Potting shed summer party

[Blackpuddingbertha]

Following on from the Blooming into Flaming June thread and all others before it.

The potting shed is open for summer. Elderflower wine aplenty and room for all. Monty will be along later...

Oh, I love fog on the Tyne.

I too am grimly determined to live long enough to collect my (much appreciated) final salary pension.

::circulates with a virtual tray of gin- and vodka-based cocktails::

I went to a local agricultural meeting yesterday and I was the youngest in the room. Felt strange. I am well off pension age apparently. It was nice to be reminded but I envied them their retirement.

I missed this week's meeting of the gardening society, alas, but I do like being (usually) the youngest person there.

I really like gardening. Its my very favourite thing.even more than a strawberry cream tea.I would like to be good at it though. Like humph.

I like books too actually. And children.and rivers and science and history. And music. Swigs some more and hides under the table...i ordered sanguisorba yesterday. Red thunder (tall)and officinalis tanna (smaller)and a white variety

funnyperson you are good at it! So knowledgeable.

I have a particular talent for eating cream teas.

I am soooo looking forward to my first post birth real life blackberry gin.

How long now, Humph?

::starts countdown::

All this talk of pensions has made me realise I'm probably the oldest lag on this thread - old enough to cop my UK teacher's pension at 60 next year. Naturally it won't be as much as it might have been, having moved countries and all, but every bit helps. I won't have to work until 68, thank God, but well into my 60s, though determined to go part-time by 62.

While we're speaking vinously I'm tucking into a white wines cassis while contemplating planting the vine (Thompson's white) I bought yesterday. It's a table grape and I prefer the English name for it; Lady de Coverly.
I've re-staked the broad beans as we've had very strong winds and heavy rain, but little else.

bertha I made apple shortbread last year that was a big success I can't find the recipe though. Will your apples store? I've picked another load yesterday and stuck them in the garage - there's hundreds left. I'm hoping they keep all year - I quite like plain stewed apple with yogurt.

I've been in my house exactly a year and the garden looks pretty much the same just a little less overgrown

Bumbez, I've been in my house exactly a year and the garden is just a little more overgrown.

The shame.

4th October. There is a lot to be said for knowing when your baby will arrive

Hi - can I join, please? I've lurked for a bit, but the sound of blackberry gin being poured has given me virtual dutch courage to say Hello!

I'm on a steep learning curve with gardening after buying a house with a large, overgrown, rather neglected, but lovingly planted (once upon a time) cottage garden. I am such a muppet that after taking 18 months to pluck up the courage to join my local Hort Society, I got the date wrong this week and turned up 24 hours late. . So I thought it was time I introduced myself here as well.

I'm becomming obsessed with gardening, but have two small DC and a job so keeping on top of things is a nightmare. I have spent 18 months tackling the overgrown garden, but now I think I may need to start planting things and am getting cold feet...more blackberry gin needed I reckon.

I'm hoping to redo my front garden (south facing) and a shady bit under a tree in the (north facing) facing back garden and get a bit more produce planned for next year. So will no doubt be asking lots of questions about autumn raspberries, blueberries and hellebores.

The good news is that I found an endless supply of well rotted horse manure at the field my SIL rents out to horses. Where do I put it - everywhere?

Cheers all

Hello myangels your garden sounds like mine and I suspect you're further on with the clearing than me.

I've never grown raspberries before but have been toying with ordering 3 of each variety that fruit early, mid season and late. It seems they can be planted or are ready November on. www.thompson-morgan.com/fruit/fruit-plants/raspberry-plants this place has a 20% off deal today and tomorrow. I'm not sure about manure I was just planning to get Dh to dig it in a bit, someone else will be along to answer as I am very much an amateur but learning a lot with this fun thread.

rhubarb I remember you on the property threads though I mostly lurked, was it you that recommended someone plant tulips to spell something rude when their buyers were being twats? It made me laugh anyway.

I've just retreated in from what started as some light pruning of roses and turned into some serious lopping of a 12ft shrub Dh is gonna kill me

Working nights this weekend happy gardening every one :)

humph not long now, you must be so excited

I am!

Hello MyAngels. Glad you joined. Your garden sounds exciting, and very like our garden was when we came five years ago.

Hello myangels

"wants an endless supply of well rotted horse manure"

spread it everywhere as there is no such thing as to much manure or compost.

Must send DH off to my secret free manure heap soon so I can plan in the mulching. Everything looking quite lovely in the long bed at the moment, the sedum and the asters look fabulous. Weeds Self-seeded stuff popping up everywhere though. Need to find some gardening time.

Arf at the rude tulips! Wasn't me, though I did used to hang out on the property threads when we were trying to find a house to buy.

Hello and welcome MyAngels. Not everything likes manure. Some plants prefer poor, gritty soil, like a lot of Mediterranean plants e.g. lavender and rosemary, some irises. If you list some of your plants, perhaps we can advise?

Humph you're on the home straight now!

Forgot to say hello to MyAngels, sorry, how rude of me. Got carried away thinking about manure and supping Maud's cocktails. Welcome MyAngels!

Hello and welcome to MyAngels.

It worries me that people feel they have to ask to join - as far as I'm concerned, all gardening addicts obsessives types are welcome - but do we come across as cliquey?

I have just acquired a little olive tree in a lovely terracotta pot, ridiculously cheap on EBay. The tree looks a bit bedraggled - has anyone got any tips? I've replaced the top few inches of compost already, as it was full of oxalis.

Hi Maud

I brought an olive in a pot from the south of England further north when I moved, and keep it outside, which it likes a bit less!

It does have twiggy dead growth by the spring, but I just prune it back and it seems to cope, and keeps growing a very small amount each year.

Hi MyAngels, by the way.

I don't post often but I do catch up on the thread often as late bedtime reading.

hello all!
I'm just watching Monty on the iplayer. Can someone explain to me what a green manure is, please?!

A green manure is something that you grow over winter to keep the soil occupied and prevents weeds taking over. In the spring, you dig it into the soil, where it rots and provides humus and nutrition.

thank you Maud!