Month: June 2010

Sincere Apologies for not meeting up yesterday at Bloom. We arrived at the Show just before 12noon but had to stand for ages in a long line to get tickets and by the time I found the Irish garden Stand it was 1pm!

I do hope you didnt waste too much of your day waiting around for me and that you enjoyed your day and got some new plants! I enjoyed the day very much even though I would liked to have had more time! It was great to see such a crowd on a Thursday and the plant sales seemed to be going well which I was glad to see as growers had s very difficult winter and spring.

Hope we can meet up sometime!

Dear Rita was laid to rest yesterday (Thursday 3rd June).  The rose which she always talked about,  banksiae ‘Lutea’ in her back garden was a glorious mass of bloom.  Sue so rightly said,  that it was putting on a show for Rita!  May she Rest in Peace. 

I fell in love with this old cottage and three acres of rushy land, six years ago. I moved in almost immediately and began the labour of love, transforming the derelict cottage into a home and beginning the arduous task of tackling three acres single handedly, thereby creating orchards, vegetable garden, ponds, woodland and planting over 400 trees in the permaculture plan I followed. The results are quite magical. Somewhere amoung the rushes and water-logged ground, I planted my heart! It has not been broken!

It seems like everyone has been to Bloom already. I am Paddy last. However, better late than never. I just hope you all left me something decent to buy. I hope to get a Laburnum and Wisteria. And maybe a few garden ornaments. I was going to get the crickets that Fran got in Chelsea, but at the end of the day I couldn’t find the stand that were selling them, and the bus was leaving in minutes. Have been confined to home all week, so really looking forward to getting out there again. And SPENDING………

Been off wrk for a few weeks now with a bad case of bells palsy.One side of the face dropped and frozen,Have to say not being able to blink is one of the weirdest sensations ive ever had.(The mrs thinks ive had botox)Being a carpenter the doc was  a worried about the eye getting infected (and scaring customers) and recommended a couple of wks gardening leave(he’s a good man).Have had a great couple of wks in the garden ,got most of the cold frame emptied,the tomatoes and chillies potted on ,beans planted,most of the hardys and bedding planted up and even got a new little border dug and planted.so apart from looking like the hunchback and dribbling me coffee things couldnt be better.Was back with doc yesterday could be another wk or so(a good man indeed)hope the weather holds,he he.Better go as i think i hear the bells the bells the bells!

Well I’m delighted with progress so far, I have some great plants in and all are doing well, my favourites would have to be my bleeding heart, foxgloves, lupin, lithadora, delphinium, arthur bell,  new dawn  and hebe…., I’m going to make a little pot garden on the site where an old wood garden shed was and there was a slab of concrete under it, so I’ll enclose it and cover it with stone then have my pots there, I’m looking for some perrenials that do well in pots…

it was very nice to meet so many people off the website, hope you all found a few nice plants to bring home

Another hot sunny day to a dull start. Went to the greenhouse this morning to find that it was getting very warm. Pulled out the cover and shaded it from the strong sunluight and the heat. Just went down to check on things and found that everything seems to be doing much better that this time during the week. It just goes to show the difference that the shade can make to growing plants in very warm conditions.

well the peas are staked at last – they got a late start and have been on the window sill for ages – still very small but in peat pots so can go in directly and I have staked them in the pots – hoping to get them in on tuesday – a bit mad i know to be staking them before they are even in the ground but they were getting too attached to each other! Now when I do get time to puit them in at least i will not have to spend ages disentangling them!

Is anyone else watching the progress of the Blue Tits on the web cam from the Mooney show on RTE1… they are ready to fledge and are interesting to watch as they test out their wings.

 https://www.rte.ie/radio/mooneygoeswild/features/mooneycam/bluetitcam.html

Nothing but rain today since I woke up. Can’t do anything in the garden so I’m afraid it’s housework today. I know where I’d rather be!

Have you ever had that wonderful experience of answering a knock on the door or turning around at a function when someone tapped you on the shoulder and found, unexpectantly, a much loved friend, whom you havn’t seen for a while,  standing smiling at you?

well that was my experience today! I was in the garden quite early this morning as watering needed to be done in the wilderness and as I finished and came up to have a look around the Southfacing border I was confronted by the beautiful sight of two large oriental red poppies! they quite took my breath away! Yesterday they showed no sign of opening! I think it was Clara who mentioned how quickly they open in the end!! Great!

The second surprise was when digging in the Inner Circle this afternoon and what did I find but the root of the new arum lilly that I planted last year- a beautiful flower with purple center -think it was called Volitaire – and was in all the Garden Centers. Of course I had given up on it as no shoot had appeared so was surprised to find, although the centre of the root was soft and had a white smelly thick liquid, there were some healthy shoots emerging. I had of course, put the spade right through the root so have probably finished it off!!

So for those of you who may have a similar Arum- dig carefully!! You have been warned!!                Off now to meet up with our G. S. members for a walk around a member’s garden!                                                                                                                             

hi how to explain my garden well its not as well kept as it should be for a start.

its long and narrow with shade on one side unfortunately. My biggest problem is that i have bind weed and brambles in it which i find impossible to get rid of.

currently i have some lovely red peoney roses almost finished though. there sitting beside some beautiful yellow roses, i like putting bright colours together. Other rose bushes about to bloom soon. There are two lovely old climbing rose bushes about to burst into flower these are both falling downwards instead of being held up but they are lovely and they have hundreds of buds on them they are pink and are very fragrant.

Went to bloom yesterday, pity it rained but still enjoyed it. came home with more peoney roses, and a few other bits and pieces, its very hard not to buy more.

Decided to reclaim a part of the garden that had decended into madness. Thought i should put an effort into a veg garden after what i saw yesterday but oh i can feel those aches already and i only cleared and dug a small patch so far. Hope to put some rhubarb in i have some already but would like to expand, will probably put in some peas and lettuce and onions.

I find gardening very time consuming at the moment probably because i ve let it go a bit so doing a small bit each day should slowly get the muscles back in action without to much pain

 

 

Took the bull by the horns or should that be the bindweed by the roots, today. Decided to reclaim what used to be a veg plot. I ve filled numerous black bags with weeds ready to head to the recycle centre. Plan is to clear full plot which could be about forty foot think it ll take longer in reality than my imagination led me to believe.  Small piece cleared today think i ll put rhubarb there at least it ll be a start. Will have to take it piece by piece and see how it goes. It feels so good to be outside, sometimes when you havent been there for a while you forget how free it feels, now back to the dreaded house work and cooking, ah well tomorrows another day

My deepest concerns are many tonight!

 

The rain is dreadful here.  High walls and a small patch that finds it difficult to burn off such sodden turf.

 

I worry now for the Babes i have visiting the feeders, they have no wee tails and are just fledged.  All are soaked and woe begone, I worry for the old ferral pigeon who looks as if he/she is punch drunk on top of the hood o feeder, not knowing whether to jump down to feed or just sit there and say "I cannot get any wetter so Rain, RAIN ON ME!’ nothing much i can do about it"

Will they get frozen and die before their time?

what will happen my beautifully forming red currant bush given as a pressie.

What will happen my four foot tall Sunflowers that were going to be potted up into bigger containers today.

And that grass on concrete, will it survive this torrent.

I was up very early and working on an alpine display down at the end of the front garden.  The soil there dries quickly and other succulants etc are doing well there.

It was absolutely great fun and very very peaceful and joyful.  the chihuahuas were running around like bunny bullets, so funny to watch.

I saw in the Garden mag that some seed put in the general bird seed now is very toxic or dangerous, has anyone read that and if so, do you feed the birds that and should i revert to pure sunflower seeds, peanuts and niger?

bit worried about that.

OMG i am worried tonight about the nature of things!

and a massive wash was done today and all my doors are draped in clothes and sheets etc.

an upturned chair has furry slippers stuck on each leg, it makes me giggle.  but a productive day though a very wet one for the ducks, and i continue…to be…worried!

roll on tomorrow when i can survey what its done to my world! 

hi how to explain my garden well its not as well kept as it should be for a start.

its long and narrow with shade on one side unfortunately. My biggest problem is that i have bind weed and brambles in it which i find impossible to get rid of.

currently i have some lovely red peony roses almost finished though. there sitting beside some beautiful yellow roses, i like putting bright colours together. Other rose bushes about to bloom soon. There are two lovely old climbing rose bushes about to burst into flower these are both falling downwards instead of being held up but they are lovely and they have hundreds of buds on them they are pink and are very fragrant.

Went to bloom yesterday, pity it rained but still enjoyed it. came home with more peony roses, and a few other bits and pieces, its very hard not to buy more.

Decided to reclaim a part of the garden that had decended into madness. Thought i should put an effort into a veg garden after what i saw yesterday but oh i can feel those aches already and i only cleared and dug a small patch so far. Hope to put some rhubarb in i have some already but would like to expand, will probably put in some peas and lettuce and onions.

I find gardening very time consuming at the moment probably because i ve let it go a bit so doing a small bit each day should slowly get the muscles back in action without to much pain

 

 

 

Garden is looking lovely now. Laburnums that barely flowered last year are drooping with the weight of flowers this year? My Rhododendrons and Azalea’s are beautifull in full flower. Clematis flowered well especially Dr Rupell which has excelled itself. The massive Rock Rose succumbed to the harsh winter and had to go, so in its place we’ve created a scree bed, and we are quite pleased with the result. All our Echiums died during the winter so no flowers this year but seedlings are popping up everywhere! really pleased with all the veggies in our Tunnell. To day we had lettuce, radish, broad beans, peas, onion and some strawberries, thrilled with the harvest! cant wait for the tomatoes, cucumber and courgettes! definately the GOOD life!!!!!!  the hard work for the last few weeks definately pays off.

Not much done in the garden today. Was away in the north for most of the day so the garden lost out. Couldn’t be helped though. Just got to spend a little while there this evening. Had a big clump of Rhubarb that i took up when rotovating the area so split that and put pieces into some buckets. Will replant it in the ground at a later stage when i finally decide where to put it. Have 5 buckets in total but my sister in-law will take one. Noticed too that the runner beans are beginning to flower so looking forward to those. Hope this weather doesn’t last too long and the sunshine returns to us all soon.

Delighted for Tim and Frazer who both won medals – Well done lads! Love your gardens! If mine looked as good . . .

Thanks for all of your lovely comments on the bench – whilst the rain is with us and in between weeding I am busy sewing some cushions for it as it is deep enough to use as an outdoor day bed!

I have used it extensively over the last day or so, every time I fill the wheelbarrow with weeds (yes, there are that may!) I sit, have a coffee and admire the small patch of garden that I have managed to unearth.

 I am so going to mulch in the autumn this year!

Enjoy!!!!!

Two new blooms out today, first of all theres a lovely yellow lily, this has loads of buds so plenty of new flowers to come.  Next open is a black iris which i picked up at bloom on sunday, this is a dainty little thing.  My poor snowball tree is taking a battering from the rain, it is heavy with blooms which are nearly finished as the blooms have started to turn pinkish. When the wind rustles through it its like a shower of confetti falling.  Must take some photos and try to upload, this computer thing is a big learning curve for me so hopefully i can get my head around it all.

Well I don’t know about anyone else but we have had no rain here in Ballyhaunis for ages and ages.  I was looking at lovely black clouds on Sat but they silently passed by.  Never thought I would see the day I would pray for rain.  My poor hubby is hauling barrel loads of water up a hill to the spuds on the transport box of the tractor.  My boys are kept busy watering my plants and tomatoes.  Im not able to lift heavy weights so I get off light. Grand excuse.

Rain upsets plans this evening.The thinning as planned for one area was abandoned.What i did not let pass was to start some more seeds.Along the slab walk i started some Autumn King Carrots,with one pkt been made of Organic Autumn King seed.They have been added to areas 4 and 5.In the sixth tub i started some Cortinia F1 Carrot seeds there.The areas were covered and will be protected from any more heave rain until the morning,having had compost added first.Some of the plans for this evening worked out,thanks to a raincoat,but hopefully that wont be needed for to long more.We need the sun to be splitting the stones,and not the rain to be serving free food to the slugs.Tonight they will be in their element with the help of the weather.Soon the garden will be due a visit after dark to see if any of the unwelcome guests will be knabbed at the feast.