Come into the garden with Maud - all obsessive and wannabe gardeners welcome

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

Whether you've got rolling acres or a tiny courtyard, whether you're a novice or a gardening die-hard, whether you're aiming for a garden of Sissinghurst loveliness or self-sufficiency à la Felicity Kendal in The Good Life, this is the place to be. Take a seat on the tastefully-painted Lutyens bench and chat with fellow enthusiasts. There may even be a bottle of gin in the potting shed.

[ethelb]

Can we revive this plant for a late summer sow

and a winge about the slugs....

[HumphreyCobbler]

The good news - the hurdle man turned up.

The bad news - bastard slugs have eaten everything that was growing in my little greenhouse. I am going out there later, there will be trouble

[Lexilicious]

But to answer the question, no I haven't yet looked at (but neither did I chuck) the tool catalogue. I will probably be going for the 'reader offer' of a free tayberry plant, as one of the four canes I bought at a garden centre has not grown.

I still haven't got through GW mag yet either. Happy hours yet to come on that one.

[Lexilicious]

Come on over then you mucky, muddy, soggy old trouts!!! (apart from Bertha who wears gloves) :)

(chickens also welcome.) (and Humph's piggies)

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

You know I'm only jealous, Lexi, of your extensive sheddage.

[Lexilicious]

grrr

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

Yeah, Lexi. Shed that reticence and start a barn-storming thread.

[aJumpedUpPantryBoy]

Lexi, I think you should shed your inhibitions and start the next thread...

[Lexilicious]

Well I have a summer bedding pun I'm dying to use in a thread title so...

[Blackpuddingbertha]

This stuff. Has lines on too which I find very useful when planting things through it as I do like neat lines.

[Blackpuddingbertha]

Lexi - I hope you put the gardening equipment catalogue that came with GYO straight in the recycling like I did and therefore wasn't at all tempted by pages of stuff that I absolutely have to have?

I get the extra tough weed resistant stuff Harriet as I find the weeds grow through the fabricy ones. I'l see if I can find a link - it's more expensive but it lasts year on year so is good value eventually.

Are we having a vote on who starts the next thread?

[Lexilicious]

Grrrrr. How have greenfly got into my house, hm? And started on my pepper and chilli plants? I hope I caught them in time - just one or two on each plant.

Doing an order for useful things on greenfingers.com... I seem to have crept up to nearly £100

[Lexilicious]

oh hell, I'm working at home and I've just seen that the June issue of GYO is on the doormat. That's my productivity down the plughole!

[mistlethrush]

If anyone's in Yorkshire ish I've got strawberries that are delicious and can always find a few new plants available. Also have some great alpine strawberries that do fruit well over a very long period - fruits rarely make it into the kitchen though.

I managed to get a celery leaf at the Farmers Market at the weekend so looking forward to having perenial flat-leaf parsley equivalent (although have some of that to plant out too).

[HarrietJ0nes]

Hanks!

[Lexilicious]

think it was this one

[HarrietJ0nes]

Please Lexi. I've looked on eBay but not 100% on spec of what I'm looking for.

No Costco here. We didn't have any weed wands in our lidl either. They have similar in wilkos but not that cheap.

[Lexilicious]

Harriet, I got mine off ebay. will dig out the seller or a link if you like.

[mistlethrush]

Harriet - I got the permeable stuff from Costco a year ago or so. But you never know what's in until you go.

Next time anyone sees a weed wand thing in Lidl, please pm me as I would like one of them but Lidl not that near and didn't have any by the time I got there.

[HarrietJ0nes]

Anyone point me in the right direction of a website to buy the black plastic stuff for the allotment?

[weebleswillwobble]

Wynken - at Strawberries! This is my first strawb year so I can't wait to get a fruit. Lots of flowers so my fingers are crossed. Glad your DS is back on track - must have been so worrying.

Funny - No more chicken antics to report! DH fixed wire netting to the fence which has temporarily discouraged any more jolly jaunts up the lane. They did, however, curiously watch DH hammering and cursing away, taking care to block any gaps in the fencing and then, as soon as he'd finished, leap up and perch on top of said carefully secured fence. I'm sure I heard them sniggering.

Mocha - My parents 'acquired' a rabbit from Dbro's then-GF when they moved in for a couple of months (then moved out leaving poor rabbit behind ). Parents hated it at first, esp. my dad, until one day we caught him looking out of the conservatory and waving at the rabbit. We've never let him live it down. And at Barry...I love human names for pets! Keep up the subtle pressure for chickens! They're great fun.

No progress made yesterday as I was out all day, glorious sunshine, and now today - no plans except to get out in the garden and it's tipping it down . At least a few more Gardener's Delights have unexpectedly germinated to pacify me a bit.

[funnyperson]

want strawberries.
want parsley
want scented stocks
want a willow to make an arbour

happy gazing at my clematis and growing roses and hellebores and tulips though.

have ordered coriander seeds to sow, and rocket.

I think some sweet peas may have germinated. If so this is really very exciting. I am not sure if it is weeds in the same pot or sweet peas but the little seedlings are at a regular distance from each other which makes me think they might be the sweet peas. Thank you Monty.

[CuttedUpPear]

aJumpedUpPantryBoy I've had good success with night scented stock this year and have just planted them out [brave]
I used New Horizons peat free general purpose compost and made up a tray of them in the greenhouse.

Apparently you can direct sow but I don't fancy my chances with this weather.

[CuttedUpPear]

Humphrey It is a really nice job, but it doesn't put the bread on the table on its own as willow sculpture can only be done between November and March - yes the COLD months! I also garden design and several other jobs so am constantly multitasking just to keep things ticking over.

I am v jealous of your parsley seedlings, as I can't grow parsley even when I try, the seeds pay no heed whatsoever to my horticultural qualifications and don't even germinate!

[HumphreyCobbler]

good god, Wynken, I have just spent 24 hours in hospital with DD due to irritable hip. So sorry you have had such a scare, and terribly glad it is all ok.

A heated greenhouse
cucumbers - I have no plants yet
strawberries!!! Wow.