Thursday 17 October 2013

Lots Been Going On!

Wow. I can not believe I haven't posted since the 5th September!!  It has been pretty busy. So in between all the news I will post pics of the garden

 Look at this, the jungle has gone balistic! The bananas are HUGE!

So lets start:

I have had to close down my nail business after a 3-4 visits to the dermatology dept at Bath Royal United Hospital. It was found that I am allergic to UV cured Acrylics! As gutted as I am, because I only found this job a few years ago, I am looking at it from a positive angle because had I not known I could very well have been seriously ill after a knee or hip replacement as acrylic is used in the cement. I also have to inform the dentist.
The specialist was so excited at the reaction my patch test gave, he had half the hospital in for a look!


The Tree Ferns are extremely happy in there new home. Black Eyed Susan winding its way up the tree fern. The passion flower has also gone mental and I have taken loads of cuttings of it.

We then went up to visit my mum for a week, she has been through the wringer a bit recently so we thought an extended stay might help. It certainly did that. Although I was only back a week before I went down with flu!


 
My Ensete Hinibar has grown bigger than my Montebialardi this year. It is a most beautiful colour with the gorgeous red rib. Looking a bit wind swept. Should be coming in soon for winter.

So this week has been spent either shivering or perspiring!


The Montebiliardi, has only been shredded this week by the wind, until then it has looked spectacular.
 

My Spotty Dotty, settling into her new bed.


Cycas Revoluta its flush (new growth) is not big but it survived.
 

I have an Olive! Only one though! You never know I may have a whole bush of them one year lol!
 

I managed to get the greenhouse all cleaned and wrapped up before I succumbed to Flu. So I think we are ready for Winter.

Until next time :)

Thursday 5 September 2013

Time flies by......

When you are able to get back out into the garden without falling down a hole or tripping over a builder! I have been having a lovely time, re-arranging plants, digging up lacy hosta's which have now been de-snailed and popped into tubs which have been wrapped around with copper tape in the hope that we can lose the lacy look!
I have been planting up around the hopper shed and all the plants seem to like it as they are growing like crazy.


I have some solar lights which I bought off Ebay last year or the year before which now light up the tree ferns and the old man and look amazing at night.

My passion flower is also happy against the new brick wall and is shooting off in all directions. Such a shame the photo does not do the colour justice. I do prefer the white & purple one I had last year on the other side of the patio.


The Black Eyed Susan has spent the bulk of the summer in a pot and was not happy. I planted it in under the tree fern knowing it didn't have alot of time before autumn came but again it has roared away.


Just look at my Cycas Revoluta, this is called ' a flush' when it first started I thought I was only going to have a couple of leaves but it is growing like a 'goodun'.


 Now what I need is for the weather to continue fairish, because if I move it, the leaves will distort and they have to harden off before winter! Fingers crossed.

I never used to be a big fan of dahlia's. My dad grew them and I always remeber them being full of earwigs ugh! Last year I needed some fillers for the open garden so bought a couple and thought mmmm, I like these.


So this year I bought a few more. Isn't this colour amazing.

As you can see I have dug out the hosta's and replaced them with heuchara's and grasses, I hope it looks ok next year. Fingers crossed.


Can you see what I have been up to here?
The honeysuckle has  gone it was annoying me beyond belief. once that had come out I had this flash of inspiration to make this a bit lie a Mediterranean garden (well we can dream). So out of the pot came the
 Chamaerops Humilis, boy oh boy has it got thorns, flippin long ones too.


In to the planter it went, along with a very large Hibiscus I have had in a pot for years. I also squeezed in a banana and 2 Passion Flowers. So toes crossed for these.

The coal bunker has been re-erected beyond the patio and is completely out of sight of the patio. So the cats hutch is back up and tango is very pleased about this. He does like his comfort, he also lies to stay dry and even if its raining he sits in here for hours.


Sunday 18 August 2013

Biomass Finished

What a relief it is to have the house to ourselves again. Not that we haven't had a few teething problems with the boiler. Its so nice to make a cup of tea for 2, not 10. The milk doesn't go down so quickly and neither does the sugar lol! I shall write more about the Biomass boiler once it has been running awhile, in the meantime I have been able to get into the garden without nearly killing myself. The jungle is looking good and hasn't suffered too much damage


I have semi planted up the tree ferns


I bought a new passion flower



Sadly this photo does not do it justice, its the most beautiful pink.


I moved this passion flower as my neighbour kept cutting it off, sadly it hasn't flowered this year. But it will look like this when it flowers next year.


Thalia dealbata in the pond


My Bouganvillia, think I may need a new camera as they have all come out the same colour and they are very definitely not.

This one should be a little darker and has variegated leaves-


this is red

.
and this has a purple hue to it.

Have a good week.

Friday 9 August 2013

Patio Finished.

All finished here, just waiting for the boiler to be commissioned today.

I love the clean lines looks so lovely and uncluttered. But I know I will fill it with plants very soon.


This is where the water butt goes. The bed next to it will be planted with ????????? I quite fancy putting a bamboo in here, but I am scared in case I pick the wrong one and it runs and wrecks our new patio. I am taking advice.


The hopper shed. Totally insulated, including doors to keep the pellets dry. The hopper was ordered 3 weeks ago from, Ireland. I think its coming by rowboat!



Jungle bed.


This is where I had a trough of bamboo, but I'm thinking, my living wall may look qite good and not take up so much room.

Off to get dressed before the builders turn up.

Tuesday 6 August 2013

Bio-mess

Running out of time now. The builder has to go by the end of the week and having been held up left, right and centre. So we are prioritizing what needs to be done and what can wait a bit.
Hubby spent Saturday removing the fake bricks from where the flue had been.


Today has been one of those days when something has gone wrong for everyone. The builder wasn't able to get all the slabs he wanted from one supplier, so had to go to one he doesn't like. He ordered them last Friday for delivery this morning and they arrived at 4pm!!

As you can see the slabs he had, have gone a long way to finishing everything off. Looking good!


The electrician arrived to connect all the electrics (obviously) then our trip switch blew, it took me, hubby and the electrician about 2 hours to find what the problem was, before he could carry on. We have a 'dicky' switch which will need sorting. We have problems like this all the time, something to do with living in an old house.

The Biomass boiler hidden by the new shed, which will house the hopper when it arrives from Ireland, this was ordered 3 weeks ago and I think is coming by rowboat!


The holes all filled in the wall, with any luck this should be plastered by the end of the week. Then I can paint it. The boxing in of the pipes and the sun tube will be done at a later date.


So it is all slowly coming together, I will be glad to get the house back and give it a good clean, it is covered in dust and everything seems gritty!

Meanwhile the jungle is growing well!

Friday 2 August 2013

Garden + Biomass 6

I know I shouldn't be, but I am bored with all the chaos this is causing now. I want to 'play' in the garden but its either too crowded or too hot.

Anyway, my friend and I went out for one of our summer holiday 'jollies' yesterday. She is a teacher and during the summer we go out to various garden centres, craft places etc. We have a few favourites which include craft and garden together. We have both been rather busy, so yesterday was our first outing and we found a new place, just outside Bradford-on-Avon. Westdale Nurseries which grows Bougainvillea and reguarly shows at Chelsea. There reception was covered in awards. How I never knew about them I have no idea, but I do now. There was also a lovely teashop, old furniture shop and a really lovely small garden centre which grew some of my type of plants.

At Westdale they had some amazing plants from small to huge. I already have some which I have successfully grown over the past  few years. So I chose this one as I love the variegated foliage.


After a rest and a drink and some Lemon Cake we went to the nursery, and the plants where gorgeous, I noticed some Datura that had a Brugmansia label on them. When I pointed this out to the owner, he raised his eyebrow and agreed they where Datura and asked how I knew the difference...... so I told him lol!!!

We had a lovely time and I spotted some very large Aloe underneath a display table, so I asked how much? they had very obviously been there a long time as there where quite a few really large ones £5
I chose this one as I loved the trailing succulent that covered the pot.


This morning I noticed my Gloriosa has flowered, I am thrilled as it has been out in the garden for awhile now.


Its now growing up the trachycarpus and looks rather good i think.


Meanwhile back with the Biomass, getting the boiler round via my neighbours proved to be a challenge




This is the new, insulated store that will hold the hopper and bags of pellets. Which hopefully will be disguised by the plants we plan to plant in the planter next to it.


A proper brick support for our waterbutt and an add on planter beside it.

The work continues.......

Friday 26 July 2013

Biomass Part 5 + Garden

A few hiccups here and there but things move on.

The rocket is installed.


The plinth for the base which will hold the boiler and store is underway.


We are having the patio relaid properly, with proper foundations. When the builder dug down we thought it made the jungle look far more impressive, looking up. We asked if a lower patio could be done, but because of the lay of the land we would probably have ended up with a swimming pool.


Looking back up the patio, the brick wall is fading already, it did look rather orange when it first went up. It has already helped my 'micro climate' as it is now warmer on the patio than it has ever been before.


Due to a miscommunication, the coal bunkers will have to be moved (again) as apparently the boiler has a side door to access the ash removal!!!!


This clematis used to climb an arch I had here years ago, I thought it was dead but it has come back better than ever this year, climbing through the bamboo like a good un!


Gloriosa clambering through the trachy.


George


Indian Bean tree, which once I have space will be dug out!


The tree ferns, which I am hoping I can actually plant once all the work is done.


Lacy hosta's! They are coming out very soon!


Looking back up the garden


I am relieved that the garden is not open this year as this bed is looking very sad!


Something is happening here