The Ideas Genie Community Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: NightHawk on November 23, 2010, 05:47:29 PM
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I started a detailed topic about our intended house move called Bitter sweet last few days (http://www.flowergenie.co.uk/ideas/forum/index.php/topic,1506.0.html), but because this involved a serious road accident I have wanted to steer clear of being reminded of it and have decided to start a fresh topic to continue our progress. I have put the link to the original topic if you wish to catch up fully.
Anyway, it's now looking like we're very close to a completion date which has been provisionally suggested by us to our solicitor as Wednesday 8 December 2010. Our buyers' solicitor has to confirm this with her but it doesn't look like there will be a problem. We've pencilled the date in with our removal company as he's starting to get booked up, as December is a busy time for them.
We're actually pretty much packed already, with some everyday items to be amongst the last to be destined for our packing boxes.
Kathy has earmarked some plants to come with us. One of them is a neat and compact Chrysanthemum shrub which she dug up from her mum's house, the name of which escapes me for now. Another one is a form of small (at the moment anyway) Yew tree, about twelve inches tall but cost us £17 last year. Too expensive to leave behind. A Bay tree in a pot is also coming with us. This one is about three feet tall and is well-established.
We're currently without a car now as the loan car has been collected from us, as we've been awarded a partial compensation. Once the GAP part of the insurance claim is sorted out we can look to buy another vehicle.
Therefore, our intention is to travel down to Hampshire by train the day before the completion day. The removal company loads up their van the day before anyway so they have an early start on the long journey down there. So once they've done that we'll lock up the house, leave the keys with the estate agent and head off to the railway station.
We'll have an overnight stay in a hotel and meet up with the removal guys the next day at our new house.
We don't really mind doing it this way as we didn't fancy the idea of that long car journey again.
I'll keep you all up-to-date with future developments in this topic, and eventually post some exciting stuff about our new garden, accompanied by photos of course :D
It's been a long and stressful time for us to get to this stage of the proceedings, so can't wait to get settled in and get some well-deserved relaxation time. At least we'll be settled in for Christmas.
Laurie.
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Laurie and Kathy
Thanks for updating us on your move to a new county and house.
Coming down by rail sounds a wonderfull idea, and much more relaxing at another stressfull time for you both.
Hopefully once you get moved in, you can start a new, peacefull time in the country.
Best wishes to you both
Malcolm
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Great news Kathy and Laurie :)
The train journey and the overnight stop over is a great idea.
Very best wishes for a successful completion and I hope the new house and the region you have chosen will be a realisation of your dreams.
When you have settled, I look forward to wishing you a very special Happy Christmas this year :)
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Excellent news.
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fantastic, dont forget last thing to pack is the kettle, first thing to unpack is the kettle ;), hope it all goes well and looking forward to some piccys of your new garden throughout the process of transforming it
Phil
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Thanks for all the nice comments guys.
Phil....... that kettle of ours will most certainly be taking priority in the packing - in fact it's coming with us in our 'carry-on' flight bags on the train :D
Can't wait for all this to end and get settled in. ::)
Laurie.
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Phil....... that kettle of ours will most certainly be taking priority in the packing - in fact it's coming with us in our 'carry-on' flight bags on the train :D
Laurie.
;D
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Excellent news about the move and looks like you are getting your car sorted. :)
Paul.
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Hi Kathy and Laurie,
have only just now seen/read the account of your recent 'happenings' and am so glad that all seems to have taken a turn for the better. Most things have been said about both the horrendous experience you had and of the happier house/county move. I echo everyones thoughts and best wishes to you both.
Good fortune and happiness to you in your new home.
Regards,
Trevor
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Thank you Trevor, your comments are much appreciated.
Laurie.
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As I write we're still on a knife-edge as to whether we're moving out tomorrow as anticipated :o
Our buyer hasn't been in to the solicitor to sign the contract yet and pay her deposit, so until that's confirmed we're stuck in this state of limbo.
We've been onto our solicitor this morning and they're trying desperately to get hold of our buyers' solicitors by phone but they're not answering their phones. They've had to email them instead.
The estate agent in Hampshire who's handling the sale of the house we're buying has spoken to us by phone this morning, and she said that her client is planning to move out tomorrow as well. They're now both panicking because our buyers' solicitors have been so slow throughout this whole process, that they're thinking our buyer is going to pull out at the last minute and leave us all high and dry.
Our estate agents actually spoke to our buyers' son on Friday and got the impression from him that the completion date of 8 December is not a problem. But until we get the signature on their contract nothing is set in stone.
Because of this, we still can't commit to 8 December with our removal company to empty our house tomorrow. We've provisionally booked them for that date and they rang us this morning to ask for confirmation. So all we could do was tell them we'd confirm the date a.s.a.p. after we've heard from our solicitors.
Although our house is almost fully packed we've had to put the rest on hold for now until we hear something definite.
This is a nightmare!!!!!!!!! >:( >:(
Kathy and Laurie pulling their hair out in frustration :'(
Laurie.
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A nightmare Laurie indeed.........its ridiculous, there should be a law or something, that the money should be exchanged a fortnight or whatever before completion date. How can you, or the removals and services work to a shedule.
The weather has been a worry for you, you certainly didn't need this.
Please keep us in touch here, for as long as you can Laurie.
Thinking of you both.
Malcolm
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Thanks Malcolm. It's turning into a real farce.
The latest news is that our buyer can't get into her solicitors office to sign her contract until 4pm tomorrow! >:( Why? - don't ask! I wish we knew. It's been nothing but delay after delay from their end, and we're fed up with it all.
Another annoyance is that our buyer is in rented accommodation 5 minutes away from our house. She could move in at her leisure whilst we have to travel to the other end of the country. We'd expected her to be a bit more considerate and push for earlier contract signing.
Once she's signed, the exchange of contracts and electronic transfer of funds for us all won't be completed until Wednesday morning.
We've spoken to our removal company again this afternoon and they're going to try and re-arrange things to accommodate us. They'll probably be able to empty our house on Wednesday lunchtime but we don't know when they'll be able to deliver all our stuff to the new house. They were originally supposed to be travelling down there on Wednesday which was the second day they had already allocated us.
They're going to ring us back later today when they've tried to re-arrange things. It may be a case of them getting here on Wednesday and putting our stuff temporarily into storage until they can schedule another day for us to do the long journey. This means we could have to stay a few nights in hotels down there until we can meet up with them.
Unbelieveable! >:( :'(
Laurie.
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I have been starimg at your last post for several minutes Laurie, trying to think of somethimg to say. And also thinking of the feelings you both must have, over this whole episode, and when it will end.
Malcolm
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Speechless just about sums it all up Malcolm. ::)
You couldn't imagine anyone having as much bad luck that we've had from start to (almost) finish.
The thing that's keeping us sane is that they are definitely signing on Tuesday and by Wednesday we'll be starting our journey south.
Kathy says she'll welcome a couple of nights in a hotel as she needs a mini holiday after all this.
Laurie.
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Sorry to read about this additional stress Laurie. That is really hard luck.
We are snowbound over here. Son Julian with James, and an hour or so later his wife managed to get home safely, but Naomi had to abandon her car about a mile from home and walk)
We had about 3 ins on top of what we already had (2ins or so - compacted - it showed no signs of clearing since it fell a week ago).
I hope the weather will relent for you and the snags are sorted out to your satisfaction.
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The latest news is GOOD ;D
Our buyer is going into the solicitors today at 4pm to sign her contract.
We've spoken to our removal company and they will arrive at our house at 9am tomorrow morning to empty our house and they will be able to deliver the contents to our new home on Thursday 9 December.
They were able to fit us in so quickly because they had to cancel a job they had planned to Glasgow, which is still suffering from extreme snow-bound weather conditions.
We have made arrangements with Sky to visit our new home on Monday to install TV equipment but our Broadband set-up with them won't be active for a further 2 weeks.
I will need to dismantle and pack our computers this evening, so from this time on for about two to three weeks we will be offline.
We're hoping it may be sooner but probably unlikely. :'(
We'll let you know when we're back online and give an update from our new home.
Laurie.
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Much better news Laurie
Good luck with the move and looking forward to you getting back with us after you get re-connected in your new location.
Just in case there are "issues"
Happy Christmas!!
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Hopefully you have not pulled the BIG switch on your computer yet. :(
Just to say to you both, a Happy and Peacefull Christmas and a much better New year (with lots of gardening) ;D
Malcolm and Lyn
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Thanks George and Malcolm.
I will be turning Kathy's computer off very soon and mine will be done later this evening. I've got two large computer tables to dismantle as well, so want to give myself plenty of time.
If I don't get chance to post anything later this evening, before the big 'switch-off', I wish you both and everyone else on the Forum a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger (a.k.a. The Terminator) - "I'll Be Back".
Laurie.
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excellent news, hope it all goes well, by now you are watching all your stuff going into a lorry, now we wait for loads of pics in a couple of weeks
Phil
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Hi Kathy & Laurie,
I have been away from the forum for quite a while for reasons I have explained to George. Now I have tuned in again and I have just been reading about the trials and tribulations of your move. You probably won't see this for a few days but I wish you the best of luck with it. Now you will know why Anthea and I have been in the same house for 55 years. We just couldn't face a move :o
I hope your horrifying car experience is just a distant memory too.
It will probably be near Christmas when you see this so this is sending my Christmas Greetings too.
Eric
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I'm now writing this latest update whilst looking out at a woodland at the rear of our new home.
We have a resident Owl somewhere in there, which we hear each evening in the distance, but haven't as yet been able to identify it. Had a Pheasant land on a neighbours' house roof yesterday afternoon, having flown in from the woodland. Never got anything like this in our previous home - what a treat.
Anyway, 10am on Wednesday 8 December 2010, an hour after our removal company had arrived and started loading the lorry, we got a phone call from our our solicitors confirming the payment from our buyer had been transferred to our bank acount. How close was that :o We just had to let the removal firm get on with the job and couldn't risk putting them off until we'd had this confirmation. There wasn't really any doubt, but you never know what hitches can turn up.
It only took them 2 hours to clear the house which they said was due to the efficient way we had packed everything. ;) They normally allow 4 to 5 hours for a house clearance.
After handing the keys to the estate agent in their local offices we got a taxi to Middlesbrough railway station and caught the 1.10pm train.
Just once change at Eaglescliffe, then all the way to London Kings Cross - seats all the way ;D
Changed for the next train to Christchurch, arriving at about 7.10pm. Got a taxi to a Premier Inn for a meal and overnight stay, intending to meet up with our removal company at our new home next day in the afternoon.
Got a call from them on our mobile at 8.20am the following day to say they would be at the house within the hour. :o Panic stations. We weren't due to collect the keys from the estate agent until 9am. Fortunately we were up and dressed so got a taxi to the estate agents in New Milton, got the keys, then jumped back into the taxi that had waited for us.
Arrived at our house with about 20 minutes to spare before the removal guys turned up.
Apparently they had decided to travel down overnight, sleeping in the van on an industrial estate in the early hours of the morning once they'd been driving their maximum allowance.
Just took them about 2 hours to unload again. Finally, we were both able to breathe a sigh of relief and sit down and relax in our new surroundings. The ordeal was over... we'd made it. PHEW!!! ;D
We'd left thick snow behind us and arrived to clear roads and fine conditions. We noted on the train journey down the previous day, that by the time we had reached Peterborough the snow had at last cleared.
Our neighbours are really great. Very friendly and we even got to exchange Christmas cards from all the ones we'd spoken to since our arrival. Something we'd not been used to up north in our urban environment.
The country air must make people more friendly down here. :D
We've almost got all of our boxes unpacked, making use of the attached garage as a temporary storage area for the ones still to be dealt with.
We've made a start on tidying the front garden, and although there are some established shrubs such as Rhododendron, a couple of Hydrangeas and rose bushes, we'll wait until we can see what else comes up later on before we start digging over the borders.
The garden goes all around the house, so you can literally walk in circles around it. Not too big that we couldn't manage it comfortably, but the front garden (being the biggest area) will be our show-piece.
Anyway, I'll get some photos of how the garden looks now and take comparison pics as the gardens develop. I'll post the photos in due course.
We've managed to get a new car ordered from a local garage and hope to take delivery in early January 2011. Taxi fares to get around here have worked out very expensive. We couldn't even do our food shopping online and get it delivered, as we've only just got our phone line activated for our broadband connection.
A car is definitely a must here. Being out in the country the walking distances are so much further. Not that we're complaining of course. This is exactly what we wanted. Out in the open spaces without being in the middle of nowhere. :)
The skies are so much clearer here too. Away from the built-up area we left behind, where the street lights and pollution made stargazing awkward, we can see the constellations with much more clarity. Astronomy is another one of our passions, so I'll be setting up our telescope when I get chance to unpack it, and treat ourselves to the wonders of our night skies. :D
So, that's it for now. No doubt we'll have plant ID questions to ask as time goes by and we discover what is planted in our gardens that is unfamiliar to us. And getting used to coming from alkaline soil to acid soil. That's one job for our PH meter.
Laurie.
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What a great start! Delighted to read all that, Kathy and Laurie, and very best wishes for the future!
Efficient and organised seems to be very apt in your way of life. Well done :)
I used to do a bit of astronomy, but its a long time ago now, but not much in light years ;D
Maybe some day I will have time to communicate with you on that subject.
The plant ID's will be fun for all here. At this time of year, deciduous shrubs and herbaceous perennials don't have much going for them, but when they emerge from their slumbers, I'm sure you will have many pleasant surprises.
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Glad to see that your tribulations are over Cathy & Laurie.
A healthy, positive and happy 2011 to you both - and of course to all our members and readers.
Trevor
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Good luck in your new home, Kathy & Laurie. It must be an intense relief after all your tribulations. What a nail biting finish too::)!
Enjoy your new surroundings, they sound delightful.
Our eldest son, Adam, and family moved into a new house about a week before Christmas. It is an old farmhouse with an acre of garden about 6 miles from Carmarthen. Their troubles began when they were there to receive their furniture from Birmingham. The pantechnicon couldn?t negotiate a bend in the country lane leading to the house and had to turn back. They put it into store fairly nearby and the next day had to get another firm to deliver it in smaller vehicles! >:(
That is why we have never moved house in nearly 56 years! Our nerves wouldn?t stand it! ::)
I look forward to seeing pictures of your new garden when spring arrives.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
From Eric & Anthea.
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Thanks to everyone for all your good wishes.
Photos of our new garden will be posted soon, with regular updates. ;)
Kathy and I wish everyone on the Forum a very happy and prosperous New Year.
Laurie.
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Here's a few photos as the garden appears at the moment, before we do any work on it.
Photo 1 - our first (and only) snowfall to date. Front garden taken through window on 18 December 2010.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/frontgdnsnow01_001.jpg)
Photo 2 - Front garden. The bird-bath in the foreground is ours.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/frontgdn01_000.jpg)
The hexagonal flagstones lead to the front gate on the right and our front door to the left.
Photo 3 - Front garden. Shrubery alongside our front wall.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/frontgdn01_001.jpg)
The yellow/green bush in the foreground is a Choisya ternata SUNDANCE. (See Photo 3a for close-up.)
Photo 3a - Close-up of Choisya ternata SUNDANCE in above Photo 3.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/frontgdn01_001a.jpg)
Photo 4 - same as Photo 3 but from different angle.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/frontgdn01_002.jpg)
Photo 5 - Front garden. The last of the shrubs alongside the front wall.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/frontgdn01_003.jpg)
The brass wind-spiral is ours, but is temporarily hanging on a pole that had been left behind.
Photo 6 - Front garden - Ivy, Camelia and Hydrangea growing against our garage wall.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/frontgdn01_004.jpg)
Photo 6a - Close-up of Camelia bush in above Photo 6.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/frontgdn01_004a.jpg)
Photo 7 - Front garden - 2 unknown plants in border.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/frontgdn01_005.jpg)
Closer view of plants on left side of Photo 6. Believe the left plant could be a Cyclamen and the right side plant Snowdrops. We'll need to await flowering to confirm.
Photo 8 - Front garden with Salix caprea 'Kilmarnock' weeping willow tree in lawn.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/frontgdn01_006.jpg)
Photo 8a - Close-up of Salix caprea 'Kilmarnock' weeping willow tree in Photo 8.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/frontgdn01_007.jpg)
Photo 9 - Front garden.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/frontgdn01_008.jpg)
Photo 10 - view of side garden down right side of house.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/sidegdnrgt01_001.jpg)
Photo 11 - Close-up of Choisya ternata in Photo 10 in garden to right of house.
Bush in Photo 10 is just beyond the yellow one.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/sidegdnrgt01_001a.jpg)
Photo 12 - view from bottom of garden along right hand side border towards front of house.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/sidegdnrgt01_003.jpg)
Photo 13 - view of bottom end of right hand garden.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/sidegdnrgt01_002.jpg)
We think the unknown brown looking plant is dead so will need to be removed.
Photo 14 - different angle from Photo 13 of bottom right corner of garden.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/backgdn01_001.jpg)
Photo 15 - Bottom garden. A striking red-stemmed Cotinus Dogwood in foreground will definitely be staying.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/backgdn01_002.jpg)
Photo 16 - Garden on left side of house. This view is from the bottom garden towards the patio area at the front end.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/sidegdnlftpatio01_001.jpg)
Photo 17 - view from patio towards bottom of garden.
(http://www.pixiemouse.com/igforum/sidegdnlftpatio01_002.jpg)
The barbecue-style stove on the right is NOT ours. That will definitely be going.
As you can see from these photos there is a lot of work to be done in all the garden areas. It's obvious the previous owners weren't real gardeners.
With lots of tidying, digging up and new planting it will be a work in progress for a while. It will be fun doing it, and we'll get it looking immaculate with our own stamp of authority and personalisation.
There are still loads of plants and shrubs in the garden that we haven't as yet tried to identify, some that will be staying others that will not. I've just highlighted some of the bigger and best looking shrubs that we will be keeping and wish to get identified.
A cursory look through some of our gardening books hasn't helped us just yet, so any help on naming the ones I've requested in the photos would be greatly appreciated.
Laurie.
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As you can see from these photos there is a lot of work to be done in all the garden areas. It's obvious the previous owners weren't real gardeners
Well it will be more fun Laurie, making it your own. :). I look forward to seeing the progress photographs. Good luck with it.
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Laurie
Picture 6a a Camellia of some sort, will have to wait till flower in early spring
Picture 7 probably not snowdrop as they aren't showing yet
Malcolm
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Hi Cathy & Laurie,
just had a quick look at your photographs. It's good to see that you're 'under way' at last. The 'unknown' willow in the photograph looks like it may well be a Kilmarnock Willow. I had one at my previous home. Lovely catkins. The top needs to be thinned every so often otherwise they get too congested. Easy enough to do.
Trevor
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Thanks for that Trevor - we'll look it up.
Laurie.
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Picture 6a a Camellia of some sort, will have to wait till flower in early spring
Thanks for confirming that Malcolm.
Kathy had a hunch it was a Camelia of some sort but, as you say, need to wait until it flowers for full ID.
Laurie.
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Photo 6 brown shrub is a Hydrangea, see the picture you posted before the move, of the new house, it is in flower on that picture.
Malcolm
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We'd spotted the Hydrangea one Malcolm, confirming as you did from the flowering photo that was taken by the estate agent in summer last year.
We have another one of those in our right side border as well.
Laurie.
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Has anyone got a Cotinus Dogwood (Photo 15) in their garden?
According to Alan Titchmarsh it should be pruned back hard in Spring to encourage new growth to get better stem colour in winter.
Not sure we want to cut it back, if anyone else doesn't bother :)
Anyway, when exactly is it Spring :D
Laurie.
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It really is worth cutting back your dogwood in early spring Kathy & Laurie. Though it looks in fine fettle now, if left it will gradually lose it's brightness (especially if left for a few years). It's best to be really severe with it and it will reward you with much better colour whether it's the red or the yellow variety. My neighbour at our former home had a large one and asked the same question. I cut it back to an inch or two of the ground and he almost had a heart attack - he was pleased with the resultant colourful re-growth though.
Best wishes,
Trevor
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Photo 5 a Euonymus, need a picture of the leaves to tell which one, and a Pieris to the right, possibly forrestii.
Malcolm
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Photo 5 a Euonymus, need a picture of the leaves to tell which one, and a Pieris to the right, possibly forrestii.
Thanks for that Malcolm.
Basically, the plants I haven't mentioned for IDing in those photos are the ones we're confident about knowing, but you've confirmed that for us anyway 8)
There's bound to be more that we find which we're not certain about, so we know we can rely on you to ID for us.
Laurie.
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It really is worth cutting back your dogwood in early spring Kathy & Laurie. Though it looks in fine fettle now, if left it will gradually lose it's brightness (especially if left for a few years). It's best to be really severe with it and it will reward you with much better colour whether it's the red or the yellow variety. My neighbour at our former home had a large one and asked the same question. I cut it back to an inch or two of the ground and he almost had a heart attack - he was pleased with the resultant colourful re-growth though.
That's good enough advice for us then Trevor.
As we're now in the south, what is the 'early spring' definition down here. Up north we were doing things much later in spring, whereas the south, being milder, were ahead of us. :-\
So, for this location what would you advise as the day/month for cutting back. It's such a beautiful looking plant that we don't want to get it wrong and risk losing it ::)
Laurie.
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As we're now in the south, what is the 'early spring' definition down here. Up north we were doing things much later in spring, whereas the south, being milder, were ahead of us. :-\
So, for this location what would you advise as the day/month for cutting back. It's such a beautiful looking plant that we don't want to get it wrong and risk losing it ::)
[/quote]
Rather than the date, keep an eye on the plant around the time when it feels like spring's arriving, say early March. All of the stems need cutting back to about two or three inches above base before growth starts. It will look pretty well devastated (it really does look like a good specimen in your photograph) but don't worry - they're tough cookies. If you feel nervous about it there are some images of the plant before and after pruning on this linkhttp://www.gardenseeker.com/pruning/pruning_cornus_dogwoods.htm (http://www.gardenseeker.com/pruning/pruning_cornus_dogwoods.htm).
It's just like coppicing willow etc. really. I don't think you'll be guilty of plant-slaughter.
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Great advice Trevor and thanks for that link. It's really useful.
We will do the pruning at the suggested time to keep that colourful stem growth for the future.
Laurie.
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You're very welcome Laurie.
T
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Just got our computers connected again today.
We've been having some work done at the back of the house, having the main bedroom and adjacent second bedroom knocked into one.
The second half is going to be our office and this has given us so much more space now. The computers had to be disconnected and moved out of the second bedroom, which was our temporary office to begin with, to allow the work to be done.
We've got more work scheduled a little later but this will be in the bathroom, so won't affect our computers any more.
The other bit of good news is that we pick up our new car tomorrow afternoon. At last we'll be able to explore our new location in better detail, instead of through taxi and bus windows that we've had to resort to as our only other means of transport. Will save a lot of money too. The taxi fares have worked out very expensive these past 4 weeks.
Laurie.
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Its great to read good news from you Laurie.
Exciting times ahead, exploring your location in your new car :)
Enjoy!
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all good news thats what i like to hear, enjoy your day trips
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Thanks George and Phil.
Collected our new car yesterday afternoon as planned and she's a little beauty.
Suzuki Grand Vitara SZ4, 4 wheel drive, 5-door petrol, black. Not as big as the Land Rover/Range Range Rover models, but the smaller size is just what we wanted for our rural location.
Came home in drizzle and it's rained heavily since then, and is torrential rain here as I write. Strong winds too. Typical. ::)
We won't be driving too far in this weather though (as much as we'd like to be out there trying her out and sight-seeing), but the forecast reports rain stopping from about 2pm today.
We're just so pleased to be independently mobile again.
Laurie.
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nice a little 4x4 and trust me you will it very handy in the winter plus suzukis are meant to be very good off road so when is the suspension and body lift planned bigger wheels extra lights bullbar, rock sliders etc someting like my jeep ;D
(http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s19/roiphil/100_0699-2-1.jpg)
(http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s19/roiphil/mini-jeep001.jpg)
(http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s19/roiphil/jeep-1.jpg)
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I agree Phil. Although we don't plan to go off-road driving, it's still nice to have that ability should it be needed.
Certainly it will give us much more traction control during icy/snowy conditions, which is essential in rural locations.
You're in the perfect location for off-roading too, so you can definitely see the benefits.
Did some mundane shopping today, and being higher up off the road than a normal saloon car is brilliant. Much better driving vision, ahead and over hedges which gives a much safer driving experience. A bonus in our case, for reasons mentioned in another topic that you're aware of (and which I won't bring up again here ;) )
Just waiting for some nicer weather now to do some proper sight-seeing. Still windy here with occasional drizzle, but not too cold though.
Laurie.
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Much better driving vision, ahead and over hedges
Thats the good bit you get to see whats on the other side of a hedge ;D all of the wildlife you wouldnot normally see
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Good to see you are mobile again Laurie! I'm sure you are both like excited kids driving around new terrain in your new jeep, so have fun :)