Month: July 2008
I’ve been weeding in the rain.
Does that make me a serious gardener?
My husband says it makes me a serious eejit!
I’ve been itching to get at the garden these last few days. Went to a gardening talk yesterday on herbaceous plants and they recommended cutting back perennial poppies and lupins after flowering, feeding with tomato feed and hoping for a second flush! Well, that’s done now but it may have been too late for my lupins as some of them had already set seed. Lets see if I get a second flush later this year. The borders certainly look neater now so it’s worth doing just for that!
Rain
Well it looks like we are in the waiting room once again as far as the weather is concerned what has happened to global warming when you need it, waiting to have a tooth extracted is less painful than looking out of my bedroom window every morning when I rise wondering what will become of yet another overcast drizzly day.
All of my roses are growing too soft and are weighed down from the torrential downpours we have been having recently
My god it has been 4 years since I last wrote on this journal, facebook has a lot to answer for. Happy gardening guys
Summer in Bray
Samuel, my six year old, was examining his Gromitty poster this morning. He called to me to come look at this brilliant "gardening" Gromitty, the Saviour Gardener. He knew I would be interested in someone who saves gardens, especially on a dreadful rainy day like this!
Anyway, I hated to dampen his enthusiasm because he had actually misread the Gromitty name. It was the "Severe Guardian" not the "Saviour Gardener". Oh well, it was a fine thought!
Saviour of the Garden
HI,
Just an update about the flower garden. (photos to follow).
we Planted a lot of Alliums late last year and they are looking great – mind you saying that they could go over within the next week. The Allium Globemaster loooked fab when all the flowers came out on them.
The Dahlias have started to come out and it will be exciting to see what the home grown seeds will look like.
There are a lot of poppys – mind you the wind took some of them clean off and I had to pull them up. There are one or two that look fantastic. The seeds of some of the flowers ended up in the stranges places and several in the vegetable garden. Its hard enough trying to get them to self sow in the flower garden – LOL.
The garden does not look as good as last year – again this year I am waiting for the Zinnia I planted out – last year they never took – so this year i planted out seeds i brought on myself to no avail agin.
The cosmos is also starting to come out and am looking forward to that, and the sweet pea – I am picking off the flowers to them them to climb further up the totem poles and when i give them a feed they grow quite well.
The garden was amass with purple in June but it is changing now, the whites of the large daisys, the oranges and yellows of the Lilys, the organes and yellows of the self sown callendulas are bright and breezy – some of them even never died back last year. The California Poppy are orange, champagne and pink – but i dont like it once it gets too large it tends to get too floppy and looks messy.
The bamboo shot up with all the rain we had and has settled well. I have another to plant out as soon as i can decide where to plant it.
Believe it or not I still have dahlias to plant out – they are well established in tubs and there are quite a few gaps that i have been waiting to be filled overnight with a mass of colour – to no avail.
The tomatoes in the greenhouse are starting to get the heat they need so fingers crossed – we could do with a bit of heat for them.
Got the new spring catalogue and we are planning a complete overhaul of the flower garden late this year. Whilst some of the bulbs look nice – nothing stands out just yet. But we will be buying a lot of tulips for the containers.
Is it just us or is everyone in the same boat – things are taking longer to come out – the garden should be amass with flowers but they are only coming out now.
Daisy
Small Angels Fishing Rod
Badger damage to lawn
Yesterday was spent weeding the north bank. It needs to be replanned in autumn as it has got very overgrown. Does anyone have suggestions for plants which will withstand harsh conditions. The bank gets quite a lot of sun from east in the morning and west in late afternoon. I would like to keep the reddish theme!
North bank rockery
green tomatoes
Pumpkin Ushiki kuri
The end of July is very windy here, it was a very bad month for all the Asiatic Lillies, they didn’t last as long as usual with the cold and wet weather we’ve had.
The last 10 days have been dry and warm so I was keeping my fingers crossed for the trumpet lillies. Today I took some pictures of the African Queens in full bloom and a yellow one of wich I have no name. Pink perfection will be out soon as well.
As I mentioned in the June post the sweet pea wall is fantastic, way above my expectations, it looks beautiful. My skills as a photographer are not very good but you can see that it works. The wind is hwling here now and if the sweet peas were on bamboo canes they’d be down by now. It has happened every years so far, so I’m glad I came up with this idea.
We managed to keep the blight at bay as well on the potatoes, so we are hoping for a good crop.
The tomotoes are doing great and we should pick a couple in the next week provided we get some sun
Thank you Gerry for the advice about the cherries, I will keep an eye on it next year, I might even get a second cherry tree. We did have some fruit and it was delicious.
This year I’m very pleased with our garden as it is starting to mature a bit, and lots of our B&B guests have been out taking pictures. I’d love to enter the Viking competition but I can’t compete with all the long established gardens.
Oriental lilly with no name
I didn’t plant any of these sedums they all seeded themselves. Great to get help in the garden!
Front gravel bed.
We bought this site and built our bungalow eight years ago. When we moved in our knowledge of gardening would fit in a matchbox – we could barely recognise the difference between a daisy and a dandelion. Through a lot of trial and error and a lot of reading, etc., we began a journey that has led us to a whole new world and a love of gardening and the outdoors.
I MOVED OVER HERE IN NOVEMBER 07 WITH MY HUSBAND AND I WORK AT SOPWELL HALL AS A GARDENER I HAVE DESGINED GARDENS FOR HAMPTON COURT
IN 2005,2006,2007 AND WON SILVER ,SILVER GILT,GOLD AND BEST IN SHOW
WE HAVE JUST GOT A HOUSE AND IN THE Mmenu_orderDLE OF DESIGNING THE GARDEN
About five years ago I bought a few heather plants to soften the rock edges of the meandering path I made through my woodland section. The path was about 3 feet wide, covered in small, brick coloured gravel for definition. I planted bluebells and primroses and helebores and loads of daffodils and it all came together really nicely. But, I had no idea that heather could be so invasive. The path had darn near totally disappeared under a smothering carpet of heather – not just the path but the carefully dug out beds were also being taken over. It did seem a shame to stop the invasion especially as it looked so healthy, but over the years I have become more decisive in terms of ruthlessness in the garden….so now a few days later, the heather has been ripped out, the gravel raked back into place and order restored. So now I have to re-think about what to use to soften the edges.
We had a friend from South Africa staying with us last week and we arranged for a boat trip on the Shannon. We did have our own small boat but it was stolen a few years ago so now rely on a friend down river who has managed to hang on to his boat and is always willing to go for a trip. The river is tidal here and there are only certain windows of opportunity to be out and about. We motored towards Limerick City via the Abbey River, down past one of Limerick’s many new hotels, past the old Barringtons Hospital and out behind the Hunt Museum. Lots of wild life on the river though very few fish. There are loads of eels and we even saw a seal. Then back the way we’d come. Cormorants and heron, ducks and geese and the odd frustrated fisherman. Fantastic trip. Made a nice change from ripping out heather!
We’ve recently extended our house so the garden is a little smaller,all lawns at tee moment until the Autumn when I intend to put in some beds & borders.
My husband has put up a polytunel for me & I’m enjoying it very much.All trial & error at the moment but I’m learning. Would love advise on same.
I moved into my house 8 years ago and since then have been reforming and remaking it all. Ideas come to me as I am working. You could call it my inspirational garden!
I will keep posting up new photos when I get a chance and hope you all enjoy viewing them.
Regards,
Tulipmania
When we bought our house many years ago we decided on a plan for the garden. It consisted of dividing it into several different areas including a pond ,a sunken garden,a small vegetable and fruit area and a large lawn. We bought a quantity of red sandstone from a quarry near Ardmore. My late husband was not very interested in gardening but he enjoyed laying paths, paving, and walls etc. so he did all of the work himself.We bought some cordon apples and pears and planted a row on both sides of the sunken garden However I don’t think there was much attention given to dwarf stock . They were cordons alright but not on the correct stock . They are still here but I have to keep cutting them. One on the edge of the row grew into a tree. It still bears a good crop of nice apples- Laxton Superb but the birds enjoy most of them as they are too high However we enjoy the blossom.
13/5/08
At that time the only nursery nearby was one owned by the Cork County Council so the choice of plants was not very great. I bought a number of C. macrocarpa trees and planted them inside the front wall . Sometime after a friend who had more experience than I had came to visit us and advised us to remove them which we did and replaced them later with two Cherry trees, one of which we removed last year as it was crowded out by an Acer Osasuki . The other we cut back a little but it still gives me great pleasure every Spring. My next mistake was to buy a Magnolia tree and to plant it in a very windy and draughty spot so of course it died . I tried another but that also died . By this time Mr Nangle had opened his nursery and many of the first plants which I bought from him are still in good condition . One in particular comes to mind .It is a lovely red Chaenomeles, which I think is Rowallane .It appeared to have died once but it came to life again . It has been in flower since Jan. and slill has buds on it.
6/o6/08
Mr.Nangle (the first) provided us with many more shrubs in those early days. Some I still have, others have been replaced. I bought a few trees including a Lilac and a Laburnum. The Laburnum was blown down and the Lilac must have died. A Hamamelis I still have and also a Crinodendron which still flowers profusely.Some of the conifers which I bought were sold to me as "dwarfs" but kept on growing. I also bought a little heather which stayed small for a number of years and then took off and is now over 6 ft. Two other large trees in the garden are there for sentimental reasons One was the first Christmas tree which we bought for my eldest son now aged 58 years , the other is a Monterey Pine which my daughter brought home as a present from a sale at school when she was very young.I never realised that it would grow so high. However, I love the tree. It has been home to goldfinches and other small birds. However, of late some magpies have started coming into the garden and I am afraid that they will frighten the smaller birds away These are just some of the plants which determined the future development of the garden.
06/07/08
While my children – four boys and a girl – were young the garden became a playground for them and their friends. There they amused themselves happily for hours. They enjoyed the wildlife and fish in the pond but so did the heron, and later they built aviaries for their budgies. Meanwhile, I continued planting shrubs along the boundary, while one of my sons followed me around with his own trowel. Today he has his own lovely garden in Canada and is a very keen gardener.
At least there has been some sunshine over the weekend. The roses have appreciated that. Had our first strawberries at last. Lovely! no comparison to shop bought ones. Also have some lovely lettuces and radish. The beans are very slow to flower though — I sup[pose it must be the weather. I bought two pretty patio roses Sweet Magic and Happy Times. Saw a lovely little floribunda in Ardgillan Castle rose garden called "Fascination". If anyone knows wherte to get it let me know.
We have moved into a beautiful old cottage with a large front garden which has been neglected in the past. We had to remove some old trees which where rotten and this opened it up wonderfully.
Our next big job is an old field out at the back which we hope to turn into a back garden with a few features.
I thought the lilies were never going to flower this year. We have had so much rain the buds were on the plants but were staying tightly closed. Then the leaves began to rot. However this week the blossom has decided to come out and I have lovely orange and cream lilies.
We also decided to give some more light to the south side bed which is bluish. We have elms growing here like weeds and they need to have manners put on them so Barry was doing just that today. It was a beautiful sunny day here on Sherkin.
my lovely garden is washed by heavy showers …..but the colours are blissful …..but its nice sometimes …being caught in the rain!…and the heavenly scent of the roses….mmm oh for a little sunshine
Busy in the garden, same as everybody, weeds and more weeds! Husband is finally in the progress of making hen house, really looking forward to it, anybody any tips on the best layers, new to this! Also have been shopping around for a hobby tunnel, with this weather and the thought of the long wet evenings will be glad to be able to get out gardening despite the rain, my house at this rate will never get tidy! Great excuse when its fine go out it wont last long housework is for the wet days, dont know what will happen when i get the tunnel.
Vegtable gardening looking real well, despite the rabbits have taken a real shine to the brocoli any tips, saw a ‘Pet Scare’ thingy on an website in England but dont deliver to the south !
We have cleared some ground around the hedges thinking of sowing some willow and hazel, but dont know when and how to start all tips welcome. Must go now get the clothes off the line, make a cuppa and get ready to watch the match, my other weakness! Up. Tipp
Hi
I live in Mungret Co limerick. we are living here 22yrs but the garden is only developing in the last 15. and I feel it is only just coming to life in the last few years, Its great to find this forum to chat on and hopefully share ideas.
My garden is a building site at the moment so I am open to advice on how to go about things. Love flowers, trees, colour and fruit trees.Suggestions come this way site is sloped.
The Banana shallots that I kept are now sprouting happily and there is one growing in England, in the cotswolds ,another in a garden right on the coast here and again another with a friend who has a garden centre in mullagh. I have been busy painting as I have actually taken a space at an Arts and Crafts fair in Enistymon taking place on seven Sundays throughout the summer,starting on June 8th it will be fun to do, as I enjoy painting , I find it a pleasure to put paint on canvas though I am trying other materials as well !!! the tomatoes in the greenhouse are still doing well and I hope to see the first ones in the hanging basket start changing colour soon , there is already one strawberry changing colour, again in a hanging basket. I will try and see if I can get a decent photo to include on another occasion. The other hanging basket in the greenhouse is full of sweet peas, one of them in flower, they are a variety that is supposed to hang down but they have decided to climb up the chains instead!!. Most of the plants I have raised from seed have now been planted out , in amongst shrubs and trees and even gooseberries and currants peek up next to shrubs , montana clematis and everything I can fit in,! there are even some new potatoes in part of the border that runs round the garden.I have some cigar plants to try and find space for, they should hang but all my pots are brimming over, an excuse perhaps for buying some more, but that means more watering! if we get a good summer and however long my hose is it never seems long enough, I was pleased to have a winning letter in The Irish garden magazine, sadly I do not think my son managed to gather any seed from the plants but I will hunt in August to see if there are any signs of growth!!!!I took some friends up to the edge of the Burren in that lovely patch of good weather, they were amazed at the numberof wild flowers , I wish I could persuade some orchids to head into my wild garden, but I think it is too wet to make it possible. though we certainly get enough wind to bring them here!!!
end of July. just wrote quite a long entry then managed to lose it buy going into someone elses profile by mistake! the tomato in the greenhouse hanging basket was gardeners delight I think. it is coming to an end now, I have potted up a few offshoots from my tomatoes in the bags and they are coming into flower now, so hope fully will prolong the season. I am a but tired tonihgt having been into Ennis for an evening class of Pilates, anyone who reads this, it is amazing how good those exercises are, much better for me than Yoga though I reckon an hour of strimming also uses quite a few calories up ! Classes will start up here in Miltown again in September.I will write about the garden again soon with more detail.
