Month: February 2013
Nice well-behaved little shrub, without being too ‘shrubby’. Leaves during the growing year, ornamental juicy looking apples in winter, and looking forward to lots of flowers very soon now. Some people have been bothered by birds eating the inedible apples, but that hasn’t been the case here, thankfully.
When the soil around the new cave/pond is sorted, I hope to finally plant this one out where it can take on a small bit more growth.
Bill (Headgardener) gave me this plant last year. It is doing well, I love the new growth on this plant, this looks like a rocket ready for take off.
This is a biggy, and can reach 1.5m.
I have to laugh at myself about these plants, 4/5 years ago I would have said’never in my garden’. Now I’m looking after eight or nine I think.
Thanks again Bill.
I was going to ask could anyone give me the name of this fern. But I won’t. I probably would forget to write a label anyway, and it’s a fern. That’s all I need to know. I have it here about two years and it has really bulked up well.
Just wondering if anyone has used Seed Parade to buy seeds on line. Prices seem very good but wonder if they are good quality? Or is it better to buy locally? Just love getting nice things in the post.
so spent it wisely. First noticed that my Cherry had caught the light of the morning sun. I thought Id have to wait years before I could notice the flaking bark-yet there itwas already. Nice bonus.
Then yesterday was in a florists-I go in to look and wonder and very deldom to buy. The very nice lady said’I have a present for you!’ and she presented me with three whit Hyacinth bulbs for free-well yes a present! She had just used the flowers in a wreath. (Its quite a posh florists!)Nother bonus.
So into Scrub and just so I wont do me back in I start with tarpaulins of leaves and do two, raking first, then loading then dumping. Then I am ready to try to ease in rock from yesterday. Rock im standing on Carraig mor -is muddy and slidy as is handle of crowbar so there a bit of slitherin’ an’ slidin’ but eventually its hauled into position. I dont know where cherub was. Hazel? Elizabeth? but got it done and once i had packed earth around it it fitted well. Bonus three.
…is that sooner or later they have to be planted!
Laois had lovely weather today but I didn’t get outside till the afternoon and decided I would leave the clearing up that I’ve been concentrating on in recent weeks for a bit of planting!
First to find a home was Trachycarpus Fortuneii that has been waiting to be planted for months! I had it in the greenhouse but have been hardening it off for a while. This plant was a gift from Bakker and is a good size. I’ve put it in the centre of the flower shape in the Sedum Bed to give it a bit of vertical interest. I hope it survives!
Then I took the Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ that I got in Altamont yesterday and wandered around the front of the house trying to find the best spot for it. Eventually it ended up in the bed nearest the car parking area as this is where we should get most benefit from its winter perfume!
Next were the foxgloves – I already had some from JoanG at Johnstown and she brought some more yesterday so I’ve made two clumps of them in the new areas in the woodlands. Thank you Joan!
In the wheelbarrow I still had the snowdrops and cyclamen from Altamont and the Kaffir Lilies from Clare. I started on the snowdrops planting them around the conifers next the driveway. This was quite a task as I had to remove lots of Celandine first! I got one side planted up – about 70 or 80 bulbs so far – and the bad is only half empty! Certainly a generous “100 bulbs in the green” from Altamont!!!
Unfortunatley the light was fading by then so the second side will have to wait for another day, as will the Kaffir Lilies – both are safely tucked up in the greenhouse with some nice damp compost to keep them cosy!
This is going from strength to strength. Despite the time of year, it is looking great. There are another two ferns there that have lost their fonds totally for the winter.
These two Ferns are showing signs of new growth already.
Once again Martin, many thanks.
Ok, just for a bit of fun what do you think this is ??
No I’m not, but I have wishes from all the Snowdrops I have seen in recent years.
Galanthus ‘Straffon’ and Galanthus ‘Cordelia’.
Straffon I saw in Kilmacurragh a few weeks back, and I was looking for a tall one and I spotted Cordelia yesterday in Altamont.
Before heading off yesterday, I looked closely at snowdrops that were just opening here. I was trilled to see I have a ‘double’ of some kind. Not sure if it came from by brother in laws garden or if I was gifted it by a fellow member.
But it really made my day to see it. I will get photos next weekend when I’m off again.
This plant made lovely fresh green ground cover in the gardens at Altamont yesterday. I feel I should know it, but don’t. Can anyone help ID please?
If you look closely, you can see tiny flower buds in one area.
It was an absolutely gorgeous day today , if a little on the cold side, so I coaxed my daughter out to the garden for a bit of a cleanup.
7 black bags later, honestly, we were knackered lol.
Down at the back of the garden are overgrown trees and hedge, growing right down onto the grass. Our garden backs on to a small green and the side road , well what we didn’t see!!! It appears the garden hasn’t been tidied up down there in years.
We cut away hedging which was trailing the ground and my daughter raked out all the dead leaves and debris. And what a surprise. The garden goes back about another 3 feet. So overgrown. But not now. We were out there for a few hours. Raking, cutting, clipping , sweeping and taking the odd rest. The dogs thought they had died and gone to heaven as they aren’t allowed in the garden at the moment and they were never used to such a big space. So they loved it.
Then we had some visitor!!!! So at this stage I’m about to collapse but so pleased too.
The clean up will contine for another while and I promised my daughter, she has special needs, that she can have a flower bed to herself. She is soooo excited now and didn’t want to come in. 😉 so are happy.
No matter how diligent I am at labelling plants, there are ALWAYS a few that I miss. Spotted this one today and haven’t a clue what it is. It’s leaves are quite velvety. Does anyone know what it is please? As you can see, it’s not far from flowering.
Picked up this lovely Iris at the open garden we visited last weekend. It was a closed bud yesterday morning but had opened fully by last night. Looked lovely today in the sunshine.
Lovely and sunny all day. I started clearing the bottom of the garden where the trees had been cut down; full of bits or twigs, ivy and sawdust. then after lunch I was listening to the rugby match (well done lads!), and had to move to a different part of the garden as I had the radio out with me. Unfortunately I broke off a brittle section of Wallflowers in my enthusiasm.Anyway when I was finished I put the flowering tips in a vase and hopefully they will be all right.
Wow! Today was cracker here in Dublin. And by the sounds of it, throughout the four corners of the country too. Didn’t get the opportunity to get outdoors until this afternoon due to family commitments. But as soon as I got home, I wasted no time in changing into my gardening garb, while Steve watched the Rugby. Spent a good five minutes just observing what needed doing. Started off by cutting back all the old growth that I had left on a lot of plants for ‘winter interest’ and chucking it ‘over the wall’. The sun shone on my back, and before long I was stripping off a layer. Planted a few pots of ‘tete-a-tetes’ down at Primrose Hill (soon to be re-named). And rejoiced in seeing how well my cyclamen coum have spread out since buying them last year. My Leucojum are coming up goodo, as are Fritillaria ‘Uva vulpis’. I had bought some more of these a few weeks ago in work as they had been reduced to half price. So they should look really good in a couple of years.
Pulled up ALL my myosotis (forget-me-nots) as they had become quite blackened with frost. I never want them again, even though their flowers are my favourite colour. Plus, they seed all over the place, and I’m fed up with them. 🙂
I staked my Hellebores, scooped up the leaves and tied them up and now they are looked less sprawly. I also finally got round to planting a beautiful double hellebore that I got this time last year. It smiled at me as I was firming the soil around it, and thanked me profusely.
The middle and upper pond remained frozen all day so work on those will be deferred to a later date. Lots of pond weed to be removed.
Snowdrops (Galanthus) are ALMOST open. Just gotta be patient! But my Rodgersia, in the same area, is showing signs of life already. Also spotted new growth on my tree peony. It still had it’s withered foliage on, so that got cut back too. Planted out a new (ish) euphorbia in the shady border. It actually looks more like a sedum.
The bird feeders were a hive of activity all day, and it wasn’t long before I had to top it all up. At one stage there were magpies, starlings, sparrows, goldfinches, collared doves, robins, and dunnock at the feeders at the same time. Dontcha jus’ luv it!
The greenhouse was opened early today to give it a badly need ventilation. What a brilliant day!
That time of year again in work with stocktake, so have to be in for 7.00am. But I reckon I’ll get done pretty pronto. No commitments for tomorrow, so once I get home, my time will be spent in the garden again.
First big project of 2013 is well on the way to being completed, my rear wall is North-facing and for years I’ve been dreaming of covering it in climbers but which ones?
Well, Zephirine Drouhin roses at the pillars, Akebia quinata “Chocolate Vine” in the centre of the three centre-most sections between pillars accompanied by a Clematis armandii on one side and a Lonicera henryii on the other and finally the two outer-most sections with just the Lonicera. More pics in corresponding album.
Whats going to hold them up?…….some 300+ vine eyes at 1 ft intervals and just over 200 metres of tying wire have been installed. Took a few days over the past few weekends if you get me and all this was sparked off by me trying to get the tunnel and environs slabbed ahead of the fruit and veg growing season, the raised bed at the wall is partially made from the earth removed for the slabs.
Next stage will be a few weeks away but I intend to round up quite a number of large wheelbarrow-sized limestone boulders dotted around the farmers field (permission obtained already) plus some I already dug up from my lawns/site over the years which will be lined up end to end to create the retaining wall for the soil bed itself. This will be lessened in uniform depth across the length of the wall and the excess soil hauled once more to create beds out front. Then to literally top it all off quite a lot of horse manure to be spread across the bed.
Is it just me or does doing one job lead to creating another to be done for everyone else? The work never ends at this early stage of garden design I guess, anyway those plants are all suited to a North wall (or so I’ve read from various sources, lets see if Monty Don and Gerry are right), I just hope I get the soil feeding right from the get-go.
Now, where was I? oh yeah the tunnel………….
its a good loss though. 2 1/2 stone to be exact. since the summer, really happy, it has been slow at times but walking 5km 6 days a week is finally paying off.
took a stroll out in the garden today and i have now pledged to get out and tidy up next week weather permitting snow drops are flowering away happily and daffs are pushed up looking forward to seeing them light up the garden. i have loads more in the tunnel to be planted once i have the place sorted and they are ready to bloom also have bellis perennis to plant out also some wallflowers so i have plenty to do for the month of feb before sowing begins. i dont want to be doing beds and minding seeds like last year it was too hard to keep up with NEVER AGAIN so feb will be the big tidy up and if it is finished before the end of feb i will start sowing but not before that also the cold spell later on in the growing season caused stuff to be pot bound unable to get them out, it will be alot more relaxing this year and enjoyable.
i am also going to make some cloches this year, i picked up a staple gun in lidl before christmas so i will be make the geoff hamilton cloches just need to get some timber and pipeing and screws. i seen it on you tube and they will be perfect for early veg well thats the plan for feb, today felt so lovely and springlike.
will add some garden picks tomorrow or monday.
Not sure if it’s St Bridget’s day today or yesterday but she sent us a wonderful day to be outside regardless. Frosty start, but then it was warm and sunny all day – we had our first coffee of the year on the bench.
I potted up a lot of slips, cuttings and herbs for Sheila’s new garden, then started tidying around the shrubs and trees while Alan got into the hedge behind the pond. Didn’t take any photos but it’s looking a lot neater.
Birds were really singing, it was such a joy to be out there working away. Tete a tete daffs unfurling and so many buds starting to swell. It’s official – spring has sprung in Co. Clare!
This is a plant I got from Rachel, a few years ago. It seemed that there might be no flower on it. Now things have changed and the flowers are appearing. I had it in the house for some time and then not so long ago moved into the greenhouse.
Not sure if it’s St Bridget’s day today or yesterday but she sent us a wonderful day to be outside regardless. Frosty start, but then it was warm and sunny all day – we had our first coffee of the year on the bench.
I potted up a lot of slips, cuttings and herbs for Sheila’s new garden, then started tidying around the shrubs and trees while Alan got into the hedge behind the pond. Didn’t take any photos but it’s looking a lot neater.
Birds were really singing, it was such a joy to be out there working away. Tete a tete daffs unfurling and so many buds starting to swell. It’s official – spring has sprung in Co. Clare!
WE had a whale of a time in Altmont yesterday playing games, jumping in the lake and walking thru the flowerbeds. Clare (The chief culprit) shouts “lets play hide and seek” she said as she pulled a Kalaznikov from the boot of Frans car. so we all headed into the shrubbery in double quick haste.
As hyperthermia set in Joan and Hazel waving a white tissue and a rosary negotiated a truce and peace descended on the tranquil surroundings. Pauly Alanna and Fran said that this disgraceful behaviour was OTT but they really really enjoyed it.
The above was a dream i had last night and it didnt REALLY happen…Maria and i had a great time and Pauly passed the induction test.
Jeez, what would we all do without the internet. I had none last night from about 9.00 and Steve was out for the night. Had great pleasure watching Carol Klein, and then straight afterwards Monty Don (it’s really only News, and gardening programmes I watch on T.V.). After that, I headed to bed with a good book.
Very cold yesterday, as all who visited Altamont would agree. But at least the showers kept light and infrequent. I had my little companion following me till my work shift ended.
Couldn’t believe when I got home from work seeing that my Hostas are already making a comeback.
I know there have been journals up already but I will keep this one short.
We had a great day, it was cold, but well wrapped up and moving around you were fne.
As we left the carpark I saw a lady with some children and as we passed I was greeted with a ”hello Fran how are you”……………..
of course been the world’d worst in this situation, my face must have said it all, as fellow .ier Wellie introduced herself. Great to see you again short and all as it was.
We had a easy walk around gardens and lake (100 steps walk was closed) and I took fewer photos than expected due to the banter and laughs.
I have to say the gardens were looking fantastic. Only gardeners could ooohhh and aahhh at flower beds covered in fresh compost. Snowdrops and Hellebores everywhere.
The sun made it’s appearence a couple of times. We ended up in the sales area (surprise surprise) and some nice purchases were made.
Perfectly timed as we got back to the cars, a shower of rain started. On to the Forge for a nice relaxed lunch and more chat. Great to meet Paul and little Alanna, on their first day. To all others, thank you for a lovely day, the first of many for 2013.
PS Hazel, put a spare pack of batteries in the glove compartment from now on ;-((
Rachel you were asking me the colour of my Pleiones so here is a picture taken last year.
Thank you very much Hazel, Fran, Joan, Clare, Marie and Brian for spending such a wonderful day as today with myself and Alanna (OUR first .ier outing). When I first arrived I explained to Alanna that our friends would be arriving soon and that we would then go and see the “spooky woods” as she called it. She really listened to me at that time as for the rest of the day everytime we fell behind the main group she would promptly inform me to we needed to catch up with her “friends”!
A real gem is Altamont, what a way to start off the Spring season but I can’t wait to see all those plants fully embellished during the Summer months, especially the Roses – I don’t think I saw the same rose twice and there are hundreds of them! Of course, the selection and sheer quantity of Snowdrops was astounding and then the lake; so peaceful transporting one to a distant place somewhere in the mind.
I’m already looking forward to the next garden visit, I might be traveling lighter then or else I’ll bring some help as I was a tad distracted from the primary purpose but I was also starting to train Alanna in and I think she passed her first lesson with ease.
Lunch in the Forge was pleasant afterwards where I got to know everyone a little more. Later on Grainne (wifey) asked Alanna where we had lunch and she replied “In the restaurant with my friends”.
A special thanks to Joan who gave me two Digitalis, which I instantly saw a home for in my minds eye (the wildflower patch).
I’ve uploaded a selection of pics I took in one of my albums for your enjoyment.
