Month: March 2009

Hello Everyone, been working at the garden centre today and people were queuing all day, we have some very tempting plants and the lovely warm sunny day has helped.  Alot of people are still buying tomatoes, chilli plants etc and lots were re-designing their gardens and buying lots of shrubs, particularly a lovely purple leaved Hebe and other perennials which have just arrived.  I bought my Erythronium Pagoda which I have had my eye on for a while lovely yellow colour flowers and lots of buds too. I made sure I got in early before the public so I could have a good look round at the recent arrivals.

Hello everyone, bought some Snake’s Head Fritillary bulbs today and there is a white one in there too and some spring bulbs (see photos) looks like the weather has been warm and kind to you in Ireland today too. Been in the garden this afternoon, Happy St Patrick’s day to you all.

Happy St Patricks Day to everyone! ………..What fabulous weather we had to day, I was able to spend the whole day outside (thats what keeps me happy). I planted my spuds yesterday and left the black plastic on to keep in heat just till they appear. Today  I varnished the garden bench and with the help of hubby put together the new green cast iron table and chairs. I pruned a few buddleias (Black Knight) , abutilon, tree lupin and last of the rose bushes and put a load of decayed spruce needles around the camellia, azaleas and rhododendrons. I dug up loads of ‘rockets’ for friends who want them and evening primroses.I am now completely out of pots (again). I am starting a new photo album of the different varieties of Daffodils as they come into flower.

Happy St. Patricks Day!  We went for a drive and ended up in Donadea Forest Park in Co. Kildare.  Its an old Demense that is now Coillte forest and there are lots of interesting trees and shrubs from the days of the big house.  The house is in ruins but is still impressive and imposing and overlooks a lawn where lots of people were picnicing and enjoying the sunshine.  The kids were delighted to discover this Wishing Tree, and wouldn’t you love to know what they wished for!

It’s sunny everywhere in Ireland except Wexford. I continued weeding. God, it’s so boring.

I am nearly finished the Long Border. My Long Border was dug last year so it has plenty of gaps in it and opportunistic weeds are springing up in there. Hopefully I’ll plug a lot of these gaps this year with new plants.

I was sorry to note a purple Hebe, split in two by the wind. Also a small Acacia tree, leaning at a jaunty angle. I didn’t notice it before because it’s behind an ornamental wheel. Unfortunately I may have pulled up a lot of my Aubrietia as I tried to extract the grass from it. The Eryngiums I planted are sure spreading. I’m beginning to wonder if they were a mistake already. Lychnis, Lobelia Cardinalis, Helenium and Rudbeckia are all showing signs of life.

The top of my car was covered in frost yesterday morning. Aldi have fleece in at the moment it might be a good investment seeing as my potatoes are in the ground. The day was beautiful again and everything is springing up.

I finally dug up my Rheum palmatum tanguticum.  It was a tough job as it had established itself well but it was in the wrong place and had to go.  It was just outside a window so it blocked the view in summer and turned to an unsightly soggy mess in the autumn as soon as the frosts hit. I dropped it off at the wonderful Tullynally castle gardens nearby as they may be able to find a place for it there and that way I don’t have to feel guilty about getting rid of it! Also, if it settles in, I may be able to visit it in the future.

Here is a view of Tullynally Castle near Castlepollard.  I can’t wait for the gardens to open again this year.

I planted four trees today, with the help of my husband who dug the holes. It is his birthday today so maybe he should have been let off!

I planted a bare root Prunus Shogetsu (white cherry blossom) and Prunus Pink Perfection behind my Copper Beech semi-circle that is visible from the greenhouse. No photo, however, as they are small and can hardly be made out from a distance – wait til they come into flower.

I finally got around to planting my second Prunus Serrula. It had sat shamefully in a pot all winter.

Finally I planted a bare root Prunus Accolade – supposedly the earliest flowering cherry blossom.  Indeed it already has flower buds, as you can see from the photo.

I also finished weeding the back of the dreaded Long Border and put down chicken pellets there.

 

There was more frost on the car this morning and no fleece left in Aldi. I had a early morning walk around the garden in lovely sunshine. I came across this pretty pink primula. This is a fairly damp spot and is shaded for half the day.

I think this colour combination, yellow with pink and blue is so pretty. These are growing under the pine trees and the pine needles are everywhere.

I decided to plant some quick crops in the greenhouse – ones that would be up and gone before the tomatoes and courgettes needed to be planted there. We decided on Lettuce & Radishes.

I weeded the greenhouse border as some annuals were popping up. Then I raked it and added 160 lt of compost and 40 lt of manure. I also put down a good dose of bone meal and raked it over again. Then it was time for the Titschmarsh Trot (you know the exercise he does to get rid of air pockets in the soil). I gave it a good water with the hose and waited for the lads to come home from school to plant their radishes.

Both of my youngest are mad about Fraggle Rock and want their own Gorg’s Garden with Radishes.I wonder if they’ll eat them!

 

Yesterday I opened a box with seeds I bought in Dublin last summer (the set is named ‘Fragrant flower’).

I was surprised to find that there are 15 varieties of seeds in this box. I separate 3 sorts of seed (others are too small).

Can you help me to identify seeds? Big shots of them are in new album ‘Seeds from Dublin’.

Thank you!

 

Guess what?

I got 12 Dahlia tubers as Mothers’ Day gifts.How did they know?

I had better get to potting!

I have a problem area in my garden and could do with some suggestions for planting please. The bed is pictured in this photo between the two pergolas.

It has a drainage problem and a lot of moss grows here. I have just finished weeding and scraping the moss out.

I originally planted the bed with Carnations and Lupins, which I grew from seed, but these are past their best by date now and I have gotten over the need to keep them because I germinated them. A Japanese Acer is planted in the left corner and is doing quite well so I will leave that. I made the mistake of planting a Dodonea Viscosa Purporea on the right but it needs a much more sheltered site and is half dead since last winter. I will dig it up. There is a mixture of other planting there too – Aconitum (doing well), Lilies, Phlox, Hollyhocks (on its last legs).

Ideally I want a large bush or plant that will block the view across the garden. Ideally something evergreen but not so dense that it gives a heavy feel. About five ft tall and wide would be good.

Any suggestions??

24 April 2009

See journal entry for this day for final solution.

Well marchs has been hectic (and it’s not even over yet) I’ve posted new photographs of some of the work. With all this good weather we planted 190 bare root dogwoods and Rosa Rugosas on our steep hill, 25 willows in the lower bed to replace ones that rabbits go last year. We also planted, 4 large replacement trees, two birch, a copper beech and a spanish chestnut, still waiting on a potted Rodbinia. It took me 3hr to do the 4 trees as everything that could go wrong did go wrong as well as it being tricky to do on your own. We also filled one of our remaining tree gaps with three beautiful cercidphyllum japonicum (Japanese Katsura Tree)

I also planted four apples and two pear trees on Paddy’s Day, as well as a shrub hunting visit to Coolnaught Garden Centre which was expensive! (the shopping trip not the garden centre) The results are in the new shrub bed which we hope to fill out with the proceeds of my extensive seed sowing programme. I’ll fill you in more tomorrow about that.

I have been doing various other jobs in between mostly giving my poor back a break from using the pick and spade. I’m hoping to do my carrots and potatoes soon, and my tomatoe plants are coming on.

I decided to pick and eat the few miniature oranges on my more advanced orange tree. I have a suspicion that if you leave the fruit on the tree to mummify, it delays new flowering.

The yield was five oranges and two more on the way.

Everyone in the family had to try some of this rare treat so we all sat down at the table. But when we bit in – ouch. Oh, what a surprise we got! You never tasted anything so sour in all your life – as bad as a lemon.

We have saved the fifth orange for my daughter for after school today. She was missing yesterday when we had out little feast. We wouldn’t want her to miss out now.

Hehe 😉

 

Planted the DUKE OF YORK potatoes; first earlies. Set up a trellis to grow peas on and mangetout.

Back to the "Greenhouse" project this weekend. Mixed barrow "loads" of concrete for the foundations………… a step in the right direction. Tiring work but done now all the same, now to get some blocks………

…………… God I am a wreck, too tired to even think about writing on this journal today…. chat later!

J

 

Today I spent the significantly biggest single amount on one plant that I have ever spent.  I know that I am guilty of spending thousands and thousands on plants and trees over the years but I always buy them small enough and I am very patient………usually.

I recently changed my car to an estate and therefore have increased my plant purchasing capacity – Highly recommended! And also because I didn’t need Bob to bring the trailer over to the garden centre I only had to listen to the voices in my head.  They were telling me to "buy it, of course it’ll fit" . I bought an at least 6 foot tall and nicely bushy magnolia grandiflora for €100.

Now I can’t get it out of the car so I’ll have to wait until he comes home from work.  There’ll be a commitee meeting  to decide which way to turn it and once it is planted I can look at it to decide what to plant underneath.  Ohh these are all such pleasant decisions to have to make.

I’ll have to talk about other things that have been happenning in the garden tomorrow.  Who can talk about all of that when I have a Magnolia grandiflora…….at last.

My husband dug the raised bed that is to become our strawberry bed today. The strawberry plants should arrive any day now.

I sowed some tricky seeds – Cumicifuga Racemosa. They need 3 months in heat then 3 months in the fridge! If I had known beforehand, I wouldn’t have bought them. My Aconitum (Monkshood), which I planted 6 weeks ago, has not germinated. I transferred it in the fridge today. I hope this will have the desired effect.

For good measure I sowed some easy seeds too – the last of my Cosmos Purity and some more Cosmos Bicolour from Lorraine. I also sowed some more Sweet Pea. You can never have too much Sweet Pea.

Hi all,

Took some new photo’s of garden – just starting off. Was down seeing my Mum and sister at wekend so have some planting to do as soon as I get a chance. Kids got me new fork, spade and edger so no excuses accepted!!!

 

Hello everyone, been in the garden today however we have had some changeable weather, rain, hail lots of wind and sunshine, took some photos of plants in flower, new Scabious, my Camellia Williamsii X Donation is opening its flowers which are beautiful, I have this in a sheltered spot I don’t want it battering by the wind. Planted up some fuchsias and geraniums. It is forecast slight frost tonight so my tender plants have been put back in the greenhouse. Despite the wind it has overall been a nice day and the sunshine is very welcome and warm.

We planted the Magnolia.  It took 2 of us to take it out of the boot.  One to dig the hole (ahem ahem, not me) a few shovels of Tinarana manure and and a few gallons of Tountinne spring water.  Ooooh it’ll be lovely when it flowers in a few years time.   I still haven’t decided on the underplanting!

 

Take time to enjoy the daffodils after all the hard garden jobs! I’m still waiting for the tulips and fritillarias to open.

This Pittosporum is planted northfacing and in heavy soil,(books say ‘warm sheltered spot with good drainage’) I never thought it would live in the beginning, but its there since 1990. The plum colour is pretty with yellow.