Archives: journal
Feeding time in the zoo
Moved into new house with my partner last winter but due to exams and work stuff, I’m only getting slowly started on the garden. It was in a real state when I started as you can see from the photographs. The first step was to take out the crab apple tree at the back. It had a bad case of oozing sap and wasn’t doing well because it had been neglected for years. After strimming the jungle and removing an old overgrown palm, I had to repair and refelt the roof of the shed to make it useable again.Once reroofed I gave it a coat of wood preservative so hopefully we’ll get even a couple of years out of it yet! Plans for May and June include inserting raised beds, (which will allow me to plant out all the veg currently in the cold frame), repairing concrete area and covering in gravel, inserting a gravel path the length of the garden and making a small work area beside the shed with some overhead cover for my work bench.
I have 20 tetrapanax seeds sitting (Lying/Dying) in pots in the greenhouse. They started off in the sunroom, had a spell in the propagator, then into the greenhouse for a while before I decided to let them outside to get cold – I have no idea what I’m doing with these seeds but yet 1 of them has decided to germinate!! I am so excited, but also more than a little dismayed. Before the tiny seedling decided to rear its very fragile head I could move my seeds around and bemoan the fact that they did not germinate. Now, however, I have a seedling I also have the ability to kill it!! I’m so afraid of this tiny seedling now that its here! Its back in the sunroom and I have definitely lost sleep over it – that can’t be right can it?
Despite a few nice days the bad weather has returned.Apart from some heavy winds the sun would shine for a couple of minutes and then followed by a torrential down pour.The polytunnell temp was reading just above 10 degrees at times.Not the best of weather today overall.Got to earth up some potatoes and to plant some more cabbage [greyhound] and cauliflower [all the year round]Washed some buckets and gave a watering to both poly,and greenhouse.Hope to get some more plants in the veg garden tomorrow if weather allows.[About an hour or so before noon.]
Muck attack returns.
I went along to one of the free talks on potting up containers at the Springmount Garden Centre yesterday. It was great to run into Cooper there.
Due to the recession etc, I was really trying not to buy plants. After much deliberation I did buy a Exechorda Macrantha "the bride" for the newly established extension of the "path" border. The border is a spring one and holds a Magnolia Stellata, Rhododendrons etc. I plan on putting "the bride" in the blank spot to the right of the photo.
Speaking of recession, can’t wait to see what colour is this year’s favourite at Chelsea. Carol Klein thought maybe bright red to cheer up a recession jaded nation. I do hope so. I hope bright colours.
Path Border
I have been writing in the wrong place, don’t know How I managed that.
Can anyone tell me if I’m growing a weed or is it a tomatoe plant. I have grown loads of different types of tomatoe plants and loads of this has come up in the seed tray. It does not look like one or is it? help please
What is it
It was impossible to do anything today.Nothing touched in the tunnell.Winds eased but rain didnt.About 3.30 pm i taught the clouds opened.At brief intervals i got to sow some more turnips and cauliflower.At the new herb house some peppermint was combined with cabbage and some potatoes.Sowed some more comfrey [Symphytum officinale] seeds in tubs in the same area.Had a quick look in the greenhouse.
The weather is brutal to say the least and that all I,m saying on that, because I am not wasting the energy in my one good typing finger writing about it. If you want an update on the weather, look out the window. However when the weather is bad I go visiting other peoples garden sites.
At first I use to marvel at other peoples garden pictures and their colourful display of flowers and shrubs layout. I was bowled over by their knowledge of plant names, even in latin, a language I spent three years studying and now can-t even read it. I loved how everything seem to be planted in the right place and not a thing out of place. I even visited sites where people grew in containers and they looked marvellous, the container as exotic as the plant.
Well now my love of these gardens has turned to jealousy. I want the perfect floral display, I want my garden to be like all the other sites I visited. This has kicked me into action and have started to sow a few flower seeds and purchased a few shrubs. I know this is going to cause me heartache when they don-t turn out like the picture on the packet. But I will push on because jealousy won-t let me fail. Don-t be surprised when you see pictures of floral displays greater than you see in the phoenix park or kew gardens. A monster has being created and I blame all of you’s with the perfect garden.
Rainy days has this effect on me, I just have to rant about something and there no-one here to listen to me. So you all get the benefit of my rant. Happy gardening to you all
Sully’s Place has been "work in progress " for the last 20 years. Our home and garden stands on 3/4acre. We have alot of established trees, they include a sweet gum, or liquidambar, wedding cake tree, Tibetian Cherry to name but a few. The site is surrounded by a natural hedge. It mostly comprises of native Hawthorn. We have an abundance of wild birds and we do everything possible to encourage them.
Our front garden is well established now. It is divided into three parts.The main lawn has three flower beds, one which runs the length of the front wall with two half moon stoned beds. The two lawns at the side of the house are planted with trees. Some are underplanted with "treasures".
I HAVE A V SMALL BACK GARDEN.IM GROWING SPROUTS,CAULIFLOWER,RADISH,STRAWBERRIES AND CABBAGES AT THE MOMENT.
well, what can I say. The summer is shaping up to be maybe WORSE than last year. In work today and it just never let up. Had to go home early. I’m getting twinges of pain in my lower back all week. And there were very few people out in the garden centre. Can’t say I blame them. Went home at 3 but I think I’ll be doing a sickie tomorrow.
Had a lie-down when I came home. Bought Amateur Gardening today, and guess what? FREE SUNFLOWER SEEDS. RACHEL. ha ha. Sowed those and I have to say they look so gorgeous. They’re ‘Pastiche’. They should grow to about 5 feet. I might as well just dig up my lawn and sow all sunflowers. Then I’ll paint a Van Gogh ‘Sunflowers’.
My mushrooms definitely are not doing anything. I was going to just chuck them because patience is NOT my middle name. But I’ll give them maybe another week.
God, if I pull a ‘sickie’ tomorrow, what will I do with a bad back. There is no doubt that your health is your wealth. I have been very lucky on that score. I never even get colds and I’m working outdoors all year long.
Well after watching the end of the ‘Irish Open’ golf.. dodged the showers for about an hour and battened down the pea supports…we had a good frame over the veggie beds which protected them from the local pidgeons and bunnies..but as the calabrese are growing so big it was impossible to keep highering the net, anyhow they are open to the elements now and just laid some soft netting over the new caggage plants and lettuce…so hope we can keep them safe…also brought the hydrangeas into the garage by the window…just could’nt get to plant them out with the showers…so hope they keep ok for now….challenging times for us all!!!! We’ll keep the battle up and hope to win out!!! Ciao Amigos!!
My four year old said to me the other day ‘Mammy, why does everything with you have to be about gardening?’ I think I may be a bit too obsessed!
Yesterday we returned to Tullynally for the first time this season. It was a wet day and we could have done with our Wellies but it was a lovely visit. There are several places to wait out the showers – the Chinese Pagoda, the ‘Gingerbread house’, Queen Anne’s Summerhouse, or the delightful Limestone Grotto. Some of the Rhododendrons are still in flower and the lakes and glades are so tranquil. I’m amazed they don’t get more visitors. I will definitely be returning at the next possible opportunity as we didn’t even make it to the Lower lake or the Grotto yesterday. I put lots of photos up in a new Tullynally album.
Eimhin liked this girlie rhododendron!
Today was the day of the pond surround cleaning. It was a lovely day here in Sherkin despite the doom and gloom predictions of the weather forecasters. I decided to clear away any soil on the near side of the pond and to fill the whole area with stones. It was impossible to keep the soil insets weed free. I think it looks quite nice with only stones collected from round my garden but it needs to bed in a little. Then I attacked the wild area at the back of the pond… After several nights rain this was a heavy matt of weeds but I only got it half done and it looks the better of the work. Will add photo when I have the energy to take one!
The great tits are thriving and getting beaks. The parents are looking after them really well. Lets hope they survive to fledge.
There is a great site called www.biology.ie where you can post your first sightings of various seasonal events. it is an effort to try to follow the effects of global warming.
Pond cleaning
Still trying to come to terms with this year’s Chelsea. Not sure what the trends or colours are. There’s still a lot of green and a dearth of flowers : (
Will the plasticine garden win gold?
Are hosta leaves the new wrapping paper?
Can Rachel de Thame’s actually bend in that dress?
Is Tony Smith renting his conceptual garden for weddings or is he just doing harems?
Must we really plant our tulips sideways?
And could claret be the new burgundy?
So many unanswered questions so much more to see : )
https://www.bbc.co.uk/chelsea/
Today the sun came out and dried up the flood in the garden , John even cut the grass, A last look around the beds and we can`t do any more. To night Ann is cooking cakes for are visitors all we have to do in the morning is put up the gazibo. Thanks to you all for your words of good luck i think we will need them.
lots of work done today
After days of hoping to get out and sow the seeds I bought last week, and coming home once again in the rain, today I finally gave up, brought some pots and seed trays in this evening, and did the sowing indoors… It’s probably very late to do all this, but we’ll see what happens and I hope a few of these will grow!
Took a quick walk around the garden anyway (in the rain), and the grass is just completely waterlogged…
I recorded one of the Chelsea programs today, so at least I can watch this while dreaming of the return of summer, some day!
Seeds
i have a few 6-pack trays with seeds beginnign to show.. the pumpkin(1st time to sow) has nice big leaves. planted one out just to see..
i’ve not noticed any of the carrots, lettuce or radishes making any sort of headway. they are planted about 3weeks. i thought conditions were perfect but i’ll offer it up if they dont show any signs of growth soon
Tree Peony
This plant appeared in the garden and I don’t know what it is… So far I have kept it as it looks like it will flower, but I’m curious. Would anybody know what it is?
What is this plant?
Last 3 days we have wonderful weather again, sunny and warm, +22 C. Narcissus are still in bloom, together with tulips and muscari, and other spring plants.
This daffodils I’ve found near our local church. More spring flowers find in the album.
Daffodils
I was very these days because of big Congress of Russian Library Association. I’m a curator of School Libraries’ Section.
I was pleased to find that Mum has already planted all geraniums I grow for her this early spring. First oudoor flowers!
You can see my saintpaulias on the windowsill (the other side of window).
Geraniums in balcony box
It has’nt any windows
It has’nt any doors
Although it has a ceiling
It has’nt any floors
T’was built without a builder
A hammer or a nail
Because you see this funny house
Belongs to Mr Snail
Author Unknown
Mr Snail
Very little done this evening before a complete wash out with thunder included.Just got to plant some more lettuce,cabbage,and some basil in the tunnell.Nothing else done this evening only a look over some garden notes in the diary and some more literature on gardening.
