Archives: journal

Oh my god. I feel miserable.

I have just dried myself and changed my clothes after wrestling with the weather outside. It’s really whipping up out there and we had to put all the pots under cover and weigh down the trampoline. After doing that I noticed, to my horror, that one of the birch trees on my drive was bending. We already had trouble with another of them last autumn/spring. So out into the rain went hubby and I to stake it. Did I mention I am absolutely drenched?

But earlier on I had a much more pleasant afternoon. I took cuttings from my penstemons and potted them up. I’m so delighted that I now have a greenhouse so I can do this sort of thing.

hi.its about time i started a journal.i know its a bit late in the year for it but sure its better late than never.well yesterday we got 5 four week old bronze turkeys.i am not sure of the sex of them yet but i hope that there will be two hens and a stag in it, so i can get into the breeding of them.i will have to swap the stag but, or buy a new one so as not to interbreed.and the other two turkeys will be called lunch.

My husband saved a small meadow of hay yesterday, and as he was afraid that it would rain he put the hay into cocks, it is a good while since I saw a meadow of hay in cocks so I took a photograph which I have uploaded.  He was also busy in the vegetable garden this morning and his carrots, onions cabbage and parsnips look great, I uploaded a photograph of his veg plot in my July photographs. 

The day was ok weather wise until app 4 pm then clouds sent on some rain.By 6.30pm it was like the middle of winter.The main emphasis for the day was to fill from 1 of the compost heaps that were ready in the veg area,into some remaining tubs and buckets.Some well rotted manure was also added to the tubs as was a little sand and clay.After that was finished the second heap was moved,then covered and left to cook.A quick plan was drawn up to see what will be added to the new line of tubs.At some stage tomorrow that will be finally decided.[weatherwise]The tunnell beds were watered.Picked some weeds and checked around the main garden for water and food.Just when that was done the rain arrived [it could be worse i suppose]Closed up all in the garden and that finished the day.

This morming started fine and out by the pond stalked a herron, it’s difficult to get photos of the herrons as they take flight at the slightest noise so impossible to open the door. Camera out and hope the photos taken through the window will be clear enough. Teaching and getting ready for riding club competition took up the rest of the day, still working at 7:30pm been raining since 5:30pm. By the time I got into the house it was quite dull. Looking out the sunroom window we discovered  7 ducks on the pond, then noticed a mother and her ducklings near the island, hope that photos will come out, doubtful as it was so overcast. Has anyone any suggestions how to get them to stay.  Hope the rain passes over and cann’t wait till Monday to get some time in the garden again.

Ventured outside. Still windy and plenty of showers. Everything still standing except my poor bay leaf. Bought this plant in Dunnes a couple of years ago for 99c. It has come on in leaps and bounds. Looks like its getting a new home now. O well it could be worst.

Went out between the showers to take some photos, before everything gets too waterlogged. So have made a July 2009 album with some colourful photos to cheer us up on this wet weekend!!!

Its either watch the Leinster match or go for a coffee in Cois Na Abhainn in Camolin…guess where I’ll be 🙂

I tried to grow Datura from seed this year but only got one seedling. It is taking forever to gain any size. I noticed today, however, that there are actually two seedlings growing right on top of each other. Maybe that’s why it’s so slow – they’re robbing nutrients from each other. There was no separating them so I weeded out one. What a shame.

By contrast, the Datura root I bought last year is about to flower. In the photo, my Datura seedling is on the left and the opening flower of my  Datura plant is on the right.

I never ate a fresh gooseberry, before this summer, that was actually pleasant. They were always too sour.

The gooseberries on out small bushes this year, however, are delicious.

Even the little fellas are eating them (the real test)!

Last year my blue bearded irises were fabulous (even if i say so myself). They are flowering in one of the five ‘garden’ pictures that I have chosen as representing the best of my garden.

This year, however, I got very few flowers, indicating that it is time to divide them.

I started to dig them all up this morning, just as rain threatened. What big clumps! It’s amazing to think that all these rhizomes came from one little tub that my son, Zachary bought about 10 years ago. It was heavy going, slicing the clumps up with the spade but replanting was easy as they don’t go in deep. I had enough irises to spread into further flower beds than before. So I’m looking forward to a good display next spring.

And I kept 3 plants over and put them in pots to bring to the garden.ie get-together next Saturday. There is also one each for Cooper and Head Gardener.

This is for Mairin and Rita who are discussing ladybirds at the moment. I post a picture of my pet ladybird at work for me in the greenhouse.

Went out to hang up another bird box, Paul had the same idea for where it should go I was delighted, he helped put it up as it was in an awkward place. I have put the pics up in the bird feeder & nesting boxes picture folder. Just as we were finished it a torrential shower came, all I could do was giggle, Paul was not impressed as he hates cold and especially cold water hee hee hee.

I was out early and pulled up some of the dock leaf plants in the new grass, the ground is sooooooooooooo wet from all the recent rain that it was easy to pull them up roots and all. Poor Benji is not happy with all this rain as we have been spending so much time outside with him lately.

After all my research and questions it seems the ladybirds have found me instead. I have seen three in the last two days out in the garden so I am sure there are more. Made a dash to get the camera to get a pic to show you all, enjoy !!!

Well not quite but nearly. With a major competition to run it was an early start as the rain on Saturday evening meant there was still things to be finished for the start of competition at 10am. The weather was mizzly and although we had heavy rain on Saturday evening the ground for the competition was in good shape. As I drove round collecting score sheets it gave me opportunties to view the garden from outside in, the weather was fantastic sun and more sun and from what I could gather we were very lucky, Competition finished up and then as the evening was fine time to garden. Watering pots and containers started the wind down to a stressful day. Then I decided to weed out the bed on the SE side the main part took little work but those pesky rabbits are going to have  to be dealt. Then time to tackle the bed edging the terrace that I had sowed with Love in a Mist and mixed perennials. The recent rain had certainly caused the weeds to overpower the seedlings, bit of guessing as to what to leave bit more to finish tomorrow. Then at about 10:30 in landed the ducks they stayed for a few minutes then when I moved on along the bed off they flew at least 9, finally left the garden at 10:45 and now what am I at. But at least the stress of the competition is a thing of the past.

The weather played havoc at the weekend with the work going on in the garden, but having said that the lads made great headway. Saturday started with good sun rays and good progress untill lunchtime and then the heavens opened and it lashed for the rest of the day. We still managed to get the hardcore in and whacked down. I was driving around picking up gravel and cement from suppliers. I had to wait untill Saturday to borrow a jeep to pull a trailer to collect the items. The 2 ton of gravel was 37euro and they wanted 65 to deliver it, the sand was the same story, hence the borrowing of the jeep. Sunday started good as well again untill lunchtime when the rain started again, but we managed to get some of the paving down. At least now it’s all set out and ready to go next weekend. (weather permitting) I’m very pleased with what has been done and I can see the outline of the paths more clearly now.

I thought I’d put up a few photos of Belvedere that I took a couple of years ago now – I haven’t been back there in a while and they were taken in early spring so the place will have a totally different feel now, but I thought somebody might like to have a look.  It is a very photogenic place with it’s lakeside setting, Jealous Wall and other follies, not to mention the great selection of plants!  So don’t forget your camera.  I’d love to know how the day will work – are we all going to have to wear name tags with our usernames so we’ll know whos who? How will the plant swap work?  It has the potential to be chaotic!! I wish I had one of Shelser’s Red Flyer Wagons for my plants to swap.  She could bring it along and make a fortune in fees for bringing plants to and from the carpark!
For more photos see https://www.belvedere-house.ie/Gallery/

Its getting harder and harder to keep up with everyone’s journal entries as everyone is so active.  Sounds like there’ll be a good crowd at Mullingar though.  Looking forward to seeing everyone there! 

I’ve seen few people put up photos of trips abroad, namely Sardinia & Portugal, my favourite place outside of Rathgeran!!!

We had a wonderful long weekend in Nice in April, and was taken aback by the flowers… There’s a market towards the beach, called Cours Saleya, selling hundreds of stunning peonies, roses,lavender, etc. I was jealous of the locals being able to buy their flowers for their homes here…All we could buy were herbs and bath lotions…

most of the veg in the polytunnel is at harvest stage.(see pictuce of sme of the veg and eggs)we are at the minute picking peas and broad beans,most ot the peas dont make it as far as the house as me and oran eat them while we are in the polytunnel along with the beans.also picking turnips,carrots.cabbage and parsnips.the parsnip are a bit strong but that maybe due them not getting some frost.i added manure to a raised bed and put chilli and tomatoes plants into it also today.cant see to many of the tomatoes making it to the house,likely be eat in the polytunnel.

where will i start here.ok i stopped turning the duck egg sat evening and checked the temp before going to bed.when i got up sunday morning the light had blew in the night so the temp had drop and i had no spare light.so i have the eggs moved to a tank in the shed and two red lights going with them.some of the eggs is pipping,so i know some are alive.all i can do now is hope for the best.they more than likely will be a day late hatching now if the hatch at all.the last hatch birds are as big as a house now.still dont know their sex yet but i am beginning to think there all drakes so they may be named lunch.i haved posted a new pictuce of the duck eggs.