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Gardening

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

Original poster

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

999 replies

funnyperson · 07/03/2016 13:25

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)

OP posts:
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PurpleRibbons · 02/06/2016 21:07

funnyperson I am sorry to hear about your mum, it sounds like a difficult time.
I agree with you about tv, it's like some of those quick house makeover programmes where you imagine everything will fall down a week later! The thing with gardening is that it isn't instant. I think there are things that make an instant improvement such as mowing the lawn or doing a load of weeding but actually cultivating anything takes time and patience.

bookbook · 02/06/2016 21:33

Sending courage to Funny and SugarPlum - its the 'helpless to help' feeling that used to upset me most at those times.
This is when having a garden is such a blessing.
It has been so dry, cold and windy here, I am amazed anything is growing, but I have had poppies coming out over the last 2 days - 4 different ones so far, and I think some verbascum, which came from a packet of perennial seeds I sowed last year. Are they early ? I assumed July for those. The foxgloves are just about to flower, and i have loads of seedlings everywhere to transplant of those.
And a climbing fuchsia I bought off death row - 'Lady in Black" is starting to get going , so pleased that survived .

Original poster
funnyperson · 03/06/2016 04:34

Thanks for the courage

This place had a brilliant Lavender stand at Chelsea. Lavender just doesn't grow in the heavy shady clay in my garden, but one can dream

www.downderry-nursery.co.uk/

OP posts:
shovetheholly · 03/06/2016 07:41

Your Mum is very, very lucky to have you to negotiate for her funny. Flowers

SugarPlumTree · 03/06/2016 08:11

Thank you for the courage Bookbook and for the support from you all, she went yesterday morning. The universe arranged it so that my long awaited for planning application that was submitted last October was approved the same morning.

FP I'm sorry it is such a struggle to get good care, you must be exhausted. Thank goodness she has you and I do worry about those who have no one. I haven't really seen the Instant Gardener but it is bad that the basics of horticulture aren't right.

We have to submit a plan to protect the trees between us and a neighbour before starting any building work can start. Not wanting to start until next year but given how long they take to action a piece of paper I'll start that soon. I guess a tree surgeon ? They seem to want a fence or something as the wording says it has to stay in place for the duration of the works. I'm quite happy to do this as it will protect my new shade border from the builders but am slightly amused we have to formally protect some hugely high leylandii which other neighbours think are mine (they are next doors ) and keep moaning at me about plus a high thug of a laurel (mine) which grows at a rate of knots.

This comes about after comments from the neighbour about maintaining privacy, ironic given this is the man who chopped down our hedge one day, I think some of you will remember that little saga! He's clearly not intelligent enough to read the plans as was claiming the windows in extension would be facing his house . The planning officer pointed out in his report there aren't any that side and he dismissed the complaint from the neighbour 86 metres away behind a huge oak tree who objected that it would cause them to lose privacy.

PurpleRibbons · 03/06/2016 08:15

Sorry to hear about your mum sugarplum Flowers

MyNightWithMaud · 03/06/2016 09:04

I'm very sorry to hear about your mum, SugarPlumTree. flowers from me too.

MyNightWithMaud · 03/06/2016 09:05

And Flowers

shovetheholly · 03/06/2016 13:31

Oh sugarplum I'm so sorry about your Mum.

"in the midst of winter, I found there was within me, an invincible summer" Potting shed chat continues here
bookbook · 03/06/2016 13:52

so sorry SugarPlum

Callmegeoff · 03/06/2016 15:28

So sorry sugarplum Flowers

bookbook · 03/06/2016 17:41

Now, I thought I might just make someone smile - maybe shove
I have an Hypericum 'Hidcote' which I love. It has been allowed to grow undisturbed for some years Last year, DH suddenly realised he couldn't see out of his workshop window..... After much persuasion, I agreed to let him give it a chop,( somewhat more than I would like) with the proviso that he would buy me another if he killed it.
I have had a lovely hour outside this afternoon - the joy of no wind, a tiny bit of sun, and almost warm. I wonder if he will notice how much growth the plant has already put on since he chopped in in October....as an idea, we chopped it to just above the level of that green compost bin lid....

"in the midst of winter, I found there was within me, an invincible summer" Potting shed chat continues here
Original poster
funnyperson · 03/06/2016 21:53

Flowers sugarplum.

OP posts:
SugarPlumTree · 04/06/2016 07:28

Thank you all very much. Bookbook that made me smile, Hypericum pops up all over the place here. My lovely friends know me well. I have a new rose and a lovely planter for my deck. If it's sunny today I might carry on with oiling my garden furniture.

shovetheholly · 04/06/2016 07:30

book - Grin Grin Grin that is one happy hypericum!!

echt · 04/06/2016 07:41

So sorry to hear about your mum, SugarPlum.

bookbook · 04/06/2016 08:55

This Hypericum doesn't do that invasive thing at all, unlike the traditional rose of sharon, which I also used to have. I wouldn't mind another one, just in case, so may have to do some cuttings.
I am off to a charity plant sale this morning- I love those, you are never quite sure what you will find. Though I am looking for some more Japanese anemones really

SugarPlumTree · 04/06/2016 10:53

Thank you Echt.

You're not near Soith Coast are you Bookbook? If you are you're welcome to dig up a clump from here.

shovetheholly · 04/06/2016 17:56

book - look out for the new macane Japanese Anemones - sometimes marketed as 'swan' (e.g. 'wild swan'). They are gorgeous! Bred by Hardy's I think - they have these wonderful colours on the back of the flowers, like someone drew a paintbrush down the reverse of the petal. Pink and a lovely purple now available!

shovetheholly · 04/06/2016 17:57

In other news, I have just finished 6 hours of hedge cutting. Pretty unremittant the whole time, too - followed by a massive queue for the tip to get rid of a very full bootload of clippings. I am knackered and off for a curry and a glass of wine.

bookbook · 04/06/2016 18:26

Thank you SugarPlum - sadly, I am away up in East Yorkshire :)
I have just looked at those anemones, they look lovely.May have to get some...
I went to the charity plant sale this morning ,and I came away with 3 big pots of Japanese anemones - (one is a double), a tradescantia , a lovely little evergreen geranium - ( I do have lots, but this is a different pink,more mauve with stripes! )and a big pot of iceland poppies. £10.50 the lot .
I hd to laugh at myself though - I have been out all day - this afternoon a lovely afternoon tea for a friends 60th birthday. I came home, had a little look around the garden. Decided to water, walk around to see where I will put my new plants, weeded, and then into the greenhouse to tie up tomatoes. I suddenly realised I had done gardening in my 'nice going to afternoon tea' clothes.....

bookbook · 04/06/2016 18:26

bet your arms are aching shove - add on a good soak in the bath!

shovetheholly · 04/06/2016 18:37

Cor, what a haul book!! It's lovely when you get a lot of things you really want. Your new anemones sound lovely - I do like the doubles.

Your potter round the garden in your best togs made me laugh. I am awful for gardening in my 'clean' clothes. I go out just for a look and I get distracted and before I know it, I'm top-to-toe mud. I mostly wear cheapo leggings now because they go in the wash at the end of the day anyway Grin My postman calls me the artful Dodger because I often have mud on my face when I answer the door. Basically, you can't take me anywhere.

bookbook · 04/06/2016 18:51

Thats me too shove - I sat down for tea this week - DH had made it, I went and washed my hands , sat down, and he burst out laughing - a great big muddy mark on cheek and forehead. I hadn't looked in the mirror....
Did you see the waterbutt I linked to on the other thread about watering cans? I thought of you
www.greenfingers.com/product.asp?dept_id=3036&pf_id=LS6010D

SeaRabbit · 04/06/2016 19:56

Haha at muddy faces when gardening.

My gardening outfit is a pair of (bright) magenta trousers and very similar-colour t shirt, plus old terracotta sweat shirt. Chic I am not, so I do the front in the morning when no-one is around.

My gardening this weekend has so far consisted of washing the pots and trays from things I've planted, and going to Homebase, our nearest supplier of compost- it's full of instant effect plants with some nice varieties but slightly depressing that they often don't look after them. I resisted the lure of yet another fuchsia, and have realised that I like some begonias - more for the leaves, which can be gloriously craggy, than the flowers. Seeing l'Escargot last year converted me - but even some Homebase varieties have good leaves.

Oh and does anyone fancy getting drunk with Monty?

I am sorry to hear about your mother, Sugarplum.