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.

I'm very fond of my pop ups (and my cheapo multi-storey cold frame from Robert Dyas). I'm worried about my lemon tree, as I read that they need a minimum of 10 degrees and I'm sure the pop up greenhouse can't provide that, so I've just bought it a lovely fleece overcoat. I'm never likely to have one, but I do enjoy looking at all the posh greenhouse and garden room porn in The Garden.

Oh yes it is nice looking at garden pictures: pinterest and houzz can also keep me happy , though over tea I like to look at a garden book.

Alitex make Hartley don't they?

Does your lemon tree have lemons on it?

A tall parcel has arrived from JParker but I'm sure I haven't ordered anything. It must be a mistake. I saw it in the porch when I came home late yesterday and it is still there.

My lemon tree did have fruit on it last year, when I bought it, but they all dropped off over the summer. I have a feeling I may be donating it to the plant sale this year.

Oh Maud I've given up upon my lemon trees this year (i feel mean though ) I suppose they were 4 or 5 years old and fruited nicely for the first 2 years. But since I repotted them they've slowly gone off.

I've read or been given so much conflicting advice about them; like 'they need to be cold for some of the winter'. I kept them in the french window space indoors during the winter and put them out when it got over 12C at night in the summer I did notice they loved being sprayed with rain water . It's either my compost or the fact we're not in the South!

I'll buy 2 more for dh's birthday and follow instructions more religiously! Or maybe olive trees!

I'm trying hard to get mine through the winter, but am reconciled to failing and having to treat it as a glorified (disposable) pot plant. My olive tree, meanwhile, looks very happy. Considering it was thrown in for free when I bought the pot for thruppence on eBay - and when I cleaned the pot I noticed it was a Yorkshire pot - that has proved to be a better investment.

Rhubarb, re rebuilding the greenhouse, I know, but money.

We have all the outbuildings to deal with first, before they get unsafe, and fixing the stone wall of the garden which has been pointed with cement and is eroding. It would be so amazing though. Our neighbour's father was the gardener in our house and she's given us some photos.

That sounds a real bargain Maud We had 2 lovely happy fruit bearing olive trees in pots on the terrace but that really bitter winter 2011? Finished them I was very . On a brighter note , the dried trunks make lovely firewood .

Countess Your posts make me feel guilty, we too have outbuildings,walls and a pigeonnier to re roof and repair.

Countess I know the feeling. I witter on about my garden plans but realistically, with everything that needs doing on the house, nice things like paths and pergolas and fancy-pants greenhouses are all just Grand Plan and no real action. Your place does sound amazing though.

Lemon trees are a faff. I've long since come to the conclusion that they are never going to thrive in this country.

I got the planting done. Hurrah! I did half of it with ds there, as I really, really wanted to get it finished and he only does half days at preschool on Thursdays. He stacked empty pots for me, pointed out which plants to plant next, and handed me Allium bulbs. All in all surprisingly helpful! There was some running around like a loon with a frisbee on his head but I thought that was fair enough.

Just need to Strulch it all now.

You never know Rhubarb you could've awakened a lifelong interest in your ds ; he may turn out to be the next Monty Don! Frisbee wearing is the next big thing doncher know!

That sounds wonderful, Rhubarb. Your DS could be the next Joe Swift (although maybe he could avoid the Mockney accent).

What a sweetie, Rhubarb!

Just seen that Aldi have a variety of plants coming in on 19 Feb:

• 2yr old English grown roses £1.89, 30 varieties

• 3yr old (2l pot) camellia and pieris

£4.99, 3 varieties of each

• Summer bulbs 99p, 33 varieties

• Seed potatoes
• Primula planters

It's Joe Swift and his garden mirrors\concrete screens etc. I find quite annoying.

Well done on the planting and helpful son. I wonder if mine would help with turning the compost. Though he did plant a blue pansy at that age and it still comes up every year!
I now want a lemon tree. In Amalfi there are lemon trees everywhere.

just had a lovely long read of the thread, you have all been busy. Glad your DS enjoyed helping Rhubarb, I gave ToddlerCobbler a little wheelbarrow today, he loved it!

Got out for an hour today and tidied up a bit more. We are not going to mulch this year and I think the weeds are going to be awful as a result. Never mind.

Really enjoying all the snowdrops.

::waves to Humph::

Hello Maud!

Hiya Humph! Lovely to see you. And how delightful that ToddlerCobbler has his own wheelbarrow. I failed dismally to get The Girl interested in gardening (although I guess it may come) but she does at least enjoy garden photography.

Oh, and is anyone planning to go to any of the RHS London shows?

The baby spent the last twenty minutes sprawled across my lap and preventing me from replying

Not got any plans to go to the shows yet, but the year is yet young..

Thank you for posting the Aldi deals Haveyouseen, that's really helpful.

Humph how lovely to see you, have some . I have failed on getting my two to garden. DS has a Venus Fly trap though I got him recently and was involved I cutting of the flower spike it threw up yesterday. There was a fly in his room, now there isn't so much speculation as to whether it is in one of the closed thingys on the plant. Maud my DD enjoys photography and will sometimes get her camera out into the garden. Photography is one of her A level options.

Under the carport we have a very fetching 19 70 ' s orange toy wheelbarrow with rotating blue ball which was my Brother's . If he ever brings his DS to the UK when he's born I have visions of him playing in my garden with his Dad's old wheelbarrow.

I think today might be Daffodil day, fingers crossed..

We had an orange seventies wheelbarrow with blue ball 'wheel'! Oh please post a photo for happy nostalgia purposes!

Oh, oh, oh. We knew that Monty was returning next month, but did we know that it's on the 6th?

::starts countdown::

Ooh. Dan Pearson on Desert Island Discs right now.

I never had an orange wheelbarrow maybe that's why I'm contemplating buying a bright pink one with some of my Birthday money. Dh doesnt want me to, as we have a wheelbarrow but its got a permanently flat tyre. They are such useful things it wouldn't hurt to have 2 surely.

I feel Aldi calling, I was very happy with the rose from there last year.

sugar my daffs have had buds for weeks, like you I keep staring willing them to open.

I've just switched to 4 maud

Oh wheelbarrows We have finally got one that works properly (it cost a lot) that's why it's good! The other 2 failures are collecting rainwater from the grange roof, even after buying spare tyres for mark 2 WB it never fulfilled it's purpose.

The weather's nice !!! I have to get off here and go out to garden!! In the newly exposed garden there's a pond (oval shaped) with a good stone surround but no liner anyone with experience of ponds and liners can offer any advice to me. Should I resurrect it?

No wheelbarrow here (yet!) but really must get one before we start our big gardening session this year.

Love the idea of DD helping with the garden... I'm thinking of digging her her own bed so she can plant her own things but she's only 10 months so maybe I'll leave it a little while I love photographing the garden, partly just for the excuse to be out there with some peace and quiet. DH did a time lapse of it last year which was fascinating too.

Desert Island Discs was great; "tumbling into the primeval" sounds wonderful!

Hope you all have a nice weekend ahead. My mission is to put together a really nice pot/planter for one of my oldest friends who has just had a miscarriage. I was thinking some snowdrops. They seem so tranquil, yet hopeful at the same time.