Month: October 2015

Is still flowering her pretty socks off here.

The main photo of the plant was totally out of focus, sorry. 

Like this shot of a Bee tax ken todsy on the Sedum . Totally oblivious to me with the iPhone up close! This Sedum Nectar must be the business.

late last night I sent a quick email to the readers queries section regarding a two year old fig tree . I was pleased to see an unexpected reply from one Gerry Daly… Surely Gerry doesn’t reply in person …. Does he 

Got this gorgeous plant in Fota over two weeks ago. It’s a perennial and should get to about 2 or 3 ft. I’m planning on putting it into my hot border. There are also a few seed pods on it now, so I’m hoping to propagate in Spring. 

Salvia fulgens, one of the brightest red flowers in the garden here.

Interesting results taking really close-up photos of plants.

Delighted to finally have this flowering here and what a fantastic flower. A plant I had wanted for awhile now. Got these as seedlings a few months ago off Margaret and planted straight away at the base of my railway sleeper so it could climb up. Plenty of buds on it now aswell so hopefully if the weather stays mild for another while yet I will get a load of flowers on it. Thank you Margaret.

Spent a bit of time today investigating the soil in a few planters and discovered lots of vine weevil grubs. So I emptied them completely and renewed with fresh compost. Very time-consuming job but it’s done now, so they should be happy. Also the robins ended up with a nice Friday Feast.

These are the only Dahlias I have ever managed to grow from seed, originally from Terra Nova. I have them about three or four years now and have never lifted them. So that’s music to my ears. No name, they came in an envelope of mixed seed. But the bees just love them. I do too.

Picked up these little things in Portugal and think they will be just perfect for the garden. The lizards are metal so will be fine out all year but the birdhouse wind chime will only go out after winter but love them. I also gathered some albizia seeds from some trees around in Portugal but cannot find them so think I might have left them behind but if i do find them I will sow lots of them and see how I get on.

I love the whorls of yellow flowers on this Phlomis. They are fab if left on the plant as seed heads to make a frosty garden very beautiful. However, this year I’ve had no flowers on it for some strange reason. It’s planted in full sun, and has well-drained soil, as required. So how come it hasn’t flowered? Foliage is lovely too.

Well the leaves, there of …………………….

2nd time flowering in just nine months. Not bad for one who forever dumps them afer flowering just the once

I’ve stopped growing the tall sunflowers as they usually keel over at some point. This one is about 4 foot and branching – it’s looking good at the moment.

I’ve seen this dahlia featuring in some journals lately – just can’t remember the name of it right now. I’m not sure if I love it though as it does look at bit weird.

I got 3 Hydrangea paniculatas from T & M about 2 years ago which have done really well.

They were planted out in the ‘new’ shrub border in June 2014. One is H. paniculata ‘Levana’. This plant was commented on by my recent esteemed visitors – they said “maybe you should move that back a bit” The label on it says it will reach a height of 40 – 50 cm which is why it was planted at the front of the border. It is already more than that.

I looked up its height and spread on the internet and it seems it reaches 10 feet!!!! yes, you read correctly – there is a big different between 40 cm and 3 m or 10 feet.

So which is it?? Does anyone know?

I was given a slip of this rare and wonderful Dianthus a couple of years ago. I was trilled to see buds on it and posted a journal showing what I was hoping to see, 1st photo.

The second photo shows what I got. Is the plant reverting back? I don’t know.

Eilish as I said I have a lovely cutting of this if you wish. What I will say is that I had about 12 blooms on the main plant and there were some traces of the colour in some of them, so who knows.

Eilish, either way, it makes a good talking point as, ‘Dianthus Farren Chomley (failed)’ LOL

Decision is yours.

 Boulder 1: Thirty four years! THIRTYFOUR YEARS! I say. For thirty four feckin’ years he’s been satisfied with us. We are indeed among the very first things he placed in his precious garden!

Boulder 2: I know, I know and he was so proud that day ,having cut out the paths on the main mound and having rolled us along (he was younger then and hadn’t that unfortunate crowbar) and set us into the bank where he considered we looked ‘very natural’.

Boulder 1: Ans so we did! WE Dmenu_order! And then we got covered with lovely moss and lichens and looked even  !better. And look at me now! WRENCHED out of the bank and perched perilously on the edge of the path…And I’m certain he’s not finished with me yet..

Boulder 2: Yes but at least you hadn’t the indignity I endured of being hauled out, dumped in a barrow and dragged up to the corner of the railway steps and then overturned into the bank with my undersides exposed to d’elements! De mortification of it!

Boulder1: But WHY? When we never budged despite wind and water, just stayed there like Christopher Robin’s tin soldier ‘sturdy and staunch’ year in, year out.

Boulder 2: I think it was yesterday when he stood at the top looking down and Cherub was definitely there beside him!

Boulder1: That blasted Cherub! If he were beside me now I’d I’d I’d…..

Boulder 2: Er! Boulder 1 he is!!!!!

Boulder 1: (a little flustered) Err Aghhh Gggood Aafternoon Cherub. We were just discussing….(the voice tailed off)

Cherub: Your new wonderful positions perhaps? (giving that radiant smile which would melt even a heart of granite). Boulder 2 you give that whole corner a much better sense of definition and when your, er, Underparts, have regrown their lovely moss you will enhance the perspective no end.

Boulder2: Oh do you really think so Cherub? ‘Enhance’ did you say? (And all the time simpering which is an uncommon sight indeed to see in a granite rock!!!)

Boulder1: That’s all very well Cherub but Mr Scrubber, as you see,has left me quite on the  ledge, or on the shelf if you please and my position is, to say the least,precarious!

Cherub: But dear Boulder 1 You hardly thought that Mr. Scrubber was going to abandon one of his most important and impressive rocks, after-was it thirtyfour years you mentioned?

Boulder1:Er ye, yes Cherub, that exactly.

Cherub: Well then Boulder 1 you can be assured that he has great plans for you also! (Turning to include boulder 2 in the warmth of his smile) In  fact I wouldn’t be surprised if he wanted you to be the rock that squares off the approach to the big wall at the Scrub entrance. (Granite gasps from Boulder1)Or even to act as companion piece to the great rock under the pine!(louder gasps-this was a rock made eight inches higher all round by the simple expedient of removing the surrounding clay and now a dominating feature beside the path.

Boulder1: Th th the ggreat rrrrock uunder the PPINE! Did you hear that Boulder 2. I’m to bbe the companion ppiece…(his voice tailed off at the wonder of it)

Cherub:I’ m afraid you have to excuse me now as I have an appointment with Mr. Scrubber, he’s over there in Madam Elizabeth’s corner viewing some of the later rock arrivals.

Boulder 1: Er- of course of course dear Cherub. You must go to him. Go. Oh and Cherub? Dddo you think Mr Scrubber will commence the er-business of my new positioning fair fairly soon? Tomorrow perhaps?

Cherub: (Smiling enigmatically) Oh I am sure Mr Scrubber will get around to it quite soon. As you know there is nothing he likes more than setting his precious stones in their most admirable position.

Boulder 1 and Boulder2 (in unison): Oh thank you so much Cherub. That is the most wonderful news.

Cherub gave them both a last warm reassuring smile and floated serenely away towards the figure of a bent Mr. Scrubber who was scrutinizing yet another rock at the bottom of a fern in Elizabeth’s corner.

I’ve always been so envious when people here talk about places that I haven’t been to. One such place I’ve always wanted to visit is the National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh. So it was with great pleasure that we managed to see not one, but two great places. I had been confusing Mount Venus (which is a nursery, of course) with Mount Usher. Silly me. Maybe that’s because Steve had told me that we were actually at Mount Usher before. However, nothing about the place seemed to jog my memory. Yea, it’s probably an age thing, I reckon. But after yesterdays’ visit, it still didn’t convince me that he was right.

Gretta and myself took the wrong road somewhere along the line and we ended up late. But the others hadn’t gone too far before we arrived. And thanks to Paddy’s patience and kindness, we soon caught up with everyone. Damp oul’ day, but very warm.

Wow! I adored the walk through Mount Usher. Definitely my first time. And not the last. We had a spot of lunch there afterwards and then headed 15minutes down the road to Kilmacurragh. This place didn’t disappoint either. And they are both places that I would love a return visit to.

Thanks everyone for your company

Well, it must be Wedensday again because here come the two videos.

The first is the September one in the series, A Year in the Life of a Border, and there’s a definite autumn feel around…

A Year in the Life of a Border – September, Cherry Border – YouTube

The second one is about cats, both from the orchid family and the feline…

8 Big Catts, 1 Little Cat – YouTube

Well, Autumn is starting to appear in some trees now, but in the garden there is still flowers out giving us good cheer. This lovely Sedum was given to me by Fleurette in early summer, and has spread out and now flowering well. This small growing plant is a lovely reminder of a great day in Donegal in a wonderful garden and great company.

Last night Carl Wright from Caher Bridge Garden came to our meeting as our Guest Speaker.   The evening didn’t disappoint our members and more than lived up to our expectations.    It was an added bonus for me as I’ve visited Caher Bridge Gdn twice, the second time being early summer this year.   His oh so interesting talk accompanied by slides was a joy – we could have listened to him all night.  If you ever get the chance to visit his garden or attend one of his talks, TAKE IT!!!  Once you have attended one of Carl’s talks you’ll definitely want to visit his wonderful, imaginative and unique garden.   You can guess by now I’m a great fan as are lots of members on this site who have visited his little piece of heaven in Co Clare.

Back to earth with a bump – I’m attaching two pics of pots of flowers in bloom at the moment!!  The Nemophila maculata (5-spot) has come into its own over the last few weeks.

Slugs and snails here have been very well-behaved this year, and have totally altered their diet from Hostas to less palatable plants. They are adapting to an entirely different menu as my Hosta bed is completely surrounded by copper wire, over which they will NOT travel. I give 10/10 for this test with copper, based on results over the last few years. My Hostas are only NOW beginning to succumb to slight damage. I don’t mind as they are starting to die back anyway.

The slugs/snails are in for a treat as I lift the copper for this year, and let their banquet begin.

Leycesteria Formosa is a shrub that fills lots of odd places in my garden. Some of them are self-seeded but some were actually planted! Its amazing how often they apear in a spot where they really enhance a border! 

Just now they are in full flower and the typical berries are appearing inside the drooping flowers.

They are classified as a shrub but they have kind of hollow stems and I have cut some of them down severely in spring and they haven’t minded at all!

They are a useful food for birds but you do need to be on the watch for seedlings!

I haven’t ever seen a pheasant eating the berries but all the other birds in my garden seem to enjoy them 🙂

And my little Tinker Bell has a new lamp to sit under!