Month: April 2014

Thank goodness for Camassia! Scrubber had just hit a wall and wondered how on earth he was going to get around to everything with grass growing , weeds thriving, daffodils gone over, heathers l,ost in the long growth, primroses gone over and needing to be transplanted.

Then he noticed that this year the camassias had come out and they cheered scrubber up no end. He cleared around the heathers-only two of which had died. He put all the primula down in the shady part of the Scrub, replacing them with violas.

Then two pittosporum, a camellia and two ‘ebonised spheres’-the phrase is Micilin Dee’s ! set off the new steps to perfection. They are beside Eileen’s bed which was very overgrown.Then among all the mayhem the beautiful camassias! Scrubber began to clear around them and bit by bit the bed began to emerge. One particular difficulty was overcome. The clumps of daffodils were riddled with grass and celandine and jack the lad (a garlic smelling weed with a white flower. It was much handier to dig up each clump ,divide it and replant in smaller bunches.

So things are looking up. Sorry for the lack of pictures as this was done on the laptop and there are very few on this machine.

We only had a little bit of rain today but it was welcome as John planted the leeks out.

The tomatoes have there second lot of flowers ,the peppers are waiting to go in the tunnle but they have to wait for the potatoes to come out ,that should be any time soon they were planted christmas time.The Brooms are comming out now to take over from the tulips and daffs, the polyanthus are still going strong we will collect some seed from them this year.

This is a lovely spring flower which is always so neat and flowers for ages.

Last year I bought some seeds from Rachel.

Some of these seeds were Echium ‘wildpretti’….there were  7 seeds in the packet so in January I set the whole lot of them. TWO took!…..so I was so excited as I was so looking forward to seeing these flower in years to come.

I potted them on and kept them safe. They were growing slowly but growing. And this week in particular they had put on some lovely growth.

I  decided yesterday it was time to pot them on further.

So into  my terracotta pots I planted each one. Put some grit on them and left them sitting in the sunshine in the garden as it was a lovely day.

I also potted on some other bits and pieces.

To my HORROR when I looked at the plants about 20 minutes later as I was passing by, one of the plants was totally gone out of the pot, MIA!!! and the other one was hanging on by a root! I was in shock, couldnt believe it, was it a wood pigeon or was it one of my dogs!!!

I still dont know, Im guessing the dogs…….I was so annoyed, especially as I had only a few seeds to start off with and then only have 2 seedlings…..

So here is a picture of what I have left to work with! honestly, dogs, who would have them????!!!!!!!

Hazel’s post yesterday has made a few of us think about what we are trying to do as gardeners, and I think that’s interesting. For both Alan and me, our feeling is that we want to achieve a harmonious place where we can be creative and which looks beautiful – to us and hopefully to others.

But our garden is also primarily about feeding body and soul, starting with the soil micro-life, all the way up through bugs, birds, wildflowers, amphibians and all the way up to us. Which is why our lawn is full of dandelions and daisies and there are untidy bits and a big heap of sticks as well as tidy beds and planned borders.

But ultimately, it’s about what Myrtle said the other day, that feeling when you  come through the gate and think, ‘Ah, isn’t it lovely!’.  For all of us, the combination of plants, design, landscaping etc which brings on that feeling is unique and special. And we ought to celebrate that in ourselves as well as each other, I think.

Here endeth the lesson! 

Found these little white ‘crawlies’ on one of my Lupins yesterday. There were loads of them (not anymore I might add )

I did think baby Vine weevil???

Question  is what are they?

Nowhere else in the garden!!

Looking as good as this ,

what else could you expect from Hosta ‘Great Expectations’

Looking good now, Streptocarpus ‘Pink Leyla’.

A few weeks ago, I wrote a journal about my Blueberry Sunshine Blue that gave no blueberries at all last year and was a bit of a disappointment. Since then I have not done anything to it but have been keeping an eye on it, and it looks like there may be a crop coming up, finally. If what is shown in the picture are blueberries, the plant is covered in them. And if that’s what it is, should I protect it from the birds before they ripen?

Had a bit of a lie in this morning, so once I was showered I was raring to go. Started off by listing all of the plants I bought on Saturday. Amongst those bought were two beautiful Auriculas which I divided while potting up today, and got a total of ten plants. Lots of healthy roots on all of the divisions. All planted into identical pots so if Steve decides he’d ‘like’ to make me a THEATRE, they’ll be ready. LOL

Hazel gave me plants at the weekend too. So I managed to get all those planted also.

Three of my little home-grown tomato plants have come on in leaps and bounds in the last week with this great weather.  So as I had gone out and bought three in Homebase, these are just spare ones. But I think three plants is more than enough for just Steve and myself. So I’ll give my home-grown ones to Dad.

My Sumac was potted into a much bigger pot. I actually heard him sigh with contentment when I was tucking him in all snug as a bug in a rug with fresh compost. 

Anything that I have been hardening off is now outside full time. Glasshouse is looking much more orderly.  I planted my Morning Glory in the big planter that I have a laurel in. That will add a bit more interest to an evergreen for the summer months. I love the leaf shape of the Morning Glory.

It has been a while since I’ve managed to get on here, but I’ve been keeping an eye on proceedings when I’ve been able to. Hopefully after a hectic and difficult few weeks things can get back to normality.

I picked up this cute little Soldanella last year at the Alpine society show in Greenmount, possibly from Aberconwy Nursery.
It’s a hybrid and so was sold to me as supposedly being easier to flower than the straight species types, which can be tricky. It hasn’t disappointed this spring, producing these tiny little flowers for the past few weeks and spreading itself among the stone walling.

Now if only I could find the label I could tell you its name!

I was so lucky to get the opportunity to see KindredSpirit’s garden at long last. What an eye-opener and a very unique garden. Kevin seems to be a ‘whizz’ at growing so many sedums, saxifragas and many more alpines, and of course his ‘pond’ which is bigger than my entire little garden has got to be ‘la creme de la creme’ for me. I shall let my album speak for itself. Thank you, Kevin, for sharing it with us.

Delighted that I made it to my first ever Alpine Garden Society Show yesterday in Cabinteely and it’s definitely NOT my last. I was suitably impressed and made some nice purchases. But I sent Steve home with them, without me. It was dark when I got home tonight so haven’t seen my beautiful babies. Tomorrow!!!

It was great to see so many ier’s attend this show.

Hello! Just posted photos from this beautiful show.Later will post photos of our g.ier’s what i met there.I had wonderful time,so if you have chance,,do not miss next year 😉

  Have a very good day you all!!!

The week started off with a couple of .ie friends coming for lunch prior to going on to the Alpine show. LOL by the end of the week there 10 people due. It was so funny as each time Maria asked ”so who is coming”? the numbers increased.

Sadly Clara had to cancel, and you were missed Clare ;(

Thank you all for the lovely plants, they will be put to great use 😉

We traveled on to the Alpine show, and met up with even more .iers. We were out in force today for sure. There were lots of bags been carried in no time at all.

I am putting up a small album of some of the display plants. The care and attention given to these plants shows in the quality of the blooms and foliage.

Thank you to everyone for a great day. Maria says thank you to you all foe coming as she opens one of the bottles of Vino, so it’s a really big thank you  from her :))

Ive just come for a comforting cup of coffee to over my frustation at finding another million sycamore seedlings in a bed I “done” only 3 weeks ago.  what is going on? I hear it is the same up and down the country.  No one has seen anything quite like it.

Jackie, what did your seedlings turn out to be? I am curious to know if something else is trying to take over the world.