Month: June 2018

Perhaps I am dead stupid?
This site is like a secret society. Perhaps known and understood by at least one person? Or is there anyone, either staff or members who can work it? Do all the features we previously had at the blink of an eye”?

I wanted to look back at early June journals: ALL OF THEM.
Not to be found.
The archive only goes back the same few days that are already visible WITH the Member’s name.

Why is a “fools’guide” to the site not available? (I won’t answer that).

It is not worth spending time here. SO SAD. I did enjoy it so much before and I could deal with, circumvent, and forgive certain porblems there.

Hemerocallis Black-eyed Susan

Every day, I’m inclined to say “The warmest day yet.” the temperature seems to be about 29C day after day. I well remember 1976 but had no garden at the time. This house was built the following year. It was also in June when that heatwave came. Over the last few days, It was a matter of watering the plants in the greenhouse and keeping the door open in case the plants would burn. As my greenhouse is a fairly small one, I decided to plant some of the tomato plants outside and they are doing well. Over the last three months I did quite a lot of propagation of pelargoniums (geraniums) To day, I went to the Country Market with Pelargoniums , Geraniums and one Hydrangea. It seemed going out the door that there was no sale but one woman coming in showed an interest and bought two Pelargoniums and one Geranium.Total sale €6. I have disposed of 32 tomato plants to the compost heap. Every day generally I propagate pelargoniums from plants that over the years have got too big. Yesterday, I had run out of compost. I drove to the DIY centre and the lady at the check out asked me which type I wanted, a lad employed there would put them into the boot of the car. That he did but when I got home, I found that it was top soil I had got and so back to the DIY and you can imagine the temperature in the car. Temperature in the shade to day was about 29C and relative humidity 8%.

Rosa Rhapsody in Blue yesterday and again this morning during the golden hour.

Zéphirine Drouhin has never looked better. She delighting in the warmth.

Full Moon

Dahlia Creme de Cassis

Salvia turkestanica

Campanula Blue Bloomers and Geum Mrs Bradshaw

Ricinus coming into flower

Black Cornflower, Centurea

Clematis Nelly Moser

Garden view in the sunshine

In the last few days a juvenile robin has become extremely friendly. He was right beside my foot today. I whistle the same call to him so he’ll get to know me. It seems to be working. Before long he’ll be eating out of my hand.

Still haven’t figured any other way to add an album so here goes!

Cornus Kousa

Livingston Daisies

Alstromeria Selena

Cotinus Royal Purple

Hemerocallis Fulva

Lamium “Beacon Silver”

crazy patterns

Hemerocallis “Bright Sunset” (Maybe)

Lychnis Coronaria Atrosanguinea

I’m totally inspired byt this great weather. The garden is even start to look a bit more like itself! It had been a bit neglected recently and I was finding it difficult to get down to the weeding etc. However, Elizabeth and then my daughter Ciara both visited and inspired me to get cracking!

One of the difficult tasks was to trim back the Bamboo Garden as it was making the boardwalk impassable! I am hoping that I am right that the cut stalks will not re-grow so all I’ll have to contend with will be new growth?

Bamboo unlimited

Having trimmed back all that Bamboo the issue of disposal comes up! Some of the bamboo is quite useable so Ciara and I got creative last weekend and made a little fence for the new Zen Garden. We were very happy with the result.

We sorted the bamboo into “useable” and “rubbish” so no doubt I’ll find other uses before too long!

Making the little fence for the Zen Garden was our first attempt to use the bamboo and I’m really happy with how it turned out! Since that one worked I’ll tackle some more when I get the chance!

Zen Garden at evening

The new fence

A blast of orange is on its way in the garden, in tune with weather.

To day I decided to get rid of excess tomato plants. Some were planted outside in large pots.32 of the Red Cherry were put into the compost heap. I ran out of potting compost and although I have plenty garden compost, decided not to use it. I have a small number of tomatoes in average pots for my sister in Dublin when she comes. No more will be brought to the Country Market. It is probably too late now. When watering the tomato plants in the greenhouse, what did I find but one tomato turned red. Temperature in the shade 26 C. I’m attired in shorts, T shirt and sandals most of the day

To day, I decided to dispose of excess tomato plants. 32 of them were put into the compost heap. From now on there would be no demand for any more in the Country Market. I kept some for my sister in Dublin when she comes. Temperature in the shade here was 26 C. I was clad for most of the day in T shirt, shorts and sandals. When watering the tomato plants, I noticed one tomato gone red.

Hope you all had a good weekend?

New to polytunnel this year. . . Planted 1st earlies 1st week March in buckets

Harvested about 1.5 kg today

When the trees at the bottom of the garden were cut down the trunks were left quite high. I now have a raised area and retaining wall and I’m starting to plant screening plants. I put Hesperis and Maltese Cross that were in containers in front and am also training two Clematis to clamber over them.

We seem to have our email notifications back. The only improvement here in a long while but most welcome.

I have loads of seedlings all over the garden. If anybody would like to collect as many as they want let me know, I am in Cobh , Co.Cork.

This shrub comes into bloom at this time of the year. It is a variety of what is generally called St. John’s Wort. Unlike other varieries of Hypericum, it grows into a large shrub.To day of course is St. John’s eve, and to morrow Feast of St. John the Baptist. In the west of Ireland, this day is the great day for the bonfires, I spent a lot of time in the west and on this day, you would find bonfires all over the place. A lot of wrappings have accumulated in the house and so I tend to have my own bonfire in the back garden and it serves two purposes, the tradition of St. John.s eve and getting rid of waste.

Steve has been working up in Sligo for the last ten weeks, so I joined him last  Friday and we toured around some of our favourite spots, heading down to Co. Clare, and we ended up staying a few days longer than originally planned. The first few days were pretty miserable with constant drizzle so when the sun eventually decided to shine we were coaxed into exploring the countryside even further.

We visited Terri and Alan in their garden ‘Rockvale’. I had missed their Open Day and I haven’t visited there in about three years so it was interesting to see how their garden had developed since then. I loved in particular their wildflower meadow. And I had just previously seen my very first wild orchid out on the Burren before we arrived at Rockvale. As always, Terri and Alan were very welcoming. But it was only a flying visit and I’m sure Terri and Alan had lots to fill up their time with. Thanks again to both of you for the spontaneous visit. I haven’t attempted to put up an album here as such, and it’s a bit early in the day. So I’ll just pop three photos in for now.