Rhubarb Appreciation Society

[Blackpuddingbertha]

Going with Rhihaf's thread name suggestion, following on from the first rule of gardening club is thread.

Pull up your kneeling pads, crack open the elderberry wine and the blackberry gin and come and join us. No real experience or gardening know-how needed.

[WynkenBlynkenandNod]

Busy day but just had to run in quickly and say the standard olive trees in my local Tescos are now a tenner. Needless to say there was one less in the store when I left.

[cantspel]

I use Provado Ultimate Bug Killer as it is safe for bees

[rhihaf]

Thank you Dawnywoo and MouseyMouse for all the bee tips, it's really bringing back memories . I used to tog up in all the gear when I was about 12 to help Dad, I remember catching swarms and there being great big vats of sugar syrup on the Rayburn to feed the bees during the winter. I do love bees.
I don't ever remember any spring or autumn cleaning of hives though, maybe that's where we went wrong.

It's raining again here, but I cheered myself up by going to the fishmongers and spending a ridiculous amount and haggling for a bargain - a whole brill and a lemon sole (mahoooooosive!) for £30 instead of £42

Ah, GW.....

[rhihaf]

Wynken have some . For what it's worth, I think you're doing a brilliant job. xxx

[rhihaf]

Just saw that Flaming June pic Maud. I love that women have real-sized arms in 'olden days' paintings. I bet Monty appreciates such things in women, he's a robust sort of man's man, isn't he? [inappropriate daydream of Monty's manhandling]

[LadyMud]

Doh! Only just realised this isn't about rhubarb

I spent last year working hard to create a lovely new back garden. I hope you ladies will help me to relax and enjoy it this year. Cheers

[Dawnywoo]

rhihaf that's what my dad does, boils the sugar syrup on the Aga! We go to the cash and carry and buy about sixty kilos of sugar. Probably not much has changed in hundreds of years regarding beekeeping, though maybe a few extra rules and regs from the British Beekeeping Association.

That fish sounds a bargain. Dad also does a lot of fishing although sadly doesn't catch such interesting fish!

Hello and Cheers right back at you LadyMud

[Blackpuddingbertha]

Dawnywoo if you're about then feel free to start the new thread as you suggested the title

Constructed the arches for the runner beans today as they are springing up nicely. All I have to do is agree with DH about where the arch is to go. I want it by the gate to the back garden so you have to walk through it as that would be the obvious thing to do with an arch! DH I think would prefer me to tuck it out of sight .

Who's up for a potting shed party at GW time tonight? I have elderberry and some blackberry vodka...

[Blackpuddingbertha]

Sorry, meant to ask LadyMud to tell us about your garden. Please

[cantspel]

watching the brighton game tonight so i will catch up with Monty later on iplayer

[RakeABedOfTyneFilth]

I'm watching... Is it just a coincidence given our viola conversation up thread that there are a lot of violas so far in the programme?!

[Blackpuddingbertha]

One of us is actually Monty. Come on, who is it?

[LadyMud]

Thanks for asking, BPB! I've just uploaded some photos, as "a picture tells a thousand words".

As you'll see, it's a series of raised beds, planted mainly with evergreen shrubs, with smaller things like heucheras to fill the gaps, and sedums, etc for ground cover.

It was supposed to be low-maintenance - hahaha [giggles hysterically]. That's how naive I am, horticulturally speaking

[MousyMouse]

oh wow, lady looks great even though it's still vey new.

there is another interesting thread in chat about all the lovely parasites you can catch in the garden, I'm itching all over

[Blackpuddingbertha]

I'm off to start the new thread before we get locked out of this one. Will be back in a bit with the link.

lady love the circle!

[Blackpuddingbertha]

Ok, new thread set up here

[HumphreyCobbler]

We had a wonderful day at Malvern today. The show gardens were fascinating. It was particularly nice to go without the DC, so relaxing. I bought lots of seeds, some fabulous cream and yellow geums, some veg and tomato plants, a huge tin bath for £14 and an old stone angel to sit on the shelf.

I was proud that I recognised about half of the plants I was looking at. If I could have, I would have bought an really massive olive tree. They were lovely.

[funnyperson]

Perhaps they have a researcher for the programme who lurks on this thread. If so, please could there be something about peonies and tree peonies when the time comes. Violas are lovely though- there were some really fantastic pots planted up in a local Dobbies garden centre last week.
I saw GW on an actual television today and I have to say that Carol's teeth are terrible Almost worse than her hands. I know appearances aren't everything but really, I had to draw my chair back a bit. I wonder what happened to Rachel and her army garden. Monty looked nice.
Is it just me or did anyone else think the Malvern show gardens were uninspiring? I think the front and back gardens of a lot of the people on this thread are probably much nicer.

[funnyperson]

Just me then. Maybe they were better in reality than on camera.

[Blackpuddingbertha]

I thought the one with the nettles looked very much like the end of my garden actually. But without the boat.

Next thread is up and running please join me I'm feeling lonely. Going to find some nice pictures to tempt you in with...