The Ideas Genie Community Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: ideasguy on May 07, 2009, 07:31:19 PM
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This past few days weve had high winds, driving rain and the ground covered with fallen leaves.
November? Nope, pinch yourself. Its almost mid-May.
As I write I was just about to go into the garden and was forced inside with a sudden deluge.
Ah well, back to the computer and the development of that new edition of Bank Genie ::)
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Ah well here it IS May as we are off to the Malvern Show tomorrow : Hergest Croft fair last MOnday where I was singing the praises of your programme IF ONLY I had managed to in put all my plants then I might know what I lost this winter!!
A lot or rather in that last cold snap : they survived -13 a few times but then started to grow and -11 splatter my Fatsia, A Mexican thing I forget the name, and Ceonothus.
However Hellebores have been amazing this year : lasted for ages and are only beginning to seed now. Bluebells are JUST coming out here.
Sorry I have not been here been with family and out in garden!!
Jean
PS If you are at Malvern show I will be the one with the blue drink bottle and a large bag saying Signal. MoUNTAIN
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Hi Jean
Thanks for taking the time out from the garden to post. Try and look in as often as you can. I'm very pleased with the activity here lately and we need all the members we can get to keep it interesting.
Thanks for singing the praises of the program! Believe me, that is very much appreciated. It seems that the credit crunch has made gardeners tighten their belts. I hope they can find the cash to keep buying plants!
Sorry to hear you've lost some plants over winter. That is always such a disappointment, isn't it. It takes Fatsia and Ceonothus so long to grow, so I'm sure you are really disappointed to lose them. Were they mature specimens?
I have both those plants, and they seem to have come through the winter OK.
Enjoy your day out at Malvern Show and I'm hoping you are in good singing voice again ;) ;)
I wonder is Eric (Palustris) going to that show?
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All the plants were about 3 years old : and to be honest I was surprised they lasted through two winters!! An oak leafed hydrangea and a cistus are hanging on but badly frost browned : just a real low temp blitz but if you will live in the country! All my tender things in the greenhouse survived. Any advice on special care now?
My Tree Peony beame an ordinary Peony and died back VERY sensibly!!
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I think Malcolm can advise on how to overwinter tender plants in the greenhouse ;)
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Whilst some are having a wwet and windy May, we are having a dry ish and windy one. Just about enough rain to keep things growing, which is good after the dryest March and April on our records. We had less than 2 cm, of rain from the middle of February until the beginning of May.
No, did not go to the Malvern Show. I find the number of people at those things too hard to cope with. AND, I find the price of the plants at them well beyond what I think is a reasonable price and there are always ones I would like, if I could afford them.
Despite the coldness of the Winter and the rapid temperature changes, we seem to have faired quite well iin the loss department. All our penstemons went, but that is about it really. I assume because things were very dry, they did not suffer too much.
Actually, thinking about it, I have lost almost all of my baby Arisaemas and all of my Pleiones, but still not worked out if that was cold or what!
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You must get it much colder than we do in Ireland, Eric, and you're just across the Irish sea from us.
Thats a hard hit :'(
My outdoor penstemons have all survived and indeed stayed evergreen all over winter. I took cuttings of my favourite one when I pruned it back a few weeks ago. Hope they take!
Ive a number of last years cuttings in the greenhouse and they are fine as well.
I presume you take cuttings each year to keep yours going?
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Yes, but all the cuttings died too!. Even the alpine pesntemon went except for P.Mersea Yellow.
We are a long way from the mitigating influence of the sea, in a sort of bowl, so the rain does not always reach us and the frost tends to sink in as the hot air rises. It is almost always breezy here, a still day is commented upon. Again becuase of the land shape, hot air rises and a breeze comes in from the colder hill tops around.
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That is really tough, Eric.
Ive heard of frost pockets, but usually referred to as one part of the garden. Looks like you are in a very big frost pocket there.
What now? Would you like a few cuttings?
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Thank you kindly, but not at present. We have a friend close by who has a huge collection of the herbaceous ones and she will replace any we want for us. May not bother as we seem to lose them so often.
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Still really old here. I went out into the greenhouse tonight and potted up some of my seedlings from the Chiltern Seeds batch.
Now, I feel chilled to the bone! Didnt notice it until I came in and cant get warmed up. Central heating is going as if it were winter!
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Well I enjoyed the show, but not as much as usual as I got sea sick on the metal walkways in the Floral Tent <g> The plants seemed more repetitive than usual. less variety. I like the Pershore College tent as I find they are really good and cheap plants!
I did not lose any of my penstemons or the cuttings and it was down to -14 here. It is very windy but I suppose we are only an hour from the sea. It is much more extreme here than where we lived in Bolton : there the temperature tended to stay the same all the day. Here it can be -10 in my greenhouse at night and well above +10 in the day!
Jean
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Well its cold AND AND raining this morning yet again, and Sat is my day for getting to the garden :'(
Glad youve not lost you Penstemons Jean. They take a couple of years to mature to make a nice show.
You sent me a couple of photos (waaaay back when) Jean.
May I use them to make up a website for you, to add here ?
http://www.ideasforgardens.net/
You'll see the gardens of some of our regular forum members there.
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We heard a rumour somewhere that it was spring - definitely NOT spring weather here.
Over the past few days, well weeks actually, we've been getting very strong winds, but apart from the odd very brief shower, no decent rainfall to speak of.
The last couple of days we've had up to 47 km/h (30mph) wind speeds, and our plants are taking a real battering, but so far they've survived it.
The whole country seems to be getting similar bad conditions, so it's not just localised. ::)
Laurie.
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We must be getting all the rain! Lots of the stuff here.
I transplanted a very large Camellia 2 weeks ago and wondered about its chances.
It was about 6ft tall and 5ft or so spread and wasnt doing well or else it was a poor variety (Camellia japonica 'Strawberry Swirl' )
I wasnt particularly worried if I lost it in the transplant process, so it was partly an experiment to see how well they withstood a move.
I think its getting a good watering in and should have a good chance to survive.
SUN is shining. Time for the garden!
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After dragging Laurie to the garden centre I had hoped for many hours of hard work out of him today but all he got done before it started to rain (almost needing a tether to stop blowing away in the wind) he cut the grass. :P
I managed to plant some daylilies I had put into a big pot last autumn into the border, plant some garlic I had growing in the greenhouse, weed, weed and weed....we got a least an hour in :'(
I don't usually grow veg, I don't have a big enough garden at least that gets full sun, I was tempted into some dwarf french beans and dwarf climbing french beans. I best not tell my mother I bought ready growing veg plants she would be horrified its as bad a transgression (in her eyes) as buying frozen scrambled eggs (yes you can buy them :o)
No doubt she has seeds of both plants almost from the days when it was pounds shillings and pence...:)
she never throws anything away.
I digress....I have put them outside to harden off during the day, do I need to put them in the g/house at night?
The garden centre had them under a canopy but not inside...
Any thoughts gratefully appreciated. 8)
Kathy :-*
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Personally, I would leave them outside, but against the wall of the house, where they will get a little protection.
Others may differ, so lets see :)
I'm sure your mother will forgive you if she knows you are following in her footsteps and growing some of the things she grew, Kathy.
I'm delighted to see my son has started to but plants for his garden in Belfast. Today on the phone he tells me he bought some Dahlias. I could have given him a few :) I have a good hit from a packet of 'Bishops Children' from my Chiltern Seeds order, and they are coming on very well. Also I see sprouts from the ones I dug up at the end of last season and overwintered. I have them in shallow trays of compost under the staging in the greenhouse. I think its best that he experiments and learns the gardening secrets by experimentation. I hope he enjoys that as much as I have.
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Unless anyone comes back with anything different I will leave the bean plants out against a wall.
Are the Dahlia Bishops Children the ones with the very dark leaves?
I grew Bishop of Llandaff (very dark leaves deep rich red flowers) last year. The display for weeks was fabulous but I don't think I like the dark leaves as much as the green. The whole plant seemed to disappear into the dark soil where I put them in the front garden.
I got the plant on an offer so had to plant it :) Its coming up again in the shallow basket in the greenhouse. No idea where to put it this time...but just had to see if it came up again!
I have bought a couple of other dahlias this year, with the green leaves and pretty pink flowers, planning to put them where the other one was last year beside my pink roses. Last year I was into hot colours in the front this year I am aiming for more pastels and pink. I did not have anything but the roses in pink last year and I missed the colour.
I grew some dahlias from seed last year and although they remained very small plants they flowered their little hearts out for me.
I recommend growing from seed!
I also bought some Chrysanthemum sprays today. My mum gave me three yellow chrysanthemums last year and they kept flowering into November.
Oh and they are pink ;D
Kathy :-*
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Hi Kathy. Yes, the Bishops Children are just like the Bishop, dark foliage.
Actually, I really like the dark foliage. Having grown Dahlias for a number of year, it was a nice discovery to find the Bishop of Llandaff.
A mixture of both is nice. Thats what I had last year. The green leaved varieties seem to produce more foliage, and lovely lush foliage as you know. Is that the case with you?
I love Chrysanthemums Kathy. I love the scent from the foliage and love working with them.
Its very easy to grow them from cuttings as well, so theres a lot of mileage there.
Have you tried them from cuttings?
Unfortunately, the ones Ive grown needed protection as they flowered very late (November and some into Dec)
When did the ones you grew last year start to flower? What about your new sprays?
I'm with you on the pastels and pink colours. They are my favourite as well.
Today was beautiful! Such a contrast to Saturday! Sunny and very warm all day, May has returned. Out in the garden all afternoon and evening.
Need a few weeks like that to get the garden in shape!
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It has been a nice day here as well, up to 18c after a cool night, only plus 1.3. Which meant it was out with the fleece again last night at midnight.
We are forecast 55 mph gusts of wind for the next 2 days, so the new banana leaves won't look new after that. >:(
And possibly thundery rain later.
The back garden is still not set up yet, too much risk of a frost recently. Alot of the plants in pots are outside, but huddled together in four places, just so they can be covered easily.
When all is set up the biggest fear then becomes hail, with all the big leaves that causes havoc, and not much we can do about it either.
But as Laurie would say "Hey ho" we have to get on with it. First visitors due mid June, a private visit by a garden club.
May the sun shine where ever you are.........then we will be moaning about it being too hot.
Malcolm
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It seems we have all been lucky with the weather today. Morning started off sllightly cool but after a short shower at 1pm got out warm and sunny.
NO wind today! Yippee I am fed up with winds battering the plants, my sypathies Malcolm on your bananas...lots of leaf to be blown about.
I plan to take cuttings of these new Chrysanths George. The ones my mum gave me last year were from her taking cuttings...they started flowering from late Sept I think.
I only grew the very small dahlias from seed that had green leaves, but I didn't feel they were "all leaf" so much.
Not sure why I don't really like the dark leaf colour, I had my BO Llandaff planted in front of a dark hedge so it just looked a bit dark for me. I bet they would look great in front a yellow leaf plant like my Euonymous. Sadly its at the back of my alpine bed so my dahliia can't go there ;D
Sorry if I missed answering something its very late and its past my bed time :P
Kathy :-*
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It is dryish in the Chilterns. I am having to carry the bathwater we collect in a tank to keep the tomatoes, marrows and runner beans wet enough. I hope we haven't put them out too early but we are fairly sheltered here. Our major winter loss from frost was a lovely large pink cistus. Every leaf was burned from the frost and it didn't recover. Our ceonothus on the other hand has survived and is covered in bloom.
Eric H
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May continues to be a washout here in Ireland.
I was wearing a waterproof jacket and a hood, yet I was soaked to the skin in my 15 min walk (ran today!) from the office in Belfast to the Central bus station. The road was flooded in parts, to the extent that it had also flooded the footpath.
One car ploughed through it all and soaked all the unfortunate pedestrians in the vicinity - got me :'(
I hoped it was localised and hadnt hit in my home town 20 miles away. It had!
So, greenhouse work again this evening! The garden is way behind on attention. Its been so bad the lawns haven't been cut for over two weeks now.
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We seem to be escaping the worst of the rain here in the northeast.
Over the past few days we've had the odd shower, but nothing too heavy or for long enough to give our plants a good watering.
What we have had in abundance though are strong winds. We figure that the winds are blowing the rain clouds away, which is why we're not getting much rainfall each time. Just short scattered showers. Then we'll get some sunshine, but mostly cloudy and dry conditions.
You can work around the odd bit of rain but the winds are really battering all of our plants, and drying them out much quicker, so additional watering is having to be done. Ho-hum. ::)
Laurie.
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Its been so bad the lawns haven't been cut for over two weeks now.
Not too bad in the Chilterns, a bit mixed. The only thing stopping me cutting the lawn is my mower braking down. Back from the repairers today. Sun and rain alternating is making the weeds grow even quicker. Hope things dry up for you George.
Eric H
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Did I forget to say? Yes, we've got high winds as well.
RE: dwarf french beans and dwarf climbing french beans (further back in this thread):
I have put them outside to harden off during the day, do I need to put them in the g/house at night?
Something to be learned here.
Did you leave them outside? How are they doing?
RE: Bishop of Llandaff planted in front of a dark hedge so it just looked a bit dark for me.
I bet they would look great in front a yellow leaf plant like my Euonymous
Yes, thats a good combination, Kathy. Yellow/gold would be a very nice backdrop.
Perhaps our members can suggest other plants with such foliage to give us more options.
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RE: dwarf french beans and dwarf climbing french beans (further back in this thread):
Did you leave them outside? How are they doing?
Kathy left them outside in a cold-frame to harden off for a week (they didn't go back into the greenhouse), then she planted them out in a sheltered spot against a wall.
They seem to be doing okay at the moment.
Laurie.
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We had hail yesterday. Always seem to get torrential downpours (raining arrows and spears as the French say, stair rods to you and me!) when the Paeonies are open. The strength of the rain destroys the flowers. Certainly the hail did.
At least the soil is warm so everything is growing, including the weeds, but hey, better than drought.
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Yes, I suppose it is better than drought, Eric.
The good thing is, anything you transplant has a good chance of establishing, including that large Camellia I moved recently, well out of season.
I have divisions of my fathers favourite plant in a number of locations in the garden - Paeonia officinalis 'Rubra Plena' and its now in flower
It has a huge and beautiful flower as you know. When the rain is prolonged it hangs its head with the weight. When its stormy it gets flattened unless it is well staked.
We are having both those conditions!
Its brighter here today. Fingers crossed!
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It looks like it poured with rain in Belfast at 6.00pm today, did you get it as well ?
A much better day here today, we even sat out for dinner this evening on the patio.
All the tender plants are going ouside now, Brugmansias, colocasias, Hibiscus sinensis, Lemon, Ricinus that were grown from seed, Dahlias in pots, tender salvias in pots includind Hot Lips.
So busy in garden again and suddenly 14 paid jobs came in in 2 days this week.
Malcolm
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Rained on and off all day, indeed it is drizzling now. Not warm either. Spent the day pricking out Albuca humilis seedlings, no need for them, but it was something to do.
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Yes Malcolm. Downpour again as I began my walk to the bus. Not as bad as yesterday, mercifully.
But, then it happened wehen I got home. The heavens opened at my usual time to go to the garden, the water was lying 1in deep on the patio. Had to dive into the garage, get wellys on, and spend the evening in the greenhouse.
When it eventually ceased I took a walk around the garden to check for dandylions. Lawns are completely waterlogged, with a lot of surface water and pools here and there. :'(
I have 5 Ricinus from seed as well, Malcolm. They are growing nicely, but not ready for the great outdoors yet. Little do they know what its like out there!
Chiltern had sold out of R. ?New Zealand Purple? (the one you recommended earlier) when I got round to ordering seed, so I settled for R. 'Carmencita Pink'
Ive grown that one before and it did very well.
Its not all gloom. My Salvia Hot Lips survived the winter outdoors :)
Its a good strong plant. Must try for some cuttings this year. Did you take cuttings and overwinter yours?
Its chilly here as well Eric. Very disheartening.
Roll on summer :)
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Woke up to Sunshine. Raining now!
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I basked in sun on my walks this morning. Looking out from my office, still sunny.
Need a couple of days like this to allow the garden to drain!
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Had quite a heavy downpour overnight - 5mm of rainfall.
Just getting scattered showers here at the moment.
The strong winds have dropped so at least that's a step in the right direction.
When's the darn good weather going to start. :(
Laurie.
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Downpour again
Just had confirmation, George :). Tom our youngest has just spent the week playing his bassoon and contra-bassoon with the Ulster Symphony Orchestra. Just received email "Ulster fun but LOTS of rain"
Eric H
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He sure picked a bad week to visit, Eric, but I'm reaally pleased to read he's having fun. What a change it is in this decade!
Thats a talented lad you have there, Eric.
Ive been to see the Ulster Orchestra quite a number of times. Is that the same as the Ulster Symphony Orchestra?
Heres their website:
http://www.ulster-orchestra.org.uk/
Tonight they are in the Waterfront hall. Thats a relatively new building. Fantastic acoustics. Ive been to orchestral concerts and ballets there, but its a few years ago now.
They are in the Ulster Hall tomorrow evening. Thats an old, lovely building, built when architects were architects- you'd love it Eric!
Is he playing those concerts?
P.S.
Guess what?
Today it was dry and warm and we saw the sun again for a few hours. I'm just in from the garden after cutting the lawns :) :)
Three weeks of growing. I can tell you, the rain sure has made it hop out of the ground! What a relief to get it cut and looking good again.
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I am glad your weather is picking up George, We really seem to have missed the worst of it. Tom would be tickled to be called a talented "lad" being almost 47 and a grandfather to boot :). Yes, it is the Ulster Symphony Orchestra. Earlier on in the week they played a concert in Dublin. Now it has come up, I might as well give him a plug, here is his bio on his website ::) http://www.tomhardybassoon.com/biography.php
Eric H
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He IS a talented lad! Tonight they are playing Rachmaninov!
As for age - isn't everything relative :)
Ive just visited his web site and played the Notturno for Bassoon. In fact I'm playing it again as I write.
Very nice indeed!
Its a fascinating web site, and I'll poke around some more.
(Now I'm playing Reflections - hey its very nice!)
Now on to Summer Walk. Now that is a lovely piece of music!
Now on to Winter Lake - dreamy and mellow.
Are they his own compositions?
Thanks for the link Eric! I wish I could have made that concert tonight.
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Yes George, says proud dad, they are his own compositions. The Nocturne has been used for the Grade 8 music exams for the bassoon.
Eric H
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Gosh!
You have every reason to be proud
I have to say, Ive really taken to Summer Walk. Its a lovely tune, but soooo short.
Ive played it a number of times and it just gets nicer each time.
Is it longer on a CD recording?
What are the instruments in that arrangement?
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28 degrees here today and very dry now. I have spent a lot of the evening carrying water from our tank where we collect our bathwater and watering the vegetables and three tree peonies we planted recently. They really soaked it up.
Ive really taken to Summer Walk. Its a lovely tune, but soooo short.
Ive played it a number of times and it just gets nicer each time........What are the instruments in that arrangement?
We had Tom and family down today including baby Zac. I told him that I had introduced you to his website, George. You asked about the instruments in that Summer Walk. He said it was 15 piece orchestra all done on his keyboard and synthesiser. He played each part in turn on his keyboard and amalgamated them. That is probably why it is so short :)
Eric H
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That was a nice day in every way, Eric, and perfect for a Summer Walk :)
A 15 piece orchestra! I'm sure that took a long time to produce. Reminds me of a cloned photo I once saw ;)
Weather yesterday? Very sunny and warm - at last. Got a lot done in the garden and guess what - a little bit of sunburn ;D
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may for us sun then rain then sun then rain, need i go on, just got outside the other day found the tools for my job pick axe, shovel, 5 mins into job and it chucked it down, ::) :( i give up, but on a good note the lad finish school for summer holidays this week, a whole 12 weeks off school, so i may have a bit of help around the place ;) i might have to bribe him already told him that friday we are helping johnny (who is going out with katie the daughter), to do his concrete stable floor
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Weather is so strange everywhere at the moment Phil.
After several days of cloud and wind here, yesterday was just like a beautiful 'summer's day'. Blue skies, sunshine, and just a slight hint of a breeze to make it more comfortable for gardening. Had a good gardening day because of it.
In the evening it rained though, but not much.
Today, although cloudy with intervals of sunshine, that darn strong wind is back again. :(
Laurie.
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on a good note the lad finish school for summer holidays this week, a whole 12 weeks off school, so i may have a bit of help around the place
I wish you luck Phil. We have three (now middle aged) sons who we could never get round to helping in the garden but they would spend hours helping in their girlfriends' parents' gardens ;) ::) >:( . I wonder why ???
Eric H
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on a good note the lad finish school for summer holidays this week, a whole 12 weeks off school, so i may have a bit of help around the place
I wish you luck Phil. We have three (now middle aged) sons who we could never get round to helping in the garden but they would spend hours helping in their girlfriends' parents' gardens ;) ::) >:( . I wonder why ???
Eric H
The trick is to live out in the middle of nowhere ;D, then if he wants a lift to a mates house he helps first then i will take him to his mates, a fair compromise i think ;)
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Well. I managed to do without my thermals for one day, back on now though and considering lighting the fire.
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This past few days weve had high winds, driving rain and the ground covered with fallen leaves.
November? Nope, pinch yourself. Its almost mid-May.
As I write I was just about to go into the garden and was forced inside with a sudden deluge.
Ah well, back to the computer and the development of that new edition of Bank Genie ::)
At last we have beautiful summer weather. Rhododendrons are blooming like never before, they loved the rain
and now is the time to show off. This year I forgot to seed Godetias earlier but I hope they will sprout anyway,
there is still time.
George keep up the good work
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Hello Peter
Its very nice to hear from you.
By way of introduction (or a reminder in some cases) to our members, heres a link to your Our Garden of Dreams website.
http://www.scn.org/earth/garden/
I hope you and Carol are well and enjoying your fantastic garden.
Rhododendrons have gone way up in my ratings this year as well. I had a fantastic show here in dull and wet Ireland. Its good to see some good has come out of all that rain last year, and this awful May!
Godetias! Yes, do you remember you gave me a special packet when I visited your garden way back in 2003?
They grew very well that summer and I had a very nice show. Unfortunately they didn't self seed.
By sheer conincidence, I bought a packet in a B&Q store and have them growing again this year. Hope you get a few volunteers in your garden! I'd be inclined to sprinkle a packet around even if it is a bit late in the season. In your hot summers they will probably catch up!
Your web site is looking real good. I visited a few minutes ago, and will return for a more in depth "catchup" review
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Finally, its arrived!
30th May, beautiful day, just like it should be. Out in the garden all day - no doubt you were too.
My daughter is on a camping holiday in the Lake District and phoned this evening for a chat. She tells me the weather is beautiful and they are finding the scenery of the region to be everything its said to be.
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My daughter is on a camping holiday in the Lake District and phoned this evening for a chat. She tells me the weather is beautiful and they are finding the scenery of the region to be everything its said to be.
May is a wonderful time in the Lake District provided the weather is fine. This is Borrowdale viewed from the east flank of Cat Bells taken in May 2004. (The deutzia cutting was about 20 years previous to this). I hope the weather continues fair for her, particularly if she is camping!
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/150/352906192_7b626bf8aa.jpg)
Eric H
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Thanks for posting the photo Eric.
Tara had a really nice time and back to Manchester safely. They got fantastic weather.
She tells me she has taken lots of photos.
I'm delighted to record that May has ended on a real high. It was a beautiful weekend here and all across the UK.
Lots of gardening done over the weekend and finally able to get at those weeds, and to work the soil in preparation for planting out my new plants.
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I'm delighted to record that May has ended on a real high. It was a beautiful weekend here and all across the UK.
Lots of gardening done over the weekend and finally able to get at those weeds, and to work the soil in preparation for planting out my new plants.
Ditto George. Those darn weeds of ours bit the dust over the weekend too. ;D
Let's hope this great weather continues.
Laurie.