My Garden Blog

Photos 1st May

2011-05-01T19:08:00.002Z

May bank holiday weekend and its not as hot as last weekend. Still only really had one rain shower though last weekend. Rain was expected Friday but didn't come so haven't been able to put nematodes on garden. Still haven't weeded the other half of the garden. And the grass by Joes conservatory just hasn't come out - surely i can't have killed that?

April heatwave

2011-04-24T21:34:00.004Z

We've had lots of sunshine and hot temperatures over the last two weeks and no April showers. The clementis at the end of the garden is out already. Spent a couple of hours weeding today and did about half the garden. Also cut back one of the bushes a bit. The orange blossom tree is now a peculiar shape where bits have broken off but i don't want to cut it back to badly. Noticed a few slugs when i was weeding so I need to get some nematodes again. Couldn't really use the other slug stuff as you are meant to do it when its damp; and it is certainly not damp! After weeding the cottage bed though realised now that the fennel has gone the bed is pretty bare. Two of the three bushes I bought 3 years ago have now died. Several of the plants and bulbs are now under where the bushes have grown out to. In the hot bed I didn't cut back the red hot pokers last year and now think maybe I should have. I'm a bit concerned the grasses by Joes haven't started growing at all. Hope I haven't killed them. Have been looking back at last years photos and realised I've already lost quite a lot of the bulbs i planted the year before last - didn't get any of the yellow bulbs along Joe's bed at all.
I need to:
Carry on weeding
Try and get some shape into the bushes at the end of the garden
Lawn care
Get the slugs
Do some tomatoes
We've another long weekend next weekend so hopefully I get some of this done then.

tulips

2011-04-03T17:28:00.002Z

The daffs are nearly over but the tulips are out. The daffodils didn't seem to last very long this year. the weather has warmed up a lot but its been quite windy. The garden looks OK from a view but a bit scruffy close up.

Photos start of March

2011-03-04T14:39:00.002Z

Need to cut the grass though!

2011-02-28T13:17:00.002Z

Déjà vu to last year, although a week earlier this year!

Didn't really do anything to garden at end of last year. Went out yesterday for the "spring clean up". I had started the clean up a couple of weeks ago cutting down grasses and old plants and removing some leaves and digging out the bulb pots which had been hidden in the grasses.

We had a really cold December (2010) followed by quite a mild January and I was thinking I'd lost a lot of bulbs. However looking back at last year maybe its just that my February Golds don't surface until March! There are a couple of crocuses and snowdrops out but not many.

The orange blossom tree suffered more damage in the snow (as it did last year!). And all the bushes and shrubs in general need a good trim but I'm not entirely sure when to do that. Its quite cold still and it was pouring with rain yesterday so tried to avoid prunning. I did need to cut the tops off the hydranga though and as always it meant i could see my lovely little hellabore.

Will try and take some pictures soon

Summer

2010-07-09T08:02:00.003Z

Well its not rained for about 3 weeks. we were away for the first week and the garden felt our absence. We lost all teh strawberries as well as several plants. The slugs ate all the salad. I now realise how brilliant those nemotodes were because we now have loads of slugs in the garden. About 20 hit the bowl of beer last night/this morning. So there are lots of gaps in teh garden but it still looks great from teh lounge window (well if you ignore all the childrens toys!)

The garden today

2010-05-21T17:21:00.004Z

Lots of rain over the last couple of weeks but lots of sunshine yesterday and today.

Put some nematodes down in the garden last weekend to try anad get rid of the slugs. One of the four new plants i bought in the hot bed has taken (the other 3 eaten) but didn't write down what they were each called. durrrr.

Raised veg bed

2010-05-21T15:41:00.003Z

This is our bank holiday project which we managed between the rain showers..

May bank holiday weekend

2010-05-02T18:04:00.002Z

Well so far this weekend it has mainly rained.

A few flowers have broken out on the clematis but it needs a sunny day.

Lots of jobs to do in the garden have not been done.

photos from today

2010-04-25T16:32:00.003Z

After no rain for days, it did rain today and some of the tulips lost their petals.

The "hot" bed

plugged some holes

2010-04-25T07:22:00.003Z

The garden is working really well as a spring garden but there are going to be a few holes when it gets to summer, especially in the"hot bed". Yesterday I bought some more plants for that bed. I just got 1 of each to see what works and is slug resistant. If any of them do well I'll get some more (or divide!). I got:
Tanacetum Robinsons red
Helenium red
Helenium yellow
Geum mrs j bradshaw
and some geriumns to plant when the tulips are over.
I also moved two of the dogwoods from the back of the "woodland" bed to this bed
And put in a grass.

The cottage bed needs a bit of a tidy up. There are a few penstemom cuttings that I took last year that need planting. There doesn't seem to be any sign of the foxgloves, lupins or ?? other things I planted a couple of years ago. And a couple of the bushes look a bit dead but i don't want to disturb the bed when the tulips and forget me knots look so good.

I also got a few more heuchera for the bed by joes. I need to divide the ones I got but wasn't sure how. the man at the nursery told me to look and see if they have formed new clumps but that I should have done it in early spring. I looked when i got home and most have 3 or 4 clumps so if i get a chance I might try dividing a couple even if it is a little late.

I bought another Cordyline as the one I've got has done so well in 2 years. It was destined for joes bed again but i think I'll put it in the cottage bed to give it a bit of structure.

I cleared up the "woodland" bed at the end and water heavily. Some bark coming in a couple of weeks to mulch that bed and I'll put he leaf mould I've been making over last couple of years down first. I've also got a very big wood pile that needs burning. The compost bins are over flowing but some of that should go in to the new veg bed that we plan to make next weekend. Thats the big project for now.

The day the planes stopped

2010-04-17T19:07:00.003Z

Volcanic ash has grounded all planes in the UK for the last couple of days. We've had beautiful sunny skies though and today the weather was lovely. My tulips look amazing. i didn't really get to appreciate them last year as it rained about a day after they came out and the petals fell off. But check out these beauties.

The garden got its first mow yesterday as well.

its tulip time

2010-04-08T09:39:00.003Z

we've had a cold few rainy days but the sun is out today and so are the tulips...

Daffodils came out Tuesday

2010-03-19T13:46:00.003Z

Its been even longer....

2010-03-14T16:35:00.003Z

Well I didn't manage to post much last year (I wonder why?!). Z and I spent a few days in the garden in summer but not as much as I thought. I did a bit of tidying up at the end of the year but not much. It has been a long cold snowey winter. Today was the first day that I've been out in the garden. Its been 11 degrees and sunny today but its been below 5 degrees for most of the year so far. All the bulbs are much further behind this year than last year.

I did lots of tyding up today but not got any photos yet. The snowdrops are out and some crocuses literly came out as I was in the garden. As I was clearning I found lots of shoots though so we should have some colour in a couple of weeks.

The snow caused one casulty - the orange smelling bush at the back by the hot bed. So I'm really going to have to do some work on that bed this year.

Its been a while

2009-08-01T09:52:00.007Z

I haven't updated this for 3 months! Been busy and not done much in the garden. It looks great from teh lounge window but there are some big gaps in the garden.

In the cottage bed the foxgloves and aquiligas worked well earlier in the year and the fennel has done really well and the penstemon is good. But the delphinums didn't come up at all and there is a big gap where something else failed (lupins I think). The lavender looks a bit messy and the pinks weren't happy at all this year. At the front I planted some lobila which has (as always) done well. The cosmos went in very late and aren't as good as last year. 2 lily bulbs that are still in a pot have done really well and have looked fab for the last couple of weeks. the coreopis at the front hasn't come up at all. The rose looked pretty in May and June but had no flowers in July. Ther is a really big gap at the back which could do with another shrub or bush. A late flowering rose might work.

The hot bed has just not worked at all. The poppies looked great for about 2 days. The lupins and corepois haven't come up at all and left a big gap. The heleniums are a bit weak. The red hot pokers came out for about a day. The rudbeckias are just starting to come out but don't look nearly as good as last year. I bought quite a lot of annuals to go in this bed and the slugs got them. I grew some sunflowers in pots and the slugs got them as well. So this bed just looks empty and a mess. I was going to get some achillea to go through this bed but haven't. I wonder if the site is sunny enough. But they are meant to be drought resistant. Maybe lots of these would be a good idea. This bed just hasn't worked really and has a big gap at the back as well as at the front.

The bed along the side by Joe's house has been quite successful. Really could do with another 6 or so heuchera. I should def divide the ones I have in spring or autumn to finish this bed off. The hydranger I added last year did well. Maybe a hydranga could work at the back of teh cottage bed. I'd like a purple one with a mix of big and little petals.

The fern garden at the back just does not get enough water. I need to move the dogwood to teh hot bed and move a couple of the ferns that are by the fence forward. One of the laurels at back has died - I assume not enough water and the Japonicas are def not getting enough water.

Didn't mange any lawn care in autum or spring and its now covered in clover.

Planted 3 tomato plants and they certainly haven't done as well as last year. Just beginning to get some toms now. The strawberry plants did well earlier this summer and we had one good crop of salad leaves as well as some from mum.

Tried not to spend to much on annuals this year. Have a few fushias in blue pots and 1 hanging basket that look good. Not had a chance to plant up pots for front steps or the silver containers.

All in all - must do better next year! This autum need to feed the beds and the lawn. In the spring do some dividing and moving of plants and plant up seeds for toms, potatoes, salad etc.

Start of May

2009-05-01T16:01:00.006Z

Nearly a month since I last posted and the garden has changed. The tulips came out and then it heavily rained so most of them were only out for a week or so. The purple ones in the cottage bed have forget-me-knots growing round them which really works as a combination.

The clementis at the back of the garden has come out this week.

The aquilegia have started to come out.

The grass now needs cutting every week and could do with a bit of lawn care. Last year I dug out all the weeds but haven't had time to do that yet this year. The shed needs a bit of a tidy up and then I can find the lawn care stuff.

A new edition to the garden is the bear little L was given as a birth present and it just needs a name...

Tulips

2009-04-05T16:39:00.006Z

My spring garden is looking good. Lots of Daffs still out and some of the the tulips are out as well now. There should be 50 yellow and 50 red - the yellow are doing slightly better! And then the purple and pink ones in the "cottage" bed.

My dad cut the grass this week and I did the edges today. I also cleared up a few more leaves and deadheaded the daffs that have finished.

The weather has been pretty warm over the last couple of weeks with some really sunny days - today included. In fact we even sat in the garden for a bit today - all three of us.

And the rest of the garden

2009-03-17T15:05:00.003Z

daffs daffs daffs

2009-03-17T14:50:00.003Z

Yeah - spring in my garden.

The weather has been lovely the last couple of days - 14 degrees.

All that bulb planting is paying off nicely.. check out the daffs!

28th Feb

2009-02-28T14:13:00.003Z

Cut the tops of my hydrangeas today and cleared away a few more leaves. There are bulb shoots everywhere now - Spring is definitely with us. Some daffs are now out in pots. the two pots were in a sheltered position by the house but I've now moved them to where I can see them from the window. There are some at the end of the garden that should be out soon.

Here are some pics of different bits of the garden...

First crocus

2009-02-21T16:08:00.003Z

The weather has been a bit milder the last couple of days and the first crocuses are out in the garden. All the other bulbs have really had a growth spurt as well. The feb gold daffs better hurry up though if they are going to come out in feb.

A few more snowdrops are out. The hellebores at the end of the garden have perked up and teh one that hides behind the lavender is also out again.

Snowdrops

2009-02-13T17:25:00.004Z

We've had a cold couple of weeks. The snow last Monday hung around for a few days but we're still getting frosty nights. The bulbs are a LOT further behind than they were last year. There are shoots about - but I had daffs and a tulip by this time last year!

The first bulbs to have come out are some snowdrops at the end of the garden.

There is still a bit of tidying up to do in the garden. I cleared a few leaves today and found lots of shoots hiding underneath. I also need to cut the grasses down. Maybe in the next few days...

Snow

2009-02-02T10:15:00.003Z

Lots of lovely snow in London last night.

I know you are meant to shake it off the trees and bushes but they all look so lovely with it on I can't bring myself to.

This weekend

2008-11-23T17:27:00.004Z

Finally got in the garden a bit. Yesterday morning was a lovely crisp winter morning. The sun was nice and warm on my face though. Tidied the end of the bed by Joes and the hot bed. Cleared away the summer bedding, put a few tulips in, cut back the perennials and then mulched.

Most of the yellow and red tulips went into pots in the end though. The soil on the side by Joes is just too clay-y to put tulips in.

Cleared up some more leaves.

So just the cottage bed and the lawn to do now. Woke up this morning and there was a light covering of snow - so not really the weather for lawn care. Hopefully I'll get a chance next weekend.

Bonfire night

2008-11-08T09:18:00.002Z

Bonfire night and we've people coming round to watch the fireworks. Unfortunetly its rather rainy. I want to get out and carry on clearing the garden up and plant the tulips but its wet and miserable and I'm so tired.

Daffs in pots

2008-11-02T18:40:00.003Z

Planted the last of the daffodils today. Too hard to put them in the ground so they went in pots.
So that is all 20 of the sweetness ones in pots and the last 9 of the feb gold. I also put some crocuses bulb from last year in a hanging basket. This is to try and stop the squirrels from digging them up.

Still got the 200 tulips to go. Will just have to plant them a few at a time over the month.

Cleared up leaves from the back bed and have put in bags to make leaf mould. I guess I need to check on last years leaf mould at some point and put it round some plants. I think it would be best for the ferns. Maybe I'll keep it until spring and use it if I plant some more ferns (actually probably shouldn't plan to do any planting in spring!).

We drove to a garden centre in Enfield this morning. It wasn't as good for plants as the one I went to with mum and dad last year. I'll try a different one each time i go up there. It was massive and had lots of gardening stuff there. Got some manure and bulb compost.

Have now mulched the back bed with two bags of manure. There is a little bit not covered but I'll add the soil from the tomato grow bags at some point.

So the two new beds left to clear, plant bulbs in and mulch....

Snow in London in OCTOBER

2008-10-30T08:54:00.004Z

For the first time since 1934 according to the radio.

Now I wish I'd brought the last two Deliah blooms into the house!

It finished the Cosmos off as well.

70 daffs in

2008-10-26T17:17:00.003Z

The rain stopped and I got 70 daffs in along half the bed by Joes.
30 Jenny
41 Feb gold.

Its really hard getting into the ground. Its almost solid but very sticky clay. Couldn't use the bulb planted as the little one broken and the big one pretty useless the soil (clay) just got stuck in it and I can't get it out. The bulbs were huge so needed a big hole to be buried twice their height let alone three times. So dug big trenches and mixed in loads of homemade compost from composter and grit.

I was to tired to plant the last 9 Feb Gold so will buy a clay pot to plant them in.

Still got 20 of another sort (I've forgotten what they are called) plus most of the free bulbs to do. Hopefully I'll get time next weekend.

the lawn got pretty muddy where I was walking on it to do the planting. Need to do some autum lawn care next weekend as well. I hope its dry the weekend of bonfire night otherwise it will turn into a mud bath with people walking on it.

Its raining and the bulbs will have to wait

2008-10-26T11:43:00.002Z

My daffodils arrive this week and today was planned to be the big bulb plant. Its pouring with rain though. I did try and plant some but its just to wet.

The end of the garden did need some rain I guess.

Thanks for the toms tip. I will put the soil along with compsot on the end of the garden. If I ever get out there again.

What to do with the soil from tomatoes with blight?

2008-10-19T09:35:00.006Z

My tomatoes eventually got blight. I've burnt the plants but am not sure what to do with the soil from the grow bags which still has the roots of the plant in. Can I put it on the compost or over other parts of the garden.

I've started clearing bits of the garden but lots of it is still looking OK. The cosmos are doing wonderfully. Star plants of this year. I will definitely get lots more next year. The rose has also got new flowers on it that have just come out this week. And the fushias are all still doing well.

After a rainy miserable summer most of September and October haven't been to bad.

I've ordered all my bulbs now. The tulips are here but still waiting for the daffs.

Yesterday I started planting the free gardeners world bulbs in the back bed and some pots but didn't get very far. Where the xmas tree used to be I planted some Chinodoxa and Brodiaea. There are some puschkinia to go in there as well but I ran out of time and got to tired. I spread a think mulch over where I planted the bulbs and hope to continue with that over all the beds.

I've just found Brodiaea in my book and it needs light soil and full sun and shelter from strong winds so i don't now give it much hope where I've planted it. It should come up May - July.

The puschkina along the front of the bed will be much more suitable. Needs to be planted september / October (I'll do it next week) and comes up March-April.

Narcissus

2008-09-14T08:20:00.002Z

I've order a few narcissus today:
Sweetness - 14inch march
Feb Gold - 12inch feb
Jenny - 15inch white.

I want the garden to be full of colour in March and so I selected ones that would flower early. I'll get them in the garden by the end of the month.

I ordered 200 assorted bulbs from gardeners world/T&M last week.

So just need to order some tulips now.

And then I will stop!

I'm trying to leave the back bed i planed lots of snowdrops and bluebells there last year, not all of which came up. I'm hoping they do this year so I'll avoid disturbing it to much.

The garden still looks pretty lush and colourful from where I look out of the window at it. Its certainly been getting a lot of rain. The rudbeckia are still the stars of the show with the cosmos a close second.

Somethings up with the toms though. They are all wilting round the bottom. Must investigate.

End of August

2008-08-31T09:22:00.004Z

Yesterday was a lovely sunny typical August day and I sat in the garden and enjoyed it.

I did a bit of neatening up here and there but actually it was all looking OK after last weeks tidy up. I picked lots and lots of tomatoes that became lasagna and soup and planted some more salad leaves.

Today it is once again raining.

The plan to stop spending on plants is in a precarious position at the moment a the bulb catalogues have started to arrive and I think I just need a few more to go in the new flower beds.

Out in the garden at last!

2008-08-25T14:44:00.007Z

Today we finally did some proper gardening! It was the first time we've been out properly since before we went away in July. I tidied up the beds, cut back lots of the perennials that had finished, cut the edges of the grass and pulled out all the grass that had grown in the beds. Mr L planted the last few plants that we hadn't done before - a penstemon, the astrantia (shaggy) plants and the ground cover we bought at Hampton.

The soil at the end of the garden is really dry despite the amount of rain we've had. I guess it has a tree canopy to cover it. Yet in the winter it gets all the water come down off the park but that just doesn't seem to happen in the summer. The ferns don't look that happy. I need to think of some other plants that like shade and not much liquid.

I've finally got some sweet peas growing up the pergola. Considering the amount of seeds I planted its not many but at least its some. And actually they are from the two little plants I bought. The passion flower is doing pretty well up the other plant support though. Actually that bed, considering it was a lot of things thrown together, looks pretty good and well thought out. This winter I need to move the horse tail as it gets lost where it is. I'll put it by the fence near the shrub. And then decide whether the cadix and other grass I got can be split to start filling that bed out a bit more. The hostas got completely decimated by slugs whilst we were away. Two of them have been eaten all up. If I'm still planning to have a hosta bed it might be better to take them out and put them in pots! Or to have a re-think about what to put round the edge of that bed. We both really like lambs ear so maybe lots of that - just need to check it's OK in shade.

The rudbeckia in the hot bed looks amazing. The dahlias still haven't come out. I now think that bed doesn't get nearly as much sun as I thought. I cut back the lupins and poppies from the front that had finished and it looks a bit bear along the front. That is the one bed I will add some more things in next year - I want to add some red achillea. There is much more yellow in that bed and not much red. Especially as the red lupins actually came up pink. Maybe I'll move them to the cottage bed.

Mr L also got busy with the compost bins. The one at the far back hadn't been turned at all as I couldn't reach into it. So I'd started using the nearer one again. So he emptied everything out of both of them mixed it and created a new system which means it should be easier to get compost out of both. The further one is now full of almost ready and turned compost and the nearer one is ready to add lots more lovely stuff to. I cleared so much up today we added about another 4 trug loads.

So left to do is the mowing which will hopefully be done this week and finish the garden off nicely. Next weekend I need to feed the plants and lawn and think about taking some cuttings. Plus I need to sow some more salad leaves. I lost all the lettuces whilst I was away and the salad leaves all went to seed. The tomatoes are booming though. We've already had lots off and there are still plenty more!

The tomoatoes have gone mad!!

2008-08-17T19:57:00.003Z

Well, its been ages since I blogged or really went out in the garden. After a two week holiday it was all looking a bit overgrown and wild, especially the tomato plants. So today I've finally manged to spend an hour or two tidying up the tomato's and most importantly harvesting some! So home made tomato pasta sauce for tea - delicious!

Have learnt lots for next year re toms though. I must be more religious about nipping out the extra growth and space them a bit further apart. This year we've mainly got cherry tomatoes but next year I'll try some bigger ones as well.

And once the lawn had been mown it all looked a lot neater. Looking forward to next weekend and spending some proper time out there tidying it all up and planting the last few things that I still haven't got round to doing!

Beautiful

2008-07-06T12:57:00.004Z

The garden looks amazing now. The campanula in the cottage bed has really made that bed and it looks great. The penstemon is just about out and the pinks look fab. I've been cutting them and bringing them into the house. The foxgloves and lupins are almost over. I need to cut the lupins back for a hopeful second flush. Still waiting for the lilies and something at the front (which I've forgotten what it is!)

The hot bed is beginning to blossom. The coreopis and helenium have come out. The redbukia will be along later and since the great slug die weekend the deliahs have been able to get above ground.

Some more plants arrived from crocus last week. The last I'm buying this year (honest - well except for some bulbs!) I haven't had time to plant them though which is a bit worrying. It had been hot all week and I'd been out there watering them everyday. I was planning to do it today but its windy, cold and raining and I'm not so keen on going out!

I got some of the shaggy plants I loved from Tom Stuart Smiths Chelsea garden. They are a type of astrantia. I also got a couple more penstemon for the cottage bad and a white hydrangea for the shady bed near the house and another hosta.

The tubs out the front and the hanging baskets are all looking good so I'm pleased with them too. I'm now worrying about watering when I'm away.

Windy weekend

2008-06-22T18:27:00.002Z

Its been REALLY windy this weekend. yesterday was rainy too but i went to my nans rather than go outside in the garden. She has some huge ferns which she wasn't to keen on - the kids call it the jungle! But lots of roses as well. Quite pleased that i can now name a lot of common garden plants. I couldn't fine her camilla though. I think I know what the flowers look like but not so sure about the leaves.

Today we did a little bit in our own garden. I planted the last of the hanging baskets with petunias. Mr L watered and fed the flower beds and the lawn and the tomatoes. I tied the clementis on the back fence up a bit. Its taken a real battering in the wind and didn't look too happy in its spot at all. In general the back bed is looking OK. the ferns are beginning to fill out - even if they aren't at nan's proportions yet. The 2 nicotiana from last year have grown with avengence. So they were perennial after all. they were almost completely bent over this afternoon though in the wind. not happy at all. I thought about staking them, but I'll see how they look when the wind stops. The lilies have a few beetle holes but they are generally OK and its not got worse since i went on pest control and killed a couple of beetles. The laurel trees seem to be doing OK as well. The green netting i put up really does provide some shelter from the wind at a low level. Also it is protecting that bed from the wild grasses and meadow that is now behind it in the park. A few brambles were trying to climb their way in. I could do with going into the field and cutting them back if i get a chance. Some people further down the road got into trouble for mowing the grasses in the field though as its meant to be kept as a wild meadow.

The plants in the two main flower beds were getting a bit of a beating from the wind as well. I thought of doing some more staking but didn't in case it breaks the stems. The campanula in the cottage bed is coming out. One Delphinium got broken but I've got that in a vase in the house now so that's OK. There is a rouge red geranium in that bed that will need moving but i have a spare pink one from an old hanging basket to replace it.

In the hot bed a few things are beginning to come out. There is pink lupin which is meant to be red! The daliahs are beginning to come above ground now that the slug population has been seriously reduced. The popies come out but only last a day or two befine they get rain / sun / wind damaged.

The new mower is fab. It was definitely worth buying. Mr L mowed the grass earlier and none went in the flower beds. It also cuts the edges a treat. So it was worth getting.

windy day

2008-06-18T14:25:00.004Z

Its been threatening to rain for about 4 days but hasn't managed it. Today it came very close and spitted a bit - but not enough to water the plants. I gave the toms some water anyway. It is really windy though - just when the plants started getting taller!

Planted the three fuchsia tubs today and put the last of the red geraniums in the hot bed.

There are a few gaps still but now I'm really trying not to buy anything else till next year (or the autumn at least). The gaps will just have to stay there for now.

We've been eating lettuce and salad leaves from the garden for a couple of weeks now as well as the herbs. The tom plants have some flowers now and got their first feed last weekend. The strawberry plant has some almost ripe strawberries so has now been covered with some netting. The strawberry planter seems to dry out very quickly though. In fact i've just eaten my first strawberry from the garden. Wow.

The cottage bed is definitely coming alive. There is a rogue red geranium in there though that I might just have to move.

The table is due to arrive on Thursday - really looking forward to seeing it!

Ant and blackfly control

2008-06-12T10:26:00.004Z

Last weekend we had to start controlling some naughty little creatures that were eating my flowers. There were a couple of plants in the cottage border with blackfly so had to give them a bit of a spray. We've always had ants and I've always let them get on with their own thing even though they have nipped my ankles. However at the weekend i noticed they had practically killed one plant by having a nest underneath it. Also they were beginning to make quite a few mounds in the lawn so they also got a blast of any killer at the weekend.

The slugs are beginning to take over. No matter how many I throw into the bowl of beer there seem to be more and more and they seem to be getting a taste for more and more things. THis weekend the slugs will get it.

Photos are of the beds that are really filling out and there are bits of colour in their now. The hot bed isn't that hot yet though. The coreopis doesn't seem very happy as the leaves have gone wrinkly. The red hot poker came out but then lost all its colour and looked a bit washed out. The poppy came out and then the rain last week turned it into a black mush. There are the orange marigolds there which at the moment is the only colour in that bed.

The bed on the other side (still needs a name) was still a bit bare for my liking. I bought some more heuchera at the weekend. The garden centre had osteospermum which I love. I was trying to work out where I could fit them in. So rather than buying the pink ones I got some in orange and gold to go in with the heuchera. I think they are just annuals although i think the pink ones they had are perennials - so maybe some of those will find their way to my garden at some point. They are sitting in position waiting for me to plant them.

Pirton Open Gardens

2008-06-12T09:39:00.003Z

Some lovely gardens again. Mum and dads the best of course. Especially the bonsai trees..

The other gardens weren't as in full bloom as much as last year. Didn't take as many pictures as last year. Had a lovely bit of cake though (thanks K).

My friends down the road had a garden market which was a great idea. Bought some Chinese bowls to put little plants in. And met lovely baby Rose.

The weather was great and all 700 programmes were sold. It certainly felt very busy for Pirton!

Behind?

2008-06-03T06:51:00.003Z

Although my garden is growing it does seem to be behind other gardens in the area and the magazines. Maybe its because its the first year?

I was away at the weekend again so nothing much has been done. I've been outside for the odd hour or two after work, mainly to pick snails and slugs off the plants. They are beginning to take over.

It's been raining quite a lot of the last couple of weeks but been relatively warm as well. The plants for the fushia pots have arrived so i need to plant them up at the weekend.

Bank holiday weekend 2

2008-05-27T06:52:00.003Z

We were away this weekend and visited our friends allotment and helped them plant some tomatoes.

On Monday it finally rained after a week of not doing so. And it rained and rained. Wearing my Glastonbury cagoule I managed to plant out some of the bedding - nicotina and pertunias and some of the cosmos.

The foxgloves have started to come out and everything else really seems to be growing.

Chelsea was fab

2008-05-23T17:06:00.002Z

Read Tams review of the day.

I'll get some of my favourite pics up at some point.

My favourite gardens were:
The Laurent Perrier garden by Tom Stuart-Smith. It won best in show. It had the greatest trees. Plus i got some really good ideas for planting my side and back bed.
The Cancer Research garden by Andy Sturgeon. I liked the pools and the tree ferns.
The daily Telegraph garden by Arabella. The Japanese pool with the line of lillies was inspired. As was the mirror and slate behind the bamboo.

Oh and Cleve's garden. I liked his planting, the big ball and the path.

I liked the elevations garden because the planting was quite different to most of the others.

We saw lots of:
Iris's - which i don't have yet - but plan to get
Green and white - my fern bed is SO on trend
Aquilegia - I love it. There will be more in my garden. I saw all the ones I've already got in show gardens as well.
Heuchera - I may be unable to say the word but my garden is bang on trend

I managed not to buy any thing other than pimms but I do have lots more great ideas.

Dreaming of my design for Chelsea now - one day.

The day before Chelsea

2008-05-20T20:46:00.001Z

And here is my garden...

Plus my first salad leaves

Pictures of the new bed..

2008-05-12T21:13:00.003Z

and one of the barby.

The pictures aren't the best as it was so sunny. I'll take more in the week.

The sun is still shining

2008-05-12T20:45:00.003Z

It has been a glorious week of sunshine and a lovely weekend. On Saturday I planted up the bed on the left of the garden. The bit near the house is in the shade most of the day but the bed gets sunnier the further up you go. I didn't want anything to over the top as that's what the sunny beds are for! The bit near the house had the phorium before but that has died since being moved. I've got 5 hostas on order for there. Then it goes to the bit where the grasses were. I didn't like them as it was too much of the same but now that there is bed in front and we've covered bits up so it is less uniform I've decided to go with the grass theme. So I've got some different grasses to go there. As we move up to the beginning of the (newly painted) fence I was going to get another phornium but then I saw some Cordyline at the garden center. When I went to buy it on Saturday I ended up getting a much smaller (and cheaper) one - it will grow. Then there is the photina "red robin" which is a bit of a funny shape because it used to get overgrown with the lavetera. Now the lavatera is dead the photina will get a chance to grow and I'll start shaping it next year. This is the point wher ethe bed starts getting a lot more sun and I've a sweetpea wigwam and planted some Daliah tubers. Then the bed ends with the lovely silvery shrub. At the front of this bed I've planted 5 Elijah Blue" and 2 Heuchera "coral". I read today though that Elijah Blue are meant to be in acid soil so I don't know how well they will do. There is also a Euphorbia here as well. Going back along the border into the shade are 3 more heuchera; 2 in lime green and 1 in purple. Then you get to the new grasses. I was going to get Carex frosted curls but they needed sun so I got a carex "milk chocolate" and a carex "northern lights" plus a chondspopetall tecturum (need to confirm that spelling!).

On Saturday we also put manure on the new bed by the house and dug it over. I'd like it to be a veg patch but most of it doesn't get enough sun. A bit does though and I'll put the tomatoes there. We also moved some other pots and containers (including the Japanese maple) onto the patch so it doesn't look bare. So that freed up the patio in front of the shed for the table, chairs and the barby. The new table and chairs will go on the slate patio at the end of the garden. They should arrive in July (by which time summer will probably be over!).

I also cut the lawn and trimmed teh edges. Our mower has broken. I think its just the blade but have been having problems finding a new one. In homebase on Friday I bought one that was far too large in a desperate bid to do something other than buy a whole new lawn mowe (wich is what I really wanted - one with a roller that does stripes!). Anyway on Saturday I actually borrowed the neighbours flymo. It annoys me that grass clippings go in the beds. But what I'm not sure about is whether all mowers do that or just flymos. If a normal electric rotary mower didn't shower the beds with grass then I might get a new one. Although I have promised D that I won't buy anything else for a while.

Sunday we relaxed, ate b-b-q, drunk Pimms and generally enjoyed the garden. Lovely.

Today I spoke to P and found out I need to water garden every day. So I'll try and get up 10 minutes early in the morning. Today I left work on time and despite waiting 20 minutes for the bus was still home well before 7 and had a good 90 minutes in the garden. I gave the beds a liquid feed as well as watering them with the sprinkler. I'd been meaning to do that for ages, ever since the tulips started dying back. I also feed the lawn with a lawn liquid feed. I'll try and do that every two weeks for a couple of months to try and get it looking nice.

May bank holiday

2008-05-06T22:34:00.003Z

It was a lovely sunny bank holiday weekend.
I painted the fence and did some weeding. There are millions of little ash trees in the back beds.

daz made the new storage shed to go behind the shed so I was able to clear out loads from the shed which means I can now use it as a potting shed rather than a storage cupboard. we also tidied up the back area.

There are flowers and colour popping up everywhere. I've been cutting quite a lot of the tulips to bring into the house. The bed by the house has had a good succession of three different types. The other bed is definitely to crowded. I'm not sure the alliums will be able to grow properly. What I'm not sure about is whether I should lift the`tulips now and store them somewhere or move them next Autumn.

There are also lots of slugs about and I've started waging a war on them. They completely eat a delphinium plant.

Look at this little white flower - how pretty is that? I found that hiding away.

Rain and grass seed

2008-05-01T19:47:00.002Z

Its been proper April showers all week. Not good for my mood but good for the new plants and grass seed i sowed last week.
Or so I hoped.
The grass seed still doesn't seem to have done anything - even with the mix of lawn soil. umm.

Strawberries and lettuce

2008-04-27T20:37:00.003Z

Spent the afternoon giving the lawn some looking after today. Racked to scarify it then used an aerator to make some holes. Then covered in lawn feed and seed with a bit of lawn compost over the top. I've just watched a video on gardeners world and I more or less got it right. Hopefully it will grow nicely now.

I've a problem with the lawn mower. It doesn't seem to be cutting. I tried to lower the blade but can't work out how to do it. I don't like the mower anymore any way. It blows bits of grass clippings everywhere - including all over the flower bed. So I guess I'd like a proper one.

I also planted some strawberries in a planter. I'm worried is a bit small but the man in the garden centre said it woudl be fine. And I planted some lettuces in the movable planters.

I bought 2 more plants for by the patio in the fern bed. A Euphorbia Efanthia and a Fatsia Japonica.

I was tempted to buy lots of things for the other new bed along the other side of the garden but i think I better plan it first rather than just buy random things. I did buy one hosta - a golden tiara.

The Clementis Montana has now started flowering. I really must not prune it for a few years. It is so little to how it looked three years ago. I looked back through some old photos today. A lot of the shrubs as well as the clementis were much bigger in 2005 than they are now.

I repotted the 3 box plants as well. I had been keeping them all in one planter together on the front step but now I'd like to have three going up the steps.

Very tired

2008-04-21T19:55:00.002Z

Well I planted all those plants today (almost - still 5 pinks to go in). The clay soil is pretty heavy and sticky so i was mixing it with manure for every hole. It took about 7 hours so I'm pretty tired and am going to really ache tomorrow.

I also repotted my tomato plants and put them in the plant house. The sweet peas and salad leaves I'd been growing by the window in the spare room hadn't really worked. P said they need more light. So today threw a lot away that were no good and everything else has gone in the plant house. The tomatoes which were a bit leggy just got planted in long pots and the soil a bit further up the stem. I'll do more salad leaves next weekend.

I'd hoped to mow the lawn today but was too tired. I put some feed on at the end of the day. Hopefully I'll get to mow it in the next week. It does need some serious tlc as it looks a bit wrecked at the mo. It does need some more seed at some point. The seed i put on before is still just sitting on the top - so much for the growth it promised within 4 days. I think I need to mix some more with compost and rake it in. I'll do that after its had a mow.

So here are some photos taken with my phone of the new planting. The hot bed is planted and the cottage garden was waiting to go in. Plus I've just realised now I haven't put the fennel seeds in either. So I will need to find some time this week or next weekend. Wish I could have another day off work. Could quite happily spend it finishing stuff in the garden. The weather was actually quite nice today as well and was quite warm this afternoon. In fact its still 10 degrees now. The thermoeter in the plant house isn't working though. umm. Not that i know what temp the tomoatoes are meant to be kept at anyway.

48 plants

2008-04-20T21:45:00.009Z

P (from D&P fame) came to help me today plan my new flower beds. We spent lots of time talking about what I wanted and looking up plans and nearly missed the garden centre being open.

But I now have 48 little babies that are just waiting to be planted. P has placed them out so I'll be busy doing that tomorrow.

He also helped me move the shrubs around a bit as well and confirmed that the lavetera is dead. So this evening I chopped that right back to the stump. I also got to ask him several more "plant or weed" questions and so was able to pull a lot of weeds up.

So I now know that the three shrubs I have are:
1) Choisya ternata - Mexican orange blossom. This makes a really nice smell when you knock against it. There was a little one of these as well which we've moved to go between the two parts of the big flower bed.
2) photina - red robin. This is the shrub in the middle which currently has lovely red leaves. There is also one opposite which used to be smothered by the lavetera. It looks a bit straggly at the moment but might thrive now the lavetera is cut back.
3) pieris - this we moved to in front of the Photina. there are also 2 small ones which we've put in the opposite bed.

The pretty shrub that was between the Choisya and the photina with the papery leaves looks a bit dead now. The landscapers moved it forward but it wasn't looking very healthy today. It turns out its not got many roots that's why. So we moved it to over by the gap left by the christmas tree and I gave it a light prune to make it a little less top heavy. We did find out what it was as we were moving it - but I've forgotten and not written it down. I'll look tomorrow.

So here are the flowers that are going in the new beds:

HOT BED
Helenium "the bishop"
Kniphofa - royal castle and red hot poker
Rudbeckia
Oriental poppies
Lupins - gallery red
Coreopis
Daliha tubers

PINK / COTTAGE BED
Cistus Corbariensis
Rose - Graham Thomas
Geranium - himalayene Gravetyre
Campanula
Foxglove
Aquilegia - rose barlow
Lupin
Cistus Hibridus
Penstomon
Delphinium
Cistus Decumber "sun rose"
Coreopis - american dream
Pinks
Fennel
plus the alliums that are already there
plus I've 3 iris bulbs

Camera is away again so no pics for now.

Weeding

2008-04-19T17:40:00.003Z

Today I weeded lots of little trees out of the beds and some weeds out of the lawn. The grass seed I spread everywhere last weekend hasn't done anything. I think I might need to mix it with some compost and have another go. So I thought it was worth pulling out some of the worst weeds first.

I moved a couple of the shrubs again to make room to plant flowers tomorrow. The birds are getting through the seeds in the bird feeder quicker and quicker. I think the squirrels may have worked out a way to get to it - but I haven't caught them in the act yet. They sit on the post below the feeder so I'm sure they are up to no good.

Its still so cold - it hasn't gone above 10 degrees for ages.

Terrazzo garden table

2008-04-15T16:28:00.001Z

This is the garden table I'd like. Better start saving.

Terrazzo is a mix of crushed granite and then polished smooth.

Birds in the garden

2008-04-13T21:05:00.001Z

These are the birds that come for dinner round mine..

Sun, hail, rain and wind

2008-04-13T20:46:00.004Z

This weekend the weather has been pretty changeable - sun, hail, wind, rain...

I cleaned the bit of concrete patio outside the shed and moved one of the plants from the bed outside the house up to by the new patio area. I also put some containers and the silver balls I bought last weekend on the patio area. I've seen a lovely big silver wave that would look fab in our fern area at the end of the garden.

The lawn is still not great at all. Some of the stepping stones still get very water logged when you walk on them and have sand spilling round the edges. I was filling in the gaps with grass seed this afternoon - but I got a bit carried away and ended up using the whole packet which is for a 30 meter square garden. I haven't put a net over it any way

Due to be planting up the flower beds next weekend but it's still pretty cold so I guess I'll have to be a bit careful what goes in.

Snow in April

2008-04-06T11:54:00.004Z

What a surprise when I looked out the window this morning! On the 6th April last year we were picnicking on Brighton beach.

Yesterday I had planted up a herb pot plus a couple of pots with heather and summer bedding. I also gave the patio near the house a really good scrub. I couldn't believe the difference it made. So when I saw the snow at 8am this morning I rushed out to bring the herbs inside and to try and give the pots some protection.

So I don't know how all the bulbs that are out will cope. There are some beautiful big tulips that have come out this week. They were laden down with snow this morning.

Landscaping done - just need to do some planting now

2008-03-31T09:23:00.003Z

The new garden

2008-03-29T13:39:00.003Z

Some more photos

End of day 2

2008-03-28T15:13:00.004Z

It rained and poured all morning. About 1.30 the gardeners had to go home as they were unable to do anything because of the weather. The lawn was turning into a mud bath. About thirty minutes after they left the sun came out - and its quite nice now.

The soggy patch in the lawn is still a problem even though a lot of water is running into flower beds. The gardener is going to put in some gravel on Monday to help with the drainage.

And I so need to remove that big bit of concrete by the lavender. It really sticks out now!

day 2

2008-03-28T11:17:00.002Z

We were really lucky with the weather yesterday. Not so today; its been really drizzly. Its REALLY muddy. The lawn is taking a battering.

I can't stop looking out of the window at the garden as it takes shape though. The new camera arrived first thing and the battery is just charging. How impressive is that from Amazon though - less than 24 hours from ordering to delivery. Slightly better than the xmas parcel that took over two months! Hope I'm not making them nervous out there - every time I look out they look up!

The gardener has moved some of the bushes around and found a pear tree. Its started sprouting some leaves so cant be moved until next winter. It was hiding between two bushes down on the right. He thinks it might have been there for 8 or 9 years. It is only very little though - about 60cm tall - so its not grown because it was being hidden.

Photos to follow..

end of day 1

2008-03-27T17:15:00.002Z

Its taking shape

2008-03-27T14:19:00.003Z

My work computer is a bit quicker and I can't resist temptation to tell you how it is going - well.

The soggy patch in lawn has drained into new flower beds which have now been shaped. The big plant that hung over the path is going to go at back where the xmas tree hole is. Two pretty little bushes that are hidden under a bush can be brought forward. The ash trees that are sprouting every where will be removed.

The gardeners showed interest in my old pictures of the garden and told me what was weed and what wasn't. The cute little seedlings were actualy new ash trees so they are getting pulled out. Two unidentified flowers are forget-me-knots.

And a new 8 mega pixle camera is ordered and arriving tomorrow.
Happy days.

Very Over Excited

2008-03-27T11:45:00.003Z

The concrete is now in a skip in front of the house - yeah!

The slates have arrived and they are lovely

The shape of the flower beds has been marked out and started to be dug

A big tree has been removed which has given us more space at light at the end of the garden

I'm working by the window that looks out over the garden and I'm finding it VERY HARD to do any work

And I can't get the camera to work - I should have just ordered that new fancy one last weekend

James the gardener

2008-03-26T20:30:00.003Z

Is coming tomorrow. How exciting. Camera still on holiday so can't take any before and after shots. Boo. Hopefully it will work long enough to take some pics over next few days.
Dreaming of my lovely slate stepping stones and big flower beds.....

Easter weekend

2008-03-25T22:20:00.002Z

It snowed all weekend and i didn't make it into the garden except to feed the birds.

No pics as my camera (which is on its last legs) is skiing at moment. Hopefully I'll get a nice shiny new camera soon. If Mr L approves it. I was trying out my dads at the weekend - it will take some lovely flower pics..

kew

2008-03-21T19:54:00.002Z

A lovely day in Kew. We went to see the spring bulbs. I really liked the magnolia trees as well. The sculptures are Henry Moore.

16th March

2008-03-16T19:03:00.006Z

Yesterday I planted some fuchsias that arrived as plugs into little pots. They are three different hardy species - four of each plant.

There is quite a lot in the plant house now - but its only 1 degree warmer than being outside. I put the fuchsias in here.

I also sowed some salad and chives. These are on the window sill in teh spare room. The sweet peas I sowed last year which are in pots in the spare room are practically dead but the ones I sowed earlier this year are doing well.

Its been raining all weekend. The flood patch in the lawn has come back.

I've included a couple of pictures from the back door which show where we pulled up the crazy paving. Not entirely sure what we'll do here...

Not just yellow but pink, purple and blue as well

2008-03-12T15:35:00.007Z

As well as the daffodils some pink and blue bulbs are now showing their head.

After the amusing row of gladioli bulbs I had last summer I really have been trying to plant bulbs in clumps as opposed to lines. Doesn't look like I did a very good job with either these crocuses or the hyacinths. The crocus are really pretty though.

The crocuses that had come out before last weekend all took a real hit at the weekend. It was very wet, then very cold and then very windy. I had a really pretty container of crocuses outside the front door. I went away for the weekend and when i came back they had all gone limp and looked like ex-crocuses.

The wind has been really bad over the last two days and I've been fearing for all my new plants. Especially the clematis and the honeysuckle. I went for a little look today and nothing has blown over except the fire. There was one daffodil casualty but I used that as an excuse to pick a small bunch for the house.

The newspaper had a 50 most influential bloggers list in it this weekend - I was so disappointed to not be there - surely there are 10,000 people out there hanging onto my every gardening word.. oh maybe not...

I'm now writing each blog like it is my last. Both the camera and the computer are on their last legs.... We will be updating the camera soon and hopefully I'll get one which is especially good at taking wildlife and nature photos.

Fern Garden

2008-03-02T18:42:00.003Z

Today in the back bed I planted:
3 holly fern
1 fatsia Japonica
2 snakes head fritillary
1 perwinkle vinca minor
7 gladoli Albus bulbs
1 American sword fern
1 dryopliens affins (golden male fern)
3 Asplenium Scolopendruim (harts tounge) fern
1 Athynium filix - femina fern
1 Clementis snow queen
1 Lonicora Japonica Helliona (honeysukle)

They all went in with lots of home made compost, grit and a bag of manure. A few new shoots that were coming up were a little crushed in the process but not all. Now I just have to keep off that bed and give it lots of water.

There were even some Robins in the garden keeping me company today.

The rest of the garden is looking awash with the yellow of daffodils.

1st March

2008-03-01T18:15:00.006Z

I had a bonfire today to burn all the spiky twigs we cut off last weekend. I had to retie the protective green netting at the back as the wind this week had pulled it off. It now has about 50 ties in it so hopefully will hold. It really does get very windy on that back bed.

I planted 30 lily of the valley from T&M and some that came free from a gardeners world offer. The ones from T&M had really long roots and i wasn't sure if they could go in sideways or whether they needed to go straight down. I also wasn't sure if the crowns were meant to still be under the soil or whether I should plant them poking up a bit. In the end most went totally under the soil. I also planted some snowdrops in the green by the Clementius pergola.

The first little blue wood anemone has come up and another snowdrop that was planted as a pip.

The ferns I ordered for the back bed came this week. I've got 3 Asplenium Scolopendrium (hearts tongue), 1 Athyrium filix-femina, 1 Dryopteris affins (Golden Male Fern) and 1 polystichum munitum. The last three should all grow to about 3ft. I don't know how long it will take them to do that though.

The ferns that I planted last October are 3 Buckler Ferns and 2 soft shield ferns. They should all grow to about half a meter high. They are also meant to grow half a meter wide which means I've planted them to close together. I guess I'll worry about that when they've grown a bit.

I've also got a clementis and a honeysuckle to grow up the back fence.

I put quite a lot of home made compost on the back bed but didn't get time to plant the ferns. I'll do that tomorrow. Lots of Daffs have come out now plus 10 tulips (Banja Luka) near the house.

More concrete removal

2008-02-24T18:46:00.005Z

We've taken up the crazy paving concrete by the house and shed today. So that will give us another big bed. I was going to leave until until next year and make it in to a raised veg bed, but we're having the concrete removed in March - so we might as well have it all taken. Also I wanted to put the tomato grow bags on soil so thought they could go on there. For now I've just put some pots in the soil. I think I'll be able to fork it over and add manure and it will be OK though.

We also put up some green stuff at the end of the garden to protect the plants in the back bed from the wind that comes from the back field. I'm going to plant some ferns in that bed but i didn't order them for today as i thought it might still be frosty. I did plant some of the snowdrops, lily of the valley and the lily bulbs in the bed though as they have arrived over the last couple of weeks. I also put the dogwoods in. I put in 2 lily oriental stargazer and 3 Lily oriental Miss Lucy. The other 3 lily oriental stargazer went in a pot.

The light got to me before I finished planting the snowdrops and lily of the valley though - so I'll have to do those next week. I've left the hellebores in the plant pots for now as well. I don't know whether to keep them in pots or plant them out.

I also had some Alstroemeria tubers that came free with one of the orders. I don't really know what to do with them as I'm not sure what they will look like. So I've just put them into pots for now.

I'm having the landscaping done at the end of March. That is when the new flower beds will get laid out so i don't want to plant anything along the two sides until they've been done.

Everything was quite dry this morning. The soil was cracking it was so dry. So i gave it a water. Then it rained all afternoon!

Lots of daffs have come out in the garden now. But it got dark before i took any pictures today.

23rd February

2008-02-23T14:40:00.003Z

Its been a bit warmer at night the last couple of nights. I haven't ordered the ferns yet though as i want to wait until after the frosts to plant them. Lots more plants arrived this week though - lily bulbs, bluebells and snowdrops in the green - so i do need to do some planting this weekend. I'll be doing that tomorrow.

More Daffs have started growing round the garden though. The soil doesn't look to good any where though. It has gone all dry and "caked".

Frosty morning - 18th Feb

2008-02-23T14:37:00.002Z

Earlier this month there were lots of frosty mornings and it was falling to freezing most nights.

9th Feb - bulbs coming up

2008-02-15T09:47:00.002Z

As expected the spring bulbs are starting to show.

A couple of the snowdrop pips have worked. I'll be getting some in the green at the weekend though.

Most surprising is the Tulip in the bed by the house!

More plants arrived by post this week - the dogwoods. So i need to start planning and planting the back bed.

The new flower beds are going to be made in March and i'll be having steping sones and a slate gravel patio put in then as well.

a hiding hellebore

2008-02-03T14:01:00.000Z

I cleared up the rest of the grasses as I noticed some bulbs were trying to get through this week. I also finished tidyimng up the beds by the house. I'd kept the hydrangas as i thought the flower heads looked nice through the winter. I noticed the new shoots were staring to come out this week so cut them all down (although once I'd done that i read a label on one that said you don't need to do that each year).

I found this lovely little hellebore that had been hiden by the hydranga bushes. Its' so pretty. Unfortunetly i can't see it from the lounge window as its still hidden by the lavender.

Our grass is still very waterlogged. Mr L put sand down some holes to try and improve the drainage. It may have helped a bit - but i think we've still got a bit of a problem at the end of the garden near the house.

31st Jan

2008-02-03T13:45:00.000Z

The crocuses are starting to come out. Lots of shoots of daffs and even the tulips are starting to show.

The christmas roses in the back bed have started to grow more flowers.

I had 5 little christmas roses arrive from Gardener's World offer this week. They seemed too little to put into the ground, especially as I might be planting more in that back bed soon and was worried that I'd squish them or they'd get dug up. So i've put them in little pots for now in the plant house.

I also got some geraniums. They were a cheap offer with the dogwood I ordered that should come later this month. They came as roots and I'm not really sure what to do with them either so I've put them in pots as well. I didn't know if any of the root was meant to be above the surface of the soil. I'm not even sure what they will look like when they grow.

Then later in the week some 3 miss lucy lilly bulbs arrived. I'm not sure about planting these in the ground or in a container so I haven't done anything with them yet either. I might be getting someone to create my new flower beds this month so I don't want to plant anything else until that is done.

First crocus

2008-01-21T09:59:00.000Z

The first few crocuses came up on Sunday. Four little yellow ones in a tub on the patio (concrete).

I planted some more sweetpea seeds yesterday. I was doing it in the dark by the end though as I didn't start until a bit later than planned. The ones i planted in Autumn had been in the greenhouse/coldframe and had gone a bit mouldy on top. I repotted the ones that were OK but threw a few away. Maybe its to cold in there.

The grass is very water logged at the moment. We went and bought some sand to try and make it a little better. It was raining by the time we got back from the garden centre and so we'll have to put it on the grass next weekend.

Concrete path - gone

2008-01-03T15:34:00.000Z

We've been busy in the garden over the holidays. We've taken up the concrete path that ran along the right hand side. Breaking up the concrete was one thing. Removing it another - and then digging up all the bricks underneath was quite another! But now we have no path. We do have a very big pile of rubble behind the shed.

We had hoped that the shed was sitting on a bomb shelter and that we could get into this and dump all the rubble under the shed. The day after boxing day we tried to break up the concrete where we think the entrance to the bomb shelter is. After quite a lot of drilling (with the pneumatic drill) and chiseling with pick axe we realised we were going to be disappointed and our idea wasn't going to plan. We found a weight from a sash window and some other rubble - it looks like someone might have had the idea of throwing all their rubble under the shed before. Of course maybe its not a bomb shelter at all but a drain or something.

We had managed to make a bit of a mess behind the shed though.

Plus we still needed to do something with all the concrete from the path.

So we decided that we'd pile all the concrete on top of the holes we made and then pore concrete over it and level it off. Then we could put another storage shed there.. or something like that.

So we spent two days moving the concrete and the bricks that were underneath that. The pile is a bit bigger than expected!

Today we picked up more stones and rubble from where the path was and then put manure down for the worms to mix in with the soil. Once we've decided the shape of the new flower bed we'll cut the shape in the grass and then dig over the whole area. The garden at the moment looks a bit like a builders yard though.

Christmas presents

2008-01-03T15:19:00.000Z

For Christmas I got lots of nice gardening things. I got three books - one from my best friend and two from my mum. I got two lovely big blue pots for my acers from my brother and his family. I got secateurs from my husband and a hose and a strawberry/herb planter from my mum and dad.

When we got back to London my dad had planned to take me to a garden center but most were shut. We went to Homebase in the end and I bought myself some loppers and some more compost to plant the acer.

Amaryllis

2007-12-28T18:50:00.000Z

I'm amazed at how quickly this grew. Its very pretty.

My new squirrel feeder

2007-12-23T18:14:00.000Z

I proudly put up a bird feeder last weekend and watched with delight as birds came to it straight away. The seeds have been going down very quickly and so I really filled it up today. Being a Sunday I had more time to watch today and realised the reason it goes down so quickly is that it is actually a squirrel feeder. They were queuing up to eat the seeds. So I've put a suet pudding out for the birds. I went back to the garden center to get a squirrel proof feeder today but they didn't have any. So the squirrels are doing quite well from my garden - I'm already concerned about the number of bulbs they've eaten. They've dug up most of the crocus pots over the last couple of weeks.

My husband did buy me some lovely new secateurs as a Christmas present though. So now I can neaten up the bushes & shrubs in the garden. The apple tree is what really needs pruning. I have been reading my pruning book but I'm still a bit nervous about what to cut off. I'm going to need the loopers and a step ladder for that though.

On Friday my friend who works for the RHS was in London visiting and so I got to talk plants with him for a while which I enjoyed. I'm hoping he'll come and help when I need to plant up the new flower beds. Plus a promised visit to RHS Wisley.

I ordered some dogwood today plus some more Helleborus Niger/Christmas roses that were on a offer in a magazine. The dogwood is going to go at the back of the back bed. The christmas roses I planted before look really nice at the end of the garden and I'll put the others nearby but in a new clump.

Over Christmas I'm hoping to finish off breaking up the path so that we can make the greenhouse i got for my birthday and put it up. I want to move all the concrete away from where it is sitting so that the soil underneath can start to break up.

These pics all look a bit dark - I hadn't realised how foggy it got whilst I was outside!

Happy Christmas.

christmas is coming

2007-12-23T18:12:00.000Z

And here is my tree..

December - and I'm dreaming of how my garden will look next year (hopefully)

2007-12-17T20:09:00.000Z

I've been mentioned in my dad's christmas letter and now feel the pressure to keep up the photos of the changing garden!

I recently planted three Christmas Roses (Helleborus Niger) at the back of the garden and they look very pretty. I had an offer in a magazine for 3 more which i might send off for soon. I also moved the nicotina plant further back - although I'm not entirely sure whether its a annual or perennial. I made a shelter for the two new laurel bushes to protect them a bit from the wind that comes across the back field.

I saw some dogwood in a magazine which i think would go well at the back of that bed. My uncle thinks i should stick to the bamboo plan. I think I'll do both at the different sides. All still fits in with the "forest" theme. ish. Also now that back bed is just going to be blue and white flowers. And then the greens etc from the evergreen bushes. Plus the red from the dogwood when i plant it, which hopefully I'll do over Christmas - or maybe i should wait until February. Not sure. I'll also plant some snowdrops "in the green" in that back bed in Feb. Mum is going to take me to a special place to buy some! I did buy the trillium and Paris bulbs - so they're in that back bed near the ferns. Let's hope they work at it was probably a bit late in the year to be planting them.

The themes for my two new flower beds are going to be "jewels" and "pink". I want to put two climbing supports in the pink bed for Clematis and/or roses. I never used to like roses but I've been eyeing them up recently. I'll get a late flowering one for next year to provide colour at the end of the year.

Anyway - here is a rather misty pic of the garden taken on the 9th December.

Leaves

2007-11-25T15:39:00.000Z

I've spent most time in the garden over the last month raking up leaves. I've made three bags of leaf mulch in black bin bags as i didn't ever get any chicken wire. I've ordered another composter as the one I've got at the moment is full. I've had some great compost out of it already but what's in there needs a little longer. Hopefully it will all be ready by the time i make my new flower bed after Christmas. So I'll start a new one whilst that finishes.

Here are some pictures of the garden over the last month.

I need to read my purning book and get on with some pruning - although maybe it can wait until spring.

I've definietly become addicted to buying bulbs. I've seen some Paris bulbs and Trilliums i might get - although it is getting quite late to plant them now.. umm..

Bye bye concrete

2007-11-25T15:35:00.000Z

We're going to get rid of the concrete path and make it into a big new flowerbed this winter...

October

2007-10-20T15:12:00.000Z

I've planted 270 bulbs! Daffs, bluebells and snowdrops at back. Tulips and Alliums in the sunny bed and tulips and daffs in beds near house.

Today we planted some shrubs and ferns at the end of the garden. These photos are to remind me where i still ahev some gaps that are gpoing to need filling.

Bulbs

2007-10-01T15:03:00.000Z

I'm shattered today. I planted 170 odd bulbs over the weekend. Roll on spring.

It was mainly Narcissi , snowdrops and bluebells at the end of the garden. I really want to turn that into a much more overgrown "forest". The soil quality is pretty poor so I've been feeding it manure and trying to turn it over. I think the main reason not much grows is because of the big trees in the park. I want it to be far more overgrown so i was looking in the garden center for shade loving plants with dense foliage that don't need much water.. umm..

I've also planted tulips and Anemone nearer the house. I hope those beds get enough sun on the soil.

They should be really rained in today. It's been miserable.

Flowers from my garden

2007-08-18T14:48:00.001Z

Plans for next year

2007-08-12T15:00:00.000Z

The weather has been a lot drier in August compared with July. My gladioli and sweetpea are coming out now - as seen in the pictures

I've been trying to plan what i want to do next year. I'd like something else amongst the grasses. I did put some seeds for wild flowers in there, but i think i put them in too late as the grasses had already grown quite a bit. I'll definitely put some spring bulbs in but it would be nice if it was a bit more interesting throughout the summer as well. it would look good with some taller flowers like poppies (papaver orientale (red) or meconopsis grandis (blue) is like what I mean. Also Helenium a red flower that flowers in Autumn would be good). In Gardeners' world this month there is a scheme with grasses and some bulbs - purple sensation. Maybe i could try introducing those when i plant the spring bulbs plus add some new grasses next spring. Actually i could put gladioli there. Or (from book):
watsonia borbonica (summer flowering pink 1 - 1.5 m)
Allium Stipitatum (summer purple-pink 1 - 1.5m)
(or any other allium)

As for the back of the garden i really need to fill that out. I could add a couple more shrubs but what I'd really like are lots and lots of wild looking flowers - like foxgloves, penstemons delphiniums and phlox

looking in my book these might be nice as well:

symphytum x uplandicum - flower late spring / early summer pink/blue/purple
sidalcea 'oberon' - summer pink flowers
veronica gentianoides - small summer white flower

I also like all the flowers that look like big daisies. None of the ones I've planted before ever work though. The heads fall off about a week after i buy them and then no new flowers grow. I really do need to test my soil and get things that work well. Also work out if it is well drained or not. I'm not sure what I've previously bought and there are so many different types in my plant book that all look pretty much the same to me.

I have ordered some bulbs today. I'm going to put snowdrops and bluebells at the back and lots of daffs/narcissus in the other beds, including in the grasses and along the edge of the lawn

I def need to manure and stuff this winter and make all the beds and plants happy. The other thing I'm not sure of is what to leave in the ground and what I'll have to take out. the fast growing tobacco plant for eg - is that a perennial or an annual - there is one in each section of my book.

I've had loads of slugs and snails this year. Next year i need to get copper rings. the other things I'd like to do are:
- grow herbs
- grow tomoatos
- make a private bit of the garden
- get a proper hammock
- have a water feature
- make some cuttings from the hidden fushia
- get a mini greenhouse and grow some seedlings and cuttings that way

4th August

2007-08-12T13:53:00.000Z

The garden

2007-07-25T06:07:00.001Z

Yes i know the lawn needs mowing but the rest is looking ok.

New plants

2007-07-25T06:02:00.001Z

I planted these on sunday. It was a lovely sunny day after 2 days of really bad rain. I spent quite a while tiding up the garden.

Back from holidays

2007-07-07T16:44:00.000Z

Well there was no danger about the garden drying up whilst we were away. It has pretty much rained non stop for two weeks. It is sunny today though.

One new flower in the garden. The white "fast growing" tobacco plant I planted near the Christmas tree.

My gladioli do not look good at all. The leaves are shredded. And none of the seeds i planted straight in the soil have done much at all.

The beds near the house have exploded though - with lots of pretty pink flowers.

Plus near the back the silvery plant has a few yellow flowers on it. Not sure what this is.

We saw lots of foxgloves in Scotland which i really like. I will need to do seedlings and mini green houses next year i think.

Scottish thistle

2007-07-01T17:16:00.001Z

As i can't blog my own garden this week here is some local flora

17th June

2007-06-26T15:11:00.000Z

I took these photos before I went away on 17th June.

Pirton Open Gardens

2007-06-10T21:25:00.000Z

I went to visit my mum and dad today and the village had open gardens so I got to go and have a nose around some beautiful country gardens. Although not open to the public we started off in the best garden of all with a bar-b-q - my mum and dads!

Bonsai

2007-06-10T14:00:00.001Z

Pretty pink flowers

2007-06-10T08:23:00.001Z

The sun is back

2007-06-03T19:58:00.000Z

After a week of rain the sun came out on Friday and it has been lovely this weekend. Been in the gardening tidying up the beds. The slugs have got to the hosta after all.

2007-05-27T16:31:00.001Z

These pictures are from the 23rd (Wednesday). It was nice weather at the start of the week. I bought a sprinkler to keep the plants watered on friday and then it started raining and hasn't stoped since. My rain butt I ordered about a month ago still hasn't come. Well it was delivered when i wasn't here and they took it back and broke it and don't have another one. I'm also still waiting for the fence man to get back to me. Mainly becuase there is a shortage of fence panels and he can't get any replacement ones.

So I haven't been in the garden this weekend as it has been raining and I've been painting my door. On Wednesday I tried to thin out and replant the stocks but I'm not sure how sucessfully I've done this.

I had great plans to sow lots of wild flowers in with the grasses, but I was running out of time and the grasses were growing, so I've done it in a very unproper way so I'm not sure if any of the flowers will grow. In with the grasses I've aimed to put some lurkspur seeds at the back and then marigolds, daisies, pansies, scabious and poppies.

The red plant is a paeonie (peony) I've been told.