Month: April 2011

hello all

am fairly new here

just wondering is there a ‘new posts since your last visit’ button here.

and another query..for instance if someone posts a picture asking for the name of a plant/flower…how can i keep an eye on posts to see if anyone knows the name…currently i am just trying the remember the author and title of post and i scroll back to see any additional posts

 

hope i’m making myself clear?

The first mowing was early in February. To day was the second. I had planned for Wednesday when the grass was dry but due to other comitments I deferred it a day. Yesterday there was plenty of time and even though no rain, there was no sun or wind to dry things. To day conditions were ideal and out with the mower in the afternoon and I must say the place looks good. If you got a day like this in May or June, you would not complain. This is also the time when the daffodils need to be deheaded as the tulips begin to take over. Plenty flowers on Kerria and Berberis as the Forsythia begins to lose its flowers and this can be a time to prune the Forsythia. Forget me not is really good now. It lives up to its name I sowed it only once, never fails.

Been busy with work last few days. Managed to put up a new yard light over glasshouse and potted out more seedlings. First blossoms appeared on strawberries so all is well TG.  I hope to get electricity into glasshouse this weekend.

My horse radish plant has been in for almost a year.

It died back a bit  for the winter and is now growing back but the leaves now have white and yellow bits with just a little green. I think the leaves were  all Green before.

Has anyone got any ideas?

I have never harvested it, when can I start ?

Well if it lives.

Thanks

 

The winter has done severe damage, I have lost my lovely Crinodendron as well of several other shrubs and hedging. What herbatious perennials have survived remains to be seen. In my 80th year , there seems to be little point in replanting crinodendron ss I amunlikely to see them reach any  significant size before I take up daisy growing!  Enough of that pessimism ,on the plus side my Magnolia stellata has put on a lovely display and larger magnolia look promicing. I have seen several bumble bees sniffing around and I hear a robin , a wren and blackbird singing.. Hopefully, the cold has done for the slug population and I hope the vine weevils have had a bad time.                                                                                                                                           

Grass cutting has started of course. With the current price of petrol a longer time between cuttings will have to be the order of the day. A very dry summer would help

 The swallows are back! I caught a fleeting glimpse of a pair this morning.There is a rookery cross the road which is busy at present and very noisy There are lots of crows(rooks) flying around soI had doubts about the swallow sighting.I caught a few fleeting glimpses during the day and still wasnt sure but at dusk when the crows were settling down for the night there they were high overhead,a pair of swallows .I await their arrival eagerly each year. The first sighting lifts my spirit.Usually it’s the last week of April before I see them.They seem to be early this year. The fields next door are being prepared for potatoes They appear to have been sprayed with Roundup and look horrible.I wonder what environmental damage has been done!When will it be realised thst everything in nature is connected to everything else and the indiscriminate destruction of plant life is bound to have adverse effects elsewhere?  Still ,The swallows are here!!! 

what is  that . about 2011

Forsythia was the first plant name I learned from my mum. 

Going to school every morning she used to point out the changing seasons and name plants we passed on the 30 minute drive. There was a house in Bishopstown near the now "Bandon Roundabout" which had fantastic forsythia shrubs. They were so vibrant and bright and the first real splash of colour on the spring journeys. The sound of the name just caught my ear and stuck!

Right now, a vibrant splash of colour is the last thing I see when I look out the patio doors of our own kitchen. I’ll post a photo of the garden another day when the light is (ahem) better. What do I see? It’s time for a confession. ………

These are my sins…….

A lovely negleted hardwood table, bleached white by the summer sun and exposure over a cruel winter. A patio with pesky dandelions and I’m ashamed to say a THISTLE (crikey! just noticed that one!) poking through cracks in the grouting between paving slabs. A cordeline australis that was a house-warming gift, now dead in its already-too-small-pot. Two clay urns I bought when I had "notions of upperosity" last summer (now covered in greenish mould – ugh). A patio-heater we won in a raffle, lit twice then never used again beause of environmental guilt. It’s been standing there for about four years, rusting away, and I don’t know how to get rid of it. A collection of pots in sad disarray since last summer, now sprouting fine thick mops of weeds.  But one pot holds a peony rose from my mum’s garden. It really, really should be transplanted but I was so afraid of killing it in the ground that it’s got another year in the pot now anyway.

At the side of the patio  – a conifer I wish to God I didn’t plant as it’s completely in the wrong place (it said "dwarf conifer" in the garden centre. I don’t know why I didn’t expect it to grow more than 3 feet!?!). Myself and my husband set out one day to create a flower-bed that would wrap around the patio. Unused to any physical labour, we both abandoned the process after digging a mere 2’square patch. (It was a hot summer’s day, and the earth was like a rock. We didn’t really think that one through, I’ll admit.) So, when faced with the bare patch, we went to the garden centre, bought a load of grit, stuck in the conifer and a few rockery plants (R.I.P.) and tried to pretend it was the plan all along.

Then there’s a small lawn with the dandelions tentatively seeing how far they can go and how much damage they can get away with before anyone stops them. The far end of the lawn is a north facing wall covered in ivy. Underneath that is the only "bed" (more of a trough, really) where I have placed various plants to die. That wasn’t the intention, honestly, but I’m not sure they’d believe me. What’s survived? A choisya (now badly frost bitten and without any descernible shape of its own or sense of place in the trough.) A day lilly which struggles to produce any flower at all each year. A white hydrangea, never pruned and with the dead heads of last year’s meagre showing still hanging on by their fingernails. A plant whose name I don’t know at all, but it miraculously seems to keep growing. Nice long frondy-branches and red flowers like bottle-brushes along them in summer. It’s just that I can see it’s in an unsuitable location now. And it’s right next to a small Japanese acer palmatum which we planted in the darkest, most shaded corner of the garden so the sun in summer completely misses the gorgeous colour of its leaves.

Then there’s the grisilinia litorallis hedge which lines the two sides of the garden, and is litorallis-ly going to meet in the middle of the garden some year, as it’s so thick!

Sigh. I wish I was exaggerating. I will take a photo from upstairs tomorrow of our semi-d wilderness, and the shame will be complete.

What I want to do with this journal is get some help to devise a plan for the garden. I would love to start a journey where I can put down plants and know that some of them at least may survive, and may possibly be in a suitable location! I love looking at gardens that have been growing for 10 or 20 years that have a very established feel and yet where within the solid skeleton and form of the garden, the owner can still experiment from year to year with colour or a new specimen plant. We’ve been here 7 years in semi-d south-facing heaven, and I really have nothing to show for it.

No more beating around the bush.

This thyme, it’s serious.

 

After yesterday’s mowing the lawn is looking good. To day I got at the rose beds and removed the weeds which were coming up again. They are well checked although here and there some grass and weds are growing very close to the roses. The grass and weeds are now in the compost heap. I also did some pruning on the Hypericum hidcote. No sign of foliage in it so a good pruning is required. When my hedgetrimmer is working I will get at it. 

I sorted yesterday but got no replies so im going to have another go! I have approx 40 trees sown, they are all between 3 and 5 foot. They include various maples, birch, and mountain ash.i love daffs and tulips growing around trees and i plan to sow some bulbs in autumn.however i would love to sow something perennial under each tree now, the idea being that there would be colour from spring into autumn.when the daffs and tulips die away something would replace it.does anyone have any ideas.would lupins fit the bill?

Just wondering the last few days if Cannas should be showing now.  I’ve got some in the glasshouse but there’s nothing happening with them.  Any help would be great, thanks in advance.

what a glorious day, its so good to feel the heat of the sun on your face or on your back. not much gardening done, had a wee walk, yes martin, a wee walk. visit a neighbour. watered the veg transplants and the seedlings in the tunnel.

a friend came by, hi maria, and we had a lovely evening roaming around the gardens. had tea and homebaking.

My back garden is your typical 12m X 7m, but its full of lovely surprises. Last week the weather was sunny and bright. After arriving home in the evening I couldn’t wait to go out into my garden and enjoy the bright blue sky when I saw the most beautiful sight. Seven years ago my brother, Adrian had given me an Euptelea Pleiosperma. This year it flowered for the first time. The branches were covered with clusters of red anthers, an absolute glorious sight to see. The next day it rained and the red anthers were damaged. Within days the anthers has faded but next year I will be ready with my camera to record this wonderful sight. Thank you Adrian for this surprise.

Finding it hard to tell weeds from plants, my garden a bit bad at the moment but then I am not great , over the 13 years living in this house, stuck things in the ground and hoped .. 50 % prob sucess rate, though some not suited and have areas in my small garden that’s overcrowded, and other areas bare, always have grown afew tomatoes and herbs etc , last year tried too much,cabbage / cauli .carrot.result  party for slugs ,  so this year pared right back, toms/ broc/ peas/ garlic and herbs … flowers. This  yearnow have a tiny greenhouse, but full to overflowing, cannot afford to buy plants at present , so starting loads from seed, mixed results again, even though i tried to keep note and mark trays , have had mix ups….but coming back to weeds , last year kept seeds from flowers that were sucessfull, scattered in various places , now cant tell if seeds germinating or weeds , which will kill other plants … very hard to know …help…  photo’s soon

Week Two: I planted out some veg last week, some lettuce and cauliflowers… I’m a complete novice and when i was looking at them today i notice the leave on a lot of the plants are being eaten…. I’m assuming its slugs, but aside from pellet repellants does anyone have any suggestions to keep these from being destroyed.. I’ve read about the garlic slug wash… Is that a good idea??

i was off Friday and prepared for the weekend ahead went to my local garden centre bought bare root box hedge for 2euro each they are about 1 ft high maybe they were dear at that i got them to border a bed i had in back garden .

bought a beautiful climbing rose called albertine its a pink one anyone got one of these . Also bought a few pansies to put in pots . I also bought a plant called Saxifraga for the slope in my back garden and a plant called paeonia lactiflora felix Crousse which i planted in a large pot along with a few geraniums.  I also bought some spinnach plants and cabbage plants onion sets and lettuce of different varieties plus some peas ,as you can imagine my husband nearly freaked out as he knew that meant work ! But i got in and dug some of the garden so he could not complain when he came home after being taken away to do a deed for another neighbour but we got a great evenings work done friday the weather was fab and after all the hard work planting shrubs and digging garden and planting veg we went out for a meal and a few vinos that ended the day nicely

Sunday we got up early to enjoy the day ahead , we had 7 baby chicks that were born they were so cute ,will load phots another day . what a lovely start to a beautiful day . Last week i bojught 2 packets of flowers andplanted them out today after giving them sa start inside the house they are called Ascelepias tuberosa a beautiful orange coloured plant it seemenly draws butterflys , and aquilegia alpina it has purple flowers very pretty from picture.

does nayone have advice on making a gravel driveway, or can point me in the direction of somewhere wlse

took photos today but can find the leads for camera to upload here!

basically we have a long drive up to the house. house is on a height.

there is hardcore there 5 years this was put down when house was being built.it is well compacted

my questions are –

in preparation-

1) what should i spray it with to kill the weeds

2) then should i put down Mypex?

 3) what depth of gravel would i need

4) can anyone recommend nice gravel

also, is there anything i can do to stop the gravel moving?

 

thanks

I attended a day course at the Organic College in Dromcollogher, Co.Limerick yesterday.  The course was "Grow Your Own Veg – The Organic Way".  What an inspiration.  I had a wonderful day and gained a lot of knowledge in a very relaxed environment.  So, set to work early this morning and planted potatoes, lettuce and spinach outdoors, and set rhubard and courgette seeds in the tunnel… all before coming to work!  Can’t wait til harvest time!

It’s a mixed garden, i.e. Fruit & Veg with  a small Poly Tunnell (4.5m x 2m x 2m) amidst the lot.

It’s a mixtures of raised beds and traditional drills for Potatoes, carrots, parsnips and maybe some swedes later on.

The Beds I have for 2011 season are:

1 x Strawberry & Rhubarb

1 x Blueberry

1 x Raspberry

1 x Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts & Cabbage

1 x Cabbage & Onion (mixed)

1 x Peas (pod) and Sugar Snaps

The Poly Tunnell is awaiting its first sowings of Tomatoes, Cucumber, Marrow and Corn

The surrounds have a Green Beech Hedge just a 0.5m tall and mixed Marigold, Nasturnium and Sweetpea Beds

It is very much a work in progress and I know I’m very guilty of trying to do too much rather than concentrating on reliables but sure that’s half the fun and enjoyment that I and my two girls (3 & 5yrs) get out of it.

Sowed Siberian Wallflowers and Violets in the open. Sowed Lupins in the greenhouse. The day started in an unpleasant state with a shower in the morning, later it cleared up and while it remained sunny there was a strong wind.
Not the same Freesias that I mentioned about a week ago but ones I planted in the autumn. I took them into the greenhouse and at present they are showing growth. I am hoping that they will be in bloom very soon.

I built a garden from bits of rubble and top soil that was left after the builders. The first adventure was building a small rockery which looked lovely for years with alpines but then to cut down on work I planted some small shrubs on it like heather and french lavender and my favourite Osteospermum (African daisy). I also planted a lot of shrubs around the garden, all of which grew much bigger than I planned for. Over the last 5 or 6 years I have cut a lot of them back. I have raised beds at the back with alpines and primroses. I planted clematis around the garden where trees and shrubs were cut back. Some of them are now mature and provide a great show. I don’t like formal gardens, I prefer wild areas and like letting nature take it’s course. I have shrubs that attract wild life like Butterfly bush.I much enjoyed watching dozens of different butterflies swarm around them last summer. I have lots of wild flowers all around the garden and I let as many as possible do their own thing so to speak. I sewed sweet William seeds last summer and now have a big crop of them to flower this summer.

 April 2011

I have been busy weeding my border along-side the lawn. In it I have Astilbe "Erica", Rudbeckia "Goldsturm", Dicentra "spectabilis" buddlega "Dartmoor" and a rambling rose at the back and some Kniphofia (Red hot poker). I have hostas in front and some box which are just starting to mature ad of course daffodills and dozens of Honesty a wild flower, I had to weed out some of them because if not they would take over, I just leave about 10 or 12 at the back to add to the show.

Altamont Gardens

I love Altamont Gardens. I bought an evening primrose there 4 years ago and now have dozens of them, sometimes they die off and you think that you’ve lost them but then after skipping a year they come up just out of the blue and what a nice surprise. Their Latin name is Oenothera and the one I have is pale yellow "Biennis".

I built a garden from bits of rubble and top soil that was left after the builders. The first adventure was building a small rockery which looked lovely for years with alpines but then to cut down on work I planted some small shrubs on it like heather and french lavender and my favourite Osteospermum (African daisy). I also planted a lot of shrubs around the garden, all of which grew much bigger than I planned for. Over the last 5 or 6 years I have cut a lot of them back. I have raised beds at the back with alpines and primroses. I planted clematis around the garden where trees and shrubs were cut back. Some of them are now mature and provide a great show. I don’t like formal gardens, I prefer wild areas and like letting nature take it’s course. I have shrubs that attract wild life like Butterfly bush.I much enjoyed watching dozens of different butterflies swarm around them last summer. I have lots of wild flowers all around the garden and I let as many as possible do their own thing so to speak. I sowed sweet William seeds last summer and now have a big crop of them to flower this summer.

 April 2011

I have been busy weeding my border along-side the lawn. In it I have Astilbe "Erica", Rudbeckia "Goldsturm", Dicentra "spectabilis" buddlega "Dartmoor" and a rambling rose at the back and some Kniphofia (Red hot poker). I have hostas in front and some box which are just starting to mature ad of course daffodills and dozens of Honesty a wild flower, I had to weed out some of them because if not they would take over, I just leave about 10 or 12 at the back to add to the show.

Altamont Gardens

I love Altamont Gardens. I bought an evening primrose there 4 years ago and now have dozens of them, sometimes they die off and you think that you’ve lost them but then after skipping a year they come up just out of the blue and what a nice surprise. Their Latin name is Oenothera and the one I have is pale yellow "Biennis".

i walked around the garden yesturday and checked on the photinia. i scratched the bark nearest the ground and i hit green so there may be hope yet for it.

while i was at the school garden this morning, we found three frogs under a budilea the kids caught one so that the teacher could take a photo, instead of doing gardening with the teacher they spent their time following the untill a shower of hailstones had us all running for shelter

 

The lilies which I planted last summer were attacked by red beetles. They looked like Ladybirds but did not have spots. Liga and Jacinta pointed out that they were harmful and the remedy was given by Jacinta, Pravodo Ultimate Bug Killer. The lilies which are fairly advanced at present had to be saved so I purchased the spray and gave the beetles the works. I am now looking forward to lilies free from preditors this year. Thanks for the advice.