Month: March 2015
I’m surprised and delighted that my Echium has come out the other side of the winter UNPROTECTED. Now, maybe it will reward myself and the bees with flowers this year.
I’m 99.9% sure this is a Silybum (Thistle Family). I spotted this in Primrose Hill garden last week.
I had one like it here a few years ago but I don’t remember the foliage on mine been so pointed.
Could anyone give me a full name on this one, I did some google homework but could not spot one with such pronounced foliage.
Many thanks as ever.
Well actually, I was reading a journal entry here written by the H (Hazel)
Reading how she planted trees to recreate a woodland area. And here I was, with all those established trees and whining about them. A good kick up the backside, that’s what I needed….
Just as luck would have it, Lidl had little Azalea plants in stock this week and cheap enough that even if they wouldnt work out, I didnt have to remorgage the house. So 5 Azalea japonica plants jumped magically into my shopping trolley, together with the PVC greenhouse I had my eyes on of course.
My Aldi shopping trip yielded nothing for the woodland, but added 3 very healthy looking 6packs of Marguerite plugplants. And while waiting on the checkout, my eyes fell on the now virtually empty boxes of the perennial roots and bulbs they had in stock a couple weeks ago. And because the Echinacea purpurea roots I had purchased when they had just arrived in stock are doing incredibly well, I had a quick look to see what was left. A packet of Heliopsis roots had started to grow in its bag and looked desperate to get out. So did a packet of Hemerocallis roots. I took a chance and popped them into the basket too. They are sitting cosily in their pots now, we will see.
Just one more trip to the garden center in the local EXPERT store added a gorgeous Choisya ternata plant, rooting powder and some more seed trays. Those where put to good use when I sowed my Rudbeckia Cherry Brandy seed this evening.
So all in all, a few good days of adding to my garden. Will take some photos tomorrow, too late now.
Tomorrow is taken up with inside work all day.
But come Sunday morning it’s D Day for the planting of my Tropical Look area at long last. I few real tender plants I have will not be going in just yet but it will be great to finally get a move on this project at long last.
Possum to be re-located,this is No.10 & I really hope the last,this bloke took 27 nights to catch & will be better off in his new place of abode.
There is an unbelievable storm outside and there are already a few garden casualties.
I’ve been painting the kitchen so doing little gardening but I know that once I get this out of the way it will be all guns blazing!
A few days ago myself and Sammy decided to test the PH in our garden soil. I know I have acid soil but would like to have seen a reading.
Anyway, we used litmus and the kit from the science set Sammy got for his birthday. Unfortunately the litmus refused to change colour at all. Bloomin useless science set!
So that will not be one of next Wednesday’s videos after all. lol.
I usually try to talk about gardening topics in my journals but today is an exception as my wonderful Dad passed away early last sunday morning and I just wanted to show the Camellia he found dumped by the side of the road a good few years ago and he brought it to me knowing my love of Camellias and by God has it thrived. Looking at it and looking around the garden today with all the signs of life and new flowers it is good for the soul and even helps a broken heart a little. Thanks Dad, we will be lost without you.
Well i started on tursday, dead heading all the hydrangeas, i have 22 of them on a bank, cutting off the grehound runs from my gardens, they are planted since 2008 and last year they were just covered in blooms, mainly blue, even in those HOT HOT days we got, the petals all curled in the heat, but alas all the dead heads have to be taken away as the leaves are starting to come, the wind today is not helping me, they just blow away, where ever they blow to i will still have to pick up, not going to do anymore deadheading until that wind dies back. Hope you all have a grand weekend
Totally neglected and ignored all year but at this time of the year this bed does at least get a second look.
My Dad is 90 this year and whilst he has not been very well these past few months we are hoping that he is on the mend and will soon be able to get out to his garden to potter around . We bought him a glasshouse for his 70th Birthday but it is now in a dangerous state and needs to be replaced. We want to replace it this Spring – It will not be a big one, I know that many of you have glasshouses and I am looking for advice as there seems to be several different options. At the moment all Daddy grows in his is tomatoes ( as he has a small tunnell as well) and Mam uses it for some of her “special plants”. Any advice appreciated
Fairly small garden. Mainly gravel and I would like to plant the west facing wall with flowering shrubs or climbers.
Gardener’s World returns tomorrow evening at 8.30 pm on BBC 2, so don’t forget. It is usually repeated on Sunday morning if you do.
I day I got items ordered from Bakker. It included12 Begonias and 5 Lavender which were ordered. Also included were a Weather Station ( Thermometer, Hygrometer and Clock) free and a set of ceramic knives (3) free. The Lavender should be going down o morrow.
Keeping an eye out for flowers on my three little peach trees every Spring has got to be the most anticipated act by Mother Nature for me. And planting these trees into the greenhouse soil has ensured a much bigger crop than when they were jammed into pots a few years ago. This particular peach (‘Bonanza’) is self-pollinating. However I do help them along their merry way by aiding pollination with a small artist brush.
Though I had posted this last night but no show ? Web site problems again ? I manures the veg garden with the ten barrow loads of free farmyard manure in between hail , sunshine and showers. Ready for the earlies now in the next ten days or so. Ground is getting nice and workable too. On way in for a cuppa I decided to join up two adjacent borders on the spur of the moment as you do when you have shovel in hand . The two hens found it todsy and decided to level it for me !! peas are now planted indoors for a faster start as are various seed trays of flowers , Isnagged go escape from Zlidl last night without breaking the bank despite dome nice stuff in store. Settled for a few more seed packets and three Echinaceas .
My garden is lacking some structure, some “backbone” , especially during the winter months. So I planning to rectify this this year. But I am lacking ideas, so I am hoping that you might help me out but telling me about YOUR favorite shrubs, the ones you love and wouldn’t be without . Or the ones you’d love if you could have them only for soil, light, wind, …. you get the idea lol
Looking forward to hear your ideas.
Gidday all,
just trying to give a overhaul view of the patch hope it worked.(album)
All,s good despite the lack of rain,lawn is the only thing that is suffering but it will come back.
Hey folks, just giving you the heads up on a little competition happening on my facebook page at the mo. Head on over and take part!
So while tossing and turning last night and not finding any sleep, my thoughts were wandering to the garden. Where else would the wander to …..
And then inspiration struck and I saw the design I want for my garden. Talking about being annoyed at being stuck indoors in the dark at 3am haha.
I was paranoid about falling asleep and forgetting it, so rather than trying to get to sleep, I tried to picture it in as much detail as I could, burning it into my brain. And thankfully it worked.
Now only to convince himself that it is a great idea and worth the huge effort…. that is a mission and a half ! Will work it out on paper and then in the garden with a hose, I shall post photos when I do.
Tuesday is a busy day for me as I go to art which is out in Skerries and was talking to a lady about her painting and missed the train and I did not get home until 4 ……was so cold so just put the dinner in the oven…….and sat down and am sitting since ..
I just noticed these yesterday and today enjoying the sun in spite of the cold and a bit of snow yesterday. they seem to close up when the sun goes in. I’m delighted with them as some of my other Crocus keel over in rain and don’t sit up again!
I’m wondering if this is frost damage on the flower bud of this Rhododendron. I’d be a little surprised if it it is, as the plant was in the shelter of a hedge. There are five buds damaged, these are all over the plant not just on the higher branches.
All opinions welcome.
The day started badly with some personal stuff (no need to fret – nothing big) and I found myself feeling that ‘mock ulcer’ that pretends to come with bad news. Such a ninny!
I decided that I would do the thing I love most to cheer me up. I went out to the greenhouse to pot my newly-acquired alpines in some nice clay pots that I have. I love this job to bits so long as i have all the necessaries – pots, grit etc.
Then I spent a while, arranging them nicely on the shelves. Actually it was hard to display everything I wanted but it’s not a bad complaint to have too much đŸ™‚
Just a photo of my hardy orchid bed all topped up with grit.
I am expecting great things from it this year.
Just to say that the hardy orchids are the only established plants in the ground in my garden that get watered and fed.
So they are right spoilt brats!
Just two short bird stories;
The Sad one; Two Rooks nested in my chimney last year…the protectors had been blown off. What a job clearing out the nest, gent on roof for about an hour fishing for tons of nest material including loads of Fur and Hair from my Meg and Maisie which I had put outside for that purpose!! On with new chimney protectors. Then a few days ago I see Mr and Mrs Rook back at the chimney totally puzzled that they could not get in, quite sad!
Good one; Have not seen Goldfinches here for years and then only once. So put out Nyger seeds a few days ago and today they came , lots of them so they had to form a Q. Also saw the first Greenfinch for years so very happy to have these pretty birds join all the others who come to feed.
End of stories.
