Dicksonia antarctica and more garden plans!

The weeding I did earlier in the week was not the best thing to do! My back is creaking! This is not good as I'm off to Chelsea Flower Show next week!!

After seeking advice from the Hardy Tropicals forum about what to do with my tree ferns, as no crozier's have come through, I had a dig around in the small one, and all this came out rather too easily



until I got down to here



where we spot a bit of white, so all may not be lost but will probably be very slow, anyway fingers crossed.

The big one on the other hand



as you can see has some green showing, so I shall leave it for awhile and see how it goes. Maybe the rain that we are forecast will help!



Last year I talked about doing something with my front garden that actually reflects my love of 'jungle type' plants. This year I hope to actually do something! I am definitely keeping the window box. Dad made that many, many years ago and its teak. I remember them (there are 2, mum has one) being at my childhood home which has got to make them 40+ years old!
I am thinking about planting this with Coleus and some ferns.... maybe???

The bench will be moved, and the clematis is going to be planted in the ground further up the drive so it can clamber over the fence!
I am going to put a bamboo or grass, like Arundo, in a pot to hide the cupboard where hubby keeps all the car stuff. A second pot with maybe a Cordyline in, next to it, roughly where the bench is now.
Then just behind the wall build a raised bed and plant with hardy ferns, tree ferns, alocasia's and colocasia's. They should all love it here as it is north facing so gets very little sun.
Well that's the plan and as we know plans are always made to be broken!!!!!!

Out in the Sunshine

The weather forecast for today was suppose to be rain, but then they changed there minds, so although I am very tired I took the opportunity to get out and get some work done, as I believe it is suppose to rain the rest of the week. I hope it does as we have had very little recently.
I decided to take the opportunity to sort out the now empty water butts

the turquoise one ( now on the floor) seems to have sprung a leak, so I had to do a bit of shuffling around, the big one (on left) that has replaced it was at the side of my small greenhouse and never really filled properly.



At the side of the small greenhouse I have now put this smaller one. This was between the 2 greenhouses but was not big enough. So we are already for the rain and I still have room for a further 2 if not 3 waterbutts. I currently have 7.



I weeded and recut the lawn edges. This bed gets bigger every year I do this. To be honest the grass is a pain and is forever growing into the flower beds!
Whilst giving it a really good weed I found these





Four banana pups, how exciting. The ground is really, really dry as well, so if it doesn't rain I shall have to water very well!

The bananas are out for an airing and to start hardening them off.



and are really beginning to take off.My maurelli is so big now that I can only manage to drag it out the door of the greenhouse.



My bromeliads, also outside for hardening off



When I went to see Will Giles, Exotic Garden last year he had rows and rows of these, I managed to pick these up for 50p each last autumn and they have really grown now!

I also thought the Cordyline needed a hair cut



I have trimmed it in the above pic, but this is the view we have of it from the cottage. So imagine my surprise when I trimmed round the back and found this...

must be doing something right!!!!

Our neighbours put in an new fence, alot neater than the old one!!

Been AWOL

I have been up north visiting my mum! As she has no computer I have been unable to blog!

It is always hectic when I go up as I try and fit so much into a few days.



Anyway I visited and took to the park my Great Neice, these pics are for my sister!





When I came back all had been well looked after, but I found a hornet in my large greenhouse, we must have a nest somewhere as we always have these around the bottom half of the garden.



Back up to speed later in the week!!

My Dream....

A new couple have joined the Hardy Tropics forum and posted pics of their garden last year. You can read and see more here

This is their garden...




that is what I'm aiming for but sadly I don't think I'm there yet

This is the top of my garden last year




which is going to look very, very different this year as the big green banana has died! I don't suppose I will ever get a similar look as mines in a straight line. They also have alot of under planting and this is something I must try to do better with!

This is down by my pond last year



I really love this but again we have lost the banana so will not have the same feel this year as there will be a hole in the middle!!

I think that there are some people who have an 'eye' for design and can achieve that look! Yolanda over at Bliss is one of these people and this new couple on the Hardy Tropics forum.
I know to you, mine probably looks great, but then I do take the photos, so make sure you get the best view! I have a long way to go!

I am sorry I haven't been visiting you regularly but its been pretty hectic here and this month is worse, I haven't forgotten you!

When the beds are all full....

where do you sleep??







0n the ironing board of course!!!!