Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.

[SugarPlumTree]

Potting shed thread for those who enjoy talking about gardens and plants. Plenty of garden chairs and the wood burner lit now there is a chill in the air, please join us !

Funny I am growing a Morello against a fence, and I may have muttered about fan training but it's not a fan shape. It's not a pretty sight without leaves but I got enough cherries for a small pie this year. As cherries grow on the end of 2nd year growth, it is easier to pick from a 'fan' trained tree., so the idea is great. If I were doing it again, though, I would buy a tree fan trained by someone who knows what they're doing...

I think it might have been me who mentioned the fan trained Morello! I think I am 3 years in so may be able to let it fruit this year... will have to look up my instructions again. So far it looks quite good and fan like, but I'm not sure I pruned at the right time last year!

I am trying to fan grow a Morello against a fence too but it is not very successful currently. The other cherry it came with that has just went in as it was is looking much better.

Well done on the roses Rhubarb. Every time you look at it there will be the promise of summer. My Lady of the Lake is waiting for it's new home. My Gardener will be moving the current rose, taking down the existing trellis (trying to preserve the Early Sensation Clematis ) and drill in a wire support system for it.

I do have a regular gardener. There is no way I can cope with the many many feet of hedges and trees we are bordered by so we look at it that his costs are part of the household maintenance fees. He does DIY bits too like mend and clean guttering, heavy digging etc but he does cut grass and tidy up as well, which to be fair is a luxury. But if we didn't have him regularly and had to get people in to sort the hedges etc each time I suspect we wouldn't be far off his annual cost.

Really wish I had got out and got my tulips in when it was drier. Am dreading walking the dog in a minute, it will be a quagmire.

Fantastic planting rhubarb needless to say my rose is still unplanted it's meant to be drier later today so hopefully I will be out there in my poncho scruffy clothes

Stupidly I left a morello cherry in a pot at the previous house.

Good way to look at the gardening costs sugar we have lots of hedges too and paid last year to get them trimmed but this year invested in a decent hedge cutter - except we still haven't cut them and I fear it's too late the neighbours must hate us.

Oh I meant to say funny that rhododendron is gorgeous, where will you put it?

lightTripper I haven't been to Sissinghurst yet it's a pain and expensive getting off the Island but hopefully next year.....

Geoff the large leafed rhodedendron will go next to the compost heap, under the oak, in front of the winter and summer jasmine which drape the fence, and where the hydrangea petiolaris was going to go which never got planted, luckily. It will have plenty of room to expand, and will provide welcome screening in time, and if it thrives I will add some azaleas near it. The only thing it is likely to threaten is the rotary washing line, which, given the changing family structure, is unlikely to be a major issue. I am hoping it will be splendidly architectural.
maud the cost of that China tour is out of my budget. I would be most interested to know how many people with families these days could afford or indeed would choose to afford trips like that what with all the other calls on one's income such as housing and education and so forth.

Thanks for Morello cherry feedback. I am interested in how real people train fruit trees.

Which Island Geoff? Islands are so romantic, though I guess logistically annoying at times.

I've only been in spring, so while I technically saw Madame Alfred Carriere she wasn't at her best (branches only ). It is a gorgeous spring garden though, particularly if you are a fan of woodlanders (trillium, erythronium, anemones, etc). As well as the "usual" field of daffs, wallflowers in the formal gardens, etc. Also much less busy than I believe it gets in summer (though I really really want to see it in summer too!)

Sorry, should have said, that last comment was about Sissinghurst!

No where exotic - the Isle Of Wight, apparently the most expensive stretch of water in the world!

I don't think I have the right soil for rhododendrons, but the rescued ones in pots are flourishing.

Aah! I've never been to IoW, except in my imagination reading Day of the Triffids Must be lovely for gardening.

I love Sissinghurst. Funny and I had a lovely outing there last summer when the rose garden was at its peak. Must do that again!

I took ds swimming this morning. The pool is at a private house, and I noticed they have a beautiful Alitex greenhouse in the garden.

I commented on its loveliness and the swimming teacher told me it was an ex display one from the Chelsea Flower Show. The family are in landscaping so I guess they knew who to talk to.

Ooh err, Rhubarb. Greenhouse envy!

Not half!

I'm sure you'll get your fabulous greenhouse in the end!

Hmm. I'm gradually starting to accept that I need to research cheaper alternatives.

The thing is its nice to have a greenhouse in keeping with the architecture of your house (Domes apart of course: I think they are in a different category)

Yet another chat today at home regarding kitchen vs post grad education vs exotic cruise.

We have decided that timing is everything.

As to gardening, I would love to buy my parents one of those conservatories/rooms thingies with picture windows but a little one wouldn't do and the bigger ones would compete with the kitchen/postgrad education for cost.

So for the moment we make do with orchids on the window sills, and they are flowering beautifully!

Hello everyone I just got back from blighty. Marking my place.

I'm sure you'll get it too rhubarb

3 other roses have arrived, they will all get planted tomorrow under the lounge window. I'm working and have left Dh strict planting instructions. I would do it myself today but the inlaws are about to turn up and the house is a pit.

I've also just discovered whilst rooting through hidden Christmas presents 5 bulbs in a paper bag just begining to sprout. I have no idea what they are but am just in time to stick em in :)

I just remembered that November is the month to shape our roses by pulling the long stems down and fixing them. I can't remember who gave us the advice on here but I have begun!! So we'll see this summer!!

Welcome back to the thread, ppeatfruit! Were you in your former UK stomping ground?

::waves::

It's been a crisp and rather autumnal day here. One neighbour has even been mowing his lawn (which makes me wonder whether we might manage to do ours, which didn't get cut at the end of the summer). I have potted up some narcissi for a fundraiser tomorrow and now feel much more enthused about getting on with the tulips.

DD had an unusually huge nap this afternoon (1.5 hours!!) so managed to gather a trug full of leaves for the leafmould bin and make some progress on sorting out the utility room (which has all our laundry, garden and DIY stuff in so needs a major sort out at least once a year as we're not always as good as we should be at putting things away

Managed to clean and oil my spade and fork too, so feeling quite virtuous

Hello Maud . Not really, I move about between the children's homes; baby sitting and cat sitting etc. Also we were in Amsterdam (for a holiday and concert) which was lovely .

Instead of putting a proper fence where the overgrown leylandii were I'm planting a mixed hedge with variegated 'silver hedgehog' holly (it'll be interesting to see how it does because I bought 2 impulsively and now noticed that there are none locally ), bay, a climbing rose, laurel and variegated privet.

That sound lovely Maud!! I really fancy a holly but couldn't find one in my tiny local GC. No doubt they could get one for me, but I might just scour my Mum's garden for a seedling at Christmas (possibly being a bit optimistic but it's amazing what crops up in her garden)!

Could I grow holly from a cutting? Or would it take a million years to grow?

Sorry, ppeat, not Maud! Spot the newbie