He who dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the rose

[Blackpuddingbertha]

New thread for the potting shed crowd using Rhubarb's rose suggestion and Squeaky's quote for the new title.

Spring is underway with promises of summer in our gardens big and small.

Elderberry wine for all

Lush read from 9510 onwards and it may put you off Houttuynia:

justthetalk.com/environment/18/happy_in_my_garden___or_something_of_that_sort/9510

Well, it seems to have died out - no sign of it this year - so problem solved.

Phew!

Yes, that just leaves the invasive lamium and thalictrum to deal with, not to mention the weeds!

Watching the programme on Nymans. DH has decided he'd like to go, which was a surprise. So we may be off for a visit this weekend before he changes his mind

Argh, I am in Wales this weekend or I would say pop in for a cuppa, Bertha - we're not far from Nymans! I'm having to video the programme because dh bagged the telly first to watch football.

I finally got the mower up into the orchard today. It's been so long since I last cut that grass in there that it was almost knee high in places. Instead of doing the usual stripes, I've just mowed circles round the trees with little paths between them, plus some long paths for 'races', and left the rest long. Dd was ecstatic when she saw them.

Actually I'm back Sunday night, so pm me if you decide to go on Monday.

The Nymans programme was very interesting and the gardens looked lovely. I had just suggested to dh that we go on Monday, but we're a bit concerned that the programme will have prompted millions of people to go.

::prosaic concerns about parking and queues in the tea shop::

That mowing sounds perfect, Rhubarb. Surely, closely-manicured lawn would be a little odd in an orchard?

The car park and cafe are always busy, in my experience. My tip would be to go early - I always aim to arrive as soon after opening (10am) as possible. Ooh a little meet up there would be fun!

You are right about close cropped grass and orchards, Lush. I'd really like to turn it into a meadow but it's too nutrient rich, which would need correcting with yellow rattle, and everything I read about meadows suggests they are tricky in the extreme, and I can't accommodate more faff in my life at present. Maybe one day.

I very much doubt I could persuade my pair to get up early enough to get to Nymans for 10am. (And frankly, I'm looking forward to a lie-in too).

I think the concentric circles and grass paths are the perfect compromise for your orchard. My knowledge of meadows is confined to what I read in the magazines and see on telly, but the first misapprehension those dispelled was that meadows are easy to create or maintain.

Nymans looked fantastic, we have too much to do here to join you but have a lovely time :)

Loving the sound of your mown paths Rhubarb!

I've just joined a Facebook group called friendly gardeners, over 8000 members and is err very friendly. One woman has put up pictures of her pond, I so want to copy! I hope it doesn't go the way of the slow cooker group I'm also a member of which got a bit bun fighty.

Oooh glad it's been Nymans at last. We live very close to it, and go a lot. I second Rhubarb's advice to get there early. The tea room isn't that big, and not very well-organised but there are lots of places for picnics. If you'd like a guide on Sunday (and that promised viola Labaradorica) Bertha, I'll happily pop along. It would be nice to meet up.

I'm wandering around Oxford college gardens today (and getting some cuttings from the college gardener!) No access to tv so havent watched the Nymans programme but went there one spring when the rhodedendrons were out and had a lovely time.
he mown circles cound nice

Another nice FB group for gardeners is the Guardian one.

Ooh thanks Lush. NTT grew out of the old GuardianTalk hosted by the Graun but closed down at short notice when a troll was hurt by some comments and threatened to sue (allegedly).

NTT? ::not fully awake yet:: Anyway, the Guardian gardeners' group on FB is friendly and supportive and has some interesting discussions. There are some very diverse gardens and gardening styles in the mix.

update on the wisteria cuttings: they are alive and well.
we did the topsoils-in-binbag approach and it seems to be working. at least the 4 twigs are not drying out and starting to have teeny weeny new shoots more than 2 weeks after cutting.
sis is using the time to get her front garden into order on e the builders have left and a huge pile of topsoil has arrived.

Sorry NTT = 'Not The [Guardian] Talk.

Glad the bin bags thing is working for you Mous.

So much that is lovely in the college gardens. Abutilon, virburnams, deutzia, daphne, fushias, persicaria very impressive with euphorbias, and grand old flowering trees from all over the world forming a canopy under which the perennials grow. Lexi you were talking about 'lifting the canopy; and this is what the Oxford gardeners have done with their old trees so that plants can be grown underneath. The college gardener said that they have been given a remit to provide a garden which is serene and conducive to study, and a naturalistic rather than a formal look - which is interesting.

Odd though, it has taken me over 30 years to actually take the time and space to visit a college garden in Oxford!

I think our Nyman's trip day will depend on which day is better weather wise but is likely to be Monday. We will probably head down early as i do hate a queue. We are also taking the dog so are planning to roam the woods for a while first to tire her out and then will pop her in the car while we roam the gardens. Note taken about tea shop so we will aim to take a picnic.

Would love to meet anyone also there on Monday or pop in for a cup of tea afterwards (bearing in mind there are four of us and a dog you may want to withdraw that invite though Rhubarb!). Not sure what DH will say about all that mind, he's still a bit bemused about the time we met Lexi at Wisley to swap seeds. He looks like this at me; I think he truly thinks that Internet people aren't actually real people.

I watched almost all the Nyman's programme - I've been so many times I sort of take it for granted, so it was lovely to look at it with fresh eyes. They made the (gorgeous) herbaceous border look enormous - it's big but not that big.

You'll have a great time with the dog in the woods bertha - the bluebells may still be out, and even they aren't, they are lovely woods. Sadly we're busy on Monday - but maybe if you like it, you'll come back for a visit to see the border at the height of summer - it is quite a sight.

As we're NT members we haven't been to the other gardens they mentioned nearby, like Leonardslee, Borde Hill or High Beeches - you've got to pay, but I really should.

which channel was the nyman programme on?

ok, I have found them all. It will make a change from Breaking Bad, which is giving me a nervous breakdown..

Me too Humph - Dh watched them all I gave up on the second series!

Slugs :( have been rampaging, despite pellets. Does anyone use beer traps? Although cant imagine Dh allowing me to waste his beer.

I've been trying to weed the shady front border and discovered lots of baby Aquleiga which are far better than the ones I've tried to grow in the greenhouse. A funny plant whose leaves smell strongly of black currant. Also Strawberry plants, I noticed them last year they looked like alpine plants but this year have much bigger leaves like cultivated ones.