Month: September 2010

What a superb day it was! Really gorgeous for this time of year. I cracked on with my bulb planting.

I am planting orange tulips and wallflowers in 2 of my tree fern beds. I don’t have enough plants for all 4 beds so I am just planting the 2 beds nearest the drive. Later in the year, after we have enjoyed the spring display and when the wallflowers have been discarded, I will decide on something permanent for these beds.

In went 43 wallflowers and 50 tulips into the bed I dug yesterday. I didn’t have too many wallflowers, Bill, but thank you for minding them when I was in Kerry!!! My problem is that I never have quite enough of anything. Better planning required! Hubby dug the second bed so tomorrow I will plant the same again over there.

I thought I would put up a picture of my Kafir Lily, Schizostylis, as it is in full flower now.

This one came from my mum’s garden and, although not as vibrant a colour as Linda’s, I wouldn’t kick it out of bed in a storm!

No sign of flowers on the one you gave me this year, Fran. Next year!

Since hubby was active in the garden, I decided to seize the opportunity. The thing is, I hate using weed killer and I thought I would ask him to do it. He refuses to accept it’s his job but if I talk nicely…

Agreement got, I set to work on the border I want to re-do. I recently bought new plants for this border at the Bay Garden sale so I am anxious to get it done and the plants in.

The first job was to dig out the Cone flowers, Echinacea purpurea, the 2 Stipa tenuissima and the few pink oriental poppies (the things I want to keep). There they are on the grass! Who says Echinacea are not easy from seed? I have really big clumps now!

The next step was for hubby to spray all that remains in the border. What remains is the Achillea ‘Cassis’, which I also grew from seed, and weeds. I do not like this Achillea. It is really weedy and hides other weeds and always looks a mess. Besides, Echinacea and Achillea were not strong enough to have on their own in a big border.

Just after hubby sprayed, guess what? Yes, it rained. An unexpected quick shower but probably enough to negate the weedkiller. Great! Oh well.

Now I will put the Cone Flowers and Stipa back in the border but I do have rather a lot. So, if anyone would like a piece of Echinacea purpurea, now would be a good time to mention it.

 

I must agree with Jerry today that Dahlia’s are a magnificent flower, especially the large border ones. I’m really glad that they have gained popularity in gardens again. Perhaps i’m somewhat biased as the Dahlia’s i have originally came from my Dad’s garden many years ago, he won several prize’s for them in local shows and was very proud of them. unfortunately over the years i have lost many and was really worried after last winters frost as i usually leave them in the ground. i had some casualties but most survived. i dug them all up and divided them and they were brillant this year. its quite some job digging them up as i also have Daffodils in the same bed so all had to come up!!!!!!! it was worth the effort, and i have supplied many of my friends with daffodils for this year as they had multiplied so much. Trouble is i have to wait now for the Dahlia’s to die back before i can set back the Daffs.

This is from where he keeps dropping in

When I came home this evening I was delighted to see my rose bud had opened. A lovely rose, dont know if it has a perfume as I am dosed with a cold!

Coming to take more fish

The rook did not like the look of him and chased him off

Deb bought me a trug for the garden, here is pup checking it out. Deb must think that I am a prickly person

Had a bad night and didn’t get much sleep. However, I started feeling a lot better at about 10.30 this morning. Went off and did a bit of shopping. Came back and decided to do something about the front garden. It was a disgrace.

Under the window there is a very small strip of soil edged with concrete (like that since we moved in 24yrs ago), and about 12ft long. Obviously the previous owners knew nothing about garden design. For years I have had Montbretia in this small strip. It was just a bit of colour under the window. Then at the end of its (Montbretia) season I just chopped it back. On a number of occasions I have tried to dig all the bulbs out and gave up half way through. And as a result, they multiplied.

The strip is only wide enough to get a garden fork into so is quite awkward. Some of the smaller bulbs had actually made their way in under the concrete edge. Got 99% of the bulbs up and bagged them with all the foliage. Also managed to dig up any daffs that I had put into that same strip and a mountain of wild garlic. Spurred on by Ladybirds journal last night with her Wallflowers, I will buy some nice bedding for the winter. Then I cleared up all the leaves of the dreaded Cordyline that wouldn’t die over the Winter. Gave my two Prunus a good trim, and my Spirea ‘Snowmound’. Spirea has had the audacity to start flowering again. However, I still cut it back. God knows when I will get the urge to work in the front again! Collected 3 big refuse sacks for Steve to dispose of. The grass (weeds) was too wet for me to mow. Another day! Then on to the back garden…

 

When Lucifer blocks your path, you go the other way.

Here is another picture of the crow dive bombing the heron, for those of little faith.

Disposed of a lot of summer bedding in containers out the back. Also dumped all my tomato plants together with their compost, but got a huge amount of still green toms from them first. More chutney at the weekend. Did a bit of cutting back of Perovskia, Lupins, Lobelia etc. The daff bulbs I took from the front got planted into the new greenhouse border. I had no intention of buying daffs this year as I have lots of tulips to plant. Uprooted Verbena bonariensis from Kiwi pot and planted those. Looks like they will be flowering any day. Pulled up Calendula from pink/blue/lilac/white end of the border. They were really annoying me. And planted a nice purple-leaved sedum in its place (deep pink flower). Looking forward to these. Also got my Gladiolus papilio from Mount Venus planted.

Washed all the tom pots, and stacked them under the bench all ready for next year. Another 5 black refuse bags of rubbish to join the 3 from the front. Now I am happy! Things are looking a lot more organized.

This little Dahlia is still giving a good show.  Didn’t have a label when I bought it. Think I will put it in the glasshouse sooner rather than later and try to keep it for next year.

Spotted this Clematis this evening about to open. Hope it doesn’t get too cold before it does.  Does anyone know it’s name I wonder

Have finished clipping my box hedges to day so hopefully I will not have to touch them until next May. Back is now broken in two but when I hear all the work everyone else is doing I feel quite guilty. Mary. 

Today afternoon, i started to replant my shade border.Oho…everything would be ok,,but most plants there long time ago lost leaves.And i didn’t stick any labels there,when i planted.I thought i WILL REMEBER…I dug really careful and all flower roots was ok,but no names.I recognize some.I planted them back,stuck there plastic labels.I have plastic labels in others borders,but they wont last to long.

  Question would be,,how could i label plants,and it would be for long time.Ok,i know-write plant name on stone,but then my flower bed will turn in stone bed.Any ideas???

Beside my Arbour is a huge pot in which I have Solanum Loxum ‘Alba’ planted. This summer I also planted the purple and white Sweet Pea. Even though the Sweet Pea is still flowering today, I decided to pull it up. It was full of mildew. Now my Solanum is So Lonely!

I had my mind made up, finally, on the front corner make over.

Had done some sketches, and was happy with my decisions.

Then a few hours work, the first bed is in place, which was planned I will add, and wham, most of my ideas are out the window. Just once, would love to make my mind up and stick to it.

Maybe there is more fun this way, but just once wish I could get it right from the start. One thing that is remaining is my idea of doing the makeover in three stages, which won’t change.

This kind of labels i would love,some one know where can get something simmilar?Or where can get things for making them by my self???

I really cann’t remember planting these Nerine Bowdenii bulbs, think I must have planted them last year as the ones I planted earlier this year went into pots there are now buds emerging. They are totally in the wrong place as they are hidden by my white Cosmos so they are going to be moved to the terrace bed for next year once the flowers are over.

Have unfortunately had no time for gardening but took a few photos added to the September album, such a wonderful autumn day although heavy rain here late afternoon and the mist is settled over the fields so hopefully tomorrow will be good as I should be able to spend the morning and early afternoon rearranging some plants and then planting up some of the bulbs.

This one is great for a small garden. Mine is just producing its’ first plumes down at the bog bed.

Gregs Father gave it to us and every year it flowers on his anniversary which was on Wed and 20 years later it still shows never fails. I dont know the name but would be nice to find it anybody know ?

Not much work got done as hoped for in the garden,yesterday evening.Took a fast walk around with the help of a lamp to throw an eye on beds in the vegetable garden.

Went to play cards later for an hour or so,before heading back to the tunnel to weed out one of the small beds on return last night.

Nice and bright here this morning,and if all goes to plan i might get to give the top lawn a badly needed trim,having had to be avoided with the busy Show weekend, gone by.Maybe get finish the other lawns later in the week.