"in the midst of winter, I found there was within me, an invincible summer" Potting shed chat continues here

[funnyperson]

So as agreed (by 2 other people!) I have started this thread for spring gardeners follwing on from the previous thread : Welcome one and all. experts and novices alike and draw up your chairs and join in discussion on all things garden related (and even not garden related)

I love the idea of rainbow chard, that is a good plan I think. Thanks SugarPlumTree. We are going to get rid of some of our fruit bushes as we just don't use the fruit. One family only needs one blackcurrant and one gooseberry bush, especially when one of the adults is persistently low carbing!

It it a lovely day today, I cleared some of the dead leaves that had collected by the front porch and watered a load of pots. I really need to plant the orange geraniums in the terracotta pots by the driveway wall, we only have 11 left after the oil man backed into one.

Just broke off writing this post to have a wander round the garden with DH. It is such a nice time of the year. The apple blossom in the orchard is just waiting to come, the downy birch at the top are all starting to silver up at last and are starting to provide a nice canopy feel to that part of the garden. We discovered some bindweed in the herb beds, inspected the ferns in the pigs cot and were pleased to find they were all coming back, we will move them into the verandah tomorrow. There are a few silver ferns that just look stunning, when I get my new phone I will post a pic.

PurpleRibbons, I still feel like a novice, especially as I never know the actual name of any plant at any given time!

Purple I'm the same as Humphrey - learn a lot every year, often from posts on this thread and its predecessors. Princess Anne Rose is gorgeous- it's lovely hearing about & seeing what is flowering for everyone.

I popped to the garden centre today, with the idea of getting something like a Choisya to fill a gap. I spotted Crinodendron hookerianum, which looked the business, - I have seen it before & liked it. There was nothing on the label about it needing acid soil, but when I googled at home it looks like it does need acid - and we are on chalk, I think. I am in two minds whether to take it back... There is a camellia in the garden - it's not grown much in the 6 years we've been here, but it's in the shade of a large apple tree, so that's maybe not a surprise. Its leaves are green and glossy though, so maybe Crinodendron will survive. I could of course get the soil testing kit that I've been meaning to get, to find out the pH of our soil properly!

I discovered a Kniphofia in a bed today - I am certain I didn't buy it, but don't recall having seen it before. And one of the three Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' in the garden has been attacked by slugs - the other two are pristine, and growing strongly but this one wasn't moving so I put some pellets down, and it's now a slug grave yard. It does seem slugs & snails attack weak plants so maybe it will die anyway.

I have had a reply from the grower about my Lutea Rose. It said the same as the advice on here. That its early years are spent putting down roots to support the vigorous growth. So I will be patient. I guess the same might be true of the lilac, so that will be reprieved too.

Nice to know it is not me.

I've had a very satisfactory gardening day. Bought and sold a lot of plants this morning at the school fete and then had a long planting and pruning session when I got home. I've made a huge amount of progress with the planting queue and the beds are looking pretty full - I always overdo it and end up with things falling over each other - and there's still a few things to fit in. The pots of bulbs that are intended to fill gaps may be redundant if there are no gaps!

Hello, can I join you?

I absolutely love gardening but haven't had a garden for the past 2 years. So very excited to finally have my own garden again! New garden is bigger than previous ones and rather overwhelmed with enormous trees and shrubs which are mostly overcrowded. The layout could be better too. There is lots to do!

So far I have installed a couple of compost bins, planted some pots up with herbs and measured the whole thing ready to start sketching design ideas on paper.

There are lots of plants I'm not keen on - it's a bit evergreen heavy and the planting feels dark - but as the garden wakes up I'm spotting a few gems in the borders.

I've also been quite ill so need to pace myself. Had a really lovely few hours out there yesterday afternoon with dh - just weeding and assessing really - had forgotten how positive gardening makes me feel. Had that lovely slightly glowy, ever so slightly achy feeling last night that signals a good afternoon's gardening

A new garden! How lovely. So exciting, planning a garden.

The Acers look lovely, I think I've killed mine -neglected to water , its new leaves have all fallen off

likeasoul how lovely to have a garden again. I've only really got into gardening since we moved here 3 years ago. It's very addictive although my knees are buggered! Thanks to this thread I now grow Cosmos and have planted a Mme Alfred Carriere -2nd year and has buds!

My sweet peas are flowering, also lilac, Weigella, Echium Pinianna, for-get-me -not. Tulips long gone so need to get later flowering ones for next year.

My Dahlias have all sprouted which pleases me, I've added one called Sylvia (orange ball shaped) to the mix.

There are tomato seedlings springing up in the compost and bloody bind weed. -which must have been in the farm manure. I keep pulling it up with the mantra never let it see a Sunday, it's a battle I'm loosing!

I love that mantra!

I'm amazed and envious that your sweet peas are flowering. I only bought and planted mine yesterday! I have a teeny little acer - magazine freebie, I think - which looked terrible when it was given to me last year, but has now perked up, so fingers crossed.

Welcome from me too, Likeasoul. I am convinced of the therapeutic value of gardening. It's helped me through some difficult times and a really good afternoon in the garden - like yesterday's - lifts my spirits. I'm not sure whether the physical exercise of gardening makes me more or less creaky!

There is no sign of my dahlias at all but those cheap gladioli bulbs I planted are coming through. So are my potatoes and beetroot.
Yesterday I planted tomato and strawberry plants in hanging baskets and did two small troughs of spinach, radishes and spring onions. I'm going to try really hard this year to plant more every few weeks so we can eat them all summer.
DD is enjoying helping with digging, planting and watering (she is 2) so we're going to plant some sunflower seeds today which can be her special seeds to look after!

Gardening is the only activity that gives me flow

"In positive psychology, flow, also known as the zone, is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity."

It is just the best thing, pottering in the garden!

It is so nice hearing what everyone is doing in the garden and what is flowering. I had a lovely gardening day pulling up weeds, planting out more seedlings in the holes left by the weeds, and watching the patio being jet washed.
I've moved the patio pots around a bit so that the scented roses are nearer the windows!
My sweet peas arent anywhere near flowring, they are still in the growing stage!
The planting q is much reduced but, like you Maud, what with the way everything is growing, I think I may have very few gaps left!

Welcomelikeasoul! I do agree it is very nice to be out there, especially in this weather when it isn't cold or wet. Though for me the garden swing seat always beckons invitingly. I find I will stare into space at flowers and the birds quite happily, then jump up and uproot some weeds, or plant a plant, or tie back a climber, then go back to sitting in the sun and listening to the birds. Most blissful.

Yes, blissful is the word, and Humph is quite right about the flow; I've never heard it expressed in quite those words, but it's a sort of mindfulness, I think.

This corner of the garden is shaping up quite well (if you don't look at the lawn).

Yes it is like mindfulness, isn't it? Just the right amount of concentration required. Pruning is my favourite activity for this

And judging by the aching limbs of me & my train chum J this morning, it's jolly good exercise. My buttocks in particular seem to have had a good workout, which makes up for missing Pilates on Saturday as I wanted to be out planting as early as possible.

Purple not all of my dahlias are through yet, though some are romping away. It is the younger ones that haven't put on much growth, including my newly-bought Happy Halloween.

Welcome LikeaSoul - how exciting having a new garden to play in!

I've just tested the soil in our garden which turns out to be 'neutral' so I think I'll plant the Crinodendron Hookerianum that I mentioned upthread - if I plant it in acidic compost and mulch with the same it should be OK. [crosses fingers]

That looks lovely maud
Sunday turned into a bit of a debacle! I moved an ancient half barrel that was here when we moved in, we've grown mint in it for the last few years. Anyway when I moved it the bottom fell out and about a billion ants and their eggs fell out of it. Managed to slide it onto a black bag and carry it into the front garden so I could at least clean up the patio and we can smash it up and put it in the dustbin when it's been emptied. There are now billions of ants in the front garden! There is also another big ant nest near the shed. Are ants a problem for the garden?

I have a couple of ants' nests in my garden and have never found any problems - I have heard people say they encourage aphids, so will also be interested in others' views/experience.

searabbit what a lovely plant -I had to google.

Lovely maud

purple I have no idea, I suppose they may move the earth around too much so the poor plant has none round it's roots? I don't think they eat stuff though. Btw what size pot is your Kiwi plant in?

The gravel paths in my garden have proved a very successful medium for seeds -mostly weeds but I found a self seeded Viola yesterday, also foxgloves, Echium, Nigella and for-get-me-nots!

The Hostas are all emerging, even in pots some have been slugged dd2 hid my pellets. I've arranged them with ferns in groups near the back door.

I haven't planted the kiwi yet geoff! I bought some kiwis planning to save the seeds bur DH ate them all! Will try again, I was planning to start them in a small pot on a window sill to start and then pot on as necessary.
Thanks for ant advice, I shouldn't think they'll do much harm, I think they are actually pretty amazing creatures so I don't really want to disturb them. Maybe they'll attract woodpeckers!

So sorry purple I muddled you with pizza

That crinodendron looks interesting -very different to a choisya though! What colour is the foliage?

I thought I was doing really well with the planting and weeding but DS came along and said I had far too many plants still in pots and didnt look at all convinced when I said I was nurturing them- which is true as I like to plant them when they are nice and strong and also with things like clematis or the daintier ones, when they have survived at least a winter.

Anyway I was staring at the garden and noticed that the hostas are coming up, and also a veronicastrum, which I had thought dead, in fact has many sturdy shoots coming up from the base. So I cut off last years dead stem and put it on the compost heap!

I'm leaving little patches of geum urbanum and herb robert and vetch around the garden as their little wild flowers really are charming. In fact I'm half wondering whether to put them in the herb wheel.

The herb wheel has failed thus far. Once the oak came into leaf it became apparent I had dug the wheel in the wrong place so all the herbs are back in pots.

I'm keeping the valerian firmly out of the back garden, as its really taken over the front and is a thug! I dont really see why Monet liked it so.

The robins and blue tits watch me like hawks, following me to pick up any earthworms and most times they succeed merrily!

When the patio jet wash left puddles of water around, the robins flew down and bathed! They looked so funny flapping in the muddy water.

I must get a bird bath for them.

The espaliered apple is still coming out in blossom: so happy. There wasn't one flower last year. I put it down to realising it is a tip bearer.

Paul's Himalayan Musk rose on the other hand is looking very sickly. I think the black spot has done for it.

Crinodendron is very different from Choisya - red flowers and more upright habit - but both lots of leaves are shiny dark green and evergreen, which was what was most important. Choisya was already planted in our first garden & I loved it - the foliage is scented as well as the flowers, and I used to cut big branches at Christmas. They do grow big though - I remember seeing a full sized one at Nymans (no longer there I think) - growing all the way up the ruins...

I have masses of germ urbanum/herb Bennett this year - more than any previous year, and herb Robert everywhere. Have to say I don't encourage them.

I am sorry to hear about your Himalayan musk, Funny. As I mentioned upthread, I don't find black spot is too debilitating but RHS says it's a serious problem and obviously you find it so.

I also have a friendly robin who watches me in the garden and swoops down to collect worms etc. He's always there at dusk too, I hope he's eating the slugs!
I seem to be doing better with slugs this year due to avoiding watering in the evening, putting crushed eggs shells around susceptible plants and drowning any that I do find.
I'm also on top of weeding and dead-heading for once, I have DD to thank for that, she always wants to play in the garden so I go round weeding while she plays in her sand pit.
Went to a local National Trust place yesterday which has the most beautiful gardens. One is a kitchen garden, all the veg plants seem huge already. In summer they have an amazing dahlia border. I was relieved to see theirs are no further on than mine!
Last night I did something I've been meaning to get round to for ages, I started a garden journal. I've made notes on the different plants, name, location, care details etc and I will add notes about how they are doing. I've already got plans to move a few things around for next year. I also have a Pinterest board for garden ideas. I am very keen to try some hellebores, has anybody else grown any?