"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)

Yep. That's the bleeder.

I'm trying to remember back to biology - aren't the kind of leaves that wood avens has called 'compound'? Whereas the ones in sugarplum's post are pinnately lobed??

Gosh, it's been a long time though, I could be totally wrong!!

Wow Lealander, your greenhouse sounds brilliant, I love a bit of recycling.

Yes that's the one in the picture but mine is a bit different I think. Think I'll rescue it from the path and stick in a pot then I can report later this summer if I'm cultivating a weed again.

I agree that your greenhouse sounds fab. Lealander. It's a great idea to have so much pea shingle.

I have wood avens all over the garden too - determined little thing isn't it? Quite pretty but you can have too much. It's one of those plants with lots of names - herb bennet as well as herb Benedict and lots more. I also specialise in wild geranium aka herb Robert.

My alchemillae are looking pretty sickly too funny though some tiny leaves are appearing. I noticed that the corms of irises at The Vyne (NT garden in Hampshire) were all covered in fresh mulch at the weekend, and they all looked very healthy with lots of fresh growth.

Another commendation for the upcycled greenhouse from me!

Thank you. I will try to post photos at some point. Carpenters were brilliant.

I want to grow moss on the. Oth facing part of the roof.

North-facing, that is.

I'd love to see pictures - it sounds fabulous. And meaningful to recycle in that way too.

With pictures it's definitely a case of more the merrier !

Would love to see a picture of the greenhouse. I've saved glass shelves from an old fridge to make a cold frame.

Lots of blossom on my Vic plum this it's 3rd year. Pleased about that.

I've got Geums from secret gardening club too, 1 is in flower.

Has anyone got a Brugmansia? I was tempted today by small plants £4.99 would I need to put it straight into a large pot or do they not get so big in the first year does anyone know ?

I have a brugmansia, but it was already 4 feet tall and had its Y, so ready to flower. They get put bound very quickly so have to be re-potted/rootpruned regularly to maintain flowering.

Ours lives outside all year round, as we get no frost in our bit of Melbourne. It really got hammered in some severe wind a few weeks ago and is looking bit tatty, so I'm going to both root and branch prune it at the end of the autumn flowering. It live in a big pot, as much for stability as anything.

Here it is in its first flowering.

A wonderful plant echt. maud bought one at Hampton Court which was yellow with loads of creamy flowers . I believe she said it makes cats sleepy or some such. I seem to doze off most of the day without any plant assistance!

Welcome lea lander which zone are you? That greenhouse sounds nice, and your carpenters sound much more competent than the fellow who came round the other week who failed to get bookshelves up!

Well remembered, funnyperson. My brugmansia was about 3 - 4 foot tall when I bought it, and flowering beautifully. It spends the summer against the warmest wall in the back garden and the winter in the pop up greenhouse. For its first winter here I wrapped it up in a fleece coat but never got round to it last winter. It flowered very late last summer and rather feebly - about three flowers - so if it does the same this year, I will rehome it to someone who can give it more light and warmth than I can. It is, I agree, a thing of great beauty when at its best (but do read the wiki entry about its mind-altering effects!)

Ah it was you maud I knew someone on here had one. Ok I'm going to get one. Maybe it will calm the dog down!

That looks beautiful Echt, go for it Geoff! I have to stop plant buying now really so will share in your plant purchases virtually if that's ok!

Came to the realisation yesterday that I have a fair few plants to put in. Need to pot up dahlias though the ones I have done in the greenhouse aren't doing anything. Last year's chrysanthemums are growing plus have provided cuttings so I have a few more plus have 4 perennial wallflowers from cuttings, some geranium Rozanne, Mexican fleabane seedlings, a William Shakespeare rise to move, sweet pea seedlings to go out, hopefully new cannas where split them.

Secret gardening club purchases are geums, thalictrum, astilbe, echinacea, verbascum, penstemon still to go in. Plus I've lots of seeds to go in yet so must start some more.

Yesterday was pressure washing the deck after listening to you all about not being rash and painting it a light colour. It may yet be taken down if we extend so need to not spend much on it. Yesterday morning it was very uninspiring, this morning better after cleaning but my muscles are complaining. I don't really like decking but we live on a hill so it was cheapest to do but over the years as neglected had become more of an eyesore than anything else so this year I'm reclaiming it and am determined to use it.

Thats very good of you to personally scrub the decking sugarplum my patio is in dire need of a clean though I blame mums gardener who said he would come and wash it but he hasn't as yet. I have bought a stencil in preparation and plan to stencil over strategic slabs to begin with, once it is washed.
I also have a few plants I have been nurturing over the winter to go in: clematis Diana and Queen Mother and Marie Boisellot; salvia Caradonna, agastache Blue Fortune, nepeta, a pretty little dianthus, a myrtle tree. And I must move the snowdrops.
I've been sowing seeds as that requires less effort but these coming days the plants must go in as fro memory if I leave it too late the rain stops and everything dries up.
I have forbidden myself to buy any more plants or seeds until what I have is planted or sowed.

My other problem is that after watching too much telly I now want the following water features in the garden:

-an Alhambran water rill
-a tall urn with water singing base notes
-a rectangular pond with water lilies
-a largeish natural lake with a weeping willow deep enough to swim in.
-a winding stream with a Japanese bridge across and irises at the banks.

from which you may gather that I am in an impressionable and swayable state of mind. I am putty in the hands of the meeja.

-what I actually have is a medium sized green plastic bowl which fills with rainwater and which the local birds and squirrels drink from, so I don't have the heart to move it or empty it.

FP. I am also very swayable and trying very hard to stay focused on one thing. I now really want a myrtle tree however.

There was a bit of help with my deck cleaning. Couldn't get the machine going so DS and DD's boyfriend sorted it. They then took it in turns to clean the table until the novelty wore off and they slunk off leaving the deck for me. Not sure why I ache though, am clearly very unfit....

sugarplumtree I got the Myrtle after a visit to Knoll gardens (near you I think) lovely red bark, white flowers and mediterranean scent and good for a small garden.

Thanks etch will make sure it gets repotted regularly, the picture on the packaging shows a mahoosive plant with small child sitting underneath it and 100s of flowers!

I hanker after things too -untill I see the next thing. Loved the Italian garden on big dreams -especially the Olive tree.

My garden is looking ok at the moment apart from the bottom hedge which the neighbour hacked-still cross about that.

You mean the place I always say that I must visit soon and never actually get to FP?! Went past it the other day shopping fir SIL's present and thought I really just get there yet never do.

Geoff I loved that Italian garden , especially how they recycled their parents things. I trotted off to eBay to OK at mature olive trees after that and decided to feed my much smaller one with seaweed instead. I think I might move it onto to the deck and pot up some lavender to put there too.

I am feeling very pleased - I have 3 dahlias with growth breaking through. I have never tried to overwinter them before, and I must admit, I rather neglected them over winter. Potted them up about 4 weeks ago.

Do you think I would be wise to attempt to divide and move my large oriental poppy this weekend?

just catching up on the thread!
just finishing lifting and dividing snowdrops, I have loads. Hope it's not too late for them, I don't think so.

Hmm. In my experience, poppies sulk (often terminally) after being moved, but I guess nothing ventured, nothing gained. You could always take root cuttings as an insurance.

pizza -for what it's worth bearing in mind that I'm no gardener I moved a oriental poppy in the autumn - and it's doing well ! I think I put some grit down where I planted it .I'm in London and my soil is heavy with clay .