Month: October 2011

I sowed 3 little pots of seedlings on 18 September – French Lavender; Dianthus "Russian Skies" and Lychnis "Dancing Ladies Mixed". They all germinated well on my living room window sill, but what next? Am I right in thinking, from reading other comments on journals, that I should just leave them as they are till the spring?  

I have kept it simple with bulbs this year , Tete a tete (100) Tulip Elegant Lady (100) and an early daffodil Mando for planting under the the trees in our small orchard – got the last of them planted in this morning bright and early

Wet weather, Work and a reoccuring old back injury had meant that there had been little done in the garden over the past few weeks- and the list was growing – thankfully today with a little bit of bribery and a rain free day  I got some help from other family members and great progress was made.

We cleared all the vegetable beds and planted in some green manure – We moved all of our strawberry plants from our back bed to their new home in the vegetable garden – Barrows of well rotted cow manure were thrown on the back bed and this will be dug in over the next few days. The plan is to plant this bed up in Spring as an extension to the cottage garden.

I got the remainder of the bulbs planted out and got some mulching done.  I got the remaining dahlias dug out that  I want to overwinter and left them to dry out in the polytunnel the main ones I wanted to mind were lovely orange ones that I grew from seed that I got from Deborah and also some Bishop of landuff.

The last part of the day (before darkness drove us in ) was spent preparing a bed for grasses that I am also hoping to plant up next Spring –

I know most of you are too far away but if anyone wants me to pot up some strawberry plants for you I have loads and loads left over – I could keep them for the next get together – I do not know the name but they gave a great crop for me this year.

Happy Halloween everyone watch our for those witches and vampires!! 

 

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE  

 

 

 

   

I like the effect this acer gives at the Upper Pond. The branches have a nice draping habit, I love its red stems. It’s only planted since last year and has put on quite a bit of growth already. And it is in full sun for at least half of the day – that is, when we get some!

If you cant get out in the garden today, here is something to think about:) What is this tree? and I dont know the answer !

I saw it in a garden in Monaco, and thought of Bill and labellling 🙂

Same type of tree but this time it also is host to this plant (which I recognise but cant name) growing up it ! The strangest sight!

Forecast for the day wasn’t good so we headed up to Ratoath Garden Centre. It was a very nice day until we left Ratoath (should’ve stayed there). It hasn’t stopped raining since then. What a thoroughly miserable day.

As it was a few weeks since visitiing any garden centre, I decided to spend, spend, spend. But I didn’t buy too much – just enough to plant in the allotted space my meagre garden will allow.  As usual, the staff and the owner (John Lord) were extremely welcoming. After making my purchases John took us out beyond the existing garden centre to give us a preview and rundown of his plans for new borders for the new year.

There were some spectacular acers in planters and also small ones around the front pond at the entrance. Here is a photo to whet your appetites. Unfortunately I got distracted and forgot to get the name from John. Better go back next week!!! 

 

..Meet one of it’s little brothers.

 

Only a few inches tall 🙂

Yesterday my wife and I went to the Bots (Botanic Gardens) and they really looked fantastic. The plants there were from all over the world and so were the visitors. It was great to see such huge numbers enjoying the gardens.

I was impressed with the new areas with native plants. There was an autumn trail, mainly for kids, but I enjoyed it and felt I learned from it. But I got bogged down trying to see differences in oak species.

Today we went to Powerscourt and the autumn colours, especially of the beech tress, were excellent.

I have submitted more pictures from my garden taken yesterday, as colour will not last much longer with the current weather.

Anne (Ladygardener) asked yesterday for a shot of the Acers at the moment, so here goes. 

Picked up some nice plants today in Ratoath Garden Centre – Sambucus racemosa ‘Sutherland Gold’, Osmunda regalis (which turns a lovely shade of yellow at this time of year), Miscanthus sinensis ‘Cosmopolitan’ and Trifolium ochroleucon (which is a type of clover).

Also picked up some Thompson & Morgan seeds – buy 2, get one free packet: Sweet pea ‘Day and Night’ showing just 2 colours on the pack – a really dark red/burgundy and white, Aquilegia ‘Chocolate Soldier’, and Black Eyed Susan ‘Blushing Susie’. Just one pack of new tulips this year – Lily-flowered ‘Ballerina’ in a lovely shade of orange. 

after a wet start , by lunchtime the sun was shining and i was itching to get out. when i woke this morning my head was splitin, felt i had 40 drinks on me, didnt even drink, at that stage gardening was last thing i was thinking off. dished up dinner and out i went, cutting  back 2 tamarisk trees and the forsyhtias, these had way too much under growth so all the bottom branches were taken out, now it looks tidier and more spacious, and more like trees. three rose bushes were also cut right back as they had become wild and need to come out to make space for other plants ( 3 japanese maples and three spirea goldcrest). tomorrow i will get it tidied up and bulbs planted, we are promised a great day so cant wait to get out there and finish it and then spread some mulch( own compost) then it will look nice and tidy and ready for spring.

after dropping off the kids for handball practise i had an hour for myself, i decided to drop into the market in claregalway and came home with two ferns, no labels as usual but not too bothered, looked it up and they look like lady ferns, maybe if any of you know which ones they are it would be great. theese will go under the ornamental cherry along with some aqulegias, the hellebores rose burke gave me and some of the heuchera and primula.

i bought these in aldi a few years ago and they were tiny at the time, i didnt do anything to them until now. it will be a gorgeous tree when it does grow but i think its nearly as slow as japanese maples to mature. the bottom growth was cleared and they were tied in better,. the same was done to the forsythia

you have bought something and you see it in another shop! Do you peep at the tag or not!. Was in lovely garden centre today and saw my cherubs! Holding my breath I peeked. Well they were a fiver dearer as they stood but then I got two for the price of one so i am well pleased! Phew!

Then Scrubber had the infernal cheek to ask a very obliging staff member to measure the base of the statue for him!!! -As I need to firm up a foundation in readiness for the pair. Square foot which is a lovely old fashioned measurement.

I have changed my mind about their siting. And I know its going to work and its given me ideas about a plot. ‘Feverish excitement!’

The only danger is that my two are playing a lute and cymbals and there are others there playing a flute and playing a tambourine and there’s a temptation to have an orchestra!

i need to do a bit of root disturbing on this tomorrow and hopefully it will flower in spring

As I was ‘off air’ as it were for a while, I have combined my September and October photos into one album. I hope you like them