Month: March 2014

I have a long window box planted up for the front window with violas, variegated thyme (just to be different) and lots of Narcissus ‘Tete-a-tetes’. I know that tete-a-tetes can sometimes produce multi flowers. But I noticed this little one today that must be a mutant. Still very pretty though!

At this point I have a number of different Hemerocallis in the garden. Since extending the garden into the field below, now known as the Lower Garden where it is quite wet, I have found that they thrive in that situation.  So most of my Hemerocallis are down there and enjoying it!

Yesterday I planted another in the Inner Circle. I bought it a few weeks ago so it was time to get it into its permanent home. This is Hemerocallis ‘Pandora’s Box’, white edges with a purple/red centre. I chose it for two reasons:(1) it has a perfume, (2) to add another white to this border.

The picture is from the web.

Not much time for being in the  garden as I have started to decorate our bedroom …painting  …making new curtains and buying new bed clothes etc . 

I potted on a lot of seedlings and hopefully they survive out in the glasshouse as i read there was going to be frost  but with the glasshouse wrapped in bubble wrap lets hope they will be ok.

I took a few photos a few days ago and not much colour yet but hopefully that will change soon as there are a lot of Tulips just about to open ,     clock goes forward at the weekend so maybe more time in the garden…

Have a good weekend to you all .

I even love Anemones when they are closed in dull weather, like what we had today. But I especially love the way they just pop up everywhere. Even found some out in the front during the week.

The flowers on this one are tiny, and not the easy to get a decent photo in the wind today.

A great little plant, that produces fantastic foliage  as a side line 😉

My Clivia is now in flower, I have to say its a stunner!

I picked up a few of these Zinc pots in the Tiger shop a few weeks back for a few Euro each.

Only got to sort a few of them out to day.

A nice way to display young plants, better than the cold frame anyway.

Had a totally wonderful day pottering about the gaden.

I walked around the garden and picked out three shrubs in flower.   I wish the weather would get warmer and spur on the growth.   There are only just over 7 weeks left to 18th May when the garden will be open for the hospice.

All my Spring flowers are beginning to bloom.

I have Tulips in the window boxes which are just about to open  up. I know tulips don’t last too long but when they’re blooming I just love them.

Lots of primroses popping out in various parts of the garden too.

Another lovely day here and lots to do.

I bought 3 different auriculas from car boot sale last year and this is one of them which is a division.  I’ve had them in greenhouse all winter.  Have lost two in garden over the years so undecided as to what to do with them!!!

This is one of my favourite trees and is now well established.  It produces its pretty little white/pink flowers from November until March on sunny days and then come April it goes mad!!! It’s now starting to give its all-over show.  Highly recommended!!!

I’ve some Daffodils planted in the front garden, really must pay that space more attention. 

While getting out of the car yesterday I noticed this lovely one near the door.  Also the second photo, which isn’t great sorry Jacinta!, has a lovely yellow centre.  Don’t have a name. Must check my labels!!! 

Actually the second one is ‘Taihiti’ 

I took drastic action today with the old fushia bush. It hadn’t had a haircut in years. So much deadwood too. Looks like I will have young plants too as the cuttings I took last oct are budding out now do there may be a surplus later.

Hadnt noticed this chappie before. Multi headed but only one I found. Is this a freak or a Variety ? Will I be famous or rich……. Can anyone name it. 

I’m such a happy camper today – my little camera has decided to give me a second chance and is working again! From now on no more stuffing it in my pocket!!!!!

I’m not sure where all the rain others mentioned went but most of it missed Laois so I managed to have a long satisfying day in the garden! When I started the weeding and clearing up of the small pond garden yesterday I realised that the lovely white grass I got from Fran would have to go! I know he warned me that it was a spreader – next time I’ll listen 🙂

It was doing its best to take over and was managing to make serious inroads on my Rodgersia and was also hiding many of the plants in that bed!

What a job! The removed plants completely filled the wheelbarrow! What surprised me was that when I managed to get the plant up the soil beneath it had completely changed and now resembles “real” soil rather than the heavy muck I usually work with in that bed!

Having managed to remove the grass I completed the tidy-up of that bed and I’m really feeling that I’m back doing “proper” gardening again at last!

I think the correct name for this plant is Sinningia speciosa, although generally known as gloxinia!

I could get hooked!

Monday was a cold and showery day here but as I was at home I had to do something by way of gardening!

At the weekend I had taken delivery of 50 bulbs of gladiolus “The bride”. So time to plant! I had thought of planting then in pots with 5-6 bulbs to a pot but not having many suitable pots I ended up planting various numbers in each pot with quite a few singles. The thinking is to plunge the larger pots in the border near time to bloom and plant out the single ones at an earlier stage.

I’m not at all sure if this will be successful but will keep you informed! The whole idea came from seeing these beautiful white flowers at Mount Stewart last year. When asked, Neil Porteous said that they brought them on in the greenhouse and then planted them out at blooming time. They had them planted in a rather shaded part of the garden and they brought it to life. Expect they wouldnt have bloomed so early or so well if planted directly in the shady area.

Mine wont be in shade as I want to put them in the Inner Circle which I am trying to plant predominantly with white. ………………..we shall see!  In the end I ran  out of pots and planted the last 6 directly in the ground!

Spring has certainly come to the garden in the last couple of week and colour is here once more in abundance. Hooray!

… Well, it’s the last of the fancy pleiones anyway.

The ordinary ones are just opening now, the largest pot being in the greenhouse.

This is Pleione Shantung.

I like it.

I’m very pleased with those Lidl herb pots. They really worked well for showing off the pleiones this year.

About 6 years ago the garden was overhauled when I had a bit of building done and I thought the Berberis was gone, but a tiny shoot appeared after a while and look at it now. Then a year or two I tried to move the Mahonia as it was taking up a prime space, but it died where I moved it to. But I hadn’t managed to get all the roots out and here it is again, and even better, it’s right back by the hedge!

Sadly I didn’t get out to the garden at all today as we had a confirmation. And the next few days will be taken up with family as my sister is home from Canada for a short holiday.

But yesterday I noticed my Arisarum proboscideum (mouse plant) coming up nice and healthily. Each year I think that I have trodden it to death. And up it comes without fail. Love it when it develops the little mice. Sends shivers up some peoples spines. But I wouldn’t be without it. I think I have shared this with a few people.

To day while dry was cold more like January. Any work done was in the greenhouse. The tomatoes are doing great, sold some last week in the Country Market and have some more for to morrow. The second variety of tomato which went down in February, Gardeners Delight, are all nearly potted up 40 of them. The third variety, Beefsteak (Faworyt) I sowed only a few of these, are just over ground. The vine is in great shape, probably better than last year. 

A few years ago i picked up that garden friend in a closing down sale in town.At lunch time with an apple and a bottle of ballygowan i rested on a seat nearby.

Leaving at five to two i spotted that lonely piece of stone work.With few interested in buying him,he looked lonely on his own.I cast a bid of i think only €10 or €15 and the little garden friend was mine.

Since then and over many winters he greets everyone who call here.Treated as a small focal point in that area.Always welcome.