Month: April 2013
I think just about every gardener in Clare must have been there yesterday – there’s certainly some enthusiasm for growing, it’s great to see. It wasn’t a big show but if yesterday was anything to go by it’ll grow and grow.
And great to meet .iers old and new as well. Future Forests brought us a box of mixed plants that will survive on an exposed wall so Alan’s having fun chipping bits of stone and cement out of our boring boundary wall for stonecrops, saxifrages, sedums and thrift. And I got a lovely mullein for the stony bit by the studio and some more herbs, plus a courgette to replace the one that didn’t survive the cold in the poly.
This Epiphyillum is the second one to flower out of season this year – normally they flower for me round June/July. This is a cutting from a year ago and is a real spash of colour in my dining area.
Some more shots of tulips opened on the garden. Sometimes it is inside the tulip that can be nicer like in the orange one i have.
As I will now only have every second weekend off, I’ve decided not to cram my free one with gardening, gardening, gardening. Myself and Steve took ourselves off to the Dublin Bay Prawn Festival out in Howth, had lunch out, and over to Dublin Port to see two great ships, one of which is a British Aircraft Carrier.
Just pottered around the garden with the camera when we got back, and did a small bit of weeding. And the man above was watching me idling away my time.
This morning wasn’t promising but we checked the forecast for Hacketstown and since it was saying that the chance of rain was less than 10% so we took a punt and off we went!
Well, were we glad! Sumjak’s garden is truly wonderful! I am lost for words! There were beds full of dark helebores, beds of tulips, Long walkways under pergolas, and enchanting Tropical Corner carefully sheltered from the ever-present wind!
I lost myself in the tranquility of the Japanese Garden and I could hear gentle wind-chimes but couldn;t see them anywhere – they were located in a lovely Gazebo – how did they manage to keep the wind-chimes in one piece on such a windy site? The answer was simple – some very discreet glass panes in the Gazebo broke the strength of the wind enough! I was entranced!
There is also a huge pond recently added to the garden which has load os promise.
This garden is not small – so since it would have been too far for Brendan to walk, Sumjak’s hubby was at hand with a golf-cart to ferry him around so he could enjoy the whole garden!
I also loved the Tropical corner – more innovative use of glazing – an unusually shaped area glazed to form a shelter for her non-hardy plants over the winter and partially opened up to let them enjoy the summer!
I could go on and on – but the best thing is to let you see for yourselves ….
When Tulipa van Eijk started to open in the garden I thought to myself – “I would never buy a tulip this colour – would I?” Then I went in search of the packet and right enough it is a completely different colour of pink on it – a much softer rose pink. This is turning out to be a florescent orangey pink. It might grow on me but I’m really not sure…..
It’s that time of the year again and i am getting an area ready for shake and rake that hopefully in a few days i will be throwing down the seed. Instead of just digging it over and rake out most the weeds and stones i am sivving through most of it about a foot or so down and mixing in compost and little stones. This worked out really well last year so here’s hoping it is just as good this year.
I woke up after 4.00 last morning, with an answer to a small area I was wondering what I would do with for a while. ( I really need to get a life ) LOL
So watch this space a see what is in the pipeline.
Better start taking the tablets the Doc gave me ………………..
The first photo shows three pots I have at the side of the shed, they have been in this position for nearly three years.
The second photo shows a seeding of Clematis ‘pixie’ that I spotted this evening in one of these pots.
The strange thing is I only brought Clematis ‘pixie’ into the garden last spring. They were planted in Angela’s corner, which is 35’/40′ away from the pot where the seedling has appeared.
Just leave things to Mother Nature, and all will be well in the garden.
I managed to plant the carrots saturday evening after work. It is a job I hate as there is a lot of work involved with carrots. I have managed to lighten some of the load by cutting out thinning. These seeds on a tape cut out the need for thinning.I sowed about 10 metres of carrot. Normally I grow them in bags, but this year I am growing them in a raised bed. However carrots require very soft ground and fork very easily. I normally mix soil soil and compost, however I sieve the whole lot thru a mesh so that there is no lumps or stones in it. It is very time consuming. People do ask me why I bother as a bag of carrots in the supermarket cost next to nothing. I do it because I can, the taste of the carrot is different and also there is nothing more satisifying that watching plants come up thru the soil.
We went to Orchid Fair yesterday.Come back with 2 new orchids,and little bag of orchid bar.Wanted more,but price was so big,that i got only minimum what i will need.Glad there was new orchid seller,,new for Orchid Fair in Dublin,,he had nice stuff there,and good prices too.
If about Orchid exhibition,,there were some very pretty orchids,but again(same last year) no name labels beside,if lucky then there was label still in pot.
After i got my new orchids,we of course went for walk around garden..
I’m off uploud photos now.
This Auricula is definately having it’s best year since I got it many years ago. I split it last year and made several bits of it and it (or the cold weather) I am not sure which has really done it some good. Loads of flowers on it this year. Can anyone tell me it’s full name. It is a pretty common one I am fairly sure.
I am not mad about yellow flowers normally but this one looked lovely in the sun shine yesterday. I was with Linda B when she recommended it to me at Johnston and I like it a lot thank you Linda
I wonder would anyone know where I could source 2 rustic Obelisk – You normally see them for sale at some of the shows I am trying to track down the name of anyone in Ireland who might sell them, any help appreciated,thanks
I was in Aldi last week just browsing and I came across this little weeder.
As Ive a chronic back problem I try to find things that will benefit me rather than hinder me. As we all know weeding is a right ‘pain in the back’ and I have a Dutch Hoe for that which Ive only used a few times and eventually I will have to get down and dirty to go between the plants……
So when I saw this little weeder I couldnt resist. Its just amazing……you put it in the ground and twist and lo and behold the weed is up and out in no time. Plus its not that hard on the back as you dont have to be bending all the time.
Now it only cost me €5.99 so maybe it wont last that long, but for now….Im delighted with it!
This is the amazing Magnolia ‘Stellata’ tree that is growing in a garden which is enroute to my granddaughters playschool. As we stopped at the traffic lights, I whipped out my phone and took this photo to let you all see just how magnificent it really is.
Well the photo quality doesnt do it justice at all….it really is amazing.
here are my other beauties
really enjoyed my day out it was brill i went with a mission to come back with some more primula auriculas and primula gold lace, well i came back with with more than that. while i was there i met una grant and deborah and martin.there was talks on but i had no heed in them i just wanted to look at flowers.
hubby bought me the erysimum as i had run out of money bless him, he is standing over me right now making sure i put this bit in.
I got primula florindae, primula gold lace x2,primula polyanthus and erysimum winter orchid from deborah and martins stall(terra nova), euphorbia silver swan,sedum spectabile “jose aubergine”. i am absolutely broke now but so happy. i got three primula auriculas was so excited when i saw them,they will be potted up tomorrow into their pots and join the collection, will also take a couple of cuttings of erysimum amd two cuttings of sedum if possible.
Had June Blake as guest speaker on last club night. She is an inspiration to all gardeners. Her talk was brilliant and her power point presentation was beautiful. definitely a must visit this summer.
I had neglected the garden over the last few years and the shrubs in the front garden needed to be cut back severely. I did that some months ago but the resulting piles of dead branches needed to be disposed of. I finished doing this yesterday, it was strenuous and my back did lots of complaining but it had to be done before next weekend when the stone for the landscaping of the new pond will be delivered. I disturbedd one of the baby hares that was resting under the piles of branches.
The pond is to go in the lower part of the garden near the house and decking area. It will mean quite a bit of a mess and moving stuff about but I think the result will be worth it. I will make use of the digger to make another steps and archway which will even out the look of the lower garden.
An advantage of close planting in a small garden is you can capture three shrubs in one photo – Silver Birch, Photinia and Sorbus.
Ok, I’d rather a bigger garden, no secret there. But I think my plants actually LIKE snuggling up to each other. LOL
Primula Auricula,
I gave a piece of this one to Rachel and she showed a photo some weeks back, I think she may have had it in the greenhouse.
Love the deep colour of this one.
yes yes primroses, primulas, auriculas they all just gives so many colour in the garden… every corner has yellow, purple, white or red bunches. they mix with tulips, daff or others spring bulbs without over taking them.. yes just beautiful.
This little guy was having a great time with my plants in the glasshouse today đŸ™‚
Finally got to plant out my Mangetout today. But I decided to brighten up the said container with some nice blue violas. Not as a pest deterrent, but just because I thought they would make nice companions.
Martin made a few trips to our local reycling centre today to load up with this fantastic mulch. It is green waste from the Co. Council and is in a pile just for the taking… free of charge! I’m puzzled at how they don’t see an opportunity to make some euros for it, but I am definitely not complaining! Do any of you get any of this black gold from your recycling centres?
