Month: August 2013

This Dahlia opened here today called ‘Mystery Day’ Absolutley love it, prob my favourite one. Rotten weather again today nothing to be done.

Mount Congreve gardens were open today, a dull overcast but dry day for the most part, and a walk around was very enjoyable. 

We also have the good news that the gardens will be open each Thursday, 10a.m. – 4p.m. and there is no charge for admission.

In the woodland gardens the hydrangea walk is the highlight at the moment – several hundred yards of hydrangea-bordered walks. The walled gardens are coming to their peak at the moment also and will continue to improve for the rest of the season. 

Our visit this morning started off with us dropping off a plant to a friend at the garden and then collecting some plants from him. Then, as always, we met friend after friend as we walked around so my photographs were snapped on the run but I hope they will give you a glimpse of what it is like there at the moment. 

Paddy

I’ve been discovering plantlets in the greenhouse for the last couple of months with no labels. What’s new!. But this one looked like it might eventually produce an edible crop so I’ve been watering and feeding it well.

Today it stands at about 4ft. No sign of a flower, so I am seriously wondering have I lost the plot altogether. Is it a weed that I have been nurturing all along?

They definitely don’t like rain! Mine had all bent over and the stems had broken so I just had to rescue them and bring them in. Actually I gave up on them several years ago for that reason apart from the ones I already had, and now I notice what looks like a lot of offsets!

After being stung by a wasp this morning, I spent the rest of the day fighting his whole family, and extended relatives off. Another sting about 8 wks ago and my upper arm swelled up for 48 hours. They were out in their droves (or is that swarms?). But on a cheerier note, it was great to see so many bees and butterflies too. It made my minor injury almost worth it. 🙂

By the end of my shift I was finding it quite difficult to even make a fist. I’ll bet Steve is glad of that. lol

The pink Rambler that looks like Terrishoos’s rose!!  Cutting taken from a neighbour’s garden!!

Conrad’s lily ‘pink flavour’ has prompted me to put up photo of 3 lovely pinks in my gdn.  Pink succulent came from the Canaries, pink rose (not unlike Terrishoos’s) came from a cutting taken from neighbour’s rambler and the Rhodohypoxis from the garden centre.  Thought I had lost this but out of the blue (wrong colour) I noticed it coming into bloom last week.  How I love all these pinks!!

I have officially stopped worrying about the trees dying of drought. Now I’m worried they’ll wash away! Apparently we can expect tornadoes and extreme weather – those of us who haven’t had it already. Saw a picture of a tornado in Donegal so hope Moya’s still there. One thing you can say for Irish weather – it’s very seldom boring!

I bought three bulbs of of the asiatic Lily ‘Pink Flavour’ in the spring but wasn’t sure looking at the picture shown on the website if I’d actually like them.

Well, they’ve opened, they are downward facing and very pink with slightly yellowed centres and I’m well and truly won over, despite them being a bit girly looking. 😉

Sadly they’re not scented, but sure you can’t have everything.

I bought lots of bulbs etc when I first came here and at the time not much was growing in the garden, well it was Spring.

So now that Summer is here and everything is growing madly, I came across this lovely little flower behind my obelisk……it has the leaves similiar to Gladoli but much smaller and these gorgeous yellow flowers. Behind my other obelisk I have a couple of white ones. 

If anyone has a name I would be so grateful. 

Bought loads of labels, large ones, the other day and I’m heading out to the garden to label everything before they die down so I will know what I have and what doesn’t come back next year 😉 

It took its time to flower but at long last it finally opened those buds. Lovely scent off this. 

Have a white variety but still in the bud stage.