The Ideas Genie Community Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: ideasguy on April 11, 2010, 09:24:53 AM
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...has definitely sprung :)
It was very warm all day yesterday. My daughter flies back to Manchester today, so we had a family gathering yesterday. We had a barbecue and dined in the garden. It was still quite warm at 5pm.
Like yesterday, I had better make the most of this pleasant weather. The soil is still quite wet following last weeks rain, but its workable and theres plenty to be done! Better watch out for sunburn today - I have a little sunburn from yesterday.
Surprise surprise - the weather chart last night showed that N Ireland is to be the hottest region of the UK today (17 degrees)
That doesn't happen too often!
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seems to have sprung, i managed to cut the grass at the other site yesterday, rotavated some more veggie patch to make it a bit bigger
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Definitely spring here too.
Got the rear grass cut yesterday, reseeded some bare areas.
The automatic window opening mechanism in the greenhouse had opened the window almost to its fullest, so quite a warm day really yesterday.
Daffodils, primulas, crocus, hyacinths all blooming nicely now in front and rear gardens. (Got some photos, so I'll post them later on.)
Did some more tidying today. Trimmed the edges of the rear lawn. Rewatered the grass seed, as it hasn't rained yet, just when you want it to ::)
Laurie.
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also been out on the decking today had a midday snack on it whilst enjoying the sun and the view, is very warm got most of the windows open in the greenhouse, lets hope more to come and we have good summer, you know its qiute good having these weather things in your sig as you can compare with other countries or parts of the same country
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I think it's a great idea Phil being able to check at a glance the weather in our members locations. 8)
We can all thank Monica ("TXGulfCoast" on the Forum) for introducing us to that little gem. ;)
Laurie.
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Got a few plants to share with you all. Ones that are looking their best at the moment. Enjoy! ;)
"Native Primrose" - Primula vulgaris
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/primrose_vulgaris_native.jpg)
Very pale creamy-yellow petals with deeper yellow centre.
The next two photos are of some Hyacinth bulbs we ordered, and we got a mixture of purple and white (not certain of the actual varieties though.)
Hyacinth (purple)
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/hyacinth_purple1.jpg)
Hyacinth (white)
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/hyacinth_white1.jpg)
Cowslip - Primula veris
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/cowslip1.jpg)
Primula Denticulata - (not growing as it was supposed to look on the label :'( )
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/primula_denticulata1.jpg)
The next two photos of Snakeshead Fritillary (purple variety and white variety. The white one was not ordered but came in with the purple ones :-\ ).
Snakeshead Fritillary - Fritillaria meleagris
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/snakeshead_fritillary1.jpg)
Snakeshead Fritillary - Fritillaria meleagris
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/snakeshead_fritillary2.jpg)
Tete-a-Tete - (dwarf Daffodil)
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/tete-a-tete1.jpg)
This is a happy little accident, which matched the dwarf Daffodil with the Native Primula and look really good together.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/dwdaf_natprim.jpg)
Laurie.
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Great photos Laurie!
Its a good selection of my favourite plants. Theres such a diverse range of Primulas, big and small and just about every colour. I love them all :)
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Lovely day here again. Sun is shining and a perfect opportunity to take some more of our spring blooms.
These are all in our front garden this time.
Front garden showing a colourful and abundant display (should look great for people viewing our house.)
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/front_garden2010.jpg)
Hyacinth (Pink)
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/hyacinth_pink_frontgdn2010.jpg)
Oval Planter
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/oval_planter2010.jpg)
The following two photos of daffodils are slightly different, although we don't know what they are called. Details were on Kathy's computer that crashed so don't have access to the order form.
The labels appear to be missing too. Kathy wanted a spring colourful display to fill out the front garden.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/daff_1_frontgdn2010.jpg)
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/daff_2_frontgdn2010.jpg)
If anyone knows the names of these two variety of Daffodils, please let us know.
We intend to take these bulbs with us when they eventually die down.
Laurie.
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Thats a great show Laurie - its looking really good 8)
Your Hyacinths are really striking! I use to take the ones bought for indoor use and plant them in the garden each year after they had finished blooming in the house (had to rescue some from the dustbin before I proved how good they were outdoors). They come back very reliably!
Please take another photo if a cloud happens to pass by (you know my preferences ::))
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Kathy bought her Hyacinth bulbs with the intention of them being outside all the time, and they've proved to be very successful.
They're not only beautiful to look at but very fragrant too.
Please take another photo if a cloud happens to pass by (you know my preferences ::))
Yes, I do indeed know your photographic preferences George ::)
Unfortunately for you though, the sun is still shining brightly here, and I have just checked the Hyacinths in the front garden and they are still in full sun.
I won't pray for an overcast day, but should one come along I'll try to get the shots you so love. :D
Laurie.
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Yes, so far April is turning out to be delightfully warm in the UK.
In fact, in the midlands, it is sun and not frost that is scorching some of camellia flowers. Those in full shade are delightful such as the one in the first picture.
However, it is wonderful to have warm sun again and the second picture was taken in our lower garden.
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Some more early spring flowers at 'Four Seasons'.
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Great photos Marie and Tony. It's nice to see that spring has come your way too. ;)
You have a wonderful garden.
Snap! with the Snakeshead Fritillary. It's a beautiful plant I'm sure you'll agree. We have a few of them dotted about the rear garden, and are among our favourites. :)
Laurie.
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Got a few plants to share with you all. Ones that are looking their best at the moment. Enjoy! ;)
Great show Laurie, how can you bear to move? Lovely photos too. You are much further north than us yet your snake head fritillaries are well ahead of ours. Our buds are formed but not open. Maybe it is altititude, we are just under 600 feet above sea level.
I have forgotten now when you are expecting to move, is it soon?
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Thanks for that Eric.
We're just 20 metres above sea level at our current home location, so a big difference there. I don't know enough about the Fritillaries to say whether altitude is a factor or not.
Maybe someone else on the Forum can enlighten us. ;)
As the climate is usually warmer the further south you get I would have expected your Fritillaries to have been well ahead of ours. Most odd. There's obviously some reason for it then. :-\
Anyway, I'll digress briefly to answer your question about our house move. The 'For Sale' board is due to go up this week, and our Estate Agent is expecting a quick sale.
If all goes well, we're expecting to relocate to Norfolk/Suffolk region - hopefully before the end of the year.
The benefits of the move far outweigh those to stay. Over the years, and quite recently, too many personal tragedies leaving bad memories have occurred to hold us here any longer. We just want a fresh start elsewhere.
I'll start a new topic off when that all comes to fruition, as there will be a whole new set of plants to discuss, and a new garden layout to show you.
We've got some potential properties earmarked at the moment that are still on the market down there (and new ones appearing all the time), so it's looking quite promising. They pretty much tick all our boxes, so we've got lots of choices.
Anyway, more about that to follow in due course.
Laurie.
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Okay George - you willed an overcast day for the appropriate Hyacinth shot, so here it is.
Hyacinth (pink) - taken in overcast conditions as a comparison for George, who prefers to take his own photos with that type of natural lighting.
(See previous page of photo of same plant taken in sunny conditions).
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/hyacinth_pink2_frontgdn2010.jpg)
Laurie.
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I tell you something - thats as good a photo as Ive ever seen. Remarkably good quality Laurie, and thanks for doing that.
Now, I dont wish you another dull day, but it was the shot of the front garden I was hoping you'd take again when the sun was not shining. If you get a chance in those conditions :o before the show is over, I'd love to see it.
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Okey dokey George. I'll have a quiet word with the weather man and see if he can arrange a special overcast day for that shot. :D
Laurie.
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Make sure our weather man doesn't overhear ;D
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OK George. I've spoken to our weatherman who has granted me my wish for an overcast day.
Here is the photo of the front garden as requested.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/front_garden2_2010.jpg)
Laurie.
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Thanks Laurie, thats a really good photo 8)