Month: October 2009

I’ve just known about Michelle (Shelser). It is a shock, news you couldn’t ever believe. Everybody, who was lucky to see Michelle, knows that she was so full of life, so kind, so wonderful person, heart of gold, that nobody could ever imagine she was so ill.

I cannot say about Michelle ‘she was’. For me she will always be alive.

I don’t know what to say more. I feel all words are useless now.  My condolences to Michelle’s family.

Just a quick tribute to Michelle (Shelser) who sadly lost her battle with Cancer this week, the world will be a poorer place without you Michelle, R.I.P.

Halloween 

Today we had some sunny weather in between the showers so I managed to get the weeding done on one of the beds. I find something therapeutic about weeding which may sound strange. I have figured out that my difficult soil needs careful timing – there is a period of about 48 hours after rain when the soil is really easy to work – so long as I don’t tramp on it too much! This was one of those times so the weeds were really easy to pull up so I had the satisfaction of getting at least one bed sorted – just before night fell. I really hate the dark evenings, especially when I have a job to finish!

Sunday

I went out again this morning and took a  daylight picture – much better. Myrtle asked what the interesting netting was about – well the picture shows the lengths I have to go to to keep the bunnies at bay – the two nearest the front of the bed are two rose bushes that the rabbits really loved – they ate every single leaf off both bushes so in desperation I moved them to this bed and put up the defences!

That bed has the temporary brushwood fencing to give some shelter from the wind (to be replaced with something more permanent shortly) so I put my Nandina and a Jasmine here – they are a bit happier but still not exactly thriving! I also have a Robinia that was a present from my daughter and it really hates the strong winds. I got some spiral supports in B&Q that are doing a good job of supporting the fragile branches of this pretty tree so far.  I suppose the successes in that bed are the Japanese Anemone and the Alchemilla Mollis – the rabbits don’t appear to like them!

Mind you, I hadn’t got the "Grazer" when the rabbits were feasting on roses, so maybe I’ll try that next year……or maybe the rabbits will go off roses….or go away and annoy someone else. Hope springs eternal.

Came back from Dublin as usual with plants! Obedient Plant (Physostegia) from a friend also Nerines and cuttings of fuchia and Margurites! Planted the Nerines today and potted up the Obedient Plant – not sure where I can put it! Cuttings in water so must get them planted soon.

Lovely day so did some more cutting back of roses and have a lovely bunch of flowers for the table!

This is a picture taken today of a Melaleuca gibosa ‘Honey Myrtle’. A different sort of plant that originates in New Zeland. A bit like a callistemon but much finer stems and smaller leaves that are tight to the stem but the flower is like a small bottle-brush. I bought this plant a couple of years ago in the garden centre at Kilquade. It is growing well and will make quite a large shrub, although I trim it from time to time.