Month: November 2009

Its still bugging me that I dont know what this plant is. Please have another look as I have uploaded a better pic which is also in my garden album.

I never took any notice of the plant untill this year I would love to know what it is.

To the right, you can see what a bumper crop of carrots I got. Ha ha. The ones in the foreground are no bigger than my thumb nail. And no, there ISNT one for every member of the audience. Ha ha. Next years’ will be better, I hope!

I wont use the ‘r’ word. But it is bucketing down right now. I wont get much done in the garden today so I better look after my houseplants. On the right you can see my fruit and veg set-up. The pots for the blueberries only cost €2.49 each. But the window boxes cost 22 euros. The window box with the visible greenery has winter lettuce in it (Arctic King) and the others contain my onions, and spring bulbs. In the black trough I have Radicchio, which is used in chinese cooking, or it gives a bit of oomph to mixed salads. It goes redder later on in the season.

I planted my anemone corms today and checked crocus bulbs. I discovered that most of them start to grow. So, maybe I will have more green to my New Year holidays 🙂

Also I’ve found that my 2 orchids need repotting, so I should go and buy some bark and moss for them. I don’t worry about them too much cause their pseudobulbs and roots look healthy. Colmanara lost 2 leaves (turned to yellow and I cut them).

Another disaster of a day here with weather.Cold,wet and windy.I went out to the garden shed this morning to move out the frozen veg saved during the year.The old freezer is near an end.I will make room for a second hand fridge freezer that will suit perfect for the job.Arrived a little sooner than expected this morning.Now i can save seeds in the fridge part and have them and frozen veg in the one area.All at hands reach.Time to give the shed a quick sweep out.In the picture you have some Spinach,cauli,carr,tom,beet.s.corn.

It’s a miserable wet day here in Wexford – the kind of day when you say to yourself – at least I’ve no bulbs left to plant.

I thought I would give an update on how my Haemanthus bulbs from South Africa are doing.

The Haemanthus humilis and both the Haemanthus montanus have started to grow. These are among the easiest of the Haemanthus and I should get flowers the summer after next. I’m keeping a daily eye on the others : )

One of back panel’s of glasshouse broken.Fence nearly fly away.Herb garden -pond with little islands.Roud out – flooded.And wind,wind,wind…All what i want now,is wrap my selft in blanket,and go sleep for winter,and don’t see all it damage what wheather did…

As Liga said Gardeners World was really good on friday, unfortuantely I had it recorded and watched half of it and decided to come back to it as it was too noisy to  hear any of it, and then it got deleted. I was Raging. Its such a disgrace its not reapeated when they have eastenders on I don’t know how many times a week! Anyway, there is a really informative (if a little, whats the word, pompous maybe???) Radio show on BBC Radio 4 today – Gardener’s Question Time – at 2pm. I think it is repeated on Fridays and you can listen to the latest shows at

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp2f

It doesn’t make up for missing Gardener’s World but its something! And they do lots of book reviews.

Dactylorhiza maculata

A plant of lime-free soils, it grows on peaty hummocks on top of limestone; local but frequent on high ground in the Burren; frequent on Inishmore. Common in Ireland especially on peaty soils. It can flower as early as late May.

Not to be confused with common spotted-orchid.

Just went for breakfast as we always do on sunday morning and took a drive around by the beach and I was nearly blown away while I took a photo it is so cold as well. My heart goes out to anybody who  has to be out in that weather also those who have had floods especially in their houses I need not be out in it but had to then take a look at what damage was done in the garden but thankfully only one plant was damaged but only a very small thing so I am happy now and ready to get the sewing machine out as I am making a few presents like Table runners and napkins to match my friend knows I make my own so she asked me to make hers I am also making  jewellery bags so I am not buying much presents this year I will post up when they are finished ok Happy reading all journals and books today as there will not be any gardening done with the weather that is out there

Well its nice to be warm and cosy on the day like today. not much to report but really enjoyed reading Jacinta’s journals. One of those days, when just wish to do nothing, but no chance when you have animals. by 1 pm i got brave and went to open the duck houses, feed them and because i got wet anyway, decided to check my garden.  no changes, no damages- except my little stream. the water level its so high that most of my ferns gone. i trying to keep it natural as posible but did planted hostas and ferns – nothey all went down the drains(sorry down the stream..)

Yesterday myself and Benji spent some time out in the garden, it was mostly tidying up, feeding the birds and see what bulbs are coming up already. We have had several birds in the garden today happy for the feast.

Then it was off to Faith’s party and on to see Mick Flannery in Portlaoise. Today has not been very productive ha ha.  It is certainly a day for the fire and catching up on everyone’s journals :O)

This is the most cheerful bit of gardening I have at the moment even if it is indoors :O).

It open today first bloom.Last year it had just 4 blooms on each steam.This year…will see:))

  More pictures in Orchid album.

Just finished this angel it is made from a mop head sorry about the face but I did not want to get up into the attic for my paints  Lazy me

I have been glued to this computer all day, getting one big pain in my butt. So here is the sum total of my gardening for the day. I have just planted the last of my crocusses(all yellow) into this little planter that I bought in Atlantic 2 yrs ago. I replant it every season.

Can any of the ORCHmenu_order EXPERTS advise me on how to look afer my Cymbidium Orchids as I do not want them to sucumb due to my lack of experience in this area.

It says on the label to water and fertilise frequently but what way as the pots are so packed with roots. What should I do?

The temperature is set at 18C in the rooms so that’s fine but it really doesn’t go any colder at night as it’s all controlled thermostatically, does it matter if the temperature is consistant?

A garden diary will play a vital role both on and off the veg garden.Why are records such an essential part of garden planning among veg especially because they provide invaluable info for future years.The best sowing dates for the area,successful varieties of veg used,the amount required by the household and how to avoid the gluts and also for filling gaps after some harvested veg.At feeding times,how much they need,did they give me trouble,was i effected by much pests on a particular veg..Another thing that will be noted are times of sowing from seed,when am i due to move them on.It will be already on a tray marker but what happens if that gets mixed up.Just check the note book.How long will i have to wait before i can harvest them.When do i feed the ground for the following crop.That is just some of the important points to remember in the vegetable garden all helped on with the use of a note diary.

I spotted these when doing my grocery shopping on Friday.  The first one I picked up was reduced by 50%, down to €3.74.  The second one was only reduced by 30% to €5.24  so I brought it to the attention of the Fruit & Vegetable manager.   He kindly gave them to me at the lower price.  Just before I finished my shopping, I went back and picked up the other 3 and he told me to put them through at the lower price too!  As he said himself, they want rid of them! 

Ok i know it to far,,but…….  Sat 10th & Sun 11th April…THE ANNUAL ORCHmenu_order FAIR…at the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin, Ireland. Open 10am-5pm each days with free talks and demonstrations. FREE entry

  Yea!!!I write down it in my calendar!!!

  Olga,your little phal,will look like this in picture,when will start flowering ,there is"mammy"

My jaw dropped this morning when I pulled up the blinds on the back door and saw this damage.  On inspection, it would appear that there is a weakness in the obelisk, that can be repaired without too much work.  However, the wind had caused the mallow plant to rub against the obelisk and as a result, the bark on most of the branches of the mallow is badly damaged.  Probably the best solution is to cut the mallow down to the ground and let it grow up again next year.  That is, of course, if the weather ever improves.

The strange thing about this is that the wind normally blows from the right to the left whereas last night, it must have blown the other way, making it a strong north-easterly wind.  So with Liga only a few miles away from me with her broken glasshouse windows and me with a bent metal obelisk, it must have been some wind.  

What a fantastic morning here, cold crisp and clear with beautiful sun creeping up and at this moment lighting up the old ash trees by the entrance. Hope to get out to spend a bit of time finishing the bulb planting if I can get some help. Most of our lying water has receded as it’s been cold and dry the last couple of days so I,m counting my blessings as I know I’m one of the lucky ones.

The thermometer in the greenhouse registered 0 last night and, indeed, there is frost everywhere in the garden. The roads are bad too and hubby had to help someone out of an overturned car on his way back from the school run. The driver wasn’t hurt but it took a tractor-high-loader to right the car and clear the road.

My morning was less dramatic. I took a walk around the freezing garden and a few pictures. The tree tie on the Acacia has snapped and the tree is leaning. Last spring I found this poor tree practically lying on its side. It has very shallow roots. I will need to find a sturdy tie and right it.

Hi everyone…am not going to attempt to compete in the Battle of the Orchids 🙂 my one orchid is struggling and am trying to hold on to it…but did grow Paperwhites for the first time ever and really love how they grow.

Have been away in Madeira for a week recently and have added a Madeira album to share the lovely lush flora they have growing there even in November…which was a balmy 22deg. suited us just fine. Its a beautiful island and would love to visit again in Spring or Summer as they have great Botanic Gardens to visit…the Island of Flowers I would call it.

Not much work done gardenwise really just a bit of tidying up here and there and pulled the last of the carrots and beetroot…leeks are doing well…some swiss chard too but its not such a hit with us here!!

Looking forward to the Christmas get-together and meeting already made friends and some new too.

Ciao for now Amigos!!!!