Author Topic: Eric & Anthea's garden at different times of year. (Read 98755 times)

roiphil · « **Reply #100 on:** December 11, 2009, 10:29:26 PM »

Quote from: Eric Hardy on December 11, 2009, 06:23:12 PM

We always prided ourselves that we never had help in the garden but I must say that at our age I am not proud any more

Even i have to have help at times eric and i'm only 44, years ago when i had my grounds maintenance business many customers were elderly, and i used to go in cut grass, hedges, etc the complete works, back then it was nothing for me to work 12 - 14 hour days but i liked to think that i gave them somewhere to sit and enjoy without doing too much themselves

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #101 on:** December 11, 2009, 10:37:13 PM »

Quote from: ideasguy on December 11, 2009, 10:12:52 PM

RE:
Quote
Perhaps the dump will be enhanced by lovely flowers next year
As long as it doesn't get distributed around the garden

I meant the municiple dump George

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #102 on:** December 11, 2009, 10:42:51 PM »

Quote from: roiphil on December 11, 2009, 10:29:26 PM

Even i have to have help at times eric and i'm only 44,

Well I feel much better now Phil. And yes, it must be very satisying keeping the old folks happy. I would hate to see the place just getting overgrown and not be able to call on help.

ideasguy · « **Reply #103 on:** December 12, 2009, 01:46:36 PM »

RE:

Quote

I meant the municipal dump George

Ah, I see!
We have brown bins for putting such delights in. Since you shouldn't compost Bindweed, Ground Elder and other baddies, they go into my brown bin. They are then collected by the Council and put through a composting process.
They offer the end product for sale.
Ive often wondered how safe it would be $:-\$

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #104 on:** December 12, 2009, 04:16:12 PM »

George: They have green bins for garden waste in the village and black bins for rubbish. Black boxes for plastic bottles and green boxes for wasre paper. Living on the opposite side of the common from the village they reckon we don't need a green bin for garden waste. They compost garden waste for sale here too. I would put the bindweed root in the black bin anyway I think. Near our house on the common there is a large clump of hawthorn bushes surrounding a deep dell. It is secret and hardly accessible exept for a little way we cut in years ago. This dell has been receiving our less compostable stuff for over 50 years and the dell is not nearly full

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #105 on:** December 16, 2009, 12:43:20 PM »

What to do in the garden today?

The outlook at noon 15th December 2009!

Brrrrrr ??.

ideasguy · « **Reply #106 on:** December 16, 2009, 02:03:04 PM »

Look out and keep warm Eric and Anthea!

How on earth do you shape those "ball" trees at the gate? (second photo)
I see you have your hedges very well shaped as well. Nice job!

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #107 on:** December 16, 2009, 02:36:43 PM »

Quote from: ideasguy on December 16, 2009, 02:03:04 PM

Look out and keep warm Eric and Anthea!

We are not emerging today, George!

Quote

How on earth do you shape those "ball" trees at the gate? (second photo)

I have spent many an hour up a ladder shaping those balls, usually with secateurs so I had a free hand to hang on to the ladder. About 8 years ago the ladder slipped a bit, it did not fall but Anthea forbade me to climb ladders again. Our occasional help Paul has done them since but he takes his motor driven hedge cutter up with him! I notice the right hand ball is getting a bit bigger than the left one now.

Quote

I see you have your hedges very well shaped as well. Nice job!

Thank you George. They are so thick I started doing that splay at the top so that I could run our long armed Stihl hedge trimmer along it from the ground rather than climbing up. Now Paul is continuing the process. I am told it is better than a flat top to a hedge anyway, I am not sure why.

ideasguy · « **Reply #108 on:** December 16, 2009, 09:32:54 PM »

What kind of hedge (plant) is it Eric?

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #109 on:** December 16, 2009, 10:07:29 PM »

The hedge is holly as are the two spherical trees. The trees actually had berries on them until a few days ago. The north boundary which is about 190 ft long is a thick yew hedge. (that is the right hand one in the picture with the gate in) In the back garden it is about 8 feet high.

ideasguy · « **Reply #110 on:** December 16, 2009, 11:13:24 PM »

A holly hedge

I have one small Holly tree and the fallen leaves are lethal! Hope you don't have to weed under it!

The blackbirds and thrushes are taking all my berries as well. Nice to be able to provide food for them in winter, isn't it.

NightHawk · « **Reply #111 on:** December 16, 2009, 11:21:38 PM »

A holly hedge in our front garden too.

It was full of berries until recently, the Blackbirds have picked it clean. They just love those berries, and being keen birders we were very pleased that they had such a rich food source, especially with the colder weather approaching.

Lethal leaves indeed George. I always wear thick gloves when weeding around them and picking up the fallen leaves, but some of the thorns still manage to penetrate them if you're not really careful handling them.

Laurie.

ideasguy · « **Reply #112 on:** December 17, 2009, 08:50:37 AM »

Indeed Laurie. Forgot to say that those leaves are even more dangerous when they are naturally darkened down and blending in with soil. They don't decompose quickly enough.

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #113 on:** December 18, 2009, 10:38:57 PM »

Quote from: ideasguy on December 16, 2009, 11:13:24 PM

A holly hedge ........the fallen leaves are lethal!

Yes they are George

but after almost 54 years one gets used to them!

The snow was prettier today so I took similar shots as those I took on the 15th December for comparison

No postman or paper boy today, just cat paw marks.

roiphil · « **Reply #114 on:** December 19, 2009, 10:52:44 AM »

Quote from: Eric Hardy on December 16, 2009, 02:36:43 PM

I am told it is better than a flat top to a hedge anyway, I am not sure why.

So as the weight of your snow does not force the branches down

seriously it got to with that and also to allow water to run off easier and in a hedge if the bottom is wider than the top it encourages better growth as the bottom is not over shadowed by the top

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #115 on:** December 19, 2009, 11:01:51 AM »

Thanks Phil.

NightHawk · « **Reply #116 on:** December 19, 2009, 11:44:41 AM »

Great photos Eric - real picture postcard scenes.

I'm seeing a broken image - third one down just above the Conservatory photo.

Laurie.

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #117 on:** December 19, 2009, 05:43:54 PM »

Quote from: Kathy & Laurie on December 19, 2009, 11:44:41 AM

I'm seeing a broken image - third one down just above the Conservatory photo.

Is that better ?

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #118 on:** December 19, 2009, 06:12:13 PM »

Quote from: roiphil on December 19, 2009, 10:52:44 AM

Quote from: Eric Hardy on December 16, 2009, 02:36:43 PM
I am told it is better than a flat top to a hedge anyway, I am not sure why.

So as the weight of your snow does not force the branches down seriously it got to with that and also to allow water to run off easier and in a hedge if the bottom is wider than the top it encourages better growth as the bottom is not over shadowed by the top

Phil: Here is a shot from outside taken today showing the slope.

When I went out to take the hedge something else caught my eye and I can't resist posting it as well

ideasguy · « **Reply #119 on:** December 19, 2009, 06:54:25 PM »

Looks like a very nice Christmas cake, complete with icing

Its a very wide hedge, Eric!

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #120 on:** December 19, 2009, 07:00:16 PM »

Quote from: ideasguy on December 19, 2009, 06:54:25 PM

Its a very wide hedge, Eric!

Now you see why I started to slope the top, George, it was the only way I could reach it without getting up some steps. I can rest my long handled stihl hedgecutter on the slope and run it along and let the hedge take most of the weight.

ideasguy · « **Reply #121 on:** December 20, 2009, 12:13:10 AM »

I had a mental picture of you tackling that Holly hedge, Eric.
This web page portrays it perfectly:
http://www.medievalrepro.com/Armour.htm
or maybe this:
http://www.varmouries.com/cgallery/mil_60.jpg
or this:
http://www.varmouries.com/cgallery/misc_32.jpg
I'm rolling about laughing here

(Had a few tipples of Glen Moray watching Match of the Day- gotta keep the flu at bay)

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #122 on:** December 20, 2009, 07:21:46 AM »

Ha Ha!! Cheers George!!!

I wish I could have joined you

. I like an Islay single malt myself like Ardbeg. I have about seven single malts in my "secret chest" for special occasions, a bottle of Famous Grouse for not so special, and a bottle of Tesco's own for run of the mill. Never before 6 pm you understand

Years ago I had a very nice heart consultant when severe stress at work was giving me problems. He said " Have a small whisky each evening. Sit and relax, sip it very slowly and see how long you can make it last" I took his advice

ideasguy · « **Reply #123 on:** December 20, 2009, 09:42:29 AM »

I couldn't resist the wee joke Eric. Glad you laughed!

I'll look out for Ardberg. I'll edit his later (chores await).

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #124 on:** December 20, 2009, 12:04:55 PM »

Ardbeg is very seaweedy, George. It is a bit of an acquired taste. You either love it or hate it. I see that Ardbeg Lord of the Isles 25 years old is £280 a 70 cl bottle

. That is NOT the one I drink! I would love to try it to see the difference but no bankers bonus for me.

Author Topic: Eric & Anthea's garden at different times of year. (Read 98755 times)

NightHawk

NightHawk