Month: September 2012

I invested in a lot of asters for a mass planting a few years back.

But for several years, the bed has been crippled with mildew.

The soil was very stony so I tried feeding but the mildew continued to be so bad that last year I resigned myself to discarding all the plants and putting something different in. But I gave them one more chance.

Now would you look at them! Not a sign of mildew this year. And the wet weather we had! There’s no rhyme or reason to it at all!

Evelyn (Feverfew) gave me a couple of Pheasant bushes a couple of years ago in exchange for some Rock Dust. They got planted, not giving them half the space that they deserved. However, space was a priority here, as you all know, and I just bunged them in when a space became available. I thought nothing much about them really, if I’m honest. But I do love the colour and shape of the leaves. Today I spotted something unusual from the corner of my eye as I passed it by. Wahoo, a flower. Now there’s a surprise! I didn’t realize it flowered. It is definitely worth a permanent, suitable home now. Thanks again, Evelyn.

Can someone give me the latin name, please?

This clematis (Polish Spirit) nearly got the Chelsea chop earlier in the season as it was covered, I mean absolutely covered, in aphids. However, laziness took its toll on me once again and I left it to its own devices. Aren’t I glad I did. It’s looking great right now.

Stepping into the spotlight in the garden at this time of year…………..

Fasicularia bicolor , the blue has not yet appeared but the red is very striking.

It was a lovely morning here so a walk around the garden with the camera was enjoyed! (I have added a few pictures to the Sept.12 album) then went for a walk before heading to a garden Nursery and some retail therapy! 

I wanted to get some shrubs for my Boundary Border. So much to see and choose from! how to decide??????? But eventually, budgetary restraints brought a sense of realism and it was a case of “right plant for right place”, which in the case of the Boundary Border has to be something that enjoys moist ground.

I came home with a Azalea “Daviesii”, (I already have one of these and love it!); a small evergreen Azalea ‘Kermesina’; Abelia Goldspot; Osmanthus burkwoodii and a small Skimmia Foremanii.

The rest of the afternoon was spent planting the Azaleas and Abelia, moving a carpet rose, dividing and planting primulas and irises – and generally having a great time!!

Folks! I really needed today!!  :))))))))

These flowered so well for me last year that I thought I would try and get them to flower for me again. With the bad summer that we had, I decided to keep them in the greenhouse. All to no avail, even though I fed them fortnightly. Not worth keeping for a second year. We live and learn.

Last week I got a new puppy, Oscar, he’s so adorable, and he’s my fourth dog. I think thats probably enough dogs, considering his brother and sister decided to crush a beautiful hosta on me today, feckers, hope it recovers and comes up again next year.

Have been busy building a new wall in the garden, it’s huge, well it seems huge, because its taken me so long to build. Its right at the top of the garden so every stone and all the sand has to be barrowed up, and I dont have a mixer. It’s a great distraction from all the things I should be at.

Will put up photos tomorrow.

Really plesed with how my attempt at cloud pruning is coming on.

Need I say more.

Despite the weather in the last few days, this beauty open today.

Given to me at Hazel’s open day by Nuala. It has come on great and hoping it bulks up well. Love the whole structure of the plant.

Thanks Nuala ;-))

The Alpine/Hardy Plant Society meets for the new gardening year at the Enable Ireland (Lavanagh) Centre, Ballintemple.   Paul Cutler from Altamount Gardens is our Speaker.  New members are very welcome.

Gosh, off all week and with this blasted weather I haven’t been able to get anything of note done in the garden since Sunday. Running errands most of today and called in to see Dad. He has a terrific display of passiflora caerulea in his front garden, growing as ground cover. Don’t know why I have never tried this from seed before. Lots of seeds pods available for me to collect tomorrow. Will have plenty to share around.

His nerines are also starting to open. No sign on mine at all and I only live 2 minutes away in the car. Hmmmm!!!

The rain made a brief respite this afternoon so I got my son to help me bring the big plants into the greenhouse. We only tackled the ones already in pots as I wasn’t in the mood to dig things up.

The two large bananas, two Brugmansia and the last succulent (Curculigo) got hoisted into the greenhouse.

Well, all except the white Brugmansia. It’s been flowering its socks off all summer and will have to come into the house eventually anyway so I brought it in now to enjoy the flowers.

I count 14 buds and the scent is wonderful. I must take cuttings next spring as this plant is now in the largest pot I am prepared to offer it so its days are numbered.

Jacinta kindly sent me roots of this plant.  I planted out two and gave one to my friend.  Putting up photos because of the leaf colouring on one of my plants – just gorgeous.   Jacinta should the plant be pink all over??  Other plant in different part of gdn has no pink leaves but is doing OK.

To cheer myself up, I took a few photos of plants in flower in the greenhouse today.

Well, I was hardly going to step out into the garden to take photos!

Sheltering in my greenhouse this morning, from the ungodly deluge, I noticed something untoward.

In the roof of my greenhouse, there seem to be some small creatures.

It is a mystery as to where this infestation has come from but it looks as if it is very happy and here to stay 🙂

Typically less than 24 hours after my Timber journal where I said I’d leave the Laylandii alone for another year I’d gone and attacked them.

I had an old arch through them but it was more like a secret passage to the fruit trees as I was the only one who knew about it or used it so my new arch will be a much grander pathway (two well dresed ladies…… etc.)

In making it I came across the surprise bonus of a side branch which I hope will mature into a fine seat for me to sit while munching my apples.  Now to attack that stump Uggh.

Grew ‘Alicante’, ‘Shirley’ and ‘Totem’. I have yet to witness a ripe ‘totem’. Maybe when the sun shines tomorrow. Ha ha ha ha! And pigs can fly!

Ok, I only possess two apple trees. And both are in pots. One is Malus domestica ‘Redlane’ which has produced niente this year. I have a total of three on ‘Elstar’. But, boy, are they looking delectable.

 The walls at the back of the house are generally built of purple cork sandstone. Most of the walls that we had built used stone that came out of te ground when side section was rebuilt – bar a small load that came compliments of local friendly demolition contractor.

I had kept a few piles of stone for  the final wall at the back (that frog). When the mason started, he thought that we might not have enogh stone. Now, having seen the depth of the pile of stones, mason is cnvinced that we have enough stone.

Cue – creative thought process

Cue – miserly process

Cue – reuse rather than landfill

I have had the thought to place the leftover smaller pieces of stone between plants. Creating  scree type effect (I think that is the term).

Benefits –

– creates a sandstone oasis from the first wall back o the third wall both horizontally ad vertically

– probably will help suppress weeds

– probably easier to collect fallen leaves

Negatives

– possibly not suitable for bulbs and perennials which may not pop up in exactly the same spot every year and so may try to push a stone aside unsuccessfully

– possibly overkill in one finish material

Well – what say you?

8 Hippeastrums were planted on 5th Sept. This one has just opened. Seven more different ones to come.

 Eat that Frog is a book by Brian (?) Tracy. It is a self-help book of sorts – to help procrtastinating with work projects.

I was discussing with a friend one day about my creating a daily list of tasks but regularly carrying forward the less attractive tasks at the expense of new tasks. He referred these non-attractive tasks as Frogs and said the attitude every morning had to be to identify the worst/longest Frog and then

EAT THAT FROG

I smiled at LadyGardeners recent post Timber when she attacked a new project rather than those on the list – I am not alone

The very back section of our rear garden had been where everything had been dumped/stored/pushed as the other areas were finished. This frog is very mature as have been tipping away for ages (or more stop and odd start)

But a head of steam is up now and for those who requested update mason will probably be back next week for two days at which time wall will be finished. in interim, I can clear out; dump in the bags of rotting seaweed and horsesh1te and covered with a tonne of topsoil which I need to order

And then it might look as if it was always there with not a tadpole in sight

What a wonderful family of ferns are the Polypodiums. Shall we all start to collect them?

I had the great pleasure of visiting Bruno’s garden last Thursday evening but didn’t get round to putting up photos until now.  Having seen pictures of the garden I had a good idea of what it would be like but the reality was so much better.  I thought it was gorgeous.  And to think that the garden is little over 2 years old makes it even more wonderful.  It is a credit to Bruno’s eye for detail, willingness to try plants that might be considered less than hardy and his great passion for the unusual.

If this is what he can achieve in a couple of years, I can only wonder at the garden he will have in say another 5 years.

Thanks Bruno for the guided tour and the goodies  🙂