…if winter comes, can Spring be far behind? 2014 beckons us...

[echt]

Okay, so the height of summer is yet to scorch the nethers of those in this wide brown land of Orstrylia, but welcome to the MNettie gardeners of the world. Prop up your sagging fences, evict the rats from your decking, and find a use for that poinsettia.

obviously not

i can't make it work

Thanks Wynken having googled, yes it is I guess I'd better leave it alone!

Any one know what this shrub is?

Ooh, we have photos!

Here's what I promised myself I'd do tonight but now can't be bothered!

Bumbez - no idea what that is but I think I want one...

try again

no, it won't work
what am I doing wrong?

is that shrub a pheasant berry?

Thanks everybody. You're right of course! Doh! I need to try to identify the triffids and then learn what to do with them. Haven't located any short courses near me yet but I'll keep looking. It is great to see what happens- lots of bulbs coming up that obviously weren't visible when we bought the house. I'm not sure that there's much else but I have found a few buried paths. The back garden's a fair sized lumpy lawn and my son would like to grow veg and fruit. Are raised beds difficult to make? Or am I better just digging over a bit of lawn? I'm quite excited about all this but I'm nervous too about how much time and effort it's going to take. And I know nothing, that's definitely a drawback...

It is pheasant berry Thankyou :)

I used my iPad humph and had a picture already on it.

Bertha I still need to do that and send you the coriander seeds if the birds haven't eaten all the berries I'll add a pheasant berry - must be easy to grow as I have a few self seeded!

I like the look of that pheasant berry!

hello stillstarving - seeing things come up is very exciting. Knowing nothing won't last, it is amazing how you pick stuff up.

I wouldn't rush to do any major changes, it is a good idea to spend time seeing how you will use the garden before making big decisions. It can be hard waiting, but it is worth seeing everything that is there first.

why won't my photo work?

While we are on matching plants anyone know what this is? It is really special & elegant - sprays of delicate red berries on wiry stems, plus evergreen long pointed leaves. Not too big. It grows in a garden on my way to work, and I want it:

Oh this photo thing is going to backfire isn't it. I'm going to want everything that people post pictures of!

Happy to take any Pheasant Berry berries you can find Bumbez

Humph, are the photos showing after you've chosen them and not appearing once posted, or are they just not attaching?

they are not attaching

Don't know what that is Bearleigh, I like it though

Raised beds are fairly easy to but I think Humph's idea of waiting is the best plan . You could do some veg in pots to get started pretty easily.

Ooh, pictures! That's a Nandina domestica, Bearleigh.

I went to Aldi today - seeds were 39p so I couldn't resist. Soft fruits Rhaspberry, red current and black current 3 plants for £2.50. I've already ordered Rhaspberries online though so didn't bother.

My nandina died while it was tiny, so I never got those lovely berries. Boo hoo.

I wonder whether I can get myself to an Aldi ...

Hello all and welcome to newcomers! Please could someone tell me how to upload photos from a) a phone and b) a computer???

It is very mild weather here and snowdrops, hellebores, winter jasmine and Mahonia are out in the garden. It is lovely seeing the snowdrops out. They are such dainty little flowers. As to Hellebores I cant make up my mind which colours I like best: the deep plums or the showy whites or shy greens. They have the effect of me wanting even more snowdrops and hellebores next year. I never seem to have planted enough snowdrops or crocuses. I have hitherto been a purist and not planted double Hellebores but I now see this is an omission and have given in and ordered some doubles from Hayloft: they are cheap small plants and will flower next year.
Other gardens round here have heather and daffodils in bloom. All other plants in my garden such as roses and perennials are shooting up. I had to very quickly go and prune the clematis Polish Spirit as it sprouted shoots and the pruned tips are sprouting shoots already! All the bare root roses planted in the winter are growing new shoots too and all the perennials in pots are growing. I'm presming this is because the garden has a sheltered microclimate.
The winter flowering clematis Wisley Cream and Jingle Bells which I planted in the Autumn aren't flowering though, so I think they will flower next year. Or perhaps I should mulch them with compost or something.
I also ordered erysimum Jenny Brook, though the tulips arent coming up: perhaps they were planted too late. I planted a rhubarb crown and some raspberry canes

I cant help it: I am going to sow seeds this weekend outside as it seems so mild it just feels like I ought to be sowing them.

I visited Waterperry gardens near Oxford which had a lovely orchard and gardens.

Great Dixter is open on 15th Feb and 22/23rd Feb and if it isnt raining or snowing I will go! Does anyone else want to come?

attempt at photo

That all sounds lovely, funnyperson!

Maud you went to Great Dixter in the rain last Feb when I chickened out what did you think?

The garden sounds lovelier than it is mainly due to a lack of volume of flowering plants. Apparently Hillier gardens in Hampshire have a winter garden display with 650 types of winter flowering plants and I am seriously thinking of going this sat as I am at a conference there anyway tomorrow