Month: April 2015
To day was one of the best days this week. I had planned to mow the lawn yesterday but the rain beat me, so I said that I would leave it for another day. Last night, we had heavy rain and I wondered would I get the lawn mown at all. In the morning, I noticed that the grass was very wet but the temperature was up although not as windy as yesterday. I spent some time in the greenhouse, watering plants. Then out the front I went and the grass was coming on due to the fact that the conditions were warm. I spent some time pruning Hydrangeas, not the mopheads, as they were removed a month ago. It was a case of woody warts of the stems of the shrubs. Lunch time came and out came the mower about 2:30 p.m. I got about half of the mowing done, then took a break for coffee. Out I went again, got all of the mowing complete and put away the mower. I took another short break and was just about to go out and collect the cuttings but then down came the rain. The roses are showing buds and despite having frost on a number of nights, no damage was done to the Hydrangeas.
Went into Lidl today and what value they had on plants, bedding,trees,shrubs, etc etc, i got a tray of nemesis , intense blue grass and a sweet pea bush all for 17€ delighted i was, all planted and looking happy out.
I moved a Peony last year as it was in the way. It belonged to the previous owner.
Then this appeared in its place. can anyone enlighten me as to what it is? Is it Peony again? I was sure it was all out before.
Here they are, native on the left (1), Spanish on the right (1a)
Earlier in the year I discovered pots of what looked like bulbs of some sort, resembling little fat sausages. No label AS USUAL, and I had absolutely no idea what they were. But Fleurette and Liztai suggested that they may be bluebells. I have had a few bluebells here over the years. Never bought them, but must have come in as stowaways on different plants.
However, when I gathered them all up together I ended up with a few potfuls. Very happy to see now that they are indeed bluebells. I have some planted into the area that has woodlandish plants, and dotted around the garden strategically. But are they the native ones, or the invasive Spanish ones?
One of the most beautiful plants of this time of year are the Epimediums, dainty little flowers hover above beautiful coloured leaves. We had a visit on Sunday last from Sally Gregson, who kindly brought us a new Epimedium wushanense, a very long leaf form which grows to about two feet. Sally is speaking in Cork on Thursday evening to the Alpine/Hardy Plant Society and I am sure the members will be in for a treat with Sally’s talk.
Have added a few extra photos to my April Album 2015.
I’m looking at the clumps of Hosta’s around the garden that are all at different stages of setting seed pods. Do people cut these stems off or leave them be. I’m just wondering does the plant save enegry if the plants or cut back?
What do people out there do?
On another note I’m just back in from what was meant to be a talk by Micheal Walsh from Mount Congreve, but he had to cancel at short notice. But all was not lost as the managed to call in Jimi Blake with a talk on a year at Hunting Brook. The amount of plants that man grows is amazing.
The man himself pulled the tickets out for the raffel, and I came away with a very nice Viburnum wrightii, lovely white flowers and bright red berries in the Autumn.
Great to meet Myrtle and Joan.
Blood pressure normal this week. Such a pleasure to see a garden so suitable for the family, and anybody! And what great woodwork and I loved the rill would never have thought of siting it there , so safe and interesting. A bit more knowledge about plants and there will be no stopping Brian. Did you like it?
Another plant opened for me today.
Yes, I’ve been busy and missed a whole load of journals. I see so many conversations going on that I have missed.
I have been busy in the garden, videoing (my channel now has over 300 subscribers) and there were a few garden visits made too. Last weekend I was at the Botanic Gardens with Liga and her daughter, Niki. I think this photo sums up the day well 🙂
The weather is nasty. But possibly it only seems that way because it has been so glorious.
Here’s a video I put up recently, which may be of interest.
No not the tomato plant in the centre! It got in with the seeds of others. I got the seeds in Johnstown some time ago from a member. I planted the seeds and from same got these. The seeds were black and shiny.
…of echiums, that’s what I would get if all of the seedlings in the photo grew! Having seen the amount of tiny flowers and then seeds on each of the six spikes last year, it’s to be expected that some would end up in the flower beds, but I couldn’t see anything for ages so I was wondering where they all went. Then I think the warm sunny weather coupled with a bit of rain gave them what they needed, and literally from one day to the other, I saw a carpet of green seedlings. What’s in the photo is a small section of it. They won’t all grow, and I won’t let them all grow either, but it’s nice to see that the next generation is getting ready 🙂
I have this one planted in the gravel in the front garden. It’s beginning to flower now, but not as many flowers as I had hoped for this year. But with the addition of another helping of ericaceous soil, and a light trim at the end of the summer, it should produce more plentiful flowers in future, and a healthier looking plant. It’s definitely worth a little extra care with its electric blue flowers.
These grapes have come on a lot in the last few days. Here is one bunch. Others are not quite as advanced. Most of my gardening to day was in the greenhouse. Pelargoniums that were slipped in the Autumn, are well rooted and were potted on. I also potted on a number of Edelweiss. I took cuttings from Pelargoniums that have been out since early April. So far the frost has not affected them.
I have so many plants I love but the more I look at this and think about it. I think it is def my favourite flower. The colour and shape is fantastic and very exotic and will just flower and flower all summer long. It’s another Lewesia here that I have had just over a year now but do not know what type.
Not a great day here at all. Very showery and cold, but frequent brief sunny spells in between. As the forecast hadn’t been great I decided to spend some time up in Dad’s this morning.
Got the whole area weeded with the hoe, not an instrument I use regularly. But when things are planted in rows it definitely makes sense, and makes short work of the weeds. Earthed up the spuds (middle row). They are looking good and healthy. Garlic and onions looking good too. Tied in the peas too so I don’t need anything done here for at least a few days.
It’s blowing a gale out there now. Hope this wintry spell doesn’t last too long.
Today between horrid heavy showers I did some real garden jobs. I mean real in that I was not playing with plants but other tasks that I tend to postpone and postpone. So what are these endeavours that I attacked. Well I used a lot of my home made compost and it is really good stuff red worms and all , to prepare a place for the tree Dahlia. Felt a bit smug using this compost….sorry!! Then there was the weed on the pond I had been trying to find oxygenating plants to no avail. So yesterday I found myself in the farm yard of a neighbour where there was a shed of barley straw. So a black bag was filled , an old pair of tights found, not in the farm yard, and another job done. Then the patches on the grass where I had used industrial strength Round up by mistake to kill Daisies, there were about 15 patches. So remove dead stuff and rough up soil and sprinkle seed. Oh that was yesterday. Today to the spuds and top them up, don’t know the correct term for covering the stalks. So feeling sm…..no satisfied. But now please some advice. Young rose bush has thrown up a very tall shoot , soft and does not look right. Should I cut it off???
So no pretty pictures today, pouring rain again so having a cuppa and wondering why do they tempt me with two big bars of Cadbury’s milk choccie for half price. And why can I not resist.
Hi guys , I am sure you have all enjoyed the wonderful weather this past few weeks, we have been out in the garden daily and I see some progress in our garden challenge will post soon some pics to update my records here , my question today is about shredders , I had heard that aldi and lidl did have them at some stage and was wondering if anyone knew where I could buy a similar model today , I believe these retailed about 50 euros or so and they would be a great asset as there is an enormous amount of stuff to be composted mostly sods of skutch grass with soil on and grass clipping; i add a layer of straw here and there and also kitchen peelings from the veg and teabags but mostly these sods of skutch really .
This is another small Narcissus that’s flowering now.
It was bought as ‘Snipe’ (named for the bird) which should have long pale flowers with swept back petals, but has actually turned out to be ‘Jack Snipe’.
Nice enough and supposedly a great one for naturalising if you’ve the space.
This is a small variety, subtle and graceful with milky white petals and hanging heads. It’s definitely old fashioned being over 100 years old, raised my Mr Backhouse and named W.P. Milner.
One of my favourites of those that I grow.
Here’s a little video about some new orchids I managed to get and a photo of some pressies a friend in Australia sent me.
The littke boxes are made from banksia seed heads and filled with eucalyptus oil. She says it smells like the Australian bush. I can’t vouch for that but It smells great 🙂
Must admit I was surprised last year when Jackie told me she had her Gazanias for more than one summer. I usually lift my summer bedding afterwards, and chuck it all on the compost heap. But last year I decided to keep them in situ, and after a bit of tidying up in the last few weeks, my Gazanias are looking like freshly-bought plants.
ANother one that I left in situ was an annual Osteospermum. And ‘lo and behold they’re about to flower. Let’s hope the frost of the last two nights won’t damage the flower buds.
Today’s Sunday Indo contained the Lidl mag which is almost exclusively garden stuff from Thursdsy next !!! Not that I’ll be buying anything further but Lidl will have geraniums, dahlias, senetti, petunias, ceanothus, gerbera, roses, hydrangeas , HOSTAS yuccas , fuchsias , peonias and much more …. I can hardly sleep with the expectation folks …..
Well as you know it’s never really finished.
I need to get these projects done though as they have been on the long finger for ages. One is a raised bed for tender and more exotic (as exotic as you can manage in this part of Donegal!) plants and the other is a formal herb area.
My priority is the raised bed and I am just waiting for the men to come back and start the job. I have grown plants to put in this bed for a couple of years now and have had to fine pots for them instead. Fingers crossed that I will get it done this year before the dahlias, zinnias, crocosmias and rincinus need to be planted out!
…are getting the tomatoes into their final pots. I will heave a great sigh of relief when I get it done. The Black Russian and Back Krim are doing really well and I also have Cristal, Tigerella, Sungold, Heritage mix, Paul Robeson, Brandywine Suddeth’s Strain and Moneymaker.
The other job that gets me excited just thinking about it is moving the Thalictrum delavayi into the middle of the border from the edge where it has been for a few years. I am just mad about this plant and am looking foward to giving it centre stage. The icing on the cake would be if I can divide it in the process.
