Month: March 2013
I was awake early this morning 6am as I was to be at a Mass at Bray Head well not up Bray head near but up the hill going towards Bray head ….it was a so cold and so many people were out at that early time 6 AM ….even children some only walking the beach and was so sorry I did not have the camera as the sky was red all along the briney as we always said….
At about 12 Greg said ” will we go out to lunch and for once I said no as I had a good idea to have lunch at home and afterwards get out and cut the grass for the first time …as we did . Such a cold day but I warmed up so fast cut the grass and did the edges ….clearing away more leaves and just sweeping up so at 4 pm I had enough and cleared up and put away all tools and went inside and put on the dinner I have never done that meaning not gone out for Sunday even for a drive but I was happy to staay put so happy I got the grass cut it looks lovely.
I hope you all had a great day.
After close to 18 years im afraid Bruces time was up.The vet had to be called and that was that.The opinion of everyone when this happens would be,no,never again do i want to see another dog.The whole family here thought the world of him.
About 2 weeks later and just by chance i was offered another 5 year old labrador that was heading for the Dog Pound,if i wanted it.I went to look at him and still feeling a little on the no side,once i saw him,then home he came with me.
After 2 scrubbings and a good wash down,and of course a visit to the vet to give him a full check down for me,i now have my new four legged friend in the garden.A good guard dog he is and Charlie is his name.
It will take him a while to hold for me the tray of vegetable seeds i trained Bruce to do for many years,when in the garden in summer time.He will get there though.
I wonder could i train him to bring down some sunshine from above,its badly needed in the gardes now.
Photo of Photinia ‘Red Robin’ today, in all its splendour. It is recommended that it should be cut back at the end of March, to encourage more red growth. But I reckon I’ll give it a while more. It’s looking gorgeous today with the sun shining on it.
Picked this up in Limerick the other evening at Rachels talk.
Spotted it as it was been carried in, love at first sight ;-))
If you can recall the Boxwood in the picture here,that was then back on a journal in early 2010.That was when i spotted it,along with some more shrubs on the back of a trailer a short distance from me.
The middle picture was app in mid 2011.
Finally the outcome is after a little TLC and the good thing about it was,that i got two similar and of the other 4 shrubs i got to keep 2 of them alive.
I have always called it that name,but if i could have the full name for the type of boxwood,much appreciated.
This fella is about 12 inches long, and I’m guessing he’s about 1lb and a half, possibly more. Now you understand why I’m so obsessed about the local Heron catching him for breakfast.
Isn’t it great that we can go as far as 8.00pm before putting the lights on. It can only get better, and brighter, and warmer, and drier.
Nice sunset this evening too.
Well on Friday we went to Plantagen and purchased my long awaited greenhouse. The plastic variety…….as our funds wont stretch to a ‘proper’ green house just yet. But all good things come to those who wait 😉 Also got some Muscari , 3 actually, which were half price….so not a bad day out. We bought a new lawnmower and strimmer too. Not sure when we will actually get to use it, hopefully this cold snap will pass quickly now that Summer has officially started !
So yesterday , Saturday, I started to put the greenhouse together….as you can see from the pictures. It was a gorgeous day.
There was a big old hedge/shrub taking up part of the wall that I wanted to place the greenhouse so that had to come out.
Then today we put the plastic on the frame and we had a greenhouse.
The problem now is that the place I have it in is at the side of the house where this EASTERLY wind is howling down and Im sure Im going to look out and see the greenhouse up up and away!!! honestly, the wind today was unreal and so cold too.
So Jim decided to tie it down with wire clips and guy ropes….trying not to pull it either way as the plastic/zippers on these things arent very strong and if it isnt squared up properly then the zipper rips!. So that took a while as the ground it was sitting on isnt exactly level as the garden runs off on a slope somewhat. But we persevered and eventually we got it done. So then I filled it up with all my bits and pieces that have been taking over the dining room for the past 4 months!
I hope when I go out in the morning that its still there!
I think we are in for a lovely week though. Sunshine but cold. I dont mind that but I wish I could start planting out some of my plants ie, Dahlia’s, Gladoli etc…..Im hoping to get out tomorrow and plant some of the plants I bought in Lidl last week, like the Poppies, Delphiniums, Lupins and Foxglove!!! Fingers Crossed
Just before the grandchildren arrived Scrubber got to print out the advice note and clues for the egg hunt and then a mad scramble down to put all the eggs in place! After dinner they were issued with the sheets and then all of us went down to ‘hunt’. It was great fun and of course Scrubber thought his clues were so obvious that it would all be over in a flash. But there was lots of seeking and spotting and ringing of the new TK Maxx bell! Maybe nothing got planted but perhaps there will be happy memories in years to come!
I have put up the pictures of the eggs in the photos!
I have lots of red wine here, Christmas pressies from my kind next-door-neighbour over the years. I HATE red wine, with a passion. Ha, bit of a contradiction there. But I was very reluctant to chuck them. So, this morning I put one of them to good use, and decided to cook with it. Yes, I do cook occasionally. 🙂
Bruno gave me the link for this gorgeous recipe, so I set about making it for lunch. Delicious! Now, it has given me the incentive to use up the rest in cooking. I won’t be throwing it all in the bin after all.
I went to the last session of the Plants Person course in Kilmacurragh on Saturday.
We looked at spring bulbs and spent the morning in Kilmacurragh and the afternoon in Mount Usher.
I had never seen Mount Usher at this time of year and it was spectacular, with seas of Scilla bifolia interspersed with Anemone nemorosa. There were masses of erythroniums too and there were the biggest swathes of trilliums I’ve ever seen anywhere – ever!
But I was ill prepared and forgot my notebook, pen and spare batteries. Unfortunately the camera batteries ran out soon after reaching Mount Usher 🙁
It was great to end the course on a high.
All gardeners should get their asses down to Mount Usher right now!
The bulbs may not be that interesting to non-gardeners but the rest of us should not miss out!
Our course finished yesterday with a walk around Killmacurragh and Mount Usher in the afternoon.
A lot of colour that should have been in Kilmacurragh has been delayed with the cold weather. We saw what is been planned for crocus, daffodil and other bulbs across the lawns to the front of the house. It looks great but will only improve with time.
I had never been to Mount Usher this early in the year, well worth a visit if you have some time to spare.
I was hoping to do the next part of the couse but work has got in the way. I will put my name down for next year, hopefully.
Good to see everyone again. Weather was cold but lovely and sunny, much more pleasent in Mount Usher were the gardens are much more sheltered.
PS Go easy on the chocolate eggs ;-))
I got back from Limerick yesterday and what a super time I had!
The Limerick Garden Club is such a great audience and I had support from some good friends.
Deborah and Martin couldn’t have been nicer and poor Martin so unwell…
After a successful talk (which I think people liked), it was back to Deborah’s, where all the problems of the gardening world were solved!
The next day I was treated to a trip around Terra Nova. It is so nice to see great gardens like Terra Nova at non-peak times, when you can better see the structure and how a garden is composed.
I came away with a few treats and also bought a few garden ornaments in the famous TK Max with Deborah afterwards.
So anyone in a Gardening Club who is looking for an exciting talk on annuals, you know how to contact me!
Rhynchostele maculatum can be found in most Mexican states and part of Guatemala in pine-oak, humid, montane forest from an altitude of 1,600 metres to 3,000 metres. It requires shade throughout the day, perhaps a dappled shade in early morning or late evening. It needs as much water as you can give it during the growing season, reducing this in late autumn and through winter to daily spraying to keep the compost just moist. Shading can be removed for the winter season to offer it as much light as possible. it needs moderate to heavy air movement all year round. Ideal temperatures in winter are 5c – 7c at night. Being such a high altitude plant it may survive at around 0c – 1c.
This is a particularly nice specimen. Too often the colours look washed out and pale, so this plant is now going to receive some pampering along with my other stud plants. The flowers are a little cup-shaped, if they don’t improve I’ll have to wait another year to see if they improve then, if not, it will be removed from the breeding programme, or maybe crossed onto a ‘flat’ flower which may help it lose the undesirable trait.
Only got a couple of hours outside today despite the great weather – cold but sunny – and the solar panels were nearly exploding!
First off I inspected the damage the rooks have done to the daffodils under the bird feeders. They seem to be particularly persistent this year, making lots of attempts to get at the food in the feeders – one even managed to squeeze into the birdhouse to get at the seeds in there!
Having recorded the evidence of their marauding I got down to the task in hand. This was the boring bit – I was reorganising the raised beds in the lower garden to accommodate more rose bushes for my new Rose Garden. This involved two weary hours moving heavy clay soil and compost so that the raised beds have sufficient soil to plant out the 6 rose bushes recently delivered from Bakkers.
Just got the job finished when I had to go indoors – Brendan and I were going for dinner in our very favourite restaurant – Fiacri country House near Roscrea. We both had birthdays this month and this place is a real special place for us so now I’m sitting back well fed and sipping a glass of wine … and of course planning what to do next in the garden 🙂
Well, ok, I only spent about 2 and a half hours outside today in the garden. But I was as happy as Larry. Got to plant out a few plants in waiting, and some of ier’s donations too.
I also made a start on moving stuff from the pink/blue/white border by the greenhouse that were way too cramped. Pulmonaria, dianthus, Dicentra, and Primulas got planted into the area to the left of the New Pond. Over the cave, I planted things like Saxifragas, Sedums and Sempervivums – things that will basically look after themselves. They may have to come up again at some stage, but they are better off in the ground for now.
I have been promised that work will be resumed on the ‘cave’ and new pond tomorrow. Let’s hope the forecast will be accurate!!!
I feel so invigorated with the bits I got done today, given the amount of constructive time I have spent outdoors in the last three weeks.
There’s an hour long programme on the wildlife in Heligan gardens tomorrow evening on RTE 2 at 7pm. Could be interesting ….
area with new tree. now it is home to both shirotaes and spring plantings.
will have to take a better picture of tree on a dull day as the sun was too strong behind it
i divided loads of stuff in the garden astilbes, large shatsa daisy and loads of other stuff i have alot of garden to fill so wont be long using them up. plus mom wants a few bits. i only did half a day but got some much done it was so enjoyable a brilliant way to spend my birthday. came in at lunchtime to get dinner the kids had it cooked and loads of pressies on the table, a really fab day. then last night i watched the last four weeks of gardeners world pure bliss.
this morning after my walk and breakfast i went and collected my other prunus shirotae and got it planted after dinner. i also picked up some bowlers mauve wallflowers and two gorgous primulas one primula bellarina butter yelllow and the other primula bellerina nectarine( the spelling is probably wrong. i went mad planting and manged to finally put out the siberian wallflowers that i had and the sweetwiliams that i had grown from seed they were seriously pot bound so iwas glad to get them out finally also the last of the glory of the snow and the alliums that were lying around also three heucheras and two carex was very happy with end result. my neighbour landed in during the week with some primula vulgaris that he had on his land, he knew i wanted some so it was great to get them he said he has loads more that i can have.
very happy with it all now. hubby is in the middle of making a coldframe for me as i need something to put stuff in packed to capcity in the tunnel now. also picked up this gorgous primula marie” crousse”
happy easter everyone
Regardless of what anyone says (Jacinta!!) I have been doing a bit in the garden, although Tina visited recently and would probably deny this!
Today I armed myself with backup in the form of my husband and both my children to help me with the task ahead! My husband was, I have to say, my best resource! My children simply called next door to their friend and played hide and seek all afternoon! So, the swing seat garden (or the Gin Garden as Its fondly known by me) was the object of our desire (such the wrong use of the word desire!)
I have never seen it so overgrown or looking as unloved in the few years it has existed. It was hard to know where to start, but it became very obvious, very quickly that all of my beloved Osteospermum was the main culprit of its demise – it was FULL of grass! So much so that you couldn’t guess by standing over it what the plant underneath the grass was originally!
There was also another cuplprit in the soil – a very small leafed plant, not unsimiliar in its habit to clover, which saturated every inch of of the bed. It creeped and joined up and entwined itself amongst every plant; the lavender, the red hot poker and especially the osteospermum! Blinking nusiance, which took most of the soil from my bed to remove.
My joy was in seeing lots of my Monarda suriving and my Liatris is coming up too – need to slug pellet these tomorrow! We are about 1/3 of the way through weeding this bed and I have 5 days before my Mother-in-law arrives – anyone who wants to help finish is welcome!!!!
In a short while the geraniums will be back in full bloom.The one in the picture is purple,and looking back on the notes i got from all you gardeners some years back,i cannot put my hand on its name.It is a deep purple.Any particular name for them.I have them in 4 different areas.Also a bright pink.I will look up an old picture of that pink ger,taken here.The picture in this journal was taken app 2 summers ago.
These salix were moved up from the slab walk area in late 2011.[Looked in diary]
The area had been used for a raised vegetable bed,but as space was made at the end of the vegetable garden,then this became vacant.
I had an option for to use the area as before and as part of the veg garden again,but decided to move up these after ground had been lowered,and the clay moved down to the veg garden.
The grass underneath is still bare,but hopefully not for long more.
I have posted some photos of various parts of our garden during last weeks’ rain. There was so much water that I worried about my Red Robin – that had just been given a haircut, and also my Yew, which were already once moved away from water logged soil!
Truth be told I was also a bit glad that I couldn’t go out and weed – it was way too wet and way too water logged and just wouldn’t make sense would it??
Saying this, I had a phone call confirming that my mother-in-law is coming to visit and she would be very disappointed with me at not keeping up the garden maintenance, so I felt very troubled about the state of affairs!
So, no more excuses!! It’s cold today (and I’m not allowed to moan because of the snow in other parts of the country!) So I donned several layers of clothing and pumped the tyre on the wheelbarrow up ready for work! Lets just say for now – I’m tired!! I will post photos of the before and aftermath soon 🙂
Even the Kennedy primroses are not a patch on this one. It is my very, very favourite. And ‘Quaker’s Bonnet’ is a worthy runner-up.
