Exciting..... we hope!

Back in November, I dug out my Ensetes and 'murdered' (propagated) my Hiniba.

Currently mine are looking very dead and dried out.  Now usually I am an 'it lives or it dies' type of gardener but because these are so rare,  I kept fussing over them, wanting to water them etc. and basically looking after them too much.

So the beginning of December I shut the bedroom door, so  couldn't see them. When I remembered I checked the dampness of the soil and if I thought they needed it added a little bit of water.

The other day a 'tropical plant' growing colleague on Facebook dug out one of his Ensete Maurelli's to see how his propagation of these where coming along. It had loads of babies on. Which set me thinking...... I wonder how mine are doing.

So I bit the bullet and just pulled them out of their pots to see if anything was going on.......

it was look at all the fresh white roots,

how exciting...

apologies for the fuzzyness of the photos, hubby took them whilst I was holding them.

Three out of four isn't bad. The fourth one had 'currently' nothing, having said that this is the furthest away from the heat, so maybe a little slow, but all the corms are very firm and the soil is slightly damp.

I didn't dig any further, I am happy that we have new roots, that gives me lots of hope.

I will keep you posted on my Ensete Hiniba propagation.

A Day with Sunshine.

We had a glorious day yesterday, really cheered me up. Started me thinking and looking through the plant catalogues which started arriving just after Christmas.

A photo to prove it was actually sunny, but one thing the sun does is show up the dirty windows!! But can you see whats on the windowsill...

Yep my gorgeous orchid. Funny plants, thrive on neglect, you just have to remember to occasionally water.

I have more or less decided on what I am doing out the front, something a bit different and may not work because it is north facing, but that has never stopped me giving it a go.
When out dog walking around the town (because its less muddy) I enjoy seeing what other people do. One thing that looks lovely (I think) is roses or honeysuckle round the doorway. This got me thinking..... being a cottage the height of the front door and the fact that the porch roof runs from the house towards the front door means there is not a lot of head room to actually have something growing round the door, but then, I thought there is nothing stopping me growing something either side of the doorway instead.

So I am on the lookout for some largish pots that I could stand an obelisk type of structure in. I will probably only use annuals in them, but we will see. Keep watching to find out what I do. Can't wait for spring.

Do your remember back in November I murdered my Hiniba?

Well they look very dead! But I have been assured that as long as they are not slimy or smelly there is till hope.

Happy New Year 2018

Happy New Year!

I got a camera for Christmas, so I can at long last take some decent photos.

The wind has been very bad today

I don't think I have ever seen the fronds on the palm like this.

Fortunately my protection structures remained upright and in one piece.

The fence panels are finally giving up.

They have been up for near 15 years and should really have been replaced before now, but its not our fence.

So I wedge them, tack chicken wire (as you can see below) so the dog can't get into the neighbours. Come Spring time, we shall invite the neighbours round to have a look!

The Arid bed is looking good

and cover seems to be holding up well to the wind too.

I might have to look at replacing the wood which supports all the gravel. I know the bed wasn't  constructed very long ago, but I used wood that had been the edging of the old veg beds and sadly it is rotting quite badly.

Life in the greenhouse continues

my palm is looking really bad, its a Washingtonia Robusta I have had it a number of years. Each summer I plant it out and it goes mental growing like crazy, then each autumn I dig it up and bring it in, as its not hardy. I usually lose a few fronds but this is the worst ever, it does not smell good either, so it maybe bye, bye time.

 Everything else seems fine

All my cuttings look good.

Just have to watch if the weather gets warmer

Quite fascinating some of the colours of the leaves.

The small Agave middle left is not looking good. I often wonder why some years the plants are fine then others even though you have done nothing different they curl up and die. Its rude!

My sonchus palmensis sees to be coping with greenhouse life, I hope it comes through ok as I am eager to see how it continues once its back out in the garden. I intend to start some more from seed as well as I really love them.

Cyphomandra Betacea is still fruiting and is looking good.

I even took some leaves off one of my succulents and they have rooted already.

All seems rosy in the greenhouse.

If you remember I treated our decking with Osmo Anti slip decking oil. I can highly recommend it. It was not cheap but totally, totally worth it, the patio at the top is like an ice rink, where as this decking is totally none slip!