Thursday 30 January 2014

Happy New Year!

So much has gone on in our lives since last year you would never believe it. Unfortunately it has carried over into this year too, and its not been good! It has been easier to not blog than write depressive posts.

I spotted the sun for an hour this morning, it was glorious. But it has been so grey and wet this winter.

Anyway the plan is to Open my garden with the village gardens again. This time I really have to do it on an extremely tight budget, as hubby has now retired and does not get his state pension till next year. Unfortunately we need to replace a few fence panels down around the pond as they have gone exceptionally wonky!


We can't complain, they have been up 20+ years. So I have been Ebaying, getting rid of all the silly clutter to raise funds to replace them. I will keep you posted, how I get on.

Currently all is well in the greenhouse as the weather has been so mild.


The cycas, is very upright but at least its upright.

 

I have already started some seeds in the greenhouse.


I have my Canna's on a heat mat to keep them ticking over.


The Bouganvillia are doing really well, I am planning on eventually getting them into large pots and 'blooming' lovely in time for open gardens, but maybe not this year lol!  I don't know how I've managed it but they are already in flower, all I do is water them!


These aeonium are stuffed under some shelving but seem quite happy. I took loads of cutting last year so have some very healthy ones ready to sell.


These are cuttings from my pink passion flower on the patio, one is already promised but the reat will be ready for sale later.


The veg bed down by hubbies office is going to be transformed from veg to jungle, quite excited about this, as the wretched veg are not good here.


The lawn, well what can I say except ...... moss. I only hope I can turn it around quickly. Either that or maybe enlarge a bed or two.


Or maybe plastic grass? This is such a mess and a pain to mow that I may actually make it a complete bed instead.

We have had to put the chicken wire up to stop Mr Darcy escaping. The neighbours fence is so rotten that he only has to put his nose up against it and it gives way.We where then informed that it was our responsibility to keep him in our garden so we did this. Unsightly I know but it does the job. We will have to do something along the base of the fence to stop the grass growing up behind it.

The Gunnera, treated harshly by me, but as you can see already sprouting .




I am seriously thinking about moving the filter box to the left of the Gunnera to give it more room. It will also make cleaning out the filter alot more accessible.


The Indian bean tree is definitely going as it has that awful wilt. I need to replace it with something but cannot plant anything in here incase it is passed on. So the plan is to place the Butia above ground with a wooden surround so it looks like its planted but is not, if you see what I mean. This of course could change.


The patio and 'top' jungle garden, well we shall see, I have plenty of ideas, the trachycarpus is growing at an enormous rate. To date the hardy banana is still firm to the touch. Providing the weather stays mild this could give us very tall plants for the summer.

I will be back