Month: April 2012
The best antidote to this recession is gardening.
For a few euros you can buy seeds and fill your garden.
It may be escapism but we can all do with a spot of that every now and again!
The Steam Museum and Lodge park Walled Garden, Straffan, Co Kildare.
Sat/Sun June 30th&July 1st. 2-6pm. Garden Open.
Sat 30th 7 pm.Annual Musical BBQ and Childrens Sports. Sat 30thJune.
All takings for the weekend will be given to Celbridge MS Self-Help Group.
Sun July 8th. Newcomen Celebrations.
Light intensity makes such a difference in the garden . On a really sunny day especially this time of year though the colours can look lovely they look so much better, to my eye, as the sun goes down. I think this is even more evident in the Summer when my garden looks best late in the afternoon . This evening the blues of Forgetmenots and the masses of Yellow primroses which predominate now seem to do the blue and yellow make green trick and appear more muted and blending with the natural greens;a much softer effect than the middle of the day when the blues and yellows stand out as individual groupings.
Make sense to anybody?
……….then definitely do it yourself!
A fella came to ‘Help’ me in my garden yesterday, as a kind of swop from the community council. I am doing lots of annuals for our pots and baskets for the village so they said they would let this fella do a bit of digging etc in exchange. So far sounds like a great idea. I had to go out but took time to explain to him, just take up the mypex and dig that area, then dig from here to here also (as I gestured to my left hand side,) unfortunately the eejit probably was still hight from his lunchtime doobie or he needed supervising because he took off digging to the right, and dug up the entire area where I planted lots of Summer flowering bulbs only last week.
I swear to God I nearly burst into tears when I saw what he had done, I dont know if he has made utter shite of the blubs so will just have to wait and see, I had also marked where the bulbs were so I could plant other perennial stuff in between so that was a waste of time too because now I cant see where anything was already planted.
OK rant over, sorry you wasted time reading it but I had to share, I am still pissed off today. Next time I will look that gift horse in the mouth and say, reverse out that gate and dont come back
Bruno kindly delivered to me Lychnis and Hellebore that an ier had donated to me at Blarney. I do not know the kind donor but want to say many thanks.
Heard yesterday that I’ll be going in for the first knee replacement in 2 weeks time, so I’m really glad we’ve got so much done. The poly will be planted up and there’ll be only maintenance to do. How I’m going to resist hobbling out there and doing a bit I don’t know, though. Alan will have to lock me in and hide the key! 🙂
I went down to check my tomato plantlings and 2 pumpkins that were doing really well, this morning and most of them have wilted top growth. Looks like they were frozen during last night 🙁
Is there hope for them or have I lost them? I have re covered them this evening.
All advise will be greatly recieved. But please give me SOME hope!
I tried out the little electric tiller this morning on the new bed and it worked a treat! First pass over the bed just takes off the top growth but it cuts it up fine. This was raked off and will come in very handy in filling up the new raised bed for the Rhubarb! The tiller was inclined to hop about a bit because the ground is so stoney. Reckon a stone path won’t be a problem 🙂
Second pass over the bed with the tiller had the whole surface like breadcrumbs (well, apart from a few bits of weeds and the edges) The one disadvantage is that if I use the tiller too near the edge of a bed it spews the lovely fine soil out all over the path!
I did a liittle bit of the digging of the edges but then decided I had done enough on that project for one day. I had made a promise to myself that I would plant at least SOMETHING from the "plants in waiting" so I tackled the bed along by the trellis. My stepson has done a great job on that trellis. It was a very flimsy one, always intended as a temporary measure. The new trellis is a much better job, but inevitably the bed suffered a bit during the work. He was really careful with the climbing roses but the little echinacea that I transplanted last autumn took a bit of a battering!
By the time I finished, the bed was dug over and some well-rotted manure dug in, along with some slow-release fertilizer just to be sure! And the two Clematis, the Jasmine and the Monarda have all found new homes! RESULT!
go into april flowers and showers 2011 and no 8 is a pic of " umbrellas"
I spent the whole day today in Moycullen Galway with my friend Anne Byrne, she is a contestant in Super Garden this year. Biddy another garden.ie member and myself met in Ennis and headed up to help with the planting etc. Her design is just fab, I love it! She is designing for a lovely couple with a small toddler and another on the way, so lots of things to be considered, its a lovely space.
Hopefullly she will do well and get her garden to Bloom, watch out for her programme on May 1st, I would love to hear what you all think of it. I will remind you nearer the time……
P.S. if any of you want any digging/forking/lifting/planting/turf laying etc done in double quick time contact Biddy, she is the real super woman ha ha ha (I just did lots of supervising/watching and of course tae drinking)
i had the nicest day in ages, myself and becky went to rosaleens house and it was so enjoyable. her garden is a credit to her that is no lie, the mix of colours of the tulip was unreal and of course her genorosity showed no bounds. met her children and hubby, who were all so welcoming.
thank you so much for all the stuff and i will have stuff soon, if the weather changes and lets me get the cloches out and i can divide stuff and get through what is in it, i am having difficulty getting in the tunnel with all the racks, JUST RAIN AND GET IT OVER WITH
It has been sooo difficult looking out over the last while at some great weather. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do any gardening and will not get to do any gardening this weekend or coming week. I had an operation so am not risking digging and dragging.
I did manage to get the back more or less sorted prior to this latest hospital spell. Since then, I have been able to walk around the garden and do light jobs like open the glasshouse in the lovely weather and water everything. A camellia I have for the last 4 years which never flowered decided to flower this year. Amazing what a serious talking to can do to an underperformer! I found giant alium bulbs in a bag a few weeks ago so I planted them then, not really expecting anything. But all of them are growing. My son gave me some bulbs for my birthday last November and all of them are up and looking great.
The cannas I kept indoors for the winter behind the downstairs loo got covered in greenflies. How do those buggers manage to get in? I hate greenflies as I always feel that they are crawling all over me. So I took the cannas outside and out there they are staying, regardless of the weather.
The front still looks a mess as I have plans to empty the containers in the front and plant in the border. But that hasn’t happened yet and it will be a few weeks before I will chance manovering heavy containers around. It won’t be the end of the world but it would be nice to have it sorted.
so took a few pictures. Mostly cleaning up bits and pieces lying around the garden. Trip to dump planned so making a collection. Meg chews yogurt cartons and coke bottles and litters them all over . Hope it was a good day for everyone especially at Rachel’s.
Just spent most of the day on my knees- attacking buttercups which loove my soil-
there is something very satisfying about prising them out of the ground- I had watered the bed last night to soften the soil, which has set like concrete! Anyhow 3 barrows of weeds later I hope not to see them for a couple of weeks
Wanted to take a photograph of a tree peony – its one single flower is just opening, but it was too dark when I thought of it- must try tomorrow- I think it is lovely, and it would be nice to share it !!
Have been coming in from the garden every evening too tired to write, but want to say have enjoyed reading the journals- the day in Rachel’s sounds like a great success.
Goodnight all
Fairbrook House Gardens & Museum of Contemporary Figurative Art special events.
12th of May 2 Guided tours with stories about the former mill and guided museum tour with the Fairbrook Collection. Start 11 am(fully booked) and 3 pm.
2nd of June Camera day for professional and amateur photographers. A great opportunity to make photographs. Body painted models will walk around creating a fairytale mysterious atmosphere. From 2 pm – 6 pm.
For info and bookings www.fairbrook-house.com email art@fairbrook-house.com
tel 051 384657, 0858131448
Hello all, have any of you tips on what to do with my verbena and petunia seedlings at this stage? Do I pinch out the tips of the verbenas? Thay are 3 or 4 leaves high already so wondering if its necessary to pinch to get them bushier? The petunias are about 2 or 3 leaf stage. Not sure if they need to be pinched too.
Also, I have grown them in my sunroom and just wondering when can I move them to the cold glasshouse, I suppose I should wait until this cold spell passes, I have fleece I can use at night if its cold. Im hoping to get my pots and baskets done by the end of the month and harden off after a week or so then.
Finally I grew Livingstone daisys too (Mesembryanthemum), they seem quite leggy and floppy, so not sure if they will be ok or is this the way they usually look? They did have lots of light from all directions and I also turned them regularly but they just lie on the compost, they are all 2 and 3 leaf stage too but look a bit puny and miserable.
Any advice would be great as this is my first attempt at annuals
I have two of these lads and neither is showing above ground? How are yours doing?
Made a quick trip to Farmleigh Plant sale yesterday morning. There on the button at 10.00. There was about 15 stalls, mostly smallish Nurseries, but with great healty looking plants.
Picked up, Leucojum ‘gravertye giant’, 2 Campanula ‘Elizabeth’ and ‘Summertime’, Dicentra ‘Pearl Drops’ with great blue/green foliage, Astilibe ‘Bumalada’ white flowers with bonze foliage, and a Polygonatum.
FYI Talking to one of the plantsmen, Most of the Dicentra in you gardens, are now not Dicentra at all. They have been reclassified as another plant. I guy himself could not pronounce the name fully himself, and did not even try and remember ;-))
A fleeting visit, but enjoyed it all the same.
Sorry , when I write the journal in Word , while centered there it will not do so when I paste.
Well you
may have heard it is the 100th anniversary of the Titanic
sinking!!!!Here in Cobh you can imagine we are
more than aware of the tragic event.
Today the MS Balmoral came to visit; this ship is re-enacting the
journey of the Titanic and the passengers are descendants of those who
perished. It will reach the site of the
sinking at the precise time and a Service will be held, they then proceed to Halifax and New
York. Oh , of course it came here from Southampton. Now
many ginormous Cruise liners visit here during the Summer , like HUGE ones. This ship is very large but not big as many
that come. But what a turn out to welcome her,
thousands of people . Being a ‘native’ well a blow in I know some good
places to watch the ships come in the harbour and right up to the deep dock. So she appeared on the horizon and
slowly advanced until she was very close to shore. At this point I decided to
make my way to the dock and watch her berth.
Huuuuge car park and full, full, full but like everyone else I double
parked but stayed near my car . Docking
is amazing to watch and this time she was pulled in by Sonia O’Sullivan, oh
that is a tug named after one of Cobh’s famous
daughters. Then came the time to leave , joke , chaos, bullies, ( not locals of
course who genuinely are the most gracious of drivers) Why do we think of a
retort when it is too late? One chap made me reverse and moved up on me every
time I backed a little. When eventually he and his two female passengers were
passing me they just stared ahead while I mouthed ‘How rude’!! What I should
have done was lower the window and yell ‘ you should learn how to reverse’,
damn opportunity missed. Meanwhile this
ever so big Garda station looks down on this park . Interesting architecture to
make it look somewhat like a ship. Not a
Garda in sight to sort the chaos out of
the park, no Garda when you try to join
main road no Garda anywhere. Must be eating their Easter eggs. When I came home
I phoned and asked were they aware of the problems in the car park? ‘What car park’ says she ‘ The one outside
your Window ‘ says I. Oh yes , we are
doing our best???????????????
But it is
good to see Cobh
hopping for a change. On Saturday night at the time of the
sinking the bells of the Cathedral will
ring out The Funeral March, Peril at sea
and Abide with me. I will go down to
hear that , could be emotional.
So if you
stayed with me to the end thanks.
Every time I try to read PCON’s journal on Amaryllis it comes up the Welcome page and I have to log on again. It doesn’t happen with anything else.
Just a quick journal to let you know there is a "Tulip Walk" at Powerscourt tomorrow morning. Sorry for the short notice but busy with family at the moment but hope to make it. It will be at 11.30am with the head gardener. If you google Events at Powerscourt you will see what I mean.
If anyone can make it see you there.
I have a large back garden. I’ve never shown photos as it’s just a field sloping away from the house down to a marsh. The marsh can be very beautiful at certain times of year so I never planted anything to interrupt my view. Over the years though there’s been hideous development allowed at the other side of the marsh (should probably have made it to the Mahon report), so now I get no enjoyment from the view and want screening and privacy and I’ve planted trees. The thing is I’ve never had to even think about what trying to design an attractive garden on a slope would entail. I am always drawn to symmetry in planting. This doesn’t work too well on a slope especially when there’s also numerous undulations on the slopes. Nothing you can put down on paper will work where the slopes are going in different directions. I havn’t even got a plan for my veg garden yet as I had wanted it to be geometric. In an ideal world I would get big machines in to level, put in retaining walls, nice wide level walkways but that’s never going to happen so this is the way it’s developing;
Where slopes are steepest I’m keeping the paths narrower, I don’t want to linger on a slope just to get it over with. After a long walk I want to stop so I want to do this somewhere there’s level footing and is not boggy. I will make some kind of clearing at these points. The funny thing is there’s at least two points where I like standing. There’s no planting (except in the way that has to be moved) the only thing they have in common is level footing and probably warmer air (there’s a distinct improvement in temperature as you descend the garden). But otherwise I cannot explain why I like standing in those spots. As the usual techniques are not going to work with my slopey bumpy garden I’ve decided to go with my gut instinct on this. I will just feel my way around the garden. If it feels good to stand there, well there’ll be nothing planted there. If it doesnt feel good to stand I will put narrower paths to encourage me to hurry through.
I grow rhubarb in boxs [2 raised beds ] its very good but when cooked has a taste of manure of it i put farm manure and chicken pallets on it
Hi Folks, about 15 years ago i planted a beautiful double tree paeony which i thought i lost since.But today when i was tidying up i discovered it under a lax growing cotoneaster. Its still alive and has leaves .The question is should i lift it now or wait till the autumn. BJ :=)
I planted my forget-me-nots last year in march/april as soon as I was sure all of the frost had gone until next year. I minded their bed, watered them, placed them in an appropriate bed, and weeded them. I didn’t let Luna or Leprachaun (our two most mischevious cats) near them and they still never popped up. They are perennial so shouldn’t they have come up by now. its’ so frustrating, I dont want to start any projects near their bed but I still eel as though it’s a waste of space.
