a lot if you are sixteen ) gravel, some slabs, wood for a raised bed, and some pots. I will post some photos at the weekend when final tidy is done. Then it is on to the next area, I intend to take some photos now just to show how a wild jungle area can be claimed back. This will take a lot of time but I have really got the bug to get control of the garden once again. A lot of this drive has come from garden.ie, from your journals, photos, and comments, so thank you for extending you enegry through your pages etc.
10 September 2009 23:29:08
Hi Folks, I am working on the side area at the moment. Gravel, paving, a raised bed and there will be some large pots over time. There is a side wall of a metal shed I was hoping to hide with a climber/ ivy, does any one know if an ivy will stick to a metal shed. Thanks inadvance.
08 September 2009 16:39:23
Wind Chime
I hate to see good items just been thrown out. So it was some time ago I saw 6ft length of maple in a builders skip, into the boot of the car. That was four years ago, had no idea what I would do with it. Then a few weeks ago I was at the Plant Fair in Farmleigh when I saw these long chimes. I kept going back to look at them, on the fifth time the idea finally came to me. A few hours work and I ended up with this wind chime/ garden decoration. Even if I say so myself it looks good, sod this self praise is.......
07 September 2009 17:09:27
I was off sick to day, spent most of the day on garden.ie, looking at photos, reading journal entries, the day few by, next best thing to been in the garden. Thanks to you all for helping the day go so fast.
05 September 2009 22:13:11
What is this plant?
Despite the rain over the last few days, trilled with what I got done. The raised bed turned out better than expected, it blends in with the deck colour so well. This wood in the frame was to be trown out by a brother in law, amazing what can be done. The photo attached show a plant I can not trace, it is about 24'' inches, flowers from June to late Sept. The flower is about an inch long with two distinct back spots at the end, making them look like eyes. Can any one help with a name.