WoodlandsWorld2

Catalogues

2012-01-27T16:28:00.000Z

Don't you just love catalogues especially at thie dreary time of year.

These all start arriving through my door November, December

I wonder if you can guess which is my favourite?

I have had lots more

far too many really.

Its been really bad this week as I have been confined to the house because I have been carless! Hubbies car is very poorly, so he uses mine, well he does earn the money!!!

Do you have a favourite Catalogue?

Do you get one I don't?

If you think I would like it do let me know..... please x

Spending Money........... again

2012-01-24T15:06:00.000Z

I have had a lovely week spending money!!!! I managed to get a couple of good bargains off Ebay as well.

Having bought one or 2 packets of seeds, I really need to get a move on

some of them need to be sown now, but really the light is not good enough. I have been talking for awhile about getting some lights in the greenhouse, when I came across one of these, just what I needed. especially as the light raises and lowers.

A couple of years ago I managed to get hold of a large propagator, when I saw this (on Ebay) at over half the price of a new one, plus it had extras, I just had to go for it!

Luckily I won it so I am looking forward to them both arriving.

This wood is for going around the veg beds, especially since we have had the new path laid, I really don't want lots of soil in the new gravel.
The sleepers currently in use at the moment will be used to raise the edge of all the other beds.
Thats Sassy, walking past, we don't see her out and about very much, she and Tango are 14 this year!

This Cycas Revoluta, another bargain buy from Ebay!

When I visited Will Giles at his Exotic Garden a number of years ago he had lots of pots full of different types of Bromeliad, which I loved. I managed to pick up a couple and have successfully overwintered them in my greenhouse, for a couple of years now. These have pupped and flowered like crazy so I decided as I seemed to be able to keep them alive I should add to my collection, so I have with a Aechmea Recurvata and a Neoregelia Carolinea var.Roseo-Striata -Tri-color Blush not for any other reason than I liked the look of them.

I am also going to have lots of 'none lacy' Hosta's this year, again I shall follow Will Giles lead and smear the bottom of all their pots with Vaseline/Petroleum Jelly. Lets hope it works! If not I shall send him a note!!!! lol!!

Well off to do some online browsing as it is raining!!!

New Ideas

2012-01-14T09:40:00.000Z

With the weather being so mild and trying to get ahead of schedule for the grand opening, I have had to reign myself in alot, otherwise I would be out planting right now, which would not be the best of ideas.
So during my surfing trips and facebook trawls, I came across this idea

isn't it amazing, a Living Wall.

So then I started to do some research into this as I have a wall

above the coal bunkers that needs something doing to lift it. If you see what I mean. I can't grow anything underneath it, usually I put pots of plants along the top of them. But me being me, always need to go a little step further, I also like to be different and this should have a 'wow' factor.

So research began, I looked at varying ways that this could be done. I then drew up a spreadsheet. My hubby loves spreadsheets and I am more likely to convince him that this is a good idea if he can see the costs written down. Mind you once I showed him pics, he was sold.

The product I have decided will work best for us is Wooly Wally Pocket as I am pretty nifty with a drill and a screwdriver. I am waiting for our lovely builder to come back and fix our roof, whilst he is here I will get him to check if he thinks this wall is strong enough to support a 'Living Wall' and discuss the raised beds ideas.

Its all happening here!

New Year in my Garden

2012-01-09T10:02:00.000Z

I spent a lovely day in the garden yesterday. The weather has been so mild, I was working in a t-shirt!!!

I want to get a head start, as the garden will be one of several opening in July for our village open gardens. Having agreed to this I am in a bit of a panic as I am not good at growing to a timetable. I did manage a good display for my hubbies redundancy party which was held at the end of July 2009 this is how it looked on the day.

If it looks like this then I will be very pleased.

I have been scouring the tropical and jungle plant sites which is not a good idea as in my mind I have spent £100's if probably not £1000's. But before we get ahead of ourselves this is what I am dealing with.

We are still toying with raising the veg beds by another sleeper, in the hope that we manage to keep the soil on the bed not in the gravel.

My friends Mark and Gaz have a magnificent 'Jungle Garden' and are busily constructing a 'Koi Pond' if you have a look through this blog post you will see that they have built brick raised beds. Both hubby and I really like this idea and are thinking of doing this on the patio but using sleepers. This would give us a bit more height and hopefully stop the dog jumping on the beds.

Currently the patio area looks like this

The Ensetes are still upright, which is more than they have been for the past couple of years. Lets hope February is kind to us.

Looking up the garden from 'Terminal 1'

To you this probably doesn't look too bad, but to me there is a list of jobs...

Can you see the new extended flue to the left of our dormer? Well the old one had been there for 20+ years and began swinging in the breeze. So we had to get someone in to redo and attach it more securely, doesn't it look awful. I mustn't complain at least we got it done before the bad winds.

this is the worst part of the lawn and took a hammering last year. I can't decide whether to dig it up and re-turf or just re-seed.

This turf I laid at the very end of last year, then it was folded back so the path could be laid, it hasn't recovered so may need to be redone. If you remember this is where one of the old veg beds was.
Below is the other side and where I had the strawberries, looks quite good I think.

The flower bed or should I say the twig and leaf bed. This needs some major work, I will raise the edge of the border and find some new plants, plus grow some bedding plants to fill gaps.

I have finished the compost bins, using up the left over bits of wood, still need to fix a lid, which is currently being used as a shelf in the greenhouse, so I am using carpet and odd bits of wood to protect it.

The bottom patio is now clear of all the wood and debris, but looks a right mess. The fence belongs to our neighbour and is collapsing but they can't see this as they have a huge hedge hiding it. My garden is slightly higher so I am going to get some scaffold boards in and put them along the base of the fence, to protect their fence and keep my soil in!

All the post, bags of compost and wood got stashed here

Apart from ordering sleepers, I need to clear this lot of wood next. This will have to be moved through to our log store.

So day off today to let my back recover, but maybe some online shopping? lol!!!

Tis the Week Before Christmas

2011-12-17T17:28:00.000Z

when all through the house, the dusters have flown
The cats are curled up and the dog chews a bone
The Christmas tree, still tied in its net outside
The baubles in boxes since the last yuletide.

The girls all grown up, still get excited as ever
my husband wonders what he will get for his dinner,
with a hoover in one hand, sellotape in the other,
I try so hard to do everything better.

The girls out with their boyfriends enjoying festive fun
while I slave in the kitchen trying to get everything done.
My mum visits for the holidays, enjoying the rest
I want everything right and just at its best,

The night draws in, we are settled by the fire
A tap at the door, carols sung by a choir,
The temperature is dropping, we hope for some snow,
But will have to wait till tomorrow before we will know.

We wake to the silence and brightness of snow,
The sun on the horizon with a bright orange glow,
To the kitchen for toast and a cup of hot tea,
then through to the lounge and what is under the tree?

A couple of presents, not a massive great pile,
just one for each person, I look on with a smile.
One day without telly, just good fun and chat
Silly games and good food that might make us fat.

I wish we all lived closer like we did when I was small
Aunts, uncles and cousins, grandparents and all,
Lived close enough for us all to get round and visit
Having fun, and getting into the Christmas Spirit

Times change, things move on, we can't always stand still
Christmas is for family and all they fulfil.
There is nowhere I would rather be at this special time of year
But with family and friends and all I hold dear!

Alls well, that ends well!

2011-12-06T20:33:00.001Z

Tomorrow is our builders last day, I cannot believe the amount of work he has done, all the little extras we kept throwing at him. We are thrilled with everything! I can't recommend him highly enough. 'Johnson Home Improvements' Chippenham

He has finished the path having hand dug it out in just 2 days!

His daughter was his labourer and she is so petite, but wheels a loaded barrow like a good un!

here is the finished result! It is so lovely to walk down a really solid path

although we think it looks a bit like a runway where it is 2 slabs wide

but this has solved the problem we had of what we called hubbies office, the shed and the greenhouse.
The girls bought us walkie talkies for our wedding anniversary, so we could talk to one another whilst he was in his office. So the house is now 'Control Tower', the office is 'Terminal 1' greenhouse 'Terminal 2' and the shed 'Terminal 3'. Works well and we know exactly which building is which. I am sourcing name plates as I type!

K is now home and ensconced in her super duper room, as soon as its tidy I will take a pic. It is working well, she enjoys the company and goes out to work each day which gives me the space I need too. She is loving her new job!

Everyone happy here!

Grotty Day, so have to work indoors!

2011-11-11T09:21:00.000Z

No rest for the wicked, so they say.....

today rather than being out here....

can you believe the amount of leaves still on the trees! Middle of November and I'm still wearing a T-Shirt outside!!!
I digress............ I am in here

K is returning home to live and so her room which has been an amazing storage/dumping room has had to be emptied. We had planned in the long run, to decorate and take down the cabin bed, (built by her uncle a good few years ago) which had the most amazing storage capacity beneath it. But this has now been brought forward.

It is an enormous task, but I have managed to empty the contents of this room to various other places around the house

dismantled the bed,

now I have to lift carpet, sand windowsills, pull out rawlplugs, fill holes, paint and all around the mattresses!!!!!!

I used to enjoy decorating, now I just find it hard work, does that mean I'm getting old????

Lots done, but lots more to be done!!!!!!!!!!

2011-11-09T09:59:00.000Z

We had a break in the proceedings last Friday, for K's graduation.

This was her second graduation ceremony for her Post Grad. Certificate. My sister came this time, as mum had come last time. For some reason it was so much better. All we can put it down too is the fact that she has handed her resignation in, as she has a new job and it sort of finalised her time at Worcester. She is very sad to be leaving, but there was no chance of advancement for her there!

Afterwards we out for a very splendid meal, which topped the day off really well.
Saturday we moved hubby into his 'Kennel', this is my name for his office lol! The shelving was finished on Friday, so the day was spent carting boxes down the garden.

He spent hours down there, sorting everything out, these next 2 photos, I took without the flash and he didn't even know I was there. lol!

He used to get quite frustrated, when his things where moved around in the house, I think now this is his domain, he is very happy as everything should stay where its is until he goes to the 'kennel' next time!

The girls bought us Walkie Talkies for our wedding anniversary this year and he and I have been having lots of fun with them whilst he is down there!

Just some other pics of the finished work.

Our next challenge is to see if we can fit four adults into our house. K has been gone 5 years. Her new job brings her back to Wiltshire, unfortunately she hasn't found suitable accommodation, so is moving back in.
Although we had planned to dismantle her cabin bed, with copious amounts of storage underneath, one day, we hadn't planned on it happening so quickly. So my challenge is to find new homes for everything!!!! This is a challenge in itself as our cottage was built in the 1860's and in those days you didn't have storage!! We still don't! So I am struggling badly, just trying to find spaces for everything! The ironing board has flummexed me as I just don't know where to put it!!

So if you are good at this sort of thing and are passing, please call in, I need your help!!!

Busy Weekend!

2011-10-30T19:01:00.000Z

We have made good use of the mild weather this weekend, and have decided to lay some turf. Unfortunately I have the most awful sore throat, I haven't had one this bad for years and years so my lovely hubby has done all the hard work, bless him, he is definately not used to the hard digging work.

He got one side done and the ohter side part done, I will finish it off tomorrow.

I think it is looking really good! In fact just how we hoped it would.

The water butts are fitted, all very posh with bends and everything. Before I used to get a downpipe and angle it out! lol!

The plasterer was in Thursday so it looks like a proper room now. Friday saw the return of the Electrician

so we now have some lights. Doesn't it look amazing!

Decorator is coming in Monday and Tuesday

then floor will go down Wednesday.

So with any luck we can start moving hubby in next weekend! He is getting very excited!

In the Nick of Time!

2011-10-25T21:16:00.001+01:00

We have been so, so lucky with the weather! The doors and windows where finally delivered, having had plastic protecting the window and door openings, our builder managed to get them all in yesterday, just as the heavens opened.

How lucky where we!

They look fabulous, we are thrilled.

What is left to do, well the floor is down we just need to get the walls plastered, painted, then the laminate flooring down, finish off electrics, then guttering, water butts and a few bits outside.

Hopefully this should all be done by the end of next week, then we can move 'himself' and all his clutter in, lock, stock and barrel! Woo hoo!!!

In the meantime the pond is doing well and overflowing exactly where it is supposed to be.

One veg bed has gone, here I will extend the flower bed

and the other veg bed is to follow this will be put back to grass.

Now I have 2 of these do you think I could make them into 3 compartment compost bin?

Surprise!

2011-10-15T10:33:00.000+01:00

We realised that we would need more space to get the windows and doors round the back of the greenhouse, so we actually unglazed and unscrewed it!
Anyway whilst we had the access we decided to make a few further changes... more than had previously planned. Something we have wanted to do for years but just couldn't do with out assistance. So we negotiated a price with our builder and commenced on Tuesday 11th October.

Things started off looking like this

we emptied the pond, caught the fish and started digging. Yes I helped, because we where working on a daily rate!

This is all the soil that was dug out, unfortunately we couldn't get a skip till the following day as we wanted one with a drop end! So this was all moved to the skip the next day!

The water butts, bins, buckets etc are all filled with pond water, we put all the fish in one of the big water butts and popped the lid on.

After lining the whole pond with sand, then like a fleece layer we lay out the liner. as it filled I paddled round pulling and folding so we had quite neat corners etc.

It was then left overnight to settle and the following day we began the beautifiying bit!

here is the finished pond. The slabs came from another part of the garden. The pond filter on the other side of the pond has had a water fall created using to roof tiles we had.

Around the gunnera we have used the rocks that where around the edge of the old pond. The overflow is also here so any excess water will flow to where its needed!

The hose has to be reduced. But is for the log waterfall feature we have created.

and the fish are also very happy!

I made my hubby, promise not to go down the garden until it was looking good. W managed to get the decking done in front of the office as well and the grand opening took place last night.
All I can say is that it looks amazing, far better than the photos show.
We still have some tidying up to do, planting etc. But the hard work is done and all in 4 days. I am thrilled to be able to say I played a substantial part in its creation. Our builder is amazing and so inspirational, and even when the going got tough he still kept laughing!

This weekend, we shall be paying a number of visits to the tip. So no rest for the wicked lol!!!

About the Garden!

2011-10-07T21:19:00.000+01:00

I have been so wrapped up with nails and office conversion, that I have not been really looking at the garden, I am not sure what changed today, that made me look.
I was surprised with the amount of colour/flowers I have

this Black Eyed Susan has been totally amazing. Will Giles at the Exotic Garden Blog gave me the idea and I have been thrilled with how well it has done.

In the back ground you can see another of my Bromeliad's that has flowered!

Jungle area

My neighbours 'Kiwi' isn't it amazing, for some unknown reason it loves growing into my garden. I love it! Thanks S!

This is the best ever Rincus I have grown, I love it. I will definately get this one again.
My Maurelli's where very poor this year, no idea why, I don't think I did anything differently?

My Trachy has gone balistic this year, it has sent up so many spears its unbelievable

and there are still 3 to come!

Meanwhile I still have flowers everywhere!

Meanwhile at the bottom the decking is underway.

The greenhouse has been screwed down, so I will be able to get the glass in this weekend.

I hope to get the compost bins set up, I may even build some. I am planning the planting around the pond, plus I have dismantled one of the veg beds, so am in the process of extending the flowerbed and replanting some grass.

So much to do and so little time!!!

Away Less than a Week and .....

2011-10-05T19:25:00.000+01:00

Look what has happened.....

its amazing, the difference.

Windows and doors are on order should be with us a week on Friday.

Its sooooo cosy

Need to chose some flooring

and at the neighbours....

his new garage, halfway down the garden, with no drive to it? Most bizzare bearing in mind what a 'nerd' he is about his lawn!

I'm really glad its not 2 storey like he wanted!!

One or Two Hold Ups!

2011-09-29T09:23:00.005+01:00

Well we all (builder and us) are back from holiday. Builder returned to work on 12th September but I promptly sent him home as he was so unwell. I told him to go home and get better, he tried to return on the Wednesday, but was still not right so we told him not to rush back. Poor chap, when he did come back on the following Monday (19th) he told me that was the first week he had ever taken off work!

Anyway, due to the holiday and illness it was light work the first week. As you can see he has enlarged the side window.

The back windows have been made bigger also.

this is the side window with the side door still there!

Here is W cutting out the front double door and side windows.

even with all the black membrane inside we now have loads of light coming in!

the wood that was cut out from the front was used to fill in the side door.

which is all sealed. It looks that good that my neighbour walked past it and never noticed lol!!
As the weather has been so gorgeous this week, W, decided to crack on with the paving. We are re-using all the paving slabs we had accumulated, yes they might be a bit grubby, but nothing a good jet wash won't cure!

Its quite bizarre walking on them, they are so solid and level!

Having been used to 'wibbly wobbly' for donkeys years, I am seriously thinking of getting him back to do the path through the veg area!

The gap down the side is for the gravel, which will allow drainage! We have now acquired a bed to the left of the path in the last pic. I was planning to put this to grass, but having watched it over the last few days it gets a good lot of sun, so I am tempted to use it as a veg bed! But this would mean further changes in front of the office, which hubby has yet to agree too!? I'm working on it!!!

I am looking forward to glazing the greenhouse, did I show you the drainage channel W put in for me, 'dead posh here'! We have to wait to glaze until all the heavy work is done as behind the greenhouse is where the access is. Sadly not a permanent one!

Windows and doors have been ordered due 2-3 weeks. Guttering, waterbutts in fact most of the out door work will be done whilst the sun is shining on us! Getting excited now!!

Finished for Now.

2011-08-21T14:41:00.003+01:00

But restart in 3 weeks! Builders on holiday! Which is fine as he has worked like a Trojan, no matter what the weather. So he has gone off to Greece with 22 friends and family to celebrate his 50th birthday!

I can't believe I haven't taken a photo of the amazing 'orange' shed! Foul colour, but I have been assured it will mellow! Anyway that arrived Wednesday and went up the same day. Thursday absolutely heaved it down, but W (builder) turned up with worker, in waterproofs and proceeded to get the now very sodden and heavy old shed up! It was cold too so I kept them well supplied with hot drinks!

Friday, glorious so he finished off, putting windows in new shed, roofing felt, covering old shed with tarpaulin, as this needs a thicker roof and putting scalping's down for pathways. Then tidied up across all the neighbours gardens secured temporary fences and left for his well deserved holiday.

Saturday hubby and I cleared under the gazebo, shelved and got everything into the new shed.

Today I have gone through all the boxes again and ruthlessly thrown stuff away, and finished off. The boxes in the middle with the bags on top are empty. I still have a metal bed frame and 2 bikes and a tumble dryer to fit in?????

Whilst I was working Darcy made himself comfortable close by!

Crop Circle

2011-08-15T10:00:00.008+01:00

We usually get alot of crop circles, apparently 90% of crop circles were within 15 miles of Avebury 2003! This is the first this year so we went for a closer look this morning on the dog walk.

As we walked round we tried to work out how it could be done in the night by people. Looking at the way the corn lay we felt it would have been difficult. Some of the detail is quite intracate

A couple of circles went round in a spiral

in the last spiral photo theredoesn't seem to be a start place as all the corn is lieing over one another!

another went from the center in 'cake' like shapes. This actually starts at a centre point and expands outward widening as it goes.

The corners were mitred! I thought this was interesting, if this was manmade surely as you came in to attempt to mitre the corner, the corn going off in the other direction would already have been bent in the wrong direction, if you get my drift!! (Well I know what I'm talking about!)

some corn was laid flat other bits only bent.

Our conclusion, of course, is .......

Little Green Men!!!

This Weeks Progress

2011-08-13T16:59:00.004+01:00

It has been a slow week, down the garden, the weather has seen to that, in fact on a couple of mornings when I was walking the dog it felt very autumnal, and its only August!

My neighbours have very kindly allowed us access across there gardens, my imediate neighbour is due home this week and had thought we would be finished. I shall have to break the news to her, and hope she will agree to continuing access until the work finishes!

On Monday the other concrete base should go in, then erection should begin. Basically we are re-jigging the layout and putting proper foundations down, nothing extra has been added.

Things!

2011-08-08T13:39:00.003+01:00

Remember this from my last post?

Well, on Countryfile, last night (BBC1 Sunday nights) they where looking at newts and this definately does not have the tail of a newt. They are like a paddle thinning at the edges? This does not thin at the edges, so maybe hubby is right? ??????????
Everything is growing and going to seed! look at the lettuce lol!! New plant a lettuce tree hehehe!

The concrete is going in today

On the patio everything is going bonkers, the plants love this humid weather.

Having said that, when I walked the dog this morning it felt very autumnal! :O( I do hope not.

Cleared

2011-08-03T08:41:00.005+01:00

We found this in the Greenhouse under the growbags. Hubby thinks its a lizard, I thought a young newt! Anyway it was carefully placed nearer the pond.

Everything has been dis-assembled, I did the glass in the greenhouse, as I knew how to do it!

I have so much space down here that it is a shame we have to put the shed back :o(

After much diliberation, we have decided where everything should go so digging work commences today!

Darcy is so bored with the whole proceedings, and the fact he has been fenced off from the bottom of the garden as it is now open to the road, that he dug himself a hole in the veg patch and lay in it!!!

Work Begins

2011-08-01T07:49:00.004+01:00

So work begins

the greenhouse has been emptied of all my lovely tomato, pepper and cucumber plants.

The small shed has been disassembled and taken away.

The big shed is empty

and its contents are here!!!!

Whilst the skips are here I shall be going through all of this and chucking away an awful lot as the new shed is 1/2 the size of out current one!!!!!!!!!

and

today is our 24th Wedding Anniversary

Just getting straight when......

2011-07-24T08:05:00.006+01:00

building works are to commence????

Patio Clutter

Since hubby has started working for himself and bearing in mind we only live in a terraced cottage, the clutter, 'his clutter has been getting worse and worse. He is a 'hoarder' to say the least, even down to bits of paper!

Coal now delivered, all bunkers full plus pre packs and the wood moved from the bottom of the garden!

To give an example in our shed in a trunk are two big boxes of papers which have been there untouched and unopened for years!! I have a rule if it has not been used in 18 months - 2 years it goes! Oh no. not my husband, he will go through every paper in that trunk with a fine tooth comb but that is only 'when he has the time'!!!

Ferns dug up and potted up to be replanted on the North side of the office when finished.

So he took over my daughters bedroom to use as an office, that is now so full he has to work in the dining room and I will not let him take that over, its bad enough trying to get to bed, he had, at last count 25 books beside his side of the bed and he assures me he was reading the lot!!!!!!

One Water Butt resited and refilled

So we have decided, well I decided and persuaded him that our super duper shed bought 9 years ago was worth converting into an office and after talking to various builders we can put proper foundations down, move shed/office, move greenhouse and put up new smaller shed, supply electrics, into all 3, insulate and put new double glazed windows and doors into Shed/office, lay proper pathing down, resite waterbutts for a little bit more that the cost of buying a purpose built office and siting it at the bottom of our garden.

Boxes, canes etc squeezed in, in every available space, even on the veg garden!

So in 2 weeks time, the work begins.

All tomatoes

We have no rear access at the bottom of the garden, in fact the only access we have for the whole garden is 'coal' access.

Cucumber and

Our access was sold just as we moved in (unbeknown to us) when the large part of the garden at the bottom was sold to the neighbour, (also unbeknown to us) they forgot to keep the access. So we have asked and very kindly been allowed to demolish fences, cross boundaries and gain access across 2 neighbours gardens. I have great neighbours, quirky, but great!!

Pepper plants will have to go

So we have been clearing all 'My' garden clutter, well you know what us gardeners are like, you never know when it will be needed. Although I do admit to not realising just how many plant pots I had!!

Recently acquired Ensete Hiniba, Black stemmed Alocasia Mac, Colocasia Gailigonensis and Pink China

These water butts have now been emptied and all rubbish either thrown or Recycled using 'FreeCycle' I highly recommend them.

Majority of the slabs will be reused. The door of the small shed can just be seen on the right and is going!

Believe it or not we have gone through every box, tub and pot in this shed and everything in here we are keeping and will be stored, if not electrical under a gazebo by the pond, for the duration of the build or until the newer shed is erected!

all the other usable bits have as I said before gone to Freecycle the rest is off to the tip!

This hedge is going

The patio the other side of the pond will be storage area.

So next weekend we shall move everything remaining into the house or onto the patio. The greenhouse will be emptied, the small shed will hopefully have been disassembled by the neighbour who wishes to have it.

The large shed emptied and un-shelved (is there such a word), I really must order the new replacement shed too!! All ready for work to commence on the 1st August 2011 our 24th Wedding Anniversary!!

Where is Summer?

2011-07-09T17:31:00.006+01:00

Here we are in July and you would think that the weather would be more sunshine than showers. Since we did all the work last week all we have had is rain, rain and more rain. I shouldn't complain because we have had very little rain. I think we are protected by a hill at the back of Heddington.
Anyway this has definately helped the garden no end, especially as the temps have stayed up too. I can see how much everything has grown in just a week. I hope you can too.

Bearing in mind my garden is only 13ft wide, I have alot of walls and fences that really should be covered, I have been reluctant to grow stuff up them because when ever they have needed replacing (we don't own either boundary) the work is always done from my side as both neighbours have very well established hedges. I don't like hedges as they need a large amount of maintenance and also take up a considerable amout of room (which I don't have). In this next pic you can see a rather pretty clematis in a pot, I think I shall be brave and plant it behind the stripped banana and encourage it up the fence.

If I knew a passion flower would survive I would much prefer one of these, I have 3 in the greenhouse which I got from a Gardeners World Mag offer for just the cost of postage, I may keep them in pots and lift them in and out of the greenhouse for winter. The big problem with pots is the need for watering in the summer, not a problem when I am here but when I go on holiday, I have to remind my garden carer to water the pots!

The side bed is coming on, just wait a few months and we will see a huge difference.

My Brugs took a hammering this year even though they where in a heated greenhouse. I am please this one is in flower, I do love them, magnificent blooms and the scent is heavenly.

Right at the back of the greenhouse which when full can be difficult to get too, I had a row of 3 Brugs which had (I thought) died! 2 I threw but one just ended up being left as I had other things to do and to my surprise it has come back from the roots. I wish I hadn't thrown the others!

My TRex in a pot is doing really well now!

The Maurelli with the rotten middle doesn't seem to be faring too badly! Another view down the patio, I do love this part of the garden

last but not least Mr Darcy, he is having a great time at the moment, chasing flies!

Two of my cats are getting on a bit now and Tango spends most of his life sleeping as does Sassy. Jake, our adoptee, is very much an indoor cat and rarely ventures out. I miss Chimarnie alot as he was always with me when I was out in the garden!

Quandary Sorted!!

2011-07-03T14:10:00.005+01:00

I wasn't supposed to be tackling this quite so soon, but when your gardening loving daughter comes home unexpectedly and hears what your planning, then says 'do you want a hand' you do not turn her down!
So about 4pm in the afternoon we started and by 7pm we had finished, more or less.

The path has been re-routed and relaided, the old man was purchased at the Local Steam Rally. We have kept most of these plants in pots as to be honest this suits us better as we will have to either move them in to the greenhouse or further up the patio for winter!

the bay has been kept for the time being and edged with bricks, which needs to be finished. We will see how it grows and wether it gets in the way or not! The bamboo and T-rex maybe swapped once our coal is delivered. I found another huge pot at the back of my shed so I will probably split this bamboo.

the arch has been removed and put further down the garden which we believe has opened up the view, with the eye being drawn to the Indian Bean tree.

the bay which I will keep well clipped and eventually hope I can cut it to hide the pre-packed coal

which will be stored here and in a couple of weeks will have 10 - 20 bags here ready for winter!

the finished result

I hope you all think it is an improvement we are very pleased as it means you can't see down the whole garden.

In a Quandary

2011-06-29T11:33:00.005+01:00

Well I have been working here,

but before I show you let me show you these

my alpine beds planted up, quite pleased

be much better when they have spread out

no I didn't plant him, thats his favourite spot, bless him.

Anyway back to where I was working, you may remember it had a trellis with a rampent Jasmine growing up it and also my baytree, which died this last winter.

I planned to clear it all away get rid of the stump, encourage the jasmine to go along the fence, then do one of 3 things, stack the pre-packed coal here or move the T-rex and the bamboo here or re-route the path so we couldn't see right down the garden.
Unfortunately the Baytree lives!!!!!

and under everything I found this chap..

Now what do I do? I am not sure it will put on enough growth to get it through the winter? But I do like the Bayleaves for cooking. Its a nicely sheltered corner so I thought it would be good for the T-Rex oh my goodness, choices..choices!!!!!

Well whilst we decide I sat and had a cuppa and this is my view

and right next to me

its a lovely day, a bit to hot to work though!!

This and That!

2011-06-24T14:51:00.006+01:00

Lots going on in the Garden plus some big changes (hopefully)

My Bromeliads are shrinking?? not quite, these are all the babies from the plants overwintered in my heated greenhouse, I really must try and get some different ones.

Pleased with how this is looking, would look better if we had a bit more warmth!!

This is a very neglected spider plant, since I planted it outside, it has 'greened' up alot, you never know it may do it some good!!

Recently our village had some of its gardens opened, it gave us a chance to see behind the high walls eat some homemade cake and buy some lovely plants. When the organiser heard I grow some tropicals, she asked to come and see. So last Sunday found her walking round the garden asking me if I would open with the gardens next year. Quite difficult really as they open in June, too early for my tropicals to be at there best, but she was very insistant that it would be fine as it shows different types and sizes of leaves. So I have tentively agreed.

So we bought these boxes for ontop of the coal bunkers which have always been a 'problem' area with the thought of planting alpine plants in them unless someone comes up with a better idea.

Everything growing like crazy!!

I have always been disappointed how slow growing my Trachy is. Then I did some reading up and I think the poor thing has not had enough water, so I have had the hose on it for quite a considerable time....... now I have 4 spears pushing out!

I am quite sure this 'Indian Bean Tree' is supposed to be green.

The newly planted Cottage Garden by the veg beds, should be good for next year!

My most favourite place in the garden

I have planted 2 Passion Flowers, having been told they are not hardy :o( like most things in my garden they have 2 chances, but having said that they are on a south facing fence and I shall prop some winter protection over the roots this winter, you never know.

I really must try and hide the filter box, I could probably get away with moving it back under the Gunnera?

This is from the other side

Now this is where things are going to change, lots of moving around and construction, now hubby is self employed I have to put up with all his books, folders,papers, files, more books and even more books.... to be honest we don't have a big house so we are having an office constructed, yipee!!! I think we will call it the 'Dog House' lol!!!

In the Greenhouse a Strelitzia Nicola a baby at the moment but hopefully will be big.

First ripe tomato, mmmmmmmmmmm

As its Wimbledon, anyone for strawberries?

Jungle Planted!

2011-06-04T21:05:00.006+01:00

We have had a hectic couple of weeks, last weekend we drove from our house to my mums (Cheshire) to the coast of East Anglia, for a funeral, back to Cheshire then next day then back home the day after. 4 Days of driving certainly takes it out of you! Especially when there where accidents all over the show!!!

Anyway hubby promised me this weekend for 'jungle' planting! So we started at about 8.30am today clearing all the bark chipping and laying out all the plants we have to go out.

We started first with the tree ferns. This is the advantage I have compared to other 'jungles' I can change mine every year, move it, within reason to where I fancy it, which to be honest suits my personality. Anyway, a friend from a forum I go on gave me a wonderful idea as to what could be done with a dead tree fern, so I wanted this to be Incorporated with the living tree ferns, and you will see it develop over the next few months!

Then came the planting of the main plot

most of these are reasonably easy to plant its when we get to the big 'nanas' things go pear shaped!

The banana in this pic has been in that pot for 2 years now, so we decided it needed to have its soil refreshed. It was so difficult to get out and nearly killed us! but during the re-planting we found that the centre of this seems to be totally rotten, but yet it keeps growing. I have no idea why, but we shall see, I think next year we will start again I am not sure we could move it again!!

This is the root growth of my Tetrapanax Papyrifer Rex it had only been in this pot 4 weeks. I had planned to put it in a larger pot so today was the day and it surprised us both at the extent of root growth!

This is the rest fo the plot, not so many 'nanas' this year!

If you had seen my Caster Oil plant a month and a half ago you would have said like me 'that's had it!' But as you can see it hasn't at all it grows with great gusto!

This week I got my knee brace, this is to help reduce the pain I have been getting! Its by no means heavy, but I have found I am walking funny, not deliberately it just seems to be happening, anyway I have an appointment with the physio and orthotics lady I was seeing before I was referred on the NHS, this week.
It makes my leg sweat and to be honest I never thought my leg sweated before, but it does now, then it feels wet, cold and slimy!!!!!
I know it is something I will have to get used too. On the plus side, the pain has eased in my knee but increased in my right ankle and hip! I suspect because I am walking differently! We will persevere!!!

In the Garden!

2011-05-20T13:19:00.005+01:00

I have been busily pottering around in the garden and practising my nails..... did you know I was training to be a nail technician? All my youngest daughters fault, and I had no previous interest in it but am now totally hooked, which causes great hilarity as I am supposed to have nice hands and nails when I do my training!!! not!
Anyway I digress my potted bananas needed some trimming and after asking on the tropical blogs it was suggested that I trim the bases back from this

to this

I was a bit concerned as I now only have two of these left but decided to go for it. Anyway it is still standing and hasn't gone limp so it maybe ok!

Meanwhile in the veg plot things are coming on a pace,

the first bed which I forgot to photograph has onions and hopefully parsnips in. The next bed has sweetcorn, pick again salads, spring onion, beetroot and peas. In the background you can make out bags and pots of potatoes.

In this bed more peas, will have courgettes, spinach, more sweetcorn and climbing French Beans.

Broad Beans, courgettes and alpine strawberries

Strawberries and another row of French Beans

In my last post I showed you down by the pond, you can see our Orfe, he is huge now!!

so this time I am looking back up the garden to where we actually sit

so you can see the mess, I have still to tidy this all up.

I would really like to grow something up the fences, but this bed is so small and very dry, especially with the hedge overhanging. I can soon chop it back but that doesn't solve the problem of the dry bed.
Any suggestion gratefully received!

To finish with, my Indian Bean tree looks like it needs something added, as its not supposed to be this yellow,

but then again neither is my neighbours Laural Hedge,

we wonder if there is something in the ground that could be causing this? As they are in direct line with one another!

Next time I post I hope to have the jungle planted!!

Middle of May 2011

2011-05-15T06:27:00.007+01:00

We have been spoilt with the weather the last few weeks, according to Gardeners Question Time (BBC Radio 4) the allotments are 5 weeks ahead!! So to me that's 5 weeks more growing time!!
After a cold winter I had unusually quite a few losses in my heated greenhouse. I am down to 4 Brugmansias? and only 2 of my Maurellis came through.

I have found one or 2 shoots at the side of one or two pots which are being encouraged.

The T-Rex has been re-potted, I know it should go in the ground but I have already lost one in a previous winter, I will see how this goes and if necessary use big pots!!

My Gunnera is half the size it used to be, but half is better than nothing!

My tree ferns also survived although I believe if I had left them outside I don't think they would have! I have split and repotted some of my bamboos as well!

The Hardy Bananas are just that Hardy! The first pic has been in the ground all winter in fact for a number of years now!

This one I bought last year and had in a pot last year which got moved into the Greenhouse over winter and got planted out a couple of weeks ago, this is also supposed to be a hardy one so its in the ground now so we shall see! I do like the striping on this!

The pond at 7am this morning, this is a favourite place of mine.

The jungle area at the moment

a mess

but just look what it looked like in July last year

then September.

Not long to wait considering how quickly time passes. I only wish it looked like this for more of the year!

What to do?

2011-05-12T18:37:00.000+01:00

I have so neglected this blog that I am wondering should I just start again from here or start a new blog?

Please let me know xxx

Now you see it, now you don't!

2011-03-27T18:22:00.002+01:00

Before

after

before,

after

I cannot tell you the difference it has made to the garden it is so light now, unbelieveable.

The gymball got a puncture and Darcy gained a new toy!!

Hedge Trimming!

2011-03-26T08:04:00.003Z

I have a chainsaw!

My neighbours hedge has grown 3ft over the top of the 6ft fence.

They have very kindly agreed to take it down to fence height.

So yesterday I began, they work full time and I was dog sitting anyway so I began....

I managed an 8ft run

and the difference is amazing. The neighbours where pleased too as it means they can see the hill again! I shall do some more today.

It was all too much for Darcy....

lazy sausage dog!!!

Things I Found!

2011-03-23T14:10:00.005Z

Having torn the house apart, I eventually found my gardening book

in here

and I have no idea how it got there!!! But I am relieved!!
Anyway we are currently having a glorious week of weather and there is lots going on in the garden:-

Tulips out already, I expect they will get hit by the frost this weekend.

The Gunnera has come through the winter surprisingly, I uncovered it for the first time today!

This plant, a relative of the Gunnera has lived in a pot for 2 years on the north side of the house, last year I bought it down by the pond and yet again it is growing.

I had hoped the Gunnera might be dead and I could replace it with this as it appears alot hardier and far more reliable!

In the Greenhouse

I think these Maurellis have had it, they are quite squishy, but I shall cut them back abit further and see what they are like further down.

this one doesn't seem too bad

The crosiers in the Tree Fern are getting bigger..

and this stupid thing is going mad, I should pot it up into a bigger pot!

Lots of Ladybirds in the garden

Looking up the garden at the veg patch

I am in two minds whether or not to get rid of the veg and plant more tropicals here.

The baytree is definately dead, so will hopefully come out and we can re-route the path.

My handsom chap enjoying the sunshine!

Glorious Sunshine

2011-03-13T13:53:00.006Z

See this

isn't it lovely, blue skies, white fluffy clouds and that bright shiny ball in the sky, out of the breeze it is glorious.

The pond is full of this

and the frogs are still busy!!!!!

In the greenhouse the windows are open

and the treeferns are looking exceedingly healthy.

just look at this banana, spent the whole winter in the greenhouse

has not been watered all that time and blow me it has started growing again. Wonder if its too early to start watering???

Depressingly I cannot find my book, the book I write in every year planning out my veg beds, when I plant seeds etc I have searched everywhere, there is 5 years worth of notes in it, I am gutted :o(

End of February

2011-02-27T15:32:00.011Z

I cannot believe we are at the end of February already, where has the time gone too. Mind you that does mean we are closer to the hour change........... yipee.

We have seen blue sky and a bright round shining thing in the sky recently, I have dried 3 loads of washing outside this week, I do like drying the washing outside, you can't beat the smell!

Down the garden I found a purple hellebore this will be amazing when there is a clump of them.

This pic, believe it or not shows a huge mound of frogs spawn, loads more than last year and earlier too.

Plenty of these in the pond too!

In the greenhouse still all wrapped up, my large tree fern is doing well with plenty of crosiers coming through too. Plus lots of other plants seemingly thriving! I won't start watering the bananas just yet as by the time they go out they could be taking the roof off!!

Up the garden the veg patch is looking sorry for its self.

I have threatened to plant some of my bananas in here this year!

The trachy seems to have come through ok.

Banana... I haven't looked yet!

Yucca Number 1..... alive

Yucca Number 2.... dead

Cordyline..... dead

this is the 2nd one I have lost in 2 years, I keep trying cos the first one I had flowered and looked amazing.

Phormium....??? not sure

So here begins another season of whether to veg garden or tropical???
Roll on the better weather.

Not my Usual Blog Post!

2011-01-20T07:50:00.002Z

I thought a long time about posting this, but decided, what the heck!

I have been very poorly over Christmas and New Year, Flu! Being an M.E. sufferer (although in remission) my recovery is taking along time.
I coughed continually for weeks and my pelvic floor finally gave up the ghost and I am now suffering with Urinary Incontinence or Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. To be honest, for a long time I have had to cross my legs if I sneezed anyway!
I have put my pelvic floor through alot, 2 children, being 'morbidly over weight' as they say in hospital, and a vaginal hysterectomy. To name just a few! After these the physio would visit and say,'don't forget your pelvic floor exercises'! All well and good but:- Where exactly are your pelvic floor muscles? How hard do you squeeze? Am I doing it right?

About 6 years ago I had a similar problem and the doctor sent me to a physio, and after many months and much squeezing and concentration (who ever says you can do these exercises without anyone else knowing told lies!), I managed to get some control back.

Therein lies the problem, you are supposed to continue the exercises........ how many of you do?

This time, it has been so bad, a pack of Tena Lady had to be bought!! I was so embarrassed, that I actually sent my daughter to buy them. How bad is that, reminds me of when I bought my first tampons!!!!!!!

Anyway, I wasn't prepared to visit the doctor and wait 6 weeks for a physio appointment, and we are fortunate enough to be able to afford to buy an alternative. So after much research of the internet I purchased this Athena Pelvic Muscle Trainer from Amazon £32 cheaper.

I have now been using this a week, twice a day for 15 minutes. When I first used it, as per instructions, it was like an electric shock, so I had to turn it down. I can assure you I now know where my pelvic floor muscles are!!!! They are not just up inside you, they are deeper. If you rest your hand on your hip, push your fingers where you think you appendix is then cough, feel the tightening, that is part of your core muscle and this little gadget makes you aware of these as well. So when you lift anything you need to not only pull up the pelvic floor, but tighten these core muscles at the same time!!!

I had been told this by the physio, but never really understood..... now I do!

So I still cross my legs if I sneeze and I cannot stop 'mid stream', but I can slow it!

I will keep you posted!!!!!

Spring????

2011-01-08T13:20:00.006Z

well we have sun,

blue sky,

shadows,

and daffodils!

Well OK I cheated on the daffodils, hubby bought them for me at Christmas and they are in flower already!!!
We did not celebrate Christmas or New Year as both K and I had the most awful flu, she went back to work last week and managed one day, and has been off sick since. I am still bad and have the most awful cough which rattles my brain, inside my head (where else would it be?)and gives me the most awful headaches. Plus my pelvic floor has given up hope, but that is another tale.

So when the sun came out today I wandered down the garden, popped my head in the greenhouse, as I haven't been near it since about the 24th December, checked the lowest temp it had been since then 3C, and watered a few things.

I believe the tube heaters have helped to keep a more steady temp.

the brugs still have leaves on? This always amazes me as since they have been in the greenhouse they have not had a drop of water.

Bit of colour from my bromeliad.

I am so pleased I brought the Tree Ferns in, you can see the new crosiers already.

The Strelitzia/Bird of Paradise plants I bought into the house seem to have fared alot better than they do when they are in the Greenhouse over winter, I even have a new shoot on one of them...

Maybe its a false spring, but it is definately far better than all the rain and grey days we have been having, with loads more to come next week!! I much prefer the snow and ice at least the days seem brighter with the snow

Garden in the Snow

2010-12-20T09:22:00.006Z

It still remains cold with the threat of more snow today. Darcy seems to love the snow, I have only been down the garden a couple of times to check on the greenhouse, but the garden is covered in paw prints!!!

The Cordyline and bamboo have been brought close to the house, which we hope will offer some kind of protection.

The Trachy, was seriously bent over the other day, so I shook off the snow, well the ones I could reach.

This is the veg bit

Frozen Kale and Brussels

In the greenhouse I have so many layers of insulation, its unbelievable, bubble wrap, then round the north side is survival blankets, plus draped across the roof some fleece. I also popped in one of the tube heaters last night and it seems to have a far more even temp.

I have run out of plug sockets, even though I have one more tube heater, so may bring the baby TRex out of the propagate and into the house to free up a socket if needed.

I brought both my tree ferns in this year, as I lost all of mine last year, so I am down and watering quite regularly. Only problem is the water butts are frozen so I have to lug the water down from the house!!

Bananas in big sacks, and the one in the big pot was enormous this year!!

from the greenhouse looking up the garden.

We wrapped the banana on the patio this year!

Snow

2010-12-19T16:55:00.004Z

We love snow! We get it rarely, that it is great. I know alot of people moan about it, how it grinds the country to a halt, its just that this sort of weather for the UK is not the norm! I know we had it last year, but thats 2 years out of how many?????

People moan because they are so used to using cars to get around, what about those two things sticking out of the bottom of our torso, legs! Amazing they are, they actually move you around!

Well I have been using mine to take my little snow plough for a walk.

He has thoroughly enjoyed the snow, until today when by the time he got back he did not want to walk and I'm not surprised he had snowballs attached to his feet and seemed to have like ice burns on his belly!

He wears a coat, to help keep him warm, but what I forgot is that his belly has very little hair coverage, and having such short legs would explain everytime he stops he was shivering!

You can see the ice, building up in his beard.

and our Postman 'Pete' made it through with a smile!

As to Christmas, well I am totally disorganised this year, most unlike me. The tree is up, with thanks to K, the cake is made, thanks to my mum!! I have put marzipan on it! The presents are bought, still to be wrapped.
I ordered the meat at the beginning of December so we will have turkey, whether there will be anyone here to eat it is another matter. My mum and her partner are due to be collected as is our eldest daughter. The priority is to get Kathryn, otherwise she will be all alone!

one animal who always finds a warm spot, Tango, and yes T was asleep!!

Mincemeat

2010-11-11T15:40:00.005Z

1st Batch made and it smells divine and tastes even better.

next batch underway, then onto Medlar Jelly!

Windfall Apples

2010-11-10T21:44:00.003Z

It was a glorious day today, cold but bright and sunny, so I went outside and raked up the leaves and picked up the windfall apples, that have fallen from my neighbours tree into my garden... a bucket full.

So what do you do with a bucketful of windfalls????

Make Mincemeat, this is Lotties recipe (Allotment Lady) I have used her recipe for 3 years now and its so easy to do and so very scrumdiddleumptious,

this is soaking overnight then will be warmed up tomorrow then popped into jars.

But, what do I do with the rest of the apples?????

I think I shall make another batch.

A Bloggers Tea Towel Swap

2010-11-06T13:00:00.002Z

Would anyone in Blogosphere be interested in having a Tea Towel Swap. Well thats what we call them in the UK, I'm not sure what they are called elsewhere, but basically its the towel that you dry up the plates and cutlery with, if you don't own a dishwasher!!

The plan, you buy a Tea Towel from your locality showing something about your town, the history of it or similar, it should not be plain. Fold it up with a short note and post it to your swap partner. To keep costs down do not include anything else in the packaging please.

If you are interested and would like to join in, please comment on here, then e-mail me your address, I will then stick all the swappees into a bowl, draw them out and forward the swap partner address to you.

Tea Towel Swap

2010-11-04T15:35:00.004Z

I organised a tea towel swap on the Potting Shed forum recently, unfortunately being the organiser I knew who I was getting mine from. But of course I had no idea what I was getting.

I was thrilled when I received it, as I had never seen one like it before.

Although Bath is the closest City, Swindon is the closest big town and it is renowned for its roundabouts! This is actually a roundabout and when hubby went for an interview in Swindon in 1988, we crossed this and his words to me where something like 'what the heck was that!!

I Have found the Cable!

2010-10-20T11:57:00.007+01:00

I made a concerted effort to find the cable this morning and after much digging and delving I found it!!!

My sister and her husband came to stay for the weekend at the beginning of October, for two reasons, 1. it was her birthday and she deserved to be spoilt, 2. they where having our small greenhouse. They brought their dog along,

and as you can see Darcy and Daisy are now very good friends!!

I then did a spot of chutney making

this is Red Pepper and Chilli Jam, I also made, Hot 'n' Spicy Tomato Chutney and more Date and Banana Chutney!!

Then we sold our Dresser, which meant that the contents have been scattered around the house on any available surface

K, had to downsize from 2 bed flat to house share

so her bits and pieces are slowly being packed away or freecycled!!

I have been up to visit my mum, nieces and great niece

she is not yet 4, and is so much fun!

Came back and the first night back we where hit by a bad frost

so what normally takes a weekend was in fact done in a day. The greenhouse was bubble wrapped, plants dug up and placed in my remaining greenhouse.

Fortunately they fitted. This year I have even fitted my tree ferns in, I lost them all last year!

If 'Folklore' is anything to go by, we are in for another bad winter as the holly trees and bushes are laden with berries!!!!

The tiling round the Rayburn is now finished and sealed, and we are thrilled to bits.

In between all of this we are fighting a proposal to have a sand quarry built about 400yds away. If you double click on the pic, at the bottom you can see Stockley, just to the right of the word about 2 cms is dark outline of trees around gardens, this is where we live!! The black holes are the closest proposed sand quarries.

Sadly not the only ones that will affect us. Out of 35 proposed for this county, 18 are around the town of Calne. Most of these belong to Lord Lansdowne, of Bowood House. If you live in the country it is still very 'feudal' everyone tugging there forlock to the Lord!!!! We are fighting, with banners, posters, leaflets and car stickers. We are reguarly in the paper, provided it passes the Estate Managers say, yes he appears to have a hold over the local paper too!!! We have a website www.sandstoppers.co.uk its worth a look.If anyone has any further ideas on what we can do, please let me know!

Shambles!

2010-10-19T17:23:00.002+01:00

Thats what my house looks like at the moment!! The Welsh dresser went and the contents, glasses, china etc is spread through out the downstairs on any available surface!!!!!!!!!!! The new dresser will be with us either the first or second week of November.

My eldest daughter K then had to downsize from flat to shared house, so we had a load of stuff brought back here, most of which has been stored or Freecycled!

I have been to mums and got back at the weekend..... she has been having a hard time financially wish, a new roof, new oven which then blew up, so was replaced under guarentee, new radiators but the heating is still not sorted... then when I got back the weather had changed and a hard frost was due that night so had to dig up all the tropicals and get them in in under a day!!!!!

The tiling round the Rayburn is done and looks fab!

Somewhere in the house is the cable that attaches the camera to the computer so I can download pics, hence no pics, cos I can't find the flippin cable!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aaargh!!

I will try and find the cable cos I have some super pics, back again soon.

End of September.

2010-09-30T18:22:00.008+01:00

I love this time of year, especially if it doesn't rain. I can actually work in the garden without getting into a muck sweat!!

The bananas have grown massively this year, so we now can't see the bottom of the garden, I love it when its like this. The phormium has really shot off and is looking impressive, definately fills a gap, lower down!

The brugmansias alwyas go mental flowering, I wish it was warm enough for maybe one more bar-b-que with the chimnea lit, so we could appreciate their scent.

I found this little clematis at a garden sale it is gorgeous and all the more so for flowering now!

This is one of the bananas I mentioned earlier, it is one beast, and we purposly left it in the pot so we could move it easily into the greenhouse!!! MMMmm maybe a task!!

this is the middle

and the top must be some 12ft tall now. Even though we have had 3.5C at night a couple of times, it doesn't seemed to have bothered them!

Isn't this a pretty coloured leaf, abit like patchwork.

Meanwhile further down in the veg garden for once I am organised

winter onions,

Kale type Brussel Sprouts.

Kale

Cabbage, Cauli, Brocoli.

Big changes afoot here!!

Emptying big greenhouse.

Small one is going!!

The most beautiful bloom on the Arum Lilly it is actually bigger thank my hand!

and one of my bromeliads has flowered!!

Floored!!!

2010-09-23T08:02:00.005+01:00

I wasn't going to blog about my kitchen, as my sister is visiting the first weekend of October and I wanted it to be a surprise for her, but I am so excited and thrilled with the finished result I can't contain myself!!!

First we had to empty the dresser, if you remember I was ably assisted by my dacshund! Then we had to dis-assemble the kitchen and carry it over the Rayburn and through to the lounge!! This was no mean feat, especially as neither of us is getting any younger lol!!

So the lounge looked like this.....

and the kitchen looked like this...

this is with the old flooring..

We where told it would take 2 days, so the cats had to go to the cattery as a latex screed had to be put down..

then the latex screed after all old flooring was lifted..

Darcy assisted with dusting under the units...

In fact it took 3, which to be honest I am not surprised about.

Anyway the end result is this

and yes we are thrilled!!

Now whilst it is still empty, I am going to paint!!!

Keeping Busy!

2010-09-19T07:40:00.005+01:00

The next 4-6 weekends are really busy, next weekend hubby is going up to Worcester to help move K. She finished her internship at Worcester Uni, and was offered the job, having been to 3 other interviews at other Uni's previously,always being their 2nd choice (lack of experience the reason why,)so bearing in mind the economic situation, she took the Worcs Uni job. Problem is it is actually less money than she was on as an intern, but has more responsibility???? No we don't get it either!!! Which means she can't stay in her lovely flat, she is gutted.
So last weekend we went up to help her flat search and of course this is totally the wrong time to look as Uni is just about to start.
Anyway to cut a long story short(well maybe not?) she is going back into a house share, with 2 professionals. On the plus side she will now have lots of money at the end of each month instead of just £40 a month, which she is excited about. She is already planning to go on holiday with her cousin D.

Then the weekend after that I shall have a whole weekend with my sister, its her birthday and she and her husband our coming so we can treat her and to dismantle our small greenhouse (another story).

The weekend after that, is the final weekend for K to clear out of her flat and what she has not sold, freecycled or Ebay'ed will have to be taken to the tip or brought home.

Then after that, I really must visit my mum!

Now that is just the weekends, don't ask about the weeks!!!

Anyway, this year I have done really well on the tomato front.....

pounds and

pounds

and pounds. I am thrilled, this is the first year I have had so many, the Plum ones have done exceptionally well and have been made into sauce and frozen. I have made a Hot 'n' Spicy Red Tomato Chutney and we have eaten loads. You just can't help yourself when your in the greenhouse, they seem to just pop into your mouth!!!

these are Courgettes and Petite Pain and Gem Squash. Oh alright, I know there is nothing courgette or petite about them, we have done well here too!! More chutney to come.

since the flood, the boards under the units don't fit, we are awaiting insurance claims!!!! But Darcy likes to go badger hunting (I think) as I am always finding him under here!

We have also been rationalising our stuff (yeah right!!) so whilst clearing out my dresser, Darcy went badger hunting in here too!!!

I must apologise in advance for the amount of doglet pictures that will be appearing on this blog, he is soooooo much fun and is now my 'baby'!!!

Quick Summer..y!

2010-09-15T15:10:00.008+01:00

Life has been fairly busy in this household, and I can't think why I have left posting for so long?

Hubby is now redundant, his party went well.

We managed to get everything done in time, including my knee op. The garden was impressive and admired by everyone and plenty of 'Pimms' was consumed.

Two days after the party and 4 days before we went on holiday, the washing machine flooded the kitchen, we turned off all the stop cocks but the water still flowed apparently it was the hot water flowing through!!!

We went away to the Gower, our usual haunt. Darcy enjoyed digging lots of holes, but he was very unwell the first and second weekends.

I had plenty of cleaning and washing to do and he lost 10% of his body weight. He lived on chicken and rice and the vet we saw gave us some tablets and charged us a huge amount of money! When we got home we went to see out vet, ( as he was still not good)who took swabs, gave us food an injection plus a doggy type 'actimel' and the bill was £10 less than when we where on holiday?????? Unfortunately now Darcy seeks out food, its just like having a labrador again.

Mum and B came with us for the first week, on the Tuesday of the first week, mum was taken ill and we had such a battle to get a doctor to see her at the local GP surgery as mum had become unwell at 10.30am in the morning and she should have been there at 9.30am!!!!! I ask you!!

we came back early as we where rained out but the garden looked fabulous...

Since then I have picked pounds...

and pounds..

of tomatoes, definately my best year yet!

Chutney making is well underway

and I have had my hair chopped off!!!

I hope normal service will now be resumed and I look forward to catching up with all your blogs!

Lots Of Garden Pics!

2010-07-23T13:56:00.009+01:00

Preparations continue apace for the party, the inside of the house isn't looking to bad, I just need to start again outside as somebody made it rain and the weeds have grown again!!!!

A huge dragonfly on the caster oil plant outside my back door.

This poor Hibiscus, is so badly neglected, I forget to water it, so it wilts then I water it and so goes the vicious circle. But it did get a handful of chicken pellets in the spring and it is now covered in buds.

One of my many brugmansia, flowering away merrily.

New tree fern, which will be moved to the heated greenhouse in the winter.

Foxglove tree, as you can see it has grown more.

Agapanthus, which I had forgotten I had planted.

Across the coal bunkers, where all my succulents are.

View down the veg section, look how well the Indian Bean tree has done this year, it is far better here.

View up the patio, I think this shows how big the banana on the left has now got.

New hardy banana.

Peas, lots and lots of peas, these are a heritage type and I seed save every year, they reach over 6ft.

Petit Pain

Courgette and a marrow, I know, I should have picked it.

Gem Squash, hubby introduced me to these and I have grown them for about 3 years, they are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo tasty.

There is a pond in there somewhere.

The banana growing back.

In the large greenhouse

and the small one.

Tomatoes, Sungold, extremely yummy!

Baby Cucumbers,

From the greenhouse looking up the garden

and of course, my friend goes with me everywhere!

Operation and Preperations

2010-07-17T07:31:00.006+01:00

Op was last Monday and has so far proved to be very successful. Totally different to last time, when my knee was double its current size and I needed 2 sticks to get about plus 12 sessions of physio! This time it is only slightly swollen, and I can do everything without any sticks and the physio reckons we will only need 3 sessions!

On the downside, because everything is so good I am having to be doubly careful not to overdo it!!

The house is more or less organised for hubsters party at the end of the month, I have stripped all the wood up the stairs, the front door and architrave and also the original exterior door frame of the front door. In particular, this wood, bearing in mind it must be about 150+ years old, has now been oiled and looks amazing, I am thrilled.

A new floor covering in both the downstairs loo and bathroom. Monday all the carpets get cleaned and also sometime in the next 2 weeks the oven will get done, (conveniently) I am not allowed to kneel!!!!

The garden is also coming on a pace this was it a month ago.

We have had very little rain till this week, when it has poured. Now as you can, see the plants growing!

I have planted the jungle area totally differently to how I have done it in the past and at first I wondered whether it was going to look as good, but since the rain, I think it will be fine!

My little friend has been rather poorly recently, he picked up kennel cough from somewhere, poor chap has been feeling sad for himself. He takes his tablets as if they where sweeties!! He is also currently not eating properly and is eating only half (if that) of what he is supposed to be having. The vets is having an open day tomorrow, where you can go along and talk to the specialists, etc. so we are going as they also have a photographer there and I would really like a super pic of him!

Busy, Busy, Busy

2010-07-06T12:20:00.002+01:00

Sorry for the lack of posts, life has been exceedingly hectic.

Hubby is being made redundant, which he is thrilled about and has decided to throw a party at the end of the month, which requires an awful lot of work on my part to get the house and garden up to scratch all before Monday as I have to go into hospital for a second op on my knee, as it appears I now have a cyst, plus the specialist reckons the cartiledge has deteriorated further and he does not understand why so wants to take a look.

On the plus side T has passed her Art Foundation Degree, which we are all thrilled to bits about. Now begins the hard slog of finding some work as she does not want to go to Uni!

Hope you are all ok, will try and catch up next week when I am 'resting' lol!!!!!

On a hot day!

2010-06-05T16:49:00.008+01:00

The jungle part is now more or less planted. I have changed the way I do it as well.

As you know I love the big leaved effect, well we still have that with the bananas but there are more flowers this year.

The Elephants ears I normally put in aren't here, because I found out they where poisonous to dogs, and the little darling does like to prune, he walks along and just nips the tops off plants! So they will be in a pot and probably go on top of the coal bunkers.

This is the most beautiful Ensete Tandarra Red it is so enormous now.

and of course my brugmansias are all beginning to flower, there scent in the evening is amazing and can be occasionally overpowering, but who cares with such beautiful flowers as these!

The veg beds are doing well, but for some unknown reason to me I can't seem to grow lettuce this year, I have tried new packets of seed and everything!!

Other than that, we have beetroot, spring onion, radish, French Beans, Broad Beans, Kale, Sprouts which are a cross with Kale, onions, peas, sweetcorn, gem squash, courgette, petite pain, strawberries, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumber,aubergine, peppers and chilli's. Not bad for a small plot huh!!

Then at the bottom , my lush green lawn and the pond which is swarming with dragonflies today. The gunnera is not what it was last year.

And finally the greenhouses, at least 4 different types of tomatoes, about 6 different chillis and lots of other bits and pieces!

not forgetting of course one hot dog!!

In Flower!

2010-05-28T12:33:00.004+01:00

Aquiligias, I have loads and loads of these scattered all round the garden

My Alliums are doing well this year

Whilst out at a garden centre the other day I saw a 'pyramid' of geraniums, in the most beautiful colour red. Quite pricy too. I have never been a big fan of them but they looked so spectacular.
When I was in good old Wilkinsons the other day I found some trailing geraniums of just the right colour red, so bought four and pooped them in my chicken old feeder!

This is a new plant in my jungle garden Camassia leichtlinii 'Sacajawae' how you pronounce it I haven't the faintest idea. I think it will look good!

Good old clematis, I wish I could get a passion flower to grow here it would look really great, but sadly a bit exposed!

I am thrilled to bits with my arum lily, I bought this clump for a £5 at a plant sale chucked it in the pond and ignored it, magnificent. I might have to see if I can split it later in the year cos I think this would look good in the jungle too!

Iris in the pond.

Have you seen the iris on Chelsea Flower Show I may have to see about getting some of them!

Theres lots more in flower in my garden, but I didn't want to over do it, I mean 2 posts in one week, mmmmmmmmm mustn't get carried away!

Garden Fund

2010-05-26T14:20:00.008+01:00

I shall tell you about hubbies plan for a 'Garden Fund' in between keeping you updated with pics from the garden!!

Beginning planting out

Now we know hubby is being made redundant and if he does not get another job we will have to live on his pension.

This is a leaf of the 'Tandara Red'. This is such a huge banana that I am keeping it in a pot, this year.

So he informed me the other day we will have to have a gardening fund!!!

from the side

Eek! thinks I, who is used to popping out and buying bags of compost, grow bags, plants etc when ever I fancy.

Paulownia tomentosa (Foxglove Tree) you can practically see this growing!

How on earth do you start planning how much to save for a garden fund?

Ensete Maurelli

I'm sure if he allowed me £100 a month I'd spend it, easily.

Brugmansia Grand Marnier, just beginning to flower.

So how much is enough?

Healthy looking Strelitzia Mandelas Gold

Already I have used 3 bags of multi purpose compost, 3 bags of Miracle grow water retention stuff and 3 grow bags and I still need more.

Treated exactly the same, an unhealthy Strelitzia

I need at least another 4 grow bags

Bamboo, going nuts

and probably another 6 multi-purpose compost!

Caster oil, badly hit over winter but coming back well!

Then of course when we pop out to the garden centres do the coffee and cakes come out of the gardening fund?

A Hibiscus I have had for years and neglected badly, but it keeps coming back!

Well I would say not, but I suspect he would say they do?

Bromeliads, which survived the winter in my greenhouse

I am trying to work out, roughly what I spend each year,

Banana pup

but I'm not sure I want to, I might scare myselfand have to tell him

Magnificent hosta, which I will split later this year!

I wonder if it will cover the garden shows I have started going to?

A New tree fern planted inside an old one.

I'm not sure I am going to enjoy living on a pension!

Which looks good from a distance.

But that of course is between you and me!!

May update!

2010-05-12T16:17:00.007+01:00

In the greenhouse one of my Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia) seems fine

the other seems curly and does not seem to have the leathery feel of the other one, wonder what I'm doing wrong?

One of my Brugmansias is coming into flower, it is the yellow one that always seems to flower first and puts on the most amazing display!

Since I potted up the bananas and started to water and feed them they have really taken off. Although I lost a few over winter, I thought I had done well, but since potting them up I have lost another one :o( you can just see it, third pot along in the middle!

I love the colour of this one, but as you can see it is abit curly, I think this is whats known as the strangles and if I recall this one did the same thing last year, it was suggested I threw it away but I persevered and when it got really bad I lopped it off part way down the trunk and it grew fine after that!!

This is my new banana which will replace the ones that did not survive this last winter.

I need to decide whether is should go here, by the pond

or here on the patio

I think I will plant it on the patio, although I loved the one down by the pond it really was beginning to spread and I could see it taking over this bed and even puncturing the liner in the pond!

So now I have to decide what to put in there instead! In the meantime we get to enjoy the Solomons Seal, another spreader, which I usually have to cut back because it gets covered in caterpillars!

The gunnera is coming along slowly, and this was definitely one plant I expected to lose. It is currently growing out of one side of its mound so I'm wondering whether its size has saved it!

Since the lawn man came there has been a vast improvement in my patch of what was moss. I still have quite a few bare patches but nothing a little seed can't fix!

Looking back up the garden we see the veg beds and the bee garden, we had a frost last night, quite a bad one hence the bits of fleece everywhere!

The bay bush has definitely had it. This is going to be a job and a half to get out, but it will eventually give me a new route off the patio, so we can't see right to the very bottom of the garden, hopefully!

The trachy always amazes me, the big fan has opened in the last couple of weeks and there are 2 more coming up, one bigger than the other.

The tree fern appears to be dead and the cost of replacing it is a bit high, but I have a plan, I have bought 2 smaller ones and will clear out the gunge in the top and pop one in each of the dead ones, clever huh!

This bamboo has really taken off this year, I should find it a bigger pot, I am debating on whether to ask my neighbour for the old bath that she has lying at the bottom of her garden doing nothing, semi sink it and plant the bamboo in that then it can spread and fill that to its hearts content!

Finally, my friend managed to miss being in any of the pics of the garden, so I thought I would show you this. The rayburn is still lit and this is his favourite place to sleep and his favourite position too!

Darcy Spoilt? Never!

2010-05-08T18:41:00.007+01:00

Mum has been staying for the last 2 weeks so I have been unable to do too much on the computer.
The garden is coming along and I should hopefully do some work there tomorrow and get some pics to update you.
In the meantime, I'm sorry to say more Darcy pics!!

Does he get spoilt? Of course not, but he likes to help..........

Mum enjoyed his company!

Assisting K with her assignment...

T on her computer

He likes his home comforts too, when the Rayburn is lit this is his favourite place and favourite position! Yes he is sound asleep!

He detests the rain and refuses to go out in it

so we bought him a coat!!!

He is not spoilt honest!!!

Green, Green, Grass............. not!

2010-04-24T07:55:00.006+01:00

My nice neighbour had her lawn treated yesterday, aerated, scarified and fed. Now her lawn is huge, I mean extremely large and the price she was quoted was impressive, so I got the man to pop round and look at our weed patch. He quoted a not bad price so we got it done and this is what it looks like now!

This is all done, scarified aerated etc. It looks alot worse than it is, but will be beautiful, he promised!!

He will call four times a year, at £15 a shot and treat, weed, feed, scarify and reseed if necessary, so hopefully in the end we will have a lawn to be proud of and that should look good, should we ever sell!!!

I have been quite busy in the garden, the fence panels are painted,

the bottom bed is dug

and all is tulips in the garden!

and even better hubby has a weeks holiday next week so I shall have some help as yet again my back is playing up!!

Up & Down the Garden!

2010-04-16T08:51:00.005+01:00

On the north side of the house spring is finally springing! This is one of K's pots and to be honest the photo does not do it justice, it is gorgeous!

This is one of my large leaved buys from last year which has come through the winter raring to go. Sorry the name has slipped my mind!!

My window box looking a bit better than last time I showed you!!

The tulip pots have once again excelled themselves...

The view down the garden!

The small greenhouse is bursting at the seems with seed trays full of tomatoes, chillis, peppers, cucumbers, aubergines, peas, french beans and bags of potatoes plus a few of my exotics which need heat mats! I shall have to wrap them all up tonight as a frost has been forecast!

The flower bed at the bottom of the garden needs a total makeover, but I am reluctant to 'have a go' as my back is still not up to major digging! I may very well have to get someone in, which I am also reluctant to do, as they may just dig everything up!!!! Maybe I could persuade K to come back for a workout one weekend!!!!

The bamboo is sending up lots of culms. I shall have to dig up this pot (well hubby will) and pop the bamboo in a large one.

I love the bamboos, never used to but do now!

Sorry just had to pop a pic of my fourlegged friend on!

Spring, Spring, Spring

2010-04-10T07:18:00.006+01:00

I think its finely here, lighter evenings, and glorious days with the occasional frost, I love it!!

Anyway down the garden we have winners and losers

Cordyline - could be a loser but we will see, it flowered last year so should now fork although the main bit has lost spears maybe the forked bit will grow!!

The banana is very much mush, goes quite deep as well but this didn't stop it last year from coming back, we shall have to see. They can be wrapped in straw to protect them over winter, but now I don't have the chickens I am not sure what I would do with the straw in the spring?? and to be honest I'm not sure whether it would offer that much protection especially if the straw gets wet prior to a freeze!!

TRex - is looking very dead, the stem seems dry and brittle, but these are prone to pup so you never know!!!

Gunnera - I thought this was less hardy than the TRex, it didn't get well protected over winter at all and to be honest I thought we would lose it, but as you can see it is alive and kicking!!!

Cyanthea Cooperii and Alocasia Calidora have both come through in the green house which I am very pleased about

but when you compare mine to the one on the left in the next picture

I am definately going wrong somewhere. The above pic was taken by Dave Brown of the Hardy Tropical Forum

Bromelaids came through in a very cool enviroment, I think due to luck than good management. Will Giles mentions in his blog that he over winters his dry, which I did cos I basically just didn't water them!!!!!!!!

Hubby and I took the bananas and planted them into fresh compost yesterday. I store them dry in the greenhouse over winter and as you can see they had already started growing. This hopefully will give them a head start in the garden, they will go out sometime in May!

The tulips as you can see are just about to open, which is bizarre as they are usually a good few weeks behind the daffs. The daffs where definately very late but the tulips seem to be ontime?????

Thats all for the mo, apologies for the lack of blogging, but a new four legged friend has sort of taken over my life a bit!!

Irrisistable hey!!

Everything is sprouting

2010-03-24T07:57:00.008Z

How exciting is that, our long winter appears to be going!!

I am having so much fun with Darcy, I have been forgetting to look around the garden and blog!!! I'm sure the novelty will wear off when he starts digging big holes everywhere lol!!

The seedlings in the greenhouse are all transplanted now they had grown so much since this pic, I have an assortment of tomatoes, Cherry, Moneymaker, Sungold and a Plum. Sungold are my absolute favourite and I like the Plum ones for sauce making.
I have grown at least 6 varieties of chilli, totally mad I know, but when we went to Jamie Oliver's Restaurant, he serves a chilli jam, and it is to die for and this is what I intend to make this year!!

The cucumbers have grown the best I have ever achieved, I shall have cucumbers coming out of my ears!

This is one of K's pots she planted up when she lived in the shared house when she first moved up to Worcester September last year. She was so unhappy there that we helped finance another move to a flat, but sadly it has no garden, so I gained the pots. Thank you very much they are beautiful.

Just look at the iris, fabulous colour!!

My window box, by comparison is deadly boring! My argument is that this is on the north side of the house and gets no sun whatsoever through the winter!!

A couple of very large crocus in my tulip pots. Which are growing wildly!!

Oriental Poppy eager to put on a good display!

First primrose, always makes me smile!

Forsythia, no matter how you say it, I can't decide if I like this or not. It flowers on the last years growth so after flowering, which will be soon, cut it back and it grows into a boring green bush. But a cheerful splash of colour at a time of year that it is needed!

Oh! Um!

Dogus followus, new species only found in my garden!! lol!

Climbing Hydrangea.

Queen Elizabeth Rose, such a beautiful pink and a lovely scent!

and finally my Hellabore, quite late for me and not such a big clump, not sure why!!

Making the most of the sun!

2010-03-18T10:07:00.004Z

I have been busy in the garden, having a puppy is like having a little child with you. You need eyes in the back of your head!!!!!

My helper!!!

These are the three beds I planned to have finished by the end of the month!! I seem to have mislaid the rake, I expect it is burried in the shed somewhere!!

Had to clean the pond pump out also, so its looking good, plenty of frogs but still no frogspawn! We usually have our first 'clump' about 23rd Feb, so we are on target to be a month behind!!

K came back with us at the weekend for one night to meet him, she is terrified of dogs and has been since a baby, we know exactly what set her off, we went to stay with a friend who had 2 Old English Sheep dogs that never stopped barking the whole weekend! Anyway she loved him although a bit nervous when he did his 'tigger' impressions. (jumping up and down on the spot) I think the small size helped!

He is having a sleep so off to do some more stuff round and about!!

Do Wirehaired Puppy Dachsunds Feel the Cold?

2010-03-10T08:33:00.000Z

I wonder.
I had nothing to do with this, Darcy removed all his bedding and made himself comfortable by the Rayburn, which was blazing away!

I really think he feels the cold, which could explain his reluctance to go out and tiddle, but no one will tell me if I'm right!

More on Darcy

2010-03-09T14:14:00.002Z

his beard is growing

How to Escape

2010-03-06T10:06:00.004Z

Ingredients

1 small dog + 1 cat flap

I know I should have stopped him but it was so funny to watch!

Mr Darcy

2010-03-05T08:33:00.005Z

is living in my house, I am such a lucky lady, he is dreamy, handsom, a little bit naughty

do you remember this, best part of the film...............

swoon, sadly its not that Mr Darcy, mine is slightly shorter and has four legs and a tail

he arrived last Monday, after much deliberation, we had talked about it for months. I have always had labradors, as far as I was concerned they where the best. Hubby had labs and dachsunds. I met a dachsund on our visits to South Africa, they where alright but I never liked the smooth coat, so we looked and found (very few around) a Wire Haired Dachsund Breeder,

she lives as the crow flies less than 3 miles away and had a dog and a bitch available now! It was an accidental mating, so although he has a pedigree as long as your arm, he can't be used for breeding, fine by me!

He was also a little bit older than your average pup, being 13 weeks, but he has settled in so quickly, sleeps through the night, no crying, at all. We have had 2 completely dry nights too!

He is so funny he makes me laugh and fills some of the long days alone I have.

Distracted.......... again

2010-02-26T09:33:00.003Z

Trying hard to build up my strength, I decided to do a sitting down job in the greenhouse, which involved this

if I am honest it is not a job I do properly every year but decided I wanted to do something, outside, so this was the best option, so I washed all of these

top of the potting table

and both electric propagators

so I am ready to plant seeds sometime this week :o)

I've Started

2010-02-26T09:11:00.000Z

I am stuck already with my shawl, can you believe it!!!!!! So I shall have to wait for my friend to come to the rescue.
So I toddled off down the garden and did some seed planting, I'm quite excited, I don't think I have ever started this early, but its not as if I can't keep the greenhouses warm.

Lets hope we don't get another cold snap.

Does anyone remember one February, must be about 15+ years ago now, and around half term, my sister was staying with her girls and we actually sat outside , had a bar-b-que in T-shirts!!!! Lol!!!

Things to Finish!

2010-02-25T08:56:00.004Z

I have been rather unwell, a really bad gastric bug which no one else got, and lasted alot longer than your average 24hours (4+days) and to be honest totally wiped me out.
But I am getting better.

On the Potting Shed forum instead of organising a bag make or a knit this or a sew that, we have decided to organise a 'things to finish' by the end of March. Which I thought was a really good idea. So many of us have a number of things 'on the needles' or need that push to 'decorate this' or 'dig that' so a fewof us have signed up for it.

I have a shawl I have been knitting for *~ months and

a top for me which has been on going for about as long,

plus I really must get the veg beds dug over.

So as I don't work I have chosen to try and finish 3 things, even if I don't finish them, I hope to be alot further along than I was when I started, if you get my drift!!

A Touch of Spring....... maybe

2010-02-17T14:06:00.005Z

Today is the first day I have stepped outside since Sunday, I have had a bad stomach upset which the 'Doc' said was food poisoning. No one else got it so I must be a delicate person !! lol! Today is also the first day I have eaten!

The sun was shining and it was lovely and warm so I ambled down the garden.

The banana has collapsed again but as we know from last year it will grow back with avengance but hopefully I can reduce it back a bit before it takes off.

The Cordyline's growing tip seems to have been damaged, I hope not as it was looking so good last year!

The Bay has been hit badly this year, I wonder if it will survive, I have never seen it so bad. My Aunty had an enormous BayTree which she cut down everytime it got frost damaged and it always grew back, so I may do that.

The lawn isn't, its a mess or should I say a 'moss'!!!

By the time I got here I was 'plum tuckered out', so I sat down and soaked up the rays and enjoyed the view.... and there was no 'frogs spawn' usually we have our first lot in the next few days!!

Spring or a pretending spring, isn't spring unless you have snow drops!

Veggie Growing Preparation

2010-02-13T13:07:00.004Z

Every year I say I must check what seeds I still have before I buy some more

and every year without fail I always buy more! Some because I want to have a go at them, others because I need them, obviously,

I need to get some Climbing French Beans, Trail of Tears, as I failed miserably at seed collection last year.

I also want to get some more of the Heritage (I think ) peas that climb to 6ft. Being a small garden I must grow upwards.

Gem Squash is a definate must, and sweetcorn. I fancy having a go at some butternut Squashes or 'cobnut' is the make I think that grows well here.
I have some over wintering onions in and will probably get some more in a bit later as you can never have enough onions.

The potatoes are chitting, I think I have told you before that my neigbour grows hers in tyres, so if I can find some space for a stack I may give it a go.

The beds need alot of work as they where badly neglected at the end of the growing season.

In fact as you can see from this pic I have alot of work ahead of me, the fence needs painting, I'm not sure what we are to do when it totally collapses as it is not our fence. There is no grass left just moss and weeds. If I wrote on a list absolutely eveything that needs doing I would probably never set foot outside ever again.
But then you never know we may have a good summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

51 today

2010-02-11T07:56:00.004Z

Yup its 3 weeks since my last post and things have been pretty hectic in this part of the world.
Having seen hubster through his 60th, we where then informed he may be made redundant, K has had swine flu and is still not better, we have had more snow, I have visited my mum, we where then told hubster would know by the 1st April, after a meeting on the 9th Feb.

Its all go here!!!

Can you believe a year has passed since my 50th, time flies so quickly now, its scary, and yes policemen are looking younger and have been for a number of years :0(

On the garden front, I have potatoes chitting,
I have bought some seeds, (vegetable)
I think I may sell my tropicals as it costs so much to heat the greenhouse especially in these cold winters.
I am coming of my depression medication, which is tough as I get 'jumpy eyes'.
I need to get fit and walking and lose the weight I gained.

and

if my darling hubby is offered or gets the chance of redundancy he (we) have decided he should take it................ whoopeeeeeee!

so all in all life is good.

I am hoping things will now calm down a bit so I can get back to blogging on a regular basis!

Love to you all

Hubbys 60th

2010-01-24T08:37:00.002Z

Its taken a while to catch up, but, we succeeded in surprising my hubby.
All friends arrived at home, then we where driven in the limo to collect him from work, the chauffeur went in to collect him and the party began.
We where then driven to Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant in Oxford where food abound, then home again later a great day was had by all especially my darling hubby, the smile never left his face.

Here are the pics for you all to see....

2 Days after the Snow

2010-01-17T13:48:00.006Z

You would never know we had had any. I went for a walk round the village and apart from a couple of puddles that are still ice covered we are back to normal.
This morning the sun is shining brightly, so I have risked hanging out the sheets and whilst wandering round the garden I took a couple of pics.

The window box out the front, North facing you can see the new shoots of the crocus coming through.

The bay and the olive have come through totally unprotected, I really think I fuss too much about some of my plants!!!

The garlic appears to have survived

as do the winter onions

the greenhouse, this pic shows the extra fleece cover I put in, and its plants have survived really well, although I dread to think what the electricity bill will be.

The Bromeliads that I fussed over greatly winter 2009, and that where unceremoniously dumped in the greenhouse, this winter seemed to be fine, surprisingly. With the pain I was getting in my knee I literally just chucked stuff in this winter, that I really wanted to keep the rest has died!

I'm really glad I split the papayrus grass as the one in the pond looks decidedly dead, although it always surprises me how things come back from below the surface.

The bananas have no soil whatsoever and are looking good

and the brugmansia still flowers away.

I always struggle with how much to water with over winter, you need just enough to keep things alive, but not to much to spring them into growth!!! Hard to judge really!