Strawberry Picking!

Having planted 10 strawberry plants earlier this year, I knew we wouldn't have a large crop until next year but this is ridiculous



so the girls and I went strawberry picking today...



good job they didn't weigh us on the way out, as well! lol!

Trapped!!

Don't you believe it, she just found somewhere comfy and safe to lie. Shame the feral cat doesn't think the same!!!!

Big Leaves and Bugs

I thought I would do an update on how quickly the jungle garden grows. This pic was taken not long after planting



Everything is blooming. The bananas are growing apace and have loads more leaves and the colours of them is amazing. This is yesterday



See what I mean about the leaves




Sadly they are not all big, cough, cough...



but at least its alive!
Meanwhile down by the pond



the gunnera is getting bigger



this leaf is about my shoulder height and I'm 5ft 9ins. and the banana that had got knocked back in the winter has sent up new shoots....



But the king of the big leaves in my garden is..........



my T-Rex, this is amazing now but has started to lean out for light, this tree seeded itself here a couple of years ago and was quite pretty but after last years rain it has shot up and the canopy is very dense so it will be coming out.....



Now for some of the creepy crawlies you find in my garden!!!






although I don't think all of them will be wintering in my bug hotel!!! lol!

Building a Bug Hotel!

I had been inspired by the RSPB's display at Gardeners World Live
RSPB's Wildlife Stack having also seen those fantastic 'Wildlife 5* Hotels at Chelsea, I decided I had to do something.
I always have junk lieing around my garden so I could at least make a start!
I chose where I am going to put it:- on top of the coal bunkers, and before you say, I know frogs won't be able to hide in the bottom of it, there is no worries here, as most of them hibernate behind the coal bunkers anyway! So this is really for the 'Creepy Crawlies'.



This is West facing and is sheltered by my 'Bay Tree' and behind and through the slats of the fence is a wonderful beech hedge swarming with greenfly!!!



So I've used bricks and old pallets cut up. I had some roofing felt and tiles, marine plywood, bamboo canes, old none working pens, shredded paper, cardboard and dried leaves. I also had some logs and need to drill a few holes into them.



Obviously I have more to do but you can see how simple it is and I have only been outside for the morning!

A Quick Update!

Just to let you know I'm alive and kicking!

The jungle garden is growing away nicely, I shall intersperse my chat with pics from the jungle!! Yes these are all growing well.
All except the tree fern!! lol! have you ever seen anything quite so pathetic!! I spoke to a man at Gardeners World Live(GWL) and he siad he was surprised more had not been lost, but gave me some 'stuff' to feed it!



We have a major and I mean major plague and white fly and aphids and sadly not a ladybird insight! Which is sad as we have a number of evergreen hedges nearby! All the plants outside and inside the greenhouse are suffering badly and I'm not sure what to do for such a 'plague' so to speak!



Whilst at GWL they had a fabulous 'bug hotel' with instructions so I picked some up and construction will begin in earnest very soon! I will take pics!



In the greenhouse I have mint and marigolds planted in between, the tomato plants but it does not seem to be working!!



Since I have started watering them, my back is suffering again! I just can't seem to be able to pick up a watering can full of water!!



I really wish now I had picked up the watering system I saw at GWL which had 25 drippers and could be fed from a dustbin (which I have)full of water!!! Easy to fill with a hose!

(these are the pups from my large banana, I lost this winter, 21 at last count)


I have a small water feature on the patio which we only use during the summer and we looke for a small solar powered pump, but could not find one with cable length we wanted.




With my back garden being south facing it would get ample sunshine to power it!



so after much discussion about whether 3 meters is long enough we belive it could be so may go to Hampton Court Flower Show!Especially now I have joined the RHS!

Just look at my front window box (north facing) I am totally thrilled with it!



Even better as it flowered!!!

Gardeners World Live 2009

Totally exhausted, after yesterday, so what did I think....

well first here are some pics...

Make a Smilebox slideshow

not alot I know but unbeknown to me I only had the small memory card in the camera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So what did I think......... lots more to see, quality of displays not as good as Chelsea, but you can buy plants and to be honest theres alot more space and loads of little shops/stalls to spend money but good bargains to be had!. Would I go again, yes, I would.

Next stop Hampton Court Flower Show!!!!

I Hope You Will Understand!

I am very sorry I have not been round to visit your blogs, K is home from University and this could very well be the last summer break we spend together, as next year she may have a job! As you know I spend alot of time alone, so am grabbing the opportunity to spend special time with my girls with both hands.

Anyway, I still manage time in the garden! I am posting small pics so it loads a bit quicker for you all!

My neighbours honeysuckle and rose is magnificent this year and the scent is divine!



My Cordyline Flower is becoming quite spectacular



and the bees, love it..



The large banana I lost last winter has sent out 13 pups, THIRTEEN!!!



The veg garden is desperate for water, the rain seems to have avoided us totally!



This is the salad section which is usually in full growth by now and as you can see we have very little!!!



The peas and sweetcorn are growing very slowly!



But whats happened to the French Beans I do not know, and only a few came up this year!!



My freebie strawberries have faded away and disappointingly I appear to have only 3 left!!



The pond as always is a favourite place of mine to sit!



The greenhouse and in fact the garden too is smothered in greenfly, where are all the ladybirds? I am definately going to have to get something for the greenhouse otherwise I will have no tomatoes, peppers, chillies or aubergines! Any ideas folks?



and now for something special... roses. They don't grow to well in my garden usually but this year they seem really pretty..

Queen Elizabeth, I had one of these growing under my bedroom window as a child.



This is one hubby picked up from a plant sale



and this is from a cutting my sister gave me of a rose my dad gave her!!




see what I mean about the greenfly!!!

and for your ease and speed I have enabled 'Reactions' so you can click and be off!!! lol! Let me know if you want some different reactions in there!