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Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

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

999 replies

SugarPlumTree · 29/09/2014 22:32

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 !

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SugarPlumTree · 21/12/2014 12:41

It is quite hard to photograph gift some reason but you get thd idea.

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
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SugarPlumTree · 21/12/2014 12:44

Ooops, should have previewed the text before posting!

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MaudantWit · 21/12/2014 14:03

Ah, that's lovely. Maybe you should market those too!

SugarPlumTree · 21/12/2014 16:16

Thank you Smile Last picture I thought you all might appreciate seeing there are a few cat owners on the thread is my cat when I was channelling my inner Sarah Raven earlier. DH impressed me, he recognised that they are aliums.

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
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Bearleigh · 21/12/2014 16:42

That looks lovely sugarplum. We went to Wisley today, and despite a "Narnia" theme children's Trail, and some fabulous decorations in the glasshouses,it was quite quiet, so we could easily see all the winter garden things. They had in some amazing things with dogwood with coloured stems – see photo

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
MaudantWit · 21/12/2014 17:28

Lovely! I thought dd might like to go to Wisley for the Narnia trail, but she seems unenthusiastic about it. She loves the books and the films, so maybe she was just having a too cool for school moment.

Is anyone thinking of going to Kew for the lights there? That also looks good.

Callmegeoff · 21/12/2014 19:03

Great photos sugar the Alliums look great. I might take the dc's on a nature walk to look for interesting things we can spray. I managed to find great twigs last year that are shaped like antlers and am just waiting for Dh to make me a rudolf from logs.

nann does your climber have to be in a pot ? I've not had much luck with potted climbers so no suggestions I'm afraid.

Callmegeoff · 21/12/2014 19:04

Beautiful cat too!

echt · 21/12/2014 20:38

Lovely wreaths, though the one I still use is my very first bought on Sydenham Hill in the early 90s. Thinking of climbers in pots for nann, I have a hoya, though it might be too cold for outdoors in the UK

Most of the Christmas prep is arranging ropes of lights around the front fence and trees. In the time-honoured Australian way, though a first for me, tidied up, mowed and edged the nature strip. I have no idea why this is done, since Christmas Day is utterly quiet, with few passes by.

The spring and summer have been mild and rainy so much growth of trees, one of which is threatening to take down a fence, so DH is off to hire a jack to give it a shove so we can prop it up, making it grow more up than along. Being a coastal tea-tree, it wants to lie down. The jack man says we can have one that that lifts 10 tons, so here's hoping it'll work.

In my experiment with self-watering broccoli boxes on the driveway, I'm growing pumpkins, black beans, tomatoes and chickpeas. The horrible possums have eaten all my grapevine. Gits.

NotAnotherNewNappy · 21/12/2014 22:34

Echt - thanks, I had a look at Hoya. they are very beautiful but RHS says conservatories only in the UK.

Camel - yes it has to be in a pot, but I think things that like to go up also like to go down, which is why they fail in pots.

Lovely wreath Sugar. Mine is plastic. Amazing alliums, cat also v cute.

Bear - wisely/narnia sounds fun. I've just added dogwood to my wish list.

The builders have done a great job patching up the old shed and reattaching my water butt. Is it just me, or does that sound rude?

I have yet another interview tomorrow and am feeling depressed. 2hrs of written test before I even get to the interview. It involves proof reading and, as you must all know, this is not my best skill.

I am off to watch 'glorious gardens from above' on iplayer. Have any of you seen this?

Rhubarbgarden · 21/12/2014 23:37

Lovely garland and beautiful cat, Sugar!

Nice pic of Wisley too, Bearleigh.

Good luck with the interview NANN.

We are off to Stowe tomorrow. I've never been before.

LightTripper · 22/12/2014 00:13

Hello all! Have been enjoying this thread on my app but couldn't see any of the photos so had to log in properly!! Some very handsome wreaths/patios/garlands/cornus/cats out there!

This is my wreath. Quite pleased with it despite having plastic mushrooms in and being a bit lopsided, but it's my first ever attempt and I think it looks quite jolly against the blue door.

My crocuses are starting to push through too. Snowdrops sadly don't seem to like me: though I've always planted bulbs, so I might have a final attempt planting in the green this year (plus the soil is quite improved since I last tried, so maybe there's a chance....)

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
echt · 22/12/2014 08:05

I'm officially amazed that a hydraulic jack no bigger than a big coffee pot can lift a whole tree. The tree's now resting on huge blocks of wood from gum tree cut down in the street, that will keep it up for at least six months and, we hope, permanently keep the main trunk growing upright, therefore away from the fence and out of reach of being cut down. $30 well spent.

The other good news is that our big tubs of gardenias are flowering like mad, so that coming to the front door in the evening is heavenly. The clue seems to be big clip in autumn, lots of grub and water. They don't mind being potbound, but face full west, so when the temperature gets over 30, I'll push them into the shade.

I like the plastic mushroom wreath, LightTripper.

ppeatfruit · 22/12/2014 10:06

SugarI LOVE your cat Xmas Grin we had 2 white beauties like yours (both lived to 19 or 20 and we still miss their lovely personalities. Xmas Sad. Both buried in our old North London garden.

I artfully arranged some small bay branches round some candles on our kitchen room divider (which was once for livestock I THINK!!!) But they're already drying out, good for cooking, but I should've put them in water or oasis Xmas Grin.

Your greenery looks very impressive sugar how do you keep it alive? If you do!!!

Oh the latest on our rodent infestation is that dh has got busy on the WWW and we have 4 plug ins which are WORKING hooray!!!!

Echt I hope your tea tree is happy and stays where you've put it. I wondered why ours sees to be growing outwards rather than UP Xmas Grin

HAVE A LOVELY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE I'lll speak when it's calmer !!

SugarPlumTree · 22/12/2014 11:13

I think that looks lovely Light tripper and I love the colour of your front door. Also like the Cornus in Bearleigh ' s picture, much more impressive than my solitary Cornus.

Strange to think of you with the scent of Gardenia wafting over to you Echt when everything a bit bleak here. Having said that it has gone mild again.

Not sure that my greenery will be staying alive to be honest Ppeatfruit. Good news about the rodents. I came down to what I thought was a dead dormouse this morning. Then realised it was alive so relocated it outside.

The white cat was one of two in a rescue. He came home just before Christmas and I didn't tell the children he was coming. Very obligingly he perched himself under the Christmas tree as DD was coming home from school so she found a white kitten under the tree to her delight ! Disclaimer, we were only allowed to have him just before Christmas as we have had cats for years and the DC have grown up with them so know they are not for Christmas. Have a lively Christmas.

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Bearleigh · 22/12/2014 13:43

I saw a bit of that gardens from above programme - I liked the idea but I just didn't like the presenter. I am delighted that a woman of a certain age, especially one who's not wearing loads of make-up, is on telly. However she's one of those AMAAAAZINGLY ENTHUSIASTIC presenters, and I just found her too wearing.

ppeatfruit · 23/12/2014 09:47

Oh that is a really lovely story about Whitey sugar have you named him or her yet? All our cats have been rescued or have just turned up too.

IKWYM about that presenter Bearleigh If she's like that in RL she must totally exhaust her family Xmas Grin She exhausts me too!!

SugarPlumTree · 23/12/2014 10:26

I'll watch that program over Christmas if I can cope with the presenter. Do like a bit of gardening programs to set off the holidays

We've had him for 4 years now Ppeatfruit. He is named after an evil character in a series DH snd I were watching at the time but that is one of those standard animal names too. Bit of a thug with one of our female cats . And when I was feeding my neighbours cats at their house I came face to face with him in their hallway - we were both very surprised !

Hope e ermine is coping with the Christmas rushing around . Must remember to inspect my lawn for Crocus shoots later snd found some of last year's tulips still in the shed.

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Squeakyheart · 23/12/2014 21:03

I have serious cat envy! Lost mine 18 months ago and can't persuade DH to get another one Sad

also have garden envy since mine are both a complete state at the moment. Going to take a lot of work next year but not sure where to start. I have potted up my tulips! I did write down the names but have lost the list common theme in my life

Managing some occasional pottering but more for me then for any benefit to the garden and eagerly watching for shoots

I had a clear out of DVDs and found a gardeners world one so am planning on watching it when I have some peace and quiet and maybe plan out the garden steals slate patio idea

Wishing you all a merry Christmas! And look forward to discussing what gardening gifts we all hopefully get

MaudantWit · 23/12/2014 22:17

Slate patios are great, squeakyheart although mine needs a good scrub!

I had a brief walk around the garden today while hanging out some washing, and saw that the narcissus Thalia are starting to sprout. There is some bedding lobelia still flowering in the front garden in a pot that hasn't been emptied yet and on the bus today we passed some street trees - flowering cherry - that are already in flower.

I did put a few gardening things on my Christmas wish list, so let's hope that Santa has paid attention.

Blackpuddingbertha · 24/12/2014 14:52

Just popping on quickly to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
Xmas Grin

echt · 24/12/2014 20:06

And as it is Christmas Day here, have a good one. Xmas Smile

Callmegeoff · 24/12/2014 20:09

Merry Christmas everyone Xmas Smile

MaudantWit · 24/12/2014 21:00

Merry Christmas one and all!

Come back to report on what horticultural goodies Father Christmas brought you!

NotAnotherNewNappy · 24/12/2014 21:09

Merry Christmas my gardening lovelies!! Here's to a happy new year of minimal slugs and snails and some marvellous new blooms xxx

Squeaky - a pot of tulips draws the eye and makes any garden look fab. I didn't bother to label mine this year and am looking forward to the surprise.

I am glad I held my nerve and didn't buy a new shed. the builders have reassembled our old one, in its new position at the end of the garden, and it looks fine.

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