Month: March 2014

I was out cutting the grass and tidied up an area that I do not see that well and moved some large grasses and this beauty was hiding and I decided to move it and as I had it up I noticed it was in flower   I have not seen it in flower so hopefully i did not disturb it and it will keep flowering ….

This pretty visitor appeared in four places in my garden this week. I’ve not seen it it 50 years of active garden. Is it a wildflower or a tamed one? The root system looks like it could be trouble. Its less than half the height of a daffodil. Any help appreciated as I can’t find it on the search engines.

I did a little planting this morning, mostly the spring bulbs that I have in pots in the greenhouse. It was time to find them a permanent address.

Of course there was some weeding and clearing done too and even a bit of snowdrop dividing.

Just when I was about to come indoors, a parcel arrived. It was the pelargoniums Tina and myself ordered ages ago. So, of course, I had to go inspect them. And then, of course, they had to be potted up.

I am very pleased with the size and quality of the plants. Some of them are half reared already! I hope to have some lovely pot displays this summer.

Hi all,

        the tomato crop will not say die,never had them still coming on this time of the year they,re not real big but very tastey,to buy them in the shop they,re $8,s a kilo so my little fella,s are worth their weight in gold.

                                                                       regards roofy.

Love this particular saxifraga especially at this time of year when the red underside of the fleshy leaves are so apparent. And then there are the gorgeous sprays of spidery white flowers throughout the summer.

A small, but rich, very attractive plant.

It would appear (I cannot remember!) that the last time I was in France I bought a packet of dwarf sweet pea seeds. I am not sure why I picked a dwarf variety at the time, perhaps for a change with the usual tall ones!

I had completely forgotten about these and found them a couple of weeks ago when I was looking through my seed box. I sowed a few of them and they have all sprouted 🙂 I was initially planning on planting them somewhere in the garden, but I saw pictures of dwarf sweet peas grown in patio pots on the internet so I might try that and have them right near the patio door, since they are strongly scented according to the packet…

I’ll sow a few more in a couple of weeks in case anything happens to the first batch, and to have some at a later stage in the summer.

Nice surprise in any case to find these forgotten seeds! 

I was just chased in from the garden by a big shower, so thought I would show you progress on my Clivia.

I am so enjoying watching these buds colour up. I have moved it from the hall table on to the window as I thought it might like more light at this stage and it seems to be responding well.

I will put up a photo again when it is in full bloom.

Got a great surprise this morning when my Irish Garden was delivered. I didnt realise it was due and it was a pleasant surprise.

Gave a quick glance, but didnt have time to look at it properly. Will leave that until tomorrow morning and have a good read in peace……

I love the new format and its got 20 pages of things to do!…..

I keep all  my mags unfortunately, I had to discard about 3 years worth before we moved as I had so many. I find them brilliant to look back over to see what was in them.  So each month I can have 2/3 at a time to look at!n They mean more to me now as Ive learned so many new plants since joining the site and have so many too that I can relate to them all much better now. Before I moved here it was just a glance at what I had and what I knew and then I’d skip a lot….now I’m reading every little item….

So hope you all enjoy your copy as much as I do 🙂

A lovely white rhodo flowering here in the garden at the moment, It is one of the 1st plants i bought and flowered well 2 years ago but nothing last year the buds just went brown and fell off so delighted to see it flowering now. no name unfortunately, this was bought as my interest in gardening just started and didn’t keep names.

Some months ago I decided to remove a large Philadelphus shrub from the garden here. Without even asking I knew Jurgita would find a home for it. Today was the first chance I had to get it down to her.

Maria was not impressed while helping me to get it into the car, back seats down it took up the whole length of the back of the car.

I collected Clare on the way, but before having a quick look at here lovely garden and coming away with a few lovely gifts, thank you Clare.

I had texted Jurgita asking for wheelbarrow to be at the ready. Her face was a picture when I opened the boot. There really is nothing like sharing plants with fellow gardeners.

After a lovely breakfast we headed on the compulsory garden tour. This was my first time seeing this garden at this time of the year. It was a riot of colour, and the amount and range of different Primulas in this garden is fantastic. Lots of new growth showing. I have to say I am really enjoying seeing this garden develop, it is credit to you Jurgita, well done.

As ever time passed far too quickly.

Thank you Jurgita for a lovely morning, great meeting your wonderful neighbour Noel again.

Once again I did not come away empty handed, one request was for a largish broken pot that I had spotted, but you will just have to wait and see what comes of that one.

This little plant was looking gorgeous today during a very brief respite from the showers.

This reminds me of the photo in my last journal somehow. The buds are looking a similiar colour. But this is outdoors !

Its my first time to grow Fritillaria imperialis Aurora – so looking forward to these but hoping those heavy hail showers today hasnt done it any damage.

Here is a picture of some seeds which I’ve started of rhodochiton which Fran give me in Johnstown. They are just starting to come through. Look forward to lots of plants soon. Fingers crossed. 

Last time I had the pleasure of my grandson over here he insisted on sowing some sunflower seeds to take home. Nothing came of them.

Yesterday David was very curious looking at all the seedlings coming up in my propagator and on the Living Room windowsill. So he was happy to go home with two proper seedlngs of Sunflower ‘Earth Walker’. So much twine holding them up that it’s hard to make them out. But David was happy out! That’s the main thing.

As with all seeds some have their own ways of start off.With the veg seeds roots on some like Parsnip,Carrots,and indeed most of the root family can cause trouble by interfering with those tiny roots.Known as Tap Root,and if they take the chance to feel a set back at moving on,then the war again them begins.

These are best started in situ,Carrots,Parsnips,Peas,Beans,Radish,Turnips,Sweet corn,Swedes,Onions.

From a seed bed and transplant once,Broc,Cauli,Cabb,Leek,Bruss Sprouts,Kale.

More can be added to both areas above but that is the main lots of the Root and Brassica family area.

Options with some of the roots like Carrots can begin in long flower pots or loo rools,and others in tiny module trays.The chance is always there.If i could only remove the roots of winter wind,rain, and frost then that would be too easy for gardeners.

Now to draw up some plans for the week

This little primula has started opening here in the garden, a very nice one and kind of a double version of gold lace. It bulked up well last year and i divided it and gave away some plants but this year i hope to divide and put elsewhere in the garden.

This is Hyacinth ‘Woodstock’ looking good at the moment. Along with a lovely beetroot red colour it is also nicely scented.  This is it’s second year so bulking up a bit at this stage.

This is part of the bed at the front of the house.  It has a nice bit of colour just now. I have put most of my primulas in there now as they seem it like it.

im back from kew and raring to go so tomorrow i am off so i will put up an album and journals tomorrow too tired now and trying to catch up on laundry. 

to say i loved it was an understatement WOW i am going back the september/october time. there was so much too see and sometimes i forgot to take photos but it did take loads of the glasshouses. so happy,

photos and journals tomorrow…..promise 

Their small, their dainty, but fully hardy,

I love them.

I know I said a while ago I was had posted my last journal on Hellebores.

This is not from my garden, so I’m excused LOL

I visited a garden of a friend of a friend the other day. I spotted a Hellebore that stopped me in my tracks.

I have never seen a Hellebore with flowers this size. Each bloom was this size, I had never seen these blooms been this size before.

it is taking ages to upload the photos so i will do the rest tomorrow eve. back to work tomorrow but i am glad. will definately be planning my next trip 

Just an update on my echiums, which have produced quite a bit of growth in the past few weeks. I always thought there were 4 of them looking at the stems, but two of them must have split as there are actually 6 “heads”!

I really hope they will do something this year, and that the weather will be reasonable until then so that they are not damaged now. Because they are against a wall, they have been fairly well protected during windy days, but they are now peeking over the wall… Fingers crossed!

After getting a few errands out of the way this morning I decided to make the most of the lovely day that was in it. Went out to do a bit more weeding. As soon as I started, Deluge! This was shortly interrupted as I had to go visit Dad for a while, and when I got back it was just a repeated spell of frustration. Got very browned off as I can only weed properly from a sitting position. And still haven’t found my kneeler that I now sit on. I am very aware that I am beginning to sound like a bit of a wuss!

I spent at least an hour out in the garage chopping wood to use as kindling for the fire – a job I actually enjoy.

Discarded loads of seeds from the propagator as I know nothing will come of them at this stage. I was looking forward to having some Godetia in the garden this year. I think that was one of the first plants I sowed from seed many years ago and they flowered their socks off all summer long. Also sowed basil which I have never had any trouble with until now. But these were all sown in Dealz compost. I should have known by its texture, content AND price that it was no good. You get what you pay for. We live and learn.

I gotta admit I do get a great kick out of sowing my own edibles. Yesterday I sowed some iceberg lettuce, and this evening I sowed Beans ‘Purple Teepee’ and Black-eyed beans. Just waiting for a mild spell to plant up my First Early potatoes that have been chitting out in the garage, and garlic doing well so far.

AKA, Alpine / Wild Strawberry with the unusual thing of having Yellow flowers.

This plant was given to me by Bruno and when Bruno gives you a plant you watch it carfully. Shortly after planting it I saw six foot runners in the border that were traced back to Bruno’s plant. It was quickly removed to a hanging basket for safe keeping.

I don’t know how it happened but I discovered the hanging basket in the shed  a few weeks ago with the other hanging basked that I stored the Begonia’s in dry compost over the Winter.

The plant and compost was totally dry. I was sure it was a gonner. But always one for giving every plant a last chance, I repotted it and put it out into the garden.

This is one tough plant, just look at it now. After the way I treated the poor plant over the winter, it deserves a little TLC I thnk ;-))