When the hounds of spring are on winter's traces…...

[echt]

I realise it's later in the UK, but couldn't wait to start a new thread. If another title had been agreed, just tell me and I'll have this removed.

Other than that, seek out those deckchairs from the shed, check them for spiders and get nattering about the spring's promise.

Every time I open this thread I hear Kate Bush's The Hounds of Love in my head, with it cut off just before Love and a Radio 4 voice spliced in seedlessly saying 'spring are on winter's traces'.

Seemlessly not seedlessly. Now there's a Freudian autocorrect.

Arf at Kate Bush. I will leave it to the younger and lither members of the potting shed to experiment with gardening in a leotard.

I really dislike the damn autocorrects, they DON"T read my mind! I often want to put a 'funny' way of spelling something and the thing won't let me AAAAAH I am a Luddite at heart!

Oh and yes, bulbs growing in pots seem astronomically expensive at the garden centre. Our local not-posh florist usually does quite cheap narcissi and hyacinths, though (cheapie imports from Holland).

I bought some hydrangeas and it said officiously "do not propagate' or some such rubbish which just makes my rebellious spirit want to propagate immediately!! What are they going to do ask every florist or garden centre owner for the address of every customer FGS????

Sorry to change the subject, i just remembered that I had wanted to mention that before. How VERY DARE they tell us what to do with plants that we've paid for???

I bought some pelargoniums last year that said that. It would be terrible if a bit accidentally broke off and landed in a glass of water, wouldn't it?

Do Not Propagate. That's hilarious. Actually we know that Sugarplum has a job that involves visiting horticultural businesses - maybe she is the propagation police!

We'll all have to go even more incognito It wasn't me Sugarplum "honest guv."

I agree about the propagation police, although a niggling voice is whispering in my ear about people whose livelihood is in plant breeding and propagation. Anyway, I'm not much of a threat as my cuttings mostly die, although I did very well with salvia and fuchsia last year.

Those breeders will have to come here and stop my plants self seeding then won't they Maud? How are you btw.?

It's Bertha who goes visiting horticultural places regularly isn't it ? I have managed a couple of places and ironically have cuttings from the plants one supplied on my windowsill at this very moment that I am trying to propagate ! Shhh.

I do see where you are coming from though Maud, I read it is quite expensive tk get a plant registered. That's why Geranium Rozanne is expensive I think, the royalties on it ? My propagation attempts from cuttings Ard quite rubbish, current lot are 3rd attempt and not holding my breath over them.

FP, that really does sound like a lovely gardening day. I'm a bit worried now as planted a Clematis Armandii last year to fill a gap between us and neighbour, maybe that wasn't such a good idea.

I was today enjoying the site of my new crocuses in the front garden lawn. Up early with vomiting child and was serenaded by an owl as I put recycling out.

Is Rozanne expensive, SugarPlumTree? Mine came from the sell-off at Hampton Court as part of my inability to resist a supposed bargain. It's because of my love of a bargain that I mostly think "phooey" about do not propagate labels, but I do keep reading in The Garden and elsewhere about how hard it is to run a viable horticultural business in the face of cheap imports. Did you see the review in the most recent edition of a book about running a flower farm?

I'm still creaky, ppeatfruit, although very much more cheerful after a couple of afternoons in the garden.

It's about £8-9 a pot in all our local garden centres Maud. I found one half price in one I'd them snd had £3 in vouchers so it was a bargain our £1 and made 3 plants. I think I read an online interview with someone about the whole plant breeders rights issue.

I do love my Flower Farm book though and can't wait to get started though it will be very small scale. This time next year I am going to try and have Anemones to pick. Really must carry on sorting the greenhouse as not making the most of the space at the moment.

Oops sorry Sugarplum, yes I think it is Bertha.

It is a very valid point about plant breeders actually.

Sorry about the vomiting child. One of mine has just been up with a cough, so I tried to give him cough medicine which he immediately spat out - fresh pyjamas and bedlinen required. Children are so... messy.

I weeded the rhubarb patch ready for mulching today. two of the three crowns appear to have rotted, but one looks raring to go at least.

Yes, children are messy but not as messy as husbands.

No worries Rhubarb and sympathy on having to change the bed. DS is a bit older now and much less messy when unwell after years of training !

I've noticed an outbreak of ladders, pruning equipment and mini diggers locally for a variety of garden projects of varying sizes. I was delighted to see they have started on the garden of a new house built recently where the manky garden was such a let down in contrast to the house that it was irrationally winding me up.

Oh yes, I am pleased to say that I have found some snowdrops - not many, blink and you will miss them . But definitely snowdrops

Oh god, husbands and mess - don't even get me started!

let's just gloss over the fact that he does all the cooking

I get wound up by such things too Sugar. People spend so much on houses then begrudge anything on the garden. It's really sad.

DH has been working out of the house for less than a week and it is already tidier !

Glad it isn't just me with new build gardens.

Really loooong day at work
I think I'll keep the perlite then- anyway I googled it and apparently its not plastic but a kind of supermineral. Worth a try as only 2 of the 48 lavender plugs sent on a gardeners world offer last year have survived the winter.

I like to propagate from cuttings or division or by seeds. GW on telly always used to have a section on 'plants for free' all about propagation. I can't for the life of me see how a plant could be sold to a gardener and the seller not expect it to be propagated.

I do try and buy plants which are not sterile though. I was sad to see a lily for sale advertised with no pollen so less likely to stain clothing. I like to buy the smaller flowering species of plants such as crocuses so that they self seed, and have lots of pollen!

I think garden centres are more expensive these days. It is one of the disadvantages of the internet I think: sellers can see what price others charge and so sites such as Crocus or Sarah Raven can effectively set the bar quite high for everyone.

Grownup children are also messy especially if they are not ill.
I hope all the little ones get better soon.
I wont comment on ski-ing except to say it is very enjoyable: Have a wonderful time bertha

You can get geranium rozanne from beth chatto for 5.80

Mine cooks too, Rhubarb but has never been known to clean anything.

I really need to get some grit for my pots which are in all shapes and sizes! I don't have thirty anymore though funny

rhubarb will you be able to post pictures of the showstopper bed when it's in full flow?

I have managed to get some time in the garden despite DD being very clingy with a cold. I started to clear all the leaves off the long border (4metres so not quite as grand as it sounds) I was a bit worried about it being early as it protects things but was happy to see some shoots that might be the alliums I planted. This morning we had a frost so hope they survived.

I am also going to try leaf mould again after it didn't work last time. Some is in bags and one in an open basket so will see how it goes.

Think some of my tulips are peeking through so looks like the squirrels didn't get them all