Month: November 2014

Finally got my straw that I need from a lad in work, two fine big bags of it. I will hopefully some stage this week will get to protect the musa. I have bamboo canes already around it and will wrap chicken wire around that and then stuff with straw and put a love piece of strong plastic over it so the ran will run off it rather than into it. While i’m at it I will stuff the crowns of my tree ferns with straw too to keep them warm.

Whenever I am in and out of the shed I always look at this view and think it’s just fantastic. I think all these plants line up well together as the garden goes down. From the phormium to Trachycarpus to coryline and phormium at the back. All the colours mix well together and the best thing about it is that it’s evergreen so can be enjoyed all year.

You know how it is, sometimes things get done with no planning whatsoever . I decided today to propagate some Rose Cuttings and why not? They now have a nice cosy kitchen window sill for the winter months.. Haven’t tried this in years hope Mes Merrill cooperates 

What a sore subject this is around the country especially when you see all that falls from the sky. Anyway not something I’m going to go on about. I’m happy to pay etc. Each to their own…….but as we have so much water and with the dreaded charges looming we have installed 2 water butts. And as others will be in the same boat, sorry, they are full. 

It has been so wet and damp here that the steps outside the patio doors and the pathways are gone green. Very little sun shines here now as its so low in the sky. So about 2pm yesterday I got it into my head I would do some power washing. Now some might say WHAT???? What about the amount of water you are using and more importantly HOW MUCH will that cost. Well actually nothing!! 

Well this is where my water butts came into play. I hooked up the hose to the water butt and turned them on and boy did they do the job. The pressure wasn’t as dramatic as if connected to the mains but still powerful enough to take off that awful green mess. 

Our water butts are 210ltr in size and I didn’t even use it all up. But got everything clean. So I’m delighted to know that when the Spring comes and I know it will need some more cleaning, I won’t habe to pay for that privilege. by the time I was finished I was frozen but so glad to get it done. Weather is to be bright and sunny today. So enjoy it if you can  

A few more orchids in flower.

So here we are at 22nd November, and this is a sample of what is available in my garden.

Flower Carpet rose

Gemista Porlock – very fragrant

Spartium junceum

Anthemis tinctoria EC Buxton

Teucrium fructicans

Euonymus Mediopicta

Euonymus Emerald Gaiety

Brachyglotis monroi

….but took in the last of the roses so that I can get in and give them a bit of a pruning tomorrow ….

The sun was shining here to day. There was no rain, no wind worth talking about. More leaves were raked around the house. I doubt if i ever saw so many leaves here before. Having moved leaves on the paths, I decided to get at the gutters. Now there are gutters at the back, the front and one side. I got at the ones at the back as it was there that most of the leaves lodged. the conditions were ideal for the job and standing on a stepladder and moving bit by bit, the bucket was filled several times. With a rake, some leaves were removed from part of the roof. I decided to leave the other gutters for another day. Now I said that I would get at the ash trees again. early in the month I had done some pruning on them but due to the unpleasant weather, never finished the job. I got at the branches again and removed some but felt that the lack of daylight was against me. As the camera is out of commission, the trees shown are from another year.

It was a nice sunny morning here after heavy showers during the night, but, after my walk , I determined to do some overdue housework before going to the garden.

One job lead to another and by 2pm I was looking forward to finishing housework and getting out there when a very heavy shower came down and the hope of doing some gardening had to be abandoned!

Ah well, I have a cleaner, tidier house to sit in and look out at this rose that just keeps on blooming!

Rain rain rain. Raking and composting and raking and composting and raking and composting. Two productive trips to Glanbia though! Very good value and have lots to put in when the rain stops. I sent out a dove today and it came back with a twig in its beak so perhaps tomorrow. Oh also cut grass!!! Bit sloshy but got it done.No pictures as camera left behind me! Its safe! Just put in this entry lest ye think Scrubber was swept away in the flood. Bottom of garden inundated.

i was going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark all week so didnt get a chance to see if the weedkiller worked but will be out first thing to inspect it, want to get those hazels in the ground ASAP.

i was very naughty last week and this week, last week on bought 2 philadelpus ( i thought it was the heavenly bamboo i ordered but it was the philadelphus which i am delighted with as they are best scented ones. i also got 2 of the 3 primulas. i will give proper names tomorrow and picks then after a hard slog of a day i decided to go and get my liquidamber tree and got it home and in the tunnel before anyone noticed ………..very naughty indeed.

i didnt get all the tunnel done on sunday just got half and it was pitch dark when i finished up on so hopefully i will get it finished tomorrow and have photos then, i have the full day to get it done so it should be well sorted by this time tomorrow night.

i want to gather up some stuff for the get together this year as i felt terrible the last time i went because i really didnt have anything worht giving 

The December issue of The Irish Garden arrived in subscribers’ post boxes yesterday and it is on the shelves of your local newsagent today!

It is packed with seasonal advice, tips, ideas, lots of stunning photos, including some really beautiful flower arranging by Carol Bone. Great article on willow by Ciaran Burke too. And all your favourite diarists on trees, shrubs, flowers, fruit and vegetables and greenhouse!

A subscription to The Irish Garden is a great Christmas present …. for all your gardening friends and relations … and for yourself. Perhaps it is time to drop the hint… and I have heard of people buying subs for each other … and thereby justifying the expense … which of course is excllent value in any case… 10 magazines over a full year… what beats that…10 reminders to your happy recipients of your esteem for them! 

All for €46 … brilliant value!

These shoes live in the shed, and the shed, like many other sheds I guess, houses a good few spiders, some pretty huge ones. I am not very brave with spiders, so I’m always careful when moving things around in the shed in case I come face to face with one of them. One “ritual” before putting these shoes on is that I always check inside in case there is a spider in them 🙂 So far so good! 

The Bonsai Podocarpus is now twenty five years old. This is my first real success at keeping a Bonsai alive. Just as well this is a tough little plant.

Dense overnight fog didn’t lift at all today, and it turned out to be a cold day. It’s getting denser even now. I noticed lots of spiderwebs everywhere today. The lingering fog ensured they stayed visible for longer.

Passing my local garden center today so stopped in ” for a look ” well I didnt know there was a sale on did I ? Four Geums at half price why not? I suppose I better leave them potted up for the winter …

It’s funny how certain things stand out more once plants have died back.

Following on from Jackie’s post, here is the view from my bedroom window this morning.

It’s a lovely bright, cold morning.

Terri mentioned Dianthus ‘Flashing Lights’ in a comment on Roofy’s journal, so I thought I’d show you a photo of it in our garden, taken in July.  It’s a great plant for groundcover or front of border, putting out lots of small bright flowers and spreading well.

Rachel gave me a small piece at Johnstown in Jan 2013 and it now forms a nice mat at the sunny side of the wavy border.  Your six plants should give you a great show, Terri.

Thanks Rachel, I’m delighted with it.