Month: March 2017

It’s not my first Camellia to flower this year – but it’s my favourite. Camellia ‘Wisley White’ came earlier than todays one, C. ‘Margaret Davis’. It’s gorgeous. Smaller flowers again this year after its severe haircut two years ago, but lots more blooms about to open.

This is its second year so I’m delighted to see it flowering so well. especially as all the other ones I have are only producing leaves!

Can’t remember how long ago it was that ClaireE gave me some cuttings of Jasminum nudiflorum, possibly 5 yrs ago or more. I bunged them into the ground and NOTHING HAPPENED!! However, I didn’t dispose of them. I’ve been watching them for the merest sign of growth over the years, and nothing………that is, until now.

My next door neighbour who grows the dreaded wild garlic also has a stunning winter/spring display of delightful yellow flowers on some of the same Jasmine all along his front wall that makes me quite envious.

Ok, it’s too late for me to get flowers this year. I’m only hoping that I won’t have to wait too much longer though. The stems are still quite small, only about 8 inches or so. But they’re very much alive as you can see.

Thanks again, ClaireE.

I hope you all had as super a day as we did in Dublin.

Trillium albidum has finally opened in the shady part of the garden.

These two photos come from the same plant. It is probably the best so far. I took the photo to day which was another great day.I give it a feed of ferrous sulphate every year. I had the idea years ago that it required acid soil but when I first bought a Magnolia, the woman who sold it to me told me that that was not the case but give it iron. Like other flowering plants it is early.

Glad I got the early potatoes in as the rains came today. These always start off my veg garden each year . I sowed the French beans and Runner beans indoors as these are two heritage varitues I picked . The 2017 garlic is well up and last winters crop will be ready in a few months. Onions are also peeping so some mild weather now would be lovely. I managed to plant out some overwinteref Monarda plants today as the homegrown stuff was beginning to stockpile a little. Of course I then ended up slipping some Bay cuttings from the neighbours lawn when I was passing later on !! The Dahlia seeds are starting to sprout indoors so I will have more potting on to do shortly . 

The Paulownia Tormentosa is ready to leaf up too and has survived the winter chills . 

I did my first Bee Hive inspection during the warm weather and all looks good . Bees are already breeding and bringing in early pollen and nectar which is a sure sign of life . Got a call from the local bee society asking was I ready for my new colony which is coming this week . The society breeds starter colonies or nuclei for beginners which you may buy. Safety in numbers as it’s unwise to keep just one in case of winter losses . 

I have been totally frustrated with all that beautiful weather – between non-gardening intrusions into my gardening time, and then a nasty flu bug that is taking its time to go away I have had little opportunity to do much gardening for the past couple of weeks. As part of my “recovery” I took a gentle walk in the garden and was delighted to find that my Clematis Armandii which has struggled to survive here for the past 4 years has actually surprised me with its very first flowers!

 I bought a new Camelia a few weeks ago in Tesco, very healthy! Very pleased with it.

I have no name for these variegated yuccas as they were gifted to me 5 years ago from April’s aunt. They were poorly when I got them and much smaller but improved year after year and every so often I tidy them up like in the photos and think they look fantastic now and great to see a good stem on them. I have weeded out new young plants trying to grow around the bases as I just want 2 single plants. This is the same border my kniphofias were lifted and divided and I’m really trying to tidy up the borders and re-arrange stuff as a lot of what I planted over the last 3 years is too crowded or in the wrong places. 

A plant that is in the right spot and is absolutely showing why it won’t be unnoticed in spring is this pieris I have planted at the back of the garden and it’s just stunning. Every year I look out at it and I’m amazed. A plant I would not be without.

This is a plant only introduced to the garden in the last 2 years which I really love and glad to see it’s bulking up nicely for me. I had to rescue my other Erythronium ‘Jenny’ as where I had it the last 2 years it was getting smothered and no flowers so hopefully next year. Must keep an eye out for more as they are so exotic like lillies 

I made a decent attempt at more weeding today, mainly concentrating on the mini Jurassic Border beside the Cave Pond. It’s in its 6th year now and the pond is still not finished. Steve had terrible back trouble last year, and he’ll be working away from home now until Autumn, so I’ll have to live with it as it is for a while longer. The leak is a bit more now than last year, but even though the water level has dropped dramatically, I found it difficult to get a foothold around the sides. The back is sore now as I was turning at an awkward angle. Nothing that a good nights’ sleep won’t cure.

Camera nearly ended up in the drink, then my phone and secateurs nearly fell in. I need a jacket with zip-up pockets. Or……..I have a bumbag that I use on holidays. So I think I’ll be using it as a hold-all in the garden from now on.

I had no intention of doing as much as I did. But I was in my own little world and was completely oblivious to the passage of time. It was only going to be a couple of minutes, but when my backside became rather cold, I headed in for the padded kneeler. Two and a half hours later, the damaged foliage of Hellebores had been cut back. Also a few grasses that have been lovely over the winter months got a hair cut too. Lovely seeing all the new growth underneath what was cut back. Irises are going to be a real treat this year.

Heavy rain now since about 5.00. But I had already packed up at that point.

Last week we were in Ulster and took the opportunity to visit the gardens at Castlewellan suitated in the foothills of the Mourne mountains. The castle and lands were in the ownership of the Annesley family for a number of generation when the gardens were developed. It was sold in the sixties to the Ministry of Africulture and opened to the public. 

The garden is home to many champion trees which were planted in the mid eighteen hundreds. It is a wonderful sight to see mature trees like the twin Sequoiadendron giganteum which flank a set of steps that leads you to an area that has some of the oldest trees in the garden. There are two beautiful Ginkgo biloba which must look stunning in the autumn. From China, Davidia involucrata, the Handkerchief tree, has to be amazing when it flowers in May. Cupressocyparis leylandii ‘Castwellan Gold ‘ was a seedling which arose from seeds  sown of Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Aurea’ in the sixties.  On our visit last week the tree that was towering over the garden was Pinus sylvestris Aurea’, a golden variety of the native Scots Pine. The buds on the many Magnolia were waiting for a little warmth to flower. Some giant Rhododendrons were also in flower and a beautiful specimen of Rhododendron ‘Christmas Cheer’ was covered in flowers.

Only last year Narcissus ‘Lady Annsley’ which was thought to be lost from cultivation was found by one of the gardeners. Many treasures are to be found in this garden and I hope to visit again to explore more of this charming garden.

Today I headed over to Homebase for some tomato seedlings. They usually have them for sale as early as March 1st. But no such luck. First delivery has been and gone. But I’m itching to get going now. I think it’s the longest I have waited before sowing seeds of any description. Only two varieties available in seeds, so I got both – T.’ Tumbling Tom Red’ and ‘Chipano F1’. Haven’t tried ‘Chipano’ before, and haven’t ever heard of them either.

Got the grow rack assembled once again, and spent a happy while sowing seeds in the kitchen. Not using the heated propagator yet, just the grow rack. Did no seeds last year because of the year that was in it.

As well as the tomatoes, I’ve sown Cucamelons, Chilipeppers ‘Hungarian Hot Wax’, Birdhouse Gourds, Peas (‘Onward’ main crop), Ipomea ‘Heavenly Blue’, Corncockle, Ricinus, and Sweet William ‘Royal Wedding’. It was only after I had sown the peas that I had remembered they germinate well outdoors if I were to wait. But if they die off, I still have lots more for direct sowing.

I’ve also stocked up on compost and tomato feed.

Sweet pea ‘Cupani’ (grandiflora) are now soaking overnight for tomorrows sowing. It’s reputedly the oldest recorded Sweet Pea (1699).

……..that I may have a small addiction when it comes to buying and ordering plants!! 

I just can’t help myself. I’m like a Squirrel, finding the goodies and putting them away for planting season. 

My utility room is literally bursting at the seams with all sorts. Be it bulbs, labels, garden gadgets, garden tools, all sorts of goodies that you know you ‘might’ use someday in the garden. 

The plan yesterday was to pot up a lot of these, plus my Dahlia tubers that I lifted last year, which are not in the picture, and others that arrived from generous .iers and the postman!! 

Why do plans always go astray. Out I went and I got to. the greenhouse, only to be distracted by the untidyness of the place. So starting to clean that up and was just finished, when one of my daughters arrived. So that put an end to my gardening antics!!

Only I’m babysitting today!!!!!!………….ah well there is always next week I suppose!! 

Have a great weekend and let’s hope we can enjoy it a bit more without the rain. 

Some of you may recognise the journal title as being the title of a song written by the wonderful Tom T Hall. There is a lot to be loved about gardening even on a day like today when the Noahs among us are most likely to be out putting the finishing touches to their arks. As carpentry isn’t my forte I took a few photos instead.

I love Camellias which is no surprise to you as I am always raving about them and the first photo is of the latest one to flower.

I love Rhododendrons and particularly species Rhodos and the second photo is of a bud on the magnificent species Rhodo, R. barbatum which is in the process of opening. This is a wonderful species.

I love Pieris and when you have acidic soil like I have it is fantastic to be able to grow them in the open ground to show them at their best.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

I am so impressed with my latest helper in the garden. Now only did she know what she was doing but she is also a tireless worker! I was encouraged by her enthusiasm and really enjoyed the company in the garden.

We got through a amazing amount of clearing and tidying as well as getting the compost heaps sorted. We even takled the first of the paths using a new hoe-type tool I bought in Johnstown.

I’ll put up a few photos showing the areas we cleared!

Friday is my day off and as the children are in school  / college I whizz around the house to make it look like I have done a bit of housework and then I head for the garden well not yesterday. It teamed rain here all day the ground is sodden so it was a case of looking at the garden from the inside. The first picture is from the kitchen window and this is the cottage garden which is just waking up. The bank at the bag has very bad soil but the heathers do not seem to mind. The other two pictures are from the sitting room. our  house is on a hill and the beds on slopes That roll away from the house . The woodland garden which features a lot this time of year is at the bottom of the garden under mature trees . 

I’ve seen this handsome fellow a few times in the garden, there is a female around too but I don’t know if they’re a couple or not.

It is about two weeks since we visited the gardens of Mount Stewart which are suitated on the Ards Peninsul. The gardens are in the ownership of the National Trust now, but I have to say that I was disappointed with the way the gardens were looking at the time of our visit. The formal areas around the house were in a very dishevelled state and covering so many tender plants did not improve the look of the garden. 

The Lake was looking wonderful as was the woodland area where rhododendrons and camellias were starting to flower. 

I have visited these gardens over the years during early to late summer when I found them to be well cared for, but on this visit and I know it was early in the season, was disappointing The Mairi Garden was in a very poor state. I felt after paying eight pounds each that it was bad value.

When the weather is damp and miserable, everywhere looks dull and sad. Yesterday it wasn’t much better! It was so cold but brighter than of late  

I finally planted up my Lillium Kushi Maya and L. Prescott I just can’t wait to see how these develop. They should be about 4 ft tall. Hope so! 

I also got Jimmy to ‘move’ the tree stump we reclaimed from the huge tree that was taken down a few weeks back. It was at the side of the house but I wanted it placed up in the garden, of course!  This was no easy task for one man……..but he persisted with a little help from me telling him where to put it lol………of course he almost told me the same!!!! 

Anyway eventually after a lot of huffing, puffing and swearing it was in place. He then drilled out some holes in it for planting, well that’s my plan. Now I just need to put  some plants in it and who knows maybe even put a few at the base!!!! 

That was all that we did as it was getting very cold and started to rain. 

About an hour later the sun came out and it was a beautiful evening, too late to do anything but I’m delighted the stump is in place and I can get going on planting it up real soon. 

Aren’t they just great and they just get on with the job in hand.

Afternoon all. The first photo is todays entry in my bud watch series.

On St Valentines day I showed a flower on Camellia debbie and now twenty days later I am showing it in its full glory with plenty more buds still to open as other flowers fade.

The latest of the Camellias to flower is C. bobs tinsie which has the most fantastic anemone form flowers.

at the patch in Autumn,not alot going on.winding down for Winter,after the Summer we,ve had the cooler weather is a huge relieve for the garden & the gardener.I wish you all a productive Summer.

I have 4 big Phormiums to give away if someone will come and dig them out. These are the same but I have another big reddish one to go as well.. Also someone can dig out a lump of a big Astelia if they wish. I have put photos up on the National facebook site.

So wet and horrid here for so long gardening is just not possible.

A few photos to bring a bit of cheer. Camellias Brushfield yellow and Anticipation.

An amazing Marigold that has been flowering since last spring. Wish I knew the name. tried to grow it from seed but no luck.

Looking down on Hellebore Magnetic blue