Month: February 2017
Good afternoon all, i am another step closer to getting my she shed, green house i really havn’t decided what name i am going to give it. But it will come to me soon, All them trees were cut down this morning all 9 of them, my hubby & son helped take all the branches away, i know ill have a lot of cleaning up there, and probably a lot of hurted plants, after being stood on but ill have a chat with them all and tell them its all for their own good. im sure they wont let me down, hope ye like the photos and sorry they are wrong way round, will this feature ever be fixed?
My first serious attempt at Topiary is coming along nicely, all that’s missing is the head.
That is where a little cheating comes in, I intend to buy a Dragon head and just sit it on to the front of the body. This year I will allow some spikes to grow out of the top of the body. The tail is been trained up and around the tree trunk.
As soon as I find the head I’ll post more photos.
I don’t know the full name other than been Double Ellen. Really bulked up well this year.
Loving this one, looks super as the light shines through the petals.
Steve gave the grass its first cut of the year on January 1st. As I had planted out small clumps of Galanthus around the rotary line pole last year, I was afraid that he’d be cutting down any snowdrop foliage, and as a result not get any flowers. Any later than that, and that would surely be the case.
Just looking at the grass today. It’s in such a sorry state. It really needs another cut now, but the growth is very patchy. Not sure if it’s from Holly’s toilet, or something else. But…..surprise, surprise……the snowdrops planted last year are up and flowering. So that’s good.
Got out in the garden for a small bit again today and I’m really starting to see some progress. I pruned my Wisteria a small bit to try and keep the tree shape as I have 2 wrapped together. Anyway I. Noticed I have loads of buds on the purple flowering one so can’t wait and also what I think are two buds on the white flowering one. So it’s gonna be very exciting over the next month or so.
Got more weeding and tidying done today and also planted out my new tree fern with plenty donkey manure and multi purpose compost in around it. Really like it’s new spot by the pond. Really getting going now and enjoying seeing all the new growth on things and all the daffs and primroses ready to flower.
I spent quite a bit of the weekend in the garden for a change. Had a new shed delivered – I have a few quibbles with it but nothing I can’t live with. For example, I asked them to make the roof pitch steeper but that wasn’t done at all. I don’t think I have the knack of conveying what I want clearly…..
Anyhow, I got quite a few of the borders cleared and about half of them mulched. I also closed down the compost and opened a new bin – I know this sounds like nothing but it is a very heavy job that I usually get a man to do and I am delighted that I managed it myself.
The snowdrops and crocuses are looking good, the hellebores are coming to their peak and the daffodils are starting.
My Melanselinum decipiens has melted in the frost and wind – and this is its third year! Tenders plants do not like it here at all. I have one or two in the tunnel however and they look OK so fingers crossed that I will get it to flower.
I got a few seeds sown – some tomatoes, lettuce and some dahlia seeds that Jimi Blake kindly gave me in the Autumn. Dahlia australis is among them so I would dearly love to see them germinating.
Yes, there’s much hanky-panky among the local frogs, they’re breaking all records with 16 piles of spawn in the pond at the last count. But I’m horrified how many corpses we see on the short stretch of road between here and the woods, and how many of them are females full of unfertilised eggs. They say habitat loss and fungal diseases are their biggest threats, but it’s traffic that kills most of them around here.
On a happier note, I too am at it again and am awaiting a happy event. I hear you all saying, ‘At her age? They must run on batteries!’ No, it’s not what you’re thinking. My boss has gone on his holliers which means that a little extra income is burning a hole in my pocket. Am I wisely husbanding it for a rainy day? Am I heck. I’ve already spent a chunk of it in the garden centre – staff discount, don’t you know! Plus a browse on the David Austin website on my day off, because we’ve replaced the wild rose on the pond garden trellis with a clematis (Dr Ruppel) and I just happened to spot a gorgeous pale pink rose that the bees will just adore, and don’t we all have a responsibilty to look after them? Well, my finger hit the order button before I could stop it. I got two, one for each side, so I now have to get another clematis to match. I’ve had my eye on Etoile Violette for a while… I think we all know how this story ends, don’t we?
This is my daphne I am very fond of it the foliage is nice and it is evergreen. The only problem is I get no flowers well to be technically correct I got three flowers last year and so far can only see one this year. I posted before about this and paddy and mary advised that I should add manure which I do every autumn but still no joy. I was reading an article in an old gardens illustrated by Roy Lancaster who has twelve in his garden and all I picked up from that was that they do not like to compete with trees . Mine is planted not too far from an oak and is also probably too shaded. I do not think they move well anyone any advice please as it is a very nice addition to the garden.
Just spent a happy evening catching up on all the journals – can it really be almost a week since I posted?
Haven’t been able to snatch much gardening this week but woke one morning to the most fabulous view of mist just being melted away across the fields. My camera really isn’t up to these views but the lord loves a tryer!
Today was just as miserable as yesterday weatherwise but there are always things to enjoy around the garden.
Camellia ‘rubescens major’ is now in flower and is yet another beautiful Camellia in the garden.
I have a couple of Hellebores planted around R.loderi ‘king george’ and a while ago I showed a self seeded cross that has flowered. More of these have now flowered and while they are similar to the two originals, they are not the same as either. What is interesting is that one is very different and has flowered all mauve and it is very attractive indeed.
Yes it happened!!
The massive Norwegian Maple that stood proud outside my backdoor,, on the side road, was finally taken down by the Council today!
The guys arrived, as promised, at 8.20am and started the mammoth job! The size of those branches was amazing. They were just huge. My biggest concern was that one of them would hit my greenhouse, but thankfully nothing did. But a small piece did break a piece off one of the shed tiles, but Jimmy can sort that out!
Thankfully the rain kept off, a bit of spitting rain, but overall a lovely dry and at times, a bright day!
I am so happy now to see the back of it. The garden looks brighter and the amount of light coming in the greenhouse is fantastic. I also asked them to prune back the next tree, as they wouldnt remove it!! so I was happy with that as they took lots off too
So it pays to be persistant, even if it took 4 years!!!
I bought a couple of bulbs several years ago when Pottertons or some firm were visiting.
Two types of Scillla . This one flowered for the first time this year and is very pretty, about 7 inches tall. The other one , seen behind, is in bud with several potential flowers.
The names are but can’t recall which is which so need to visit Dr Google. I think Mary Gracedieu mentioned one of them last year?? Been to the Dr and it is messeniaca.
Love this plant at this time of year. It really brightens up my north-facing border.
Aoife arrived down at 8 this morning, and simply said ”right dad let’s go’…..
I had no idea what she was up to.
She stated, ”I’m tired of looking at the garden looking so sad, so either you show me what to do, or you take your chances on what I do”
So, four hours later the difference was amazing, so much stuff cut back and cleared away. It was lovely having the company and her chatting away none stop.
I didn’t take before photos, but the difference is ”epic”using her own words.
To boot, I was asked if she could help again later in the week 😉
Baa Humbug …. despite doing everything I could think of my two Camellias refuse to flower . Good glossy leaves , fed and watered by the book . Three years now and no more ! Anyone want to collect feel free . The pots are staying though . …..
Elizabeth posted on Saturday about her lovely Scilla messianica which was so gorgeous that I can see myself placing an order! The other one she thought it might be was Scilla tubergiana mischtschenkoana, which I have here.
I bought some bulbs of this a few years ago from Heritage Bulbs and am thrilled with this lovely ice blue scilla. It bulks up nicely; I now have two pots of it and have given two more pots to a friend. Big name for a small flower and it’s a little sweetie.
Mine are all self-seeded ones, so no names, but I love the variety and never knowing exactly what you’ll get.
Well for me anyway, today, St Bridget’s Day, 1st February, always marks the start of spring. Looking out the window this afternoon does not confirm that with the rain and the wind, but I did notice this morning that the pond has frog spawn in it, so we cannot fight it anymore. Spring has sprung.
Paddy and myself headed off to Altamont Gardens near Ballon in Co Carlow yesterday. The weather was nice and bright and not too cold. The annual Snowdrop Gala is being held there next Saturday and followed by the Snowdrop Week. The gardeners were hard at work getting the gardens looking great for the event. Robert is heading off to England to collect more snowdrops and plants to add to the great stock already available in the nursery. Needless to say we arrived home with two new snowdrops Galanthus ‘ Reverand Hailstone and Galanthus ‘Jessica’.
There is a lot of debating as to when Spring actually starts.
When I was at school and we had our nature class, we were always taught that Feb, Mar and April heralded Spring. and so on……So for me yesterday 1st Feb is the start of Spring. And it was a lovely sunny day for most of the day, a bit windy but mild.
The garden has a lot of growth now. Bulbs shooting up here and there and perennials also pushing through the soil. I have my first Daff in flower also.
It has been such a mild Winter that I hope we aren’t in for very cold spells ahead, or a bad Summer (perish the thought!!).
Here are a few picks from the garden yesterday. My Pieris is budding up nicely. The colour on the buds is very rich too
A few more Hellebores are opening up and I love this one which I bought in Johnstown about two years ago.
Also Heuchera little cutie, in my front garden, is throwing up its flowers again and the foliage is so deep in colour.
Rain forecast for today and if that happens I will resign myself to the greenhouse and do some seed sowing. Well that’s the plan. But best laid plans………………
Have a good day whatever you do!
Morning all, the second Rhododendron of the year to flower is the hybrid R.praecox, and a welcome sight it is on this windy and wet day. I grow this for its early flowers and it never disappoints.
Of course it is the time of year for the various Hellebores to strut their stuff and what reliable plants they are. Like a lot of you, i add a few new ones to the garden most years and then there are the self seeded ones maturing and starting to flower so there is plenty to admire.
I had to go to B&Q today to run an errand and while I was there I headed out to the garden centre, as you do!
Oh my goodness the amount of colour on their tables was just amazing. Hundreds of primroses and all colours that you could think of were available.
I particularly liked these in the first photo. Very pastel in colour and really nice shaped flowers too
Picked up a couple of bigger pots of Primroses and one or two little pots of Arabis and a couple of Sedum. The garden centre is only getting back on its feet after the Winter months. Plants are only arriving now and they are starting to fill up those shelves. Lots of stuff blown around the place from that wind, but I was still able to browse around.
A couple of the Primroses I bought today in the photos!
The weather is a right mixed bag these days and tonight it could snow!!
So with that in mind I thought I would put up some plants I have that have a warm glow about them. Red plants bring warmth and a nice change from the drabness of Winter and a lot of yellows during Spring.
Cordyline ‘Charlie Boy’ is looking quite good despite the wind and rain of recent. I love the ‘stripey’ look to the leaves and its vivid colour.
Also my Acer in the front garden has the most beautiful red branches once the leaves have dropped off. Rally brightens up that wall.
And another is Heuchera ‘purple palace’. The new foliage appearing now is really dark but rich in colour too.
The wind here has died down and its not a bad morning. Although I think rain is forecast. So must get my walk in first!!
Have a great day!
I made video on youtube with some tips ,how to get ready seeds of pelargoniums for sowing.If you are interested,there is link :
Nothing good happen since last journal,wind broke one pannel of glass of my glasshouse,grrrr…surprised that only one.
Have a great weekend you all 🙂
