Month: January 2015

Is it early for daffodils? a elderly man told me today it was, I didn’t  think so, I have some in my garden for a few weeks now.

Yesterday was mild, calm and overcast. I said to myself that the job could be finished on the ash trees. As I reported early on, I have six ash trees pruned, four at the back of the house and two at the side. The pruning was generally done in November but a few branches defied me. Yesterday was the ideal day to finish the job. I got out the stepladder and the loppers, climbed as high as I could and cut away most of the new wood which grew during the summer. There was one branch about 6 1/2 feet long which defied me and the loppers. I tried from a number of angles, without success. Then I got the pruning saw and before long the job was done. Now this work is complete until November. I think of Myrtle and her sycamore trees.

When out in the garden the other day I cut back the old fronds of this fern which I was told it was a ostrich fern but I don’t havea clue so we’ll say it is anyway. What I noticed after cutting back was the amount of fronds waiting to come out. It’s gonna look great this year.

I never liked the phrase, even when preceded by ‘The poor misfortunate’ ( We never had unfortunates in Waterford). The first time I heard  it was from the mouth of a certain Sister Josephine when John Shortall was ‘showin off’ on the gymnastic horse and fell and embedded a tooth in the skull of Patricia ‘Blondie’ Kellegher who was laughing at his antics and stupidly standing in his line of sudden descent! John broke his wrist in the fall and the roars of the one and the wails of the other were capped only by the roar from Sr. Josephine ‘Well ye were BOTH headin’ for a fall!

Scrubber remembered the phrase today because for the last two occasions he had been revelling in the snowdrops, cutting up whole trees, carting loads of leaves into the bottoms, planting Rhubarb and viburnum Eva Price. ‘Headin’ for a fall?’.Of course he was. He was brought to a sudden halt to his gallop today (Another favourite of hers!). It was a nice day and the side border beckoned invitingly but it was the call of a siren! Such dirty knotted intertangled weeds, such wiry resistant crevice- seeking grasses, so many smothered plants and sliced bulbs, such scraping of fingers against sharp stones, such nasty skulking thorns, such slow slow progress and so little to show at the end of the day!

My Momma never done told me there’d be days like this-though Sr Josephine often did . ‘We are born in a valley of tears, children and we must make the most of it!’

Anyway there’s a start made on the side border  and of course Scrubber will NEVER let it get so out of hand again! And in the evening light it did look a bit better than it was this morning. And he may appreciate all the more those glorious days when things just go right and wonders happen!

I have some cheery and cheeky robins in the garden! Over the frosty days last week I got into the habit of scattering some porridge oats on top of the wall outside my kitchen window for a cheeky chappy! Well every morning, as soon as I appear in the kitchen he is perched on the wall looking in and if I delay he hops on the window ledge to speed me up! These past few mornings have been nice and mild and he should have lots to forage but he insists on his porridge oats!

I dont know if it was the same one but I enjoyed watching ‘bath time’ out the front this morning!

I’ve managed to do a a smidgeon of gardening the last few days and it has felt good.

This little robin kept me company today as I planted a bag of some 80 forgotten tulips.

Shame I can’t put up an audio clip, the birds are really getting into their stride and singing their hearts out. It must be the days beginning to stretch that’s put a zing in their ding-a-ling. And as we were standing by the pond the other day, both of us swore we heard a frog croaking. 

But they shouldn’t be too enthusiastic, the forecast is straight from the Arctic by the end of the week! 

I have three different types of Pieris in the garden. But this is usually the earliest one to flower. It was bought in Johnstown a few years ago. It’s starting to ‘do its thing’ right now. Love the deep colour on this one.

Scrubber is very grateful to have Cherub as guide and motivator and now that Cherub Lute is serving his time its even more noticeable that as often as Scrubber goes out to do something he is gently but firmly steered in a different direction! For example on Friday I was quite determined to get some of the side border bed done. Then i found the scrubbing brush was ideal for removing moss between the sets so did a bit of that. Turned for side bed and noticed ash bucket was full-or was it brought to my notice??? Down to scrub and filled ashes in under two slabs in squelchy path. On the way back I ‘noticed’ the small thorn tree that fell down after a recent storm and landed on another small one pulling it out of the ground..I had left it as a job for someone with a chainsaw but then wondered if I did it bit by bit. (I didn’t hear Cherub Lute giggle but I should have!’ I had only a lopping saw and the  diameter of the tree was about 12 cm! But by going in from the side and then from other side I managed to cut it and remove the crown which was very thorny and intertwined. With some help from both I managed to push the trunk up and back and into the hedge. Set at crown with loppers and disentangled it from other smaller one. Got pieces into hedge and was able to lever the other out of the ground quite easily

Then lots of raking up of debris. Putting pieces into the hedge reminded me to clear out a little overgrown patch there and got two ferns out and put them into Elizabeth’s corner.Then went back to clearing paths. Raking – raking- raking. I was in a bit of a dream. Then I noticed not two metres away Percy Pheasant was scratching –scratching- scratching so the two of us continued to work away together. It was a real Zen sort of moment, both of us at our respective tasks and neither bothering the other!

So today of course I was determined to get that side bed done. First to put in a viburnum Eva Price in the hole I had dug previously. I got it on Sunday in Sweeneys new Ross and had also got two different rhubarb plants Timberly Early and Victoria, two each only 1.95 per stool. I dug a small drill in the veg plot and then brought up lots of rich compost and planted them. Then was encouraged to dig all the vegetable beds!!!! Then something suggested that I hand weed the chive/rose ‘rill’. The bribe was that I could use the edgings to fill in a grass edging needed in the scrub!

For variety I decided (or was it decided for me?) to strim all the three cornered leek which is in danger of smothering the bottom of the scrub. Its a pernicious if very pretty weed and I am hoping that by strimming it regularly I will weaken it. The air was thick with garlic scent! Then a final nudge from my advisors and as Dusk came in I managed  four tarpaulins of leaves from the top path which i really didn’t think I’d clear. A lot done and maybe since tomorrow is good i might get that side bed done yet!

Sorry about the pic. Its an old one of fern Corner! I havent any great selection of pics on Laptop!

The weather here today was glorious. It’s hard to believe we are in the midst of winter… although the weather forecast suggests that all this may change on Wednesday when a cold front comes in. In the meantime we have been able to press ahead with our little revamp project and I spent a very pleasant afternoon wheelbarrowing home made compost from our newly opened heap. I used this fabulous rich, fertile, crumbly brown matter to fill some raised timber beds (recycled from my polytunnel) Before the light failed I managed to plant them up with Buxus and a couple of hundred tulip bulbs. 

While cleaning the borders in the front garden yesterday I looked up at this hebe and tought it just looked fantastic a plant I’m not too fond of but like this one for its colour. Somethin you would miss on most days but that is the great thing about winter when plants like this can stand alone and be appreciated. I don’t have a name for it. Lovely day today pity I had work would have loved to have been out again today in it.

Also just on a last note I started sowing yesterday. Just started with my barnhaven primroses and that’s it now for awhile.

Today was the day! Of course I was out! Otherwise I would have an album of photos! But this will show you whats left.  They will come back another day with a machine that will grind the root.

Now I would love them to take down the other 2 but I am very happy to have this one gone.  

I’m such a proud grandmother today for the second time. My daughter and her partner welcomed their second little son into the world this morning at 11.00. Baby and Mam doing really well. Baby Logan (just hope he’s not nicknamed  Loganberry!) weighed in at 8lbs 12ozs. Lets hope he is as enthusiastic about garden jobs as big brother Davey is. Hope to have a photo soon.

Big brother is dying to see him, and then I’ll be free for the garden once again.

This orchid, Tahitian Dancer, is back in flower.

It has 5 flower spikes this year.

You can’t beat the old reliables!

Here is my Galanthus Wendy’s Gold which opened for me today while out in the garden. This is why I got this the yellow it’s just gorgeous.

To see sights like this when your walking around the garden.

Got this a few years ago and I love it for its later foliage colour. It turns a beautiful shade of red. Watching and waiting from now on. But just looking at it today it seems to have been nibbled quite a bit, something I hadn’t noticed with Bergenias before.

Flowering here at the moment well for the past few days. Petals were closed this afternoon when taking the photo and wondering did I miss it flowering during the week. A yellow snowdrop was on my wish list for awhile and managed to pick this up at Keith Wileys talk before christmas for €10. /it has two flowering bulbs anyway and a third with leaves might still flower bit if not def 3 for next year and hoping it bulks up well over the years. Still have to plant it out but will prob do that tomorrow when I have time.

This is the original photo of the one that I had cropped down to show a close up of my garden from above. You can see the three bridges that cross the Suir connecting Waterford on the south to Kilkenny on the northside. The nearest bridge is the new bridge which was constructed only about six years ago, Thomas Francis Meagher Bridge. The second bridge is an old railway bridge, not in use anymore, known as The Red Iron Bridge and the third bridge is the main bridge into the town itself, Rice Bridge. The arrow marks our patch.

Most of these ferns in this planter are set to be moved into the garden soon, as there are babies in waiting to take their place

I just noticed these the other day, two ferns have died back completely and I tidied them up and cut everything back. I don’t know if it’s the mild winter and the shelter of the hedge that is helping the growth on the remaining ones look so good, But either way it’s good to see them looking so lush and healthy.

Delighted with this little planter as it keeps all the baby ferns in one spot and it’s easy to keep an eye on them at all times.

Looking like a good weekend ahead so hope you gan make the most of it.

Some of you will be happy to know that this coming week starts the beginning of the gardening year with Aldi. I suspect Lidl will be the same.

Next Thursday Aldi are kick-starting the growing season with seeds, soft fruit and mixed planters. Not much, but it IS only the beginning. So, let’s just enjoy what’s on offer, and welcome great bargains along the way.

I came across an aerial photo of the new bridge that crosses the River Suir connecting Waterford on the south side to Kilkenny on the north.  Our garden was in the photo so I zoomed in on it to get a closed view of our garden from above.