Month: January 2010

Despite our current Meteorological Connditions we need to keep thinking ahead. One plant that I am interested in is Everlasting Sweetpea ( Lathyrus Latifoliva ), does anyone have this plant, does it flower well, etc.etc. Any information would be great. Thanks.

I’ve often wondered if i had to pick,what would i pick as my very favourite plant as opposed to my favourite genus.It may very well be one of my rhodos or something else altogether as different times of the year bring different contenders.Are other gardeners like me or do you have a firm favourite?Also what plant is on your ‘most wanted list?Id love to try a lirodendron myself  but its too big.With this continuing big freeze, we might all have a few gaps to fill that we weren’t expecting.Hopefully that won’t be the case.

The thermometer read -1.5 this morning as I ran out to the garden.  I actually thought it was warm! 

As I walked to the train station, all wrapped up, I thought that this is glorious weather as the sun was shining and the skies were clear.  The only thing that stopped me from skipping along the footpath, singing the Sound of Music song ‘These are a few of my favorite things’ was the ice!

However, I called into an office today, which re-opened on Monday and I nearly froze.  The heating system, while working, has not yet heated the building.  There are no thermometers in there but I would think that it must have been well in the minus degree category as crystallisation nearly occured on the tip of my nose! 

For me been the eternal opimist, I must admit that we can take it for granted that there will be losses in all our gardens with this current weather. This in turn makes a Spring get together for us, more important than ever. This should be based on a complete plant, seed and cutting swap. While I know I will never match some of the serious plants that are at serious risk out there, I do have plants that might fill some vacant areas in the short term for some people.

So lets look foreword to a good Spring and an even bigger, and better event than the Carlow meeting.

forgot to describe the birds . One is black but with a white breast and when he flies is obviously white underneath. The others have a grey head shiny brown collor and a pale dun coloured breast with an orangy yellow beak and a fan tail. They have me fascinated  also these are big birds , much bigger than a thrush or blackbird

I know this weather is to last another week or so, at least. But have just had a look at the Met Eireann web site, there several stations recording temps of 2/3 degrees and it also rained in some.

Just heard the forecast, more snow for today and tonight, have noticed that there is more wind today, so there may be some drifting if the wind keeps up.

I think I saw a fieldfare today but blackbirds chased it away before I could get a photo. It was like a thrush but had a really woolly grey head and reddish brown on the chest.

After a morning of leaden grey skies the snow has come gently falling and creating a hive of frenetic activity at the bird feeders.   The pond is now covered with an icing of snow underneath lies an icy layer 4 inches thick.   I have made 3 airholes with the aid of an old wok and boiling water which I have to keep de-icing every couple of hours.   The koi are asleep I hope and the pump is still running.   I’m hoping they will come through this cold weather

…and they are not even unusual or expensive plants!

www.ted.com/talks/kamal_meattle_on_how_to_grow_your_own_fresh_air.html

Snow finally arrived here so I’ve put up some photos. I had put salt on my back steps several days ago and the snow didn’t stick there at first though I think there’s some there by now.

I noticed a casualty of this inclement weather – a container has split in two places.   This container is my "white" container because it has an anemone, a trumpet flower, a cyclamen and tulips, all white and there should been something in bloom for every month of the year.   I am hoping that as the thaw happens, it doesn’t spill out and make an awful mess.  Ideally I would love to get a new container and just transfer from one to the other.  Probably wishful thinking! 

Hi everyone hope you are all well and not to cold. everything good here. the bit of snow we had is melting and making the place so dirty. I think all my pelargoniums in th tunnel are dead did not go near them much, its been to cold not to worry i will have fun raising more. I always get plugs and raise them so not to bothered. we have water for the house but the hose for the garden has been frozen solid. I have three projects ready to hand up. more to come getting there slowly. Cant wait for spring, bought my veggie seeds on saturday. I am planning to make raised veg beds when the weather clears, cant wait. As part of our landscape class project this year we are putting up a big polytunnel. it will be fun as we were all begining to think that the landscape class was boring. We have to have it ready for crop sowing at the end of jan early feb so it will be fun.My garden has been so neglected this weather would not intice anyone outside for more than a few minutes.

Will catch up soon

take care and stay cosy, armchair gardening for everyone for another few weeks and then we will be all very busy in sheds and tunnels. I will do what i did last year and use the kitchen table, best place ever to do it and watch tv, fill the trays outside and then bring them and sow away to my hearts content. HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY.

Hello.  I am interested in trees, shrubs and perennials mainly.  My garden is easy care, however his year, with so much rain, I have not gardened much, but the garden is not too bad.   Forunately as I am on acid soil I can grow camellias, azeleas and rhododendrons.

 I try to encourage wildlife into the garden, but my bird feeders are being destroyed by gray squirrels.Please have a look at my "Pprofile".

 

Hello.  I am interested in trees, shrubs and perennials mainly.  My garden is easy care, however his year, with so much rain, I have not gardened much, but the garden is not too bad.   Forunately as I am on acid soil I can grow camellias, azeleas and rhododendrons.

 I try to encourage wildlife into the garden, but my bird feeders are being destroyed by gray squirrels.Please have a look at my "Profile".

 

As seed sowing time is rapidly approching I’m eager to get hold of some form of heat supplying gadget for my seedlings. It is quite hard to get the desired propagator in Ireland. I have my eyes set on one called Parasene 3 in One. It has thermostat and all and fits 3 large trays. However e-bay wouldn’t let me to register for some reason. The price with delivery would be around 120e. Other english companies do not deliver to the Republic or the charge is way too large. Another option is heat mats wich I believe are expensive as well. Reading through some blogs I came across a suggestion to use reptile heat mats. It costs a fraction of real propagator price. I’m only prepared to pay good price for robust thermostatically controled propagator. If I’m not mistaken Rachel mentioned heat mat in one of her posts. What are your thoughts on which way to go?

This is a mail I received from my sister in law in Seattle.

"I hope your garden was protected from the freezing temps by a good insulating blanket of snow! My hydrangea looked completely dead after our week-long cold snap of -10 degrees, but it has lots of green buds now. Daffodils are up. Daphne just about to pop open."

So hopefully we will be as lucky in our cold snap, if the rain is not too bad.

Just looked out the window and I see my small tree in the front garden has lost another branch. I think its time must be up.

I am one of those people who does not give out to much about the weather to much, as there is nothing can be done about what Mother Nature trows at us, we must just get on with it.

But this is starting to ………… me off completely. What really lousy day today. Don’t think any of us will get much done over the next few days. My plans for the work area behind the shed, are now 3 weeks behind the plans I had set.

 COME ON WE NEED A BREAK……………. PLEASE

well ,the kelsae onions are sprouting . I had started them in the glasshouse  but then a cold snap made  up my mind to move them into my bedroom.(with bridget’s approval). They were happpy there but were getting too much attention according to bridget. So now they are very happy in the bathroom , next to the radiator and getting 24 hours light, which is what they need. Sorry no pictures, but they need there privacy.

At last it is safe to go for a walk and this afternoon I did just that and, of course, finished up doing the garden tour!

Had a good look round the shrub border and was relieved that more damage hasn’t been done. There are a few things that probably wont survive: my red Abutilon looks very sad and Im sorry that I had not taken a cutting but know someone who might give me a piece(!), (Rachel, your looks OK so far) Pittosporum Tobira has suffered but hopefully will survive, Melianthus Major also looking very sad and ‘the book’ says only hardy to 5C!! no wonder it is looking sad(!), I didnt look at the ‘spare’ in a pot but expect it to have fared even worse. Some polyanthus that I had divided in late Autumn and planted in a new border by the path in the Wilderness have all but disappeared but the Bergenia that I planted with them seems to be alive! Anyway, its now a case of waiting to see!! FUN REALLY!!!

Can anyone recommend a good trailing cherry tom, that you have had sucess with. I want to try and grow some indoors, in the extension there are two Velux lights in the roof and plenty of other light also. So want to try growing a few plants indoors. What better not even having to go outside for a few toms 🙂

Sorry folks for not commenting on journals – busy at the moment, workwise and long may it continue.

 

If anyone is interested, Peter Beales has 25% off all bare root roses and he delivers to the Republic of Ireland. 

If you want a container rose, he will only deliver to the Republic of Ireland in blocks of four. 

New to his collection are flower carpet roses and he is offering more than 25% discount as an introductory offer.

He also does garden plants.  He is offering 8% off perennials if 10 or more are ordered. 

Check out his website: www.classicroses.co.uk for details. 

 

Am off work for two days, very cold but bright out there, looking foreword to a good look around. This the first time I have seen the gravel in the back since the snow cleared. Am totally amazed at how clean it is. We put in granite chippings and I think it is the only thing I would regret having done. It must be down to the roughness of the chippings, this in turn helping to hold dirt and dust,  it surprised me how quickly it seem to get dirty.

But it looks brand new this morning, must be the effect of snow/frost sitting on it for a period of time. Don’t know, but whatever it is it worked great, every cloud has a silver lining.

Just wondering what people think.  We never put footpaths in around our house when we built as I was undecided about it.  I would really like to do some planting in front of the house.  Not quite sure  how to go about it.  Can I have the soil above the damp proof course?  How would I divide it away from the gravel etc

Any ideas please

Had a real lazy day today. Started with a good check around the garden. The birds hardly flew away while I was walking around. Black Caps are Nealy as cheeky as robins, and boy do they like apples. There is one last piece of snow / ice hanging on in the shade.

Then had a long walk along the seafront in Bray, cold, but sunny and bright. On the way home I called into a garden centre in Cabinteely, they have the areas in the middle of the centre, planted up to let you see the plants in a proper situation, this is a great way to see how things will look as they great bigger. I was surprised at the amount of plants that were in flower. I intend to go back with pen and paper and take a few notes of names.