I never understand people who don't want to let accidental plants grow. First of all, free plant! Second of all, look at all the hard work it went to to magically appear here, give it a chance!
Frustration brought to you by my dad, who thinks of EVERYTHING as a weed unless he specifically planted it there. Even if it's a gorgeous flower. So annoying.
I saw two hedgehogs in the garden last night. I could hear grunting noises and couldn't work out where it was coming from until I noticed them on the lawn. Never heard hedgehogs make that noise before and it sounded more like a pig. They didn't seem bothered by me until I briefly shone a torch on them and they froze. Poor things probably thought it was curtains but they're safe and very welcome where they are.
A bank holiday weekend of garden tidying up. (me back's broken) I was really glad when the thunder and lightning storm came yesterday. (rain stopped play )
But, a fortuitous incident occurred Saturday.
Back in December, I ordered some Pringle socks for Christmas for a relative. They came and we got a photo of them placed on our wheelie bin, in the wheelie bin enclosure.
When I got home - they were not there. After much toing and froing with Amazon, they marked them as 'stolen and sent another box.
Saturday, I pulled both bins out from the enclosure as the ivy was growing wild around them and there on the floor at the back was an Amazon box.
The box was damp and something had been having a chew at it but the plastic insides were fine.
I contacted Amazon and the upshot was - keep them. Bonus.
Listening to the repeat of Monty Don, on Desert Island Discs, and Sue Lawley asked him what his all time favourite flower was, which he said he gets asked about all the time, and he said the wild primrose (Primula vulgaris) and that is mine!! as I've said on this forum before. 😊
He has suffered from depression in the past, and he says when that flowers in the early Spring it raises his spirit, which is exactly what it does for me.
Pansies are my favourite flower, pretty similar to those I think.
Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ 6th April 2024, 4:08 PMI have a sapling cherry tree.
I did not plant it and it came up through the flower beds. (wife's dept) and I persuaded her to let it grow.
It now has flowered so I hope there will be cherries.
Nature working - a bird eat a cherry from somewhere and carried the stone until it got rid over my garden
There are cherries. Just ripening too. I tried one - a bit bitter so I'll leave them a while.
Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ 25th June 2024, 10:09 AMThere are cherries. Just ripening too. I tried one - a bit bitter so I'll leave them a while.
🤢 What do you expect when the stone came from a bird's arse
My four fruit trees are coming on well, thanks for asking - have installed all the wires now and last week started the espalier training.
Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ 25th June 2024, 10:09 AMThere are cherries. Just ripening too. I tried one - a bit bitter so I'll leave them a while.
They might stay a bit sour - depends what they were crossed with.
Seeds - unlike cuttings - aren't always true to type.
On the other hand, you might have an award-winning hybrid on your hands.
"Goodlad's Cherry" has a ring to it...
Quote: Lazzard @ 25th June 2024, 11:30 AM"Goodlad's Cherry" has a ring to it...
I'd put it in my gob
Only just read these last two posts....
Despite knowing that 'mint grows out of control, I planted some in my big terracotta herb plant pot.
This pot is about 3ft across and 2ft high. I sectioned it off with a plastic sheet right to the bottom of the pot.
It has managed to get out of that and strangled the other herbs to death.
So I have planted some other mint varieties in there - may the best man win.
I expect you'll make a mint out of it...................sorry 😏
I'm amazed and pleased that my dahlias are still in bloom, even now with new buds on, but don't understand why I never seem to have to same touch with Winter Pansies.
Every year I buy a tray of them, and they are looking lovely. I give them all the love and attention with fresh compost etc. I pinch out the dead heads, but finish up with troughs of healthy-looking greenery with the odd flower or two - most disappointing.
That's very nice so late.
My apple tree has lost all its leaves, leaving only the apples, and one or two have fallen. It is time to harvest and store them.
Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 2nd November 2024, 8:15 AMI'm amazed and pleased that my dahlias are still in bloom, even now with new buds on, but don't understand why I never seem to have to same touch with Winter Pansies.
Every year I buy a tray of them, and they are looking lovely. I give them all the love and attention with fresh compost etc. I pinch out the dead heads, but finish up with troughs of healthy-looking greenery with the odd flower or two - most disappointing.
Nice stand of Dahlias there.
Ours got blasted about a fortnight ago - but you're out East, aren't you and a bit further South?
Do you leave your's in or store - we're too wet to leave them in up here.
When do you buy your Winter Pansies - the missus now tries to buy them as late as possible then cut them hard back - they sit and do nothing for a bit but then flower well - and do it when you want them to ie Winter/Spring.
They're also cheaper later in the selling season.!
Thank you
Yes, Ipswich - we don't get severe anything really, though they do on the coast which is about 12 miles to the East
And yes, that was going to be my next question regarding the dahlias - to leave in or store. The RHS says you can do both, but if you leave them in you must cover them in a deep pile of compost to prevent, of course, frost damage. I seem to remember many years ago the recommendation for storage was to cut the stalks back to about 6" and store them upside down in a box to drain indoors, which is no problem, but inconvenient.
Ah yes, I always buy pansies when they first become available, if only to provide colour but I see my Busy Lizzies in the basket are still flourishing, which I hadn't tried before.
So does you wife leave them in the trays she bought them in? And stores indoors or greenhouse?