Month: May 2011

Hi

Rachel I see you mentioned Verbena Bonariensis in your self seeding post

I am trying to grow some Verbena bonariensis from seed at the moment They have been in and out of my fridge as recommended but no joy yet

The funny thing is that I had one years age and it self seeded all over the garden like a weed and then disapeared one winter not to come back

So I asumed the would be easy this time

Not sure are they slow or difficult?

Any advise

I have just put up a few pictures taken this evening and one of them is a picture of The Outer Circle which some of you may remember is a new area created over the autumn/ winter. Im quite pleased with how it is doing and it should get better as plants grow.

Usually I grow this ‘up’ a trellis or tree but this year I am allowing several  just go where they want in the borders. Two in particular both viticella  are strong growers so it will be interesting to see where they choose to ramble.

Anyone let their clematis go walkies?

Sorry for the late journal to the club.A fast time for all the gardeners,with the weather on our sides [finally] well almost.Though rain has paid a visit for the past while,needed it is.Fine outside,but the tunnel and greenhouse depend on the gardeners supply of rain to them.Weeds have been appearing at a hectic rate and once they grow,then so is the special side of garden for us,with flowers,trees,vegetables etc,etc.Long may the good weather be with us.

It seems that for the first time that I planted this hypericum in 1985, that it is really dead. My father who later came to live with me gave me one cutting that year. Year after year during the summer I took cuttings and planted them in several parts of the garden. I also gave plants I had propagated to friends of mine and planted one in the Hurling club grounds. To day I noticed that the hypericum in the Hurling Club is alive so about July I hope to get cuttings from it and have it growing in my garden again.

I had a lagre hebe 5-6ft growing in one of my beds, not looking great after the winter so instead of rooting it out I took the easy way out and cut it down. Job done but seems like i have given myself more work as I will have to paint the wall it was hiding and also plant something new to full its space.

 

I have not sent a new journal entry in two week, as I have been gardening a lot.  Isn’t this time of year very busy for gardeners?

Today I put lawn feed with moss and weed killer on my grass.  I did not do it before now, as there was so little rain.

I hope your gardens look well and that you are enjoying them.

I have a small vegetable patch with raised beds beside my tunnel where I grow some onion, cabbage, spuds etc. I grow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, salad leaves, spinach, beetroot & strawberries in the tunnel. I am also planning on getting a few hens whenever hubby makes the hen house!

We opened a self catering holiday home in 2009 so if any of you fancy a break in West Clare check out www.sandhillshouse.com !! 

my Eucalyptus Trees were killed back with the frost and i cut off all the branches ant cut the trees back to about 4ft (they were about 10ft) when weeding last week i noticed new buds close to the ground new life and i thought i lost them. also one of my cordline has new growth .

My Space My Garden

My garden is a work in progress. Always changing, only a few things remaining in a permanent place, but not a permanent state. I can only think of one thing that I do not enjoy in my garden, everything else is a joy; from the sourcing and laying of compost, turning the earth, planting (playing in the dirt), the constant and continuious removing of weeds to joy of harvesting with finishing up and reading for the winter months.  Oh yes, that one thing; slugs and the hands-on remove of them from the garden. Yuck! but it must be done.

Got a lovely present from my husband today, Carol Kleins ‘Life in a cottage garden’. Can’t wait to sit down later and read it. Some beautiful photos in it. Has given me some much needed encouragment and inspiration. 

Sorry I missed Birr, will there be another get together sometime in the Summer?

 

Early to day it seemed as if there would be rain all day. Later it tended to clear. Nothing done in this area in the morning but by 4 p.m. the grass in the front lawn was dry so out came the mower. A few times it seemed as if we would have some heavy showers but it remained clear of any precipitation and so the lawn was done and looks good. Later I did a bit of edging to one rose bed. Finally I got the spade to the Kerria japonica and lifted some roots. More will be lifted again maybe to morrow. Two members Rachel and Keego showed an interest in the same Kerria, so when we meet again, I will have it for you.

I have only just joined. Can anyone tell me how to upload photos of my garden?

Help (DUH DUH) – can’t find out how to get back into past Journals I have posted.   I want to look at an old journal regarding an orchid.

have definately decided to take down the cypres lawson trees along the side of the lawn, and am thinking of maybe putting up some bamboo. Question, has anybody got any idea of clump forming bamboo that grows to approx 8ft. can you get bamboo that stays evergreen or if it looses its leaves that the bamboo is decorative. thanks all

I had never tried these until recently when I took a few from an Acanthus. The thrill of seeing a little leaf appear on two of them can only be understood by fellow gardeners. The ‘first’ of any experience is so exciting. No Poppy or any other plant suitable for root cuttings is safe now!!

Had been working so hard in the back garden that the rockery area in the front was sadly negleted. Lost a few plants there during the winter, lost 2 hebes (1 of which was never great anyway) and a rosmary. Cleared out all of the weeds and the place looks a lot better now.

Went to a local garden centre and picked up a common Juniper and 2 ‘Blue Carpet’ ones, also got a Viburnum Tinus and a mature conifer that had no label on it so they gave to me for 11 Euro. 

Only really able to work on the front garden once the kids are in bed cus they are a bit mad and try and run out onto the road all the time. So I will plant all tonight.

 

Due to a bereavement ive not written up any journals as ive been in london .And now im back ive had a few surprises and a new member of the family,im of now to take a few snaps of my veggie patch im thrilled the way my hubby and 2 sons looked after it for me so catch ya all later.ANN.

I got a friend request today and do not know if it is spam it was from Lauritababy has any one else got this  ????

Im  not good at uploading photos yet but on my profile page is princess our new edition,when i was away my daughter took the dog for a walk on the way a car passed her and nearlly knocked her down when she got to her feet she saw something thrown from the car, there she was full of cuts and very distressed my daughter brought her home and nursed her back to health she has not fully recovered yet because she had been starved and she has so much fur she does nt look as skinny but she still feels boney she has the bushiest tail i ve ever seen but could nt get it on the camera but ill try again because you have to see it.

 A few of you wanted to see the oscillating hoe..   I bought it from Fruit hill farm and it was sent on by post … they sell the handle seperately .. total cost including post was about  €45 ..

 Oscillating Hoes

I hope it is ok to have an occasional rant. This one is risky as I am sure I will be in the minority maybe the only person who feel this way about a certain popular garden plant!!  I  hate the habit of Alchemilla mollis; as a plant it is quite pretty though the ‘looking at the rain drops on the leaves’ attraction  palls a bit when you read/ hear it for the thousand time.  In my garden it is a menace with the blatant self seeding all over the place. I expect to see it sitting next to me on the sofa some night. The hours I spend digging  up, because the blighters root so fast and deep, the seedlings is really amazing. Round up  on the parent plants takes ages to work they have a root system devised by the devil. Then in the Winter they form brown heaps that look as if a cow has passed by.  Cut off the flowers I hear you cry,  I have done this and yet they appear the following year.

 

End of rant thank you.  Shall return to digging up the dear little seedlings!!

Tomorrow is my very last day in Farmleigh,I really enjoyed this week even  though it was hard work,I am glad I volunteered to help get the gardens ready for the Queens visit.. 

Bought a well established Wisteria in Lidl today…….Looking Good….. I know it smarts of Desperate Housewives’ Syndrome,  but I love it.    It’s now at home against a sun facing wall on my Patio.  Wonder if the lifestyle will be as exciting as Wisteria Lane in my back yard.

 Thinking of getting Glassmanden to put some Grapevines on the other wall of the Patio……….Can you imagine,……..Just cut out the Middle-man………..Roll on, Summer Nights:  

Anybody want them?   They are of course on my property, millions of them. I love them and they appear everywhere and to be honest I will  need to throw some away though I hate the idea. ( Unlike another unmentionable plant)

There is one area with a carpet of seedlings ready for a new home.  Adult plants also available.  Anyone in the Cork area is  welcome to call by and help yourself and I can always mail them to those further away.  I feel you would need quite a large garden to plant a good size area and give a great Spring show…they never, to me, seem quite right with a few dotted here and there.