Month: July 2014

Is what Aoife said when she say me filling in gaps here and there in the border with plants in pots and planters. 

Works well though LOL

Only getting to watch the recorded coverage of this years Hampton Court now. TV is all mine, vino and cheese.

Perfect end to a day

On my Lillium Lancifolium i have picked some seeds that amazingly grow in between the leaves and the stem and wouldn’t ya know i picked some of the biggest and they already before being potted are starting to grow. Crazy stuff. I will pot up as much as I can to spreada round and share 😀

Delighted that my Lavon (Tree Lily) picked today to open up, as it brought a smile to my face on such a dull and overcast day.

I think it’s only their third summer in my garden, but I thought that they would be much taller this year. They are only about 5ft, yet my L. ‘African Queen, and ‘Montego Bay’ are both taller than this already. Still, I’m a Happy Camper as, in my opinion,  ALL lilies are gorgeous.

These Hydrangeas were slipped about mid June. This evening I realised that they were rooted so I potted them. 

Mum gave me this little poppy that she grew from seed….

My last years’ Tigridia were accidentally left in the border after last summer. And ‘lo and behold, one appeared today. Somehow I get the feeling our coming winter won’t be as mild, so I must remember to take it under cover come Autumn. Pretty, but very fleeting. No sign of any more so I’m glad I didn’t miss it today.

Who needs to feed plants when they grow like this?

A while back someone mentioned in a journal about feeding regimes. A few days later Rachel was here and asked what was I feeding the Dahlias? Nothing was the answer.

Don’t know why but these plants are growing all by themselves.

Where I am standing is a foot above ground level, so Dahlia is well over my head and the Sunflower is where it’s meant to be LOL

Does anyone else share my love for pine nuts? They are so expensive that I tend to use them very sparingly.

Today I’m in Catalunya kept indoors by thunderstorms so I’ve been researching pine nuts and how to grow them. I’ve even sourced an Irish supplier.

I’m wondering if anyone has grown the Pinus Pinea that these delicious little nuts grow on? I’m wondering how long I will have to wait to collect a harvest – at €66 per kilo here I reckon I can clean up on them!

Apart from all that, I’ve been thinking I’d like a few more conifers in the garden – Jacinta and Clare have already donated some but one or two more would be nice.

I have to admit that I am being strongly influenced by two magnificent ones outside my window at the moment …..

So does anyone know how well they do in Ireland?

P.S. 

Sorry – not trying to brag about the swimming pool beyond the trees …. pity about the rain today but tomorrow will be back to 27 degrees !!!!!

I now know why its named so!! This has started to flower in the last week or so and when I went to get a photo of it one evening the flowers had closed.. had to wait till the next morning to get some photos. You learn something every day 🙂

Thanks to Joan for the seeds.

There will be a nice display of red berries here later in the year. Isn’t it great the way the leaves totally disappear to allow the brries to their thing.

I cant believe we are nearly at the end of July already. Where did those last 7 months go!…..and the idea of having a photo album for each month is just brilliant. To be able to go back month by month and compare the garden is amazing. Everything is so tall and lush and colourful. To think only a few months back I was complaining that everything is so low down and you couldnt actually see the plants. But now they are almost towering over me and thats just the ones nearer the front of the borders!!

If you have been looking at the photos you might just notice that there is ‘snow’ on a lot of the plants! Well actually of course its not snow, but it certainly seemed like it today.

Not really sure from what trees or plants its coming from, Im thinking maybe the Silver Birch at the back of us, but with the windy day that was in it, we were showered all day long with these tiny little white/tan coloured little bits of plants. Not flowers though. It was like snow falling and the place was literally covered in it. The plants have a sprinkling too. 🙂

It was a lovely day today and I just pottered around and potted on a few bits and pieces. There wasnt any rain until now ..and its a welcome relief for the plants Im sure. I dont mind the rain, once its at night 😉

Hope you enjoy the album……

MMMMMmmmm

I’m going to ask a big favour here you don’t mind, maybe a little early but as the saying goes, the early bird etc etc.

As part of my plans to have a tropical plant area for next year, I’m looking for a Banana Plant (Musa).

Within the next month or so some places will possibly sell plants like this off greatly reduced or cheeply. If anyone in the greater Dublin area happened to see them could they please let me know.

I know it’s a long shot, but you just never know.

Thanks in advance.

But I think we’re already in it here at Garden.ie!!!!   Myrtle put up her Journal yesterday,  about The Twist and this afternoon I’m putting up my Journal about The Limbo Rock (chubby checker 1962) which prompted the chant ‘how low can you go’!!! These potted Lillies were placed out in the border way back late Spring.  The other day I was tidying up border and came across the same pot which had fallen over, hence the horizontal growth of these poor poor Lillies or had they been ‘doing the limbo dance’ in the undergrowth!!  After reading Myrtle’s Journal I just had to add mine!!!!

what a lovely day today ,we have been out in the garden all morning weeding replanting in the veg garden, cutting hedges back , the water lilys are going mad there must be twenty flowers on the pond just like the photo.Dose anyone know why my Orchids roots are dying the flower stems and leaves are fine and there is new growth any ideas.

How could I forget to mention the lovely Violetta, whom we also met just before we were heading home. With all the excitement of writing that journal I completely forgot to mention ……Im so sorry Violetta….it was great meeting you and hearing how you both met. Hope to see you again sometime soon….enjoy your sleepover 😉

Also thanks to Rachel for the lovely plants which she kindly left for me and also Jurgita for all the plants she gave ME going home……I was busy when I got back and a real happy camper !

Thanks again 🙂

Jackie, this is a picture of the Angelica sylvestris purpurea. I originally got the seed from Rachel and it has self seeded in a few areas plus I sowed some which germinated easily. It has to be sown fresh so I will send you some seed as soon as it is ready and you can sow it straight away.

Been away for a week, couldnt have picked better weather, we were in Co Down so had both the sea and the Mourne mountains to enjoy, will be writing a couple of garden related journals when I get photos sorted but just thought I would show you this photo which I took before going away.

I had brought in a couple of kniphofia which I found lying down on the ground after slugs had eaten through the stems. I was surprised how they twisted back the following morning, made me laugh! Guess I’m showing my age to those of you who dont remember “The Twist”!!

Got this in early summer. I was very much attracted to its glaucous speckled leaves. One that is destined to get planted down at the back wall for a bit of coverage.

The watering can group had the top can filled with petunia colour.

I love to look up at them each day i  pass through the front enterence.

Though looking ok when put up empty into place earlier in the year,the petunias bring out Mother Natures colours in full.

So much for summer sunshine