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Gardening

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

Original poster

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 !

OP posts:
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Original poster
SugarPlumTree · 08/01/2015 16:47

Very wet here too this morning as I was walking the dog bug sun came out later which was lovely. I had a quick potter in the garden and moved a perennial wallflower, put in a hellebore, another wallflower and a few sprouting bulbs I found in the shed. Oh plus moved a foxglove I found under the tangled mess of last year's sweet peas.

Lady of the Lake is showing signs of shoots and my Aldi roses seem ok. My Graham Thomas has buds on. Some Taff's are starting to form their heads and there are lots of green things poking out through the ground. I've noticed a couple of Camellias in full bloom locally too.

Sarah Raven catalogue is here so I'm browsing. Anyone but Dahlias from Peter Nyssan? They are a lot cheaper so wondering if quality ok?

Have just downloaded the Great Garden revival so look forward to watching that (Chris Beardshaw in particular)

I've noticed a load of forget me not seedlings in a tub so am going to mix in with the tulips having seen a picture on the Sarah Raven site last year.

OP posts:
Callmegeoff · 08/01/2015 18:25

I've watched a couple of the GBGR today, thanks for the tip. I assumed they were repeats of last year but I hadn't seen them before.

Deluge here too and sunny later, quite pleased that the massive puddle at the bottom of the garden has drained away so I must be doing something right. neighbours is still there

I've had a wee potter to check on things, lots of bulbs appearing although I should have done more, some sort of honeysuckle shrub in flower no smell as yet and some ground cover that I assumed was an annual still going strong.

funny you can get this gadget for £10 ish that turns your tv into a smart tv, so easy to catch up on missed programs.

Original poster
SugarPlumTree · 08/01/2015 19:02

I assumed the same Geoff and would have missed them all.

OP posts:
MaudantWit · 08/01/2015 19:24

I'm watching the GBGR now. Too many rhododendrons for my liking, although I always like James Wong's enthusiasm.

Blackpuddingbertha · 08/01/2015 20:20

Not sure about the carnations in tonights either.

SPT - I seeded my tulip planters with forget me nots this year too. I think they're coming through; otherwise I have lots of weeds growing in the tubs.

MaudantWit · 08/01/2015 20:26

I pretty much agreed with their assessment of carnations; they're fine flowers as long as they're not petrol station pink or insipid yellow. The Malmaisons were gorgeous.

I think Christopher Lloyd used to pair red tulips with forget-me-nots. Stunning.

Blackpuddingbertha · 08/01/2015 20:37

Like this is what I'm hoping for (but in pots).

MaudantWit · 08/01/2015 20:44

Oh yes. That is beautiful.

Rhubarbgarden · 08/01/2015 21:13

Lovely. Keukenhof uses a lot of forgot-me-nots amongst their tulips.

I totally agree with James Wong on Rhodis. They are marvellous in the right setting, and there are some wonderful varieties. I love the big leaved ones he showcased - sinogrande and falconeri.

All that bare soil in that massive parterre made me twitch.

MaudantWit · 08/01/2015 21:33

Bare soil is very distressing when it could be filled with plants!

On your recommendation, Rhubarb, I have been researching Gold Leaf gloves. I want something stout, so that I can tackle the overgrown climbing rose; would you go for the tough touch or the winter touch version? I suspect the tough touch are the most suitable, but I like the sound of the thermal lining in the winter touch.

Rhubarbgarden · 08/01/2015 22:44

I have the winter touch ones and they are great. I'd happily tackle a climbing rose in them. Smile

MaudantWit · 08/01/2015 22:59

Right. Winter touch it is!

funnyperson · 09/01/2015 05:08

Those gloves look comfy!
You do need good gloves as nails and hands are ruined very quickly even gardening for a short time I find.
All that bare soil was underwhelming though I thought the parterre design was fab. Oddly I didn't want to rush out and fill the garden with dianthus, though I do like pinks a lot. The rhodedendron talk of Barbara Cartland made me smile: I remembered her at Princess Di's wedding. I must see if I can find one of her outrageously sexist books in the charity shop. It was great seeing the sinesis grande and falconerii in the same programme. I do like the notion of pruning older flowering bushes into a lovely tree. And I do like James Wong. But where is Monty? And Sarah Raven? It must be cut throat competition to present Gardeners World at the beeb when Monty retires.

echt · 09/01/2015 08:21

With all this talk of winter, I've been sorting out the consequences of two very hot days - 40 and 41 - and have now perfected where to move and/or cover which plants. The covering was hampered by high winds, and where coverings lifted, the plants (crucifix orchids) burned. Have now sorted out a safe haven. The gardenias were fine, until three days later when they dropped buds in shock.

I'm beginning to get a bit Hmm about agave attenuata, lovely and dramatic as they, as they burn at 35, bruise if you brush past them, are big in containers so a bugger to heave around. I'm unwilling to plant them in the ground as they are bullies. I need to bite the bullet and have perhaps three instead of nine, then my problems would be…oh, you do the maths.:o

All is now back, well, not normal as it's down to about 20-ish and loads of rain for the next week, so not very summery. Good for the garden, damps down the bush fires, and a cue for DH and me to go the cinema.

Castlelough · 09/01/2015 11:06

Ooh the thread is flying along! Almost full!
We got a satellite dish, so I can now watch Monty and the GBGR with the rest of you! Hurrah!
No sign of baby castle to arrive!
My plant pots are looking fairly miserable apart from some forlorn looking bulbs poking their heads up in some if them.
Some of my forget-me-not seedlings appear to have survived the many challenges they faced in the last 6 months...should I cut back my roses now? Or leave them? There are the climbing icebergs and the DA English roses in their pots...

Castlelough · 09/01/2015 11:08

Ooh the thread is flying along! Almost full!
We got a satellite dish, so I can now watch Monty and the GBGR with the rest of you! Hurrah!
No sign of baby castle to arrive!
My plant pots are looking fairly miserable apart from some forlorn looking bulbs poking their heads up in some if them.
Some of my forget-me-not seedlings appear to have survived the many challenges they faced in the last 6 months...should I cut back my roses now? Or leave them? There are the climbing icebergs and the DA English roses in their pots...

Castlelough · 09/01/2015 11:09

Ooh the thread is flying along! Almost full!
We got a satellite dish, so I can now watch Monty and the GBGR with the rest of you! Hurrah!
No sign of baby castle to arrive!
My plant pots are looking fairly miserable apart from some forlorn looking bulbs poking their heads up in some if them.
Some of my forget-me-not seedlings appear to have survived the many challenges they faced in the last 6 months...should I cut back my roses now? Or leave them? There are the climbing icebergs and the DA English roses in their pots...

Castlelough · 09/01/2015 11:10

Sorry for triple post ConfusedConfusedConfusedConfused

ppeatfruit · 09/01/2015 11:44

Yes I think now is the time to train and prune your roses castle you can pull the new branches down and peg them to get better blooms I'm trying that this year so we'll see how it works. Grin

Blackpuddingbertha · 09/01/2015 14:50

Thread will definitely fly along if we all triple post though Castle!

Now I want those gloves too. I was caught by the term 'waterproof' in the description of the winter ones. May add them to my shopping list. I surveyed the herb pots earlier. I think I'm going to replace all but one particularly healthy looking thyme. The others have done good service but are now rather pitiful. So herbs and expensive gloves it is.d

HumphreyCobbler · 09/01/2015 15:46

I love my gold leaf gloves, my fingers go blue in cold weather and these keep me very warm and protected. Worth every penny.

It is extremely windy here today, I fear for the greenhouse.

Freddiesmother · 09/01/2015 16:14

thanks ladies - yes want to improve soil so will go for horse. worried about smothering my wall flowers so will have to be careful. don't have any rosemary lavender as north facing so given up with them evem though I love both. can't wait to catch up with GBGR haven't seen any so going to have an iplayer binge Grin

MaudantWit · 09/01/2015 16:17

Well, my Gold Leaf gloves should be winging their way to me soon. I look nervously out of the bedroom window every morning, in case the plastic greenhouses have become airborne.

Callmegeoff · 09/01/2015 17:45

I've bought some Gold leaf gloves too Grin

Pineapple emoticon for castle it's meant to get things going apparently!

Windy here too!

Rhubarbgarden · 09/01/2015 18:10

Yep pineapple worked for me both times!