Month: August 2010

Must get back to gardening but mind with be all in pots for the time been as Rachel seen whats happening here. I have some bulbs to sow such as Tulips, Crocus, Anemone De Caen and Nectaroscordum Siculum and they all will be happy in my back garden. I will put up photos before I start and hopefully things will work out alright.

A few months back I wrote a post ‘Stone Chairs. Some ancient some not so ancient…Yet….’ in which I mentioned that one of my favorite things to build are stone seats. Well here is a stone seating area I have just completed and the process I used to create it.

So recently a lady in down in Co. Kildare asked me if I could transform this old area of her garden into one of my stone seating areas, so of course I was only too happy to oblige.

My delivery of stone.

So when the old material has been removed, the risers are built up.

For the top of the seats I often use big chunky slabs of stone like this (if I can get them). Depending on their weight, sometimes I need to get a mini digger to move them into place. However as there was a little movement in these ones, I decided to move them into place the old fashioned way, by using round timber stakes and leverage. It is hard going, but there is something very satisfying about doing it all by hand.

So when the seat tops are finished it is time to make the backs of the seats. This is the part that truly makes each seat unique. When possible, I will actually go to the stone quarry and walk around and pick out the stone myself for a project. Unfortunately it has become increasingly difficult to find quarries that will let you loose in the quarry to go around picking out stone, as they are worried about getting sued.

 
So in this case I was unable to pick the stone myself, so I had to give a very detailed shopping list of exactly what I needed. This brought its own challenges, as you have to work with what you are given. I try not to alter the stone too much, as I like to keep the natural edges of the stone. This way you keep all the stone’s imperfections, keeping the whole thing looking more organic. Laying the stone out on the ground I work out the layout for the backs of the seats. 

It is good to do this beforehand as once you get the stone in place, you really don’t want to be moving it again.

 
Over the years you do learn some clever ways of moving large pieces of stone around without breaking your back. With pieces like this I walk them into place by rotating them on one corner, then doing the same with the other, slowly edging forward.

When all the main backing stones are in place, the smaller stones can be built up in between as can the stone around the back of the larger slabs.

And that’s it, piece of cake really! Well maybe not, it is hard work but it is also very rewarding work. Creating something unique and artistic like this can totally transform a garden and can be enjoyed for centuries to come!

(a post from my creative gardening blog https://stoneartblog.blogspot.com/)

I havn’t made an entry in a very very long time but I have been keeping up to date with a lot of your entries including some of the bad news and also the good ( congrats Gismo) I had a hip op in January and spent 3 months on crutches followed by months of rehabilation and am just about back to myself now. Needless to say not a lot of gardening was done for a while and it was your entries which kept me going…! I have learned so much ( chillipepper, permaculture, Johnplotman etc etc ) and found inspiration by the bucket load ( clonclaw, Rachel, periwinkle to name but a few..) I’m delighted to be part of this site. Long may it continue!

 I have a few questions some of you may be able to help me with:

We grew 3 types of potatoes British Queens ( early ), Cara and Rooster (Main). Thankfully no sign of blight … can I compost the stalks ?? Unsure what to do with them.

Also I have 2 Euclaptus trees which have got very leggy. We cut the top of them today to encourage a bushier tree. Some of the cuttings went in a flower arrangement. If I potted up the other  cutting s would they grow??

Hi All, I have tried replying to your comments on a number of occasions but I keep getting some message that will not allow me post – so here’s what I had written a few days ago.

Thanks everybody for your welcome and comments. Monkells- I like the idea of a cottage style garden. I was reading about this last night, I think I’ll need to read more to understand how to cover for all seasons (if covering all seasons is the best option).

Fintan  – I will have a look for Penstemon. I have a fairly good local garden centre, I’m guessign if the saeson is right I might find it there. 

Martin – I am not surprised about Cresote and thanks for sharing that – I now definately don’t want this.

Jacinta – I love walking past a planted area and breathing in the different aromas.. I will also put some lavender into this area. I absolutely love roses and was very tempted to dedicate part of this area to roses. But I think I will go with a mix.. I have a few bits lying around in pots that I bought over the past few months in my enthusiasm; I’ll have to see if they are alive still and how much space they need! I am looking forward to getting stuck in – but I really want to plan and think it out before going ahead with the work. I have learned from my previous blunders! Thanks All.

  I went a bit mad today and planted msot of the roses I have – as some were beginning  to look under the weather. Anyway I don’t know if I’ve made a mess of my patch as I planted the roses in the middle section of long narrow (15m x 3m) – so the middle 5mx3m of plot – with roses and some dianthus in between – to the front. I put mini ground cover roses to front – shrubs that don’t grow too large behind that and climber onto the wall behind.. .Is this a bad idea ? Would I have been better to spread them out amongst my other plants. Hebe, ceanathus, fushcia, hydrangeas, camillas, philadelphus, hibiscus etc…? 

Anyway I thin kI’ll leave the poor dears where I put them. They really were not looking well before being planted. 

Also my delphimiums and lupins the first particularly look very very sick from their stint over the ground… The leaves are falling towards the ground and they need serious support – the yare gone floppy? I put these i nthe ground elsewhere and I do hope some of them make it. 

I am wondering what type of stone or decoritive chippings might be adviable for this area? I would really like lite gold – but it’s working out at a tad more than i’d budgeted for. I’d appreciate any ideas. The poor garden looks disasterous with that black myplex membrane looking at you no matter where you stand! 

I still haven’t managed to sort the edging out. Finding it hard to get out to garden at all with baby etc.. The joys! 

Thanks all for your comments and replies. I must tae a look at some of your gardens on here – when my internet connectio ndecides to allow me. 

well so much for waking up to the muck in the pond water having settled on the bottom, hahaha, i must’ve been dreaming!!

and martin you are so right, the levels are a complete disaster, hahaha AGAIN.  oh boy.  of course we didn’t knock any pegs or markers into the ground and as it is a sloping bit of ground, what did we expect.  i was out there this morning, contemplating the progress to far and realised the levels are a complete ballzup!!!  the end where the shelf is is way too high and what the heck am i going to do about all that ugly black liner sticking out… 

i think i will put a double row of rock down on the ground up there, the one layer to hold down the liner, creating a tiny lip over the edge; and anther row a bit behind, creating ‘pockets’ that i can fill with soil, into which i will have to grow plants that spill over the pond edge to hide that.  oh heck.  BIG LEARNING CURVE.  lesson 1/ don’t take shortcuts (always a problem for me!)  lesson 2/ don’t be in such a hurry for flip’s sake  =)

not very germanic way of doing things is it (yah, even SAffers can have teutonic blood in their veins), hahaha, more like, “ah sure we’ll make a plan”

i am taking a break from the pond build for the day, this will give me time to ponder as to how to proceed… and i will return, hopefully with vigour, to tackle it this evening.

well after much ado i had to spray my plum trees to get rid of the black fly with bug clear. they are all gone for the moment anyway but i will have to keep a tight eye on them from now on

Back to a bit of gardening, it need a lot of weeding plus a good tidy up. Is it to early to plant some bulbs into pots??

I’m madly dead-heading and watering and anything else I can think of as I’m off to France for a cycling holiday, just three of us , our bikes and what fits in the panniers! We’ve done it the last few years and it’s great crack–but definitely no plants will be bought!!

Hi all, it seems so long since I was last here.  actually it is a long time!  Nothing to report really.  Lettaces going apace.  Spring gabbages starting to sprout.  Polytunnel has today had it’s cover put on.  Yippee.  Now for the door and the ventilation and I shall be away again.

Danny did serious hurt to his back.  Thought it was a hospital job but he was put on 2 weeks bedrest and some vallium. 

Talk to you all soon.

Fran took us to see his garden this morning, it was a real delight to see all the work that we have been reading about on journals. He is a perfectionist, and everything is accomplished with a real artistic flair. The photos that he has put up really dont do it justice, so we didnt even try!

His garden is an unusual shape which I think really adds to it and will give him the opportunity to do a completely new style of garden in the new area. I could almost hear the cogs turning in the brain as we went around June’s garden this afternoon, he will be planning away this winter! So we have lots to look forward next year!

Many thanks to Maria for her warm welcome and refreshments.Thanks Fran for a great day.

I had a really productive day today while minding my two grandsons age 4 and 2 half. I bought some bags of John Innes compost earlier in the year but it had too much big bits in it like bark mulch for planting seed so I spent a few hours empting out a bag and sieving it rather then wasting it and buying more.

I potted on some gem lettuce and celery I won’t grow edible stuff in the garden as we have a dog.  I grew strawberries in hanging baskets for the first time this year and managed to get the runners to root and I potted them on too.  My grandson has claimed them for himself next year as he helped me.

 I sowed some polyanthus seeds and thinned out loads of delphiniums and pansy seeds which I took from garden – this is the second time time I have tried the delphinium seeds so hopefully they will come on and flower next year.  I collected and sowed from this years plants whereas last year I collected them and sowed following year but nothing happened.

 Now if only my tomatoes would ripen I would be a happy camper.

Tomorrow I am going to try more lavender and dianthus cuttings as I cannot get them to root = but God loves a trier, why is it plants I want wont root for me and plants other people want root for me no problem.

i haven’t a clue what i’m doing or how to do it ‘properly’, nor the time to read up about it right now, i will just let myself be guided by common sense, hope that holds up for me hahaha

out into the glorious sunshine to gather seeds – lupins (purple), red hot pokers (most of the seeds seem to have fallen off – or been eaten off by birds? – already, but i will gather what’s left anyway, leeks (gazillions of seeds), chives and some pretty flowering plants the names of which i do not know

it’s tanning weather here in the west today!!

yippeeeeee  =)

I got back into doing the weeding and tidying in the garden this weekend but had a little helper with me most of today……My little grand-daughter Erin it was a joy

🙂 will post a photo for her one day…..

It was lovely to hear that all who went to the gardens visits yesterday enjoy the day and thanks for sharing the photos they look fab. 🙂

Hi Jacinta, this is the info i received with those seeds, Pods can be eaten raw or cooked.  They are excellent as a snack or added to salads.  They may be pickled in vinegar, or lightly stir-fried.  In India they are cooked in ghee and used in curries.  The pods are most spicy when raw as they lose pungency with cooking.  Pods are best when freshly picked, but may be kept chilled for a month or so.

Hi.  I finally edited my profile yesterday evening with the help of my teenage son who’s a bit of an expert in social networking!  Now looking forward to getting to know other members.  Working today so no time for gardening yet.

 Decided to grow some peppers this year in the glasshouse.  All seemed to be well until this morning when I noticed something had attacked the leaves.  They are eaten and there are creamy/white bugs on the underside of the leaves.  Something has been eating the peppers as well.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks

Are all gardeners the same. My visitors arrived at the weekend and stopped their car at the gate in amazement, i had forgotten but their last visit to us was 10 years ago when we had a house just bulit in the middle of a messy field. They couldnt believe the transformation to the garden we have today. As we walked around they were really stunned at the colour and maturity of the garden and full of compliments. I noticed my chest puffing out like a peacock. What vanity, but what pride. It was so nice to see our garden through the eyes of other people. The sun was beating down, the colours were so vivid and every bird in the garden was singing and thanks to the recent (endless) rain the green was really green. I felt that every minute spend weeding and working was worth it. I do try to enjoy the garden,but sometimes you need to see it through the eyes of someone else, especially a non gardener, who doesnt see the patch of weeds or the empty beds in the veg patch but just enjoys the colours in all the different areas. But enough basking in glory, back out to work today, but with a spring in my step!!!

Was walking up the main street in Wexford today , after having my eye test!!! and saw a man with two children coming towards me,. hello I thought  I know this man, kept looking , he was busy with the kids and I could not place him. As I was paying for parking in Supervalue it suddenly dawned on me Bill, aka head gardener. dashed back up but no sign of him, so Bill if it was you , put me out of my misery

Just hoping some of you will guide me in the making of  a willow tunnell! Have some cutting of various lengths but  am very unsure how or where to start. What do you use to tie the willow together?? Any tips, advise etc would be appreciated.

Great to have the day off.  What you planning?

Will begin morning pcs as soon as I can get up early again.  This morning it was 7.45 before I rose.  Normally I’m up around 6.30.  Dan’s definately working me too hard.

Polytunnel went up over the lawn so naturally I have grass inside it now.  do not want to dig into soil.  Too heavy on the back.  Someone suggested a layer of cardboard then the soil in a raised bed (intend using raised beds in any case).  A short video on raised beds said to use newspapers?

Any one any suggestions which is best or any alternatives?

thanks