"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)

How do you take root cuttings of poppies? I have a Patty's Plum which has survived the winter and would like to propagate it.
I think it is a good time for propagation, certainly in the South, where at present the weather is mild, with that lovely English spring rain: gentle and good for growing things.
I have put my little seedlings out to make them hardy: its a bit of a risk as they aren't in a cold frame and they are still very young, but indoors they were beginning to lean towards the light and in danger of damping off. I'm very pleased the Salvia Patens has germinated.

Thank you Maud, now you mention it I remember moving one before and it sulked for a year and then died!
Root cuttings, I've never attempted that before, I'll have a Google. It's a Patty's Plum too OP, such a beautiful plant but it's right at the front of the border and flops all across the grass, it needs to be further back so I can give it some support.

Darn, root cuttings only to be done when plant is dormant!!

I had a nice gardening day today, planted out all the forgetmenots releasing my 9 in pots and visited an ngs garden and sat in my own reflecting on plants and birdsong and how like Eden gardens are in England once mid April arrives.

The ngs garden was a little too tidy with lots of gravel and bark topdressing but otherwise pleasantly planted with daffodils. The compost heap was very neatly made from chicken wire and wood and a square of carpet over all keeping leaves from blowing away, but no obvious way of getting t the compost once ready.

I came happily away with some healthy large phlomis Russelliana and Dierama pulcherrimum alba plants for £2.00 each.

The reason I spent some time sitting and looking at the garden is the ngs visit made me realise how easy it is to plant beds in isolation without really thinking what the whole garden looks like.

Glad you had such a good day, Funnyperson.

I too had a very pleasant session in the garden yesterday. I have planted rose Cardinal Richelieu in a big pot in the front garden (although he may get moved, as Gloriana, which I've had several years, seems to have a lot of die-back and may need replacing). I've also potted up some dark lilies for the front garden and white lilies for the back and pruned some clematis (a bit late, I know) and the rest of the roses. With a bit of weeding and pulling out of last year's dead stems it was beginning to look quite presentable, but I've just looked out of the window and seen that last night's fierce winds have blown in lots of rubbish. Oh well.

My hydrangea is alive

Yay for the hydrangea!

So is my fuschia Mrs Popple! And the peonies!

Still waiting on Salvia, and hostas and found the clematis Minuet base eaten away: possibly squirrels.

Great SugarPlum -
I moved an hydrangea late last autumn, and have been waiting with bated breath, and its breaking bud too!
Must go and have a look at my Mrs Popple, but not expecting it just yet up here in Yorkshire, but may just have a peek tomorrow.
I do a slow spring clean.gradually going around my beds clearing away the dead sticks and leaves - But I have one last bit to do ( always at the front, so I can see it to annoy me if I don't get it done) and have decided to leave it just for another few days. The area has been alive with birds forraging for nesting material :) .

That reminds me I have a Hydrangea to go in the ground. A forced one I got for Mother's Day last year that I have managed to keep alive.

Lovely gardening day today, I've planted out sweet peas, scrubbed the deck, weeded the front garden and rescued many foxglove and Nigella seedlings from a gravel path.

I have decided I will leave the oriental poppy until early autumn, I would be upset if I killed it, it's just right at the front of a deep border and flops everywhere.
Geoff isn't it a bit too early to plant out sweet peas? Mine are still living in my kitchen overnight and back out during daylight hours.
Funny did you go to the NGS garden on your own? My partner deserted me about 6 weeks ago and I don't have any other gardening friends who would be interested. Not sure I'm brave enough (yet) to go on my own.

pizzea I hope they are ok, they've wintered in an unheated greenhouse and have been outside for the last 2 weeks. I'm very South -Isle Of Wight. They are big and bushy. If they die -that'll learn me :)
for the deserted partner . I've not been to an NGS garden either none of my friends or Dh are interested.

I go to NGS gardens on my tod - I quite enjoy it, as I can take my time. Try it!

Geoff I think we should take a leaf out of Rabbit's book and be brave...or, I'm in Kent and have never visited the Isle of Wight! ( thank you for the flowers, they very fragrant).

I go on my own or with friends. The reason is these things are weather dependent
The last one I went on my own; the one before I went with a friend; the one before I took mum who is demented.
Its perfectly nice on one's own as one can take one's own time and there is no guilt about bagging the best plants on sale.
It can, however be nice to loudly exchange comments, though I find this much easier at Wisley , Sissinghurst etc where the observations are likely to be favourable.
At local ngs gardens I find it more pleasant to stay polite and low key on site and then be more frank in the car (!)
If a garden is brilliant it is much nicer to go with someone to share the pleasure.

I'm sorry about your partner leaving, pizza You will need to wash that man right out of your hair.

Yes we must, and I'm always up for a visit/ meet up.

I think sweet peas are supposed to be fairly hardy, I'm hardening mine off now too.

at FP and frankness in the car ! I've only been to one open garden so far and have a list of places I would like to get to but never seem to manage.

I need to do a spring tidy up really. I did start yesterday but more to do. Last Autumn I sowed an Astrantia seed head and have about 5 little seedlings that all look similar but not what I remember Astrantia to look like. I haven't potted up all the dahlias, need to get that done this weekend.

Thank you Funny for your kind words. I'm enjoying posting PA photos of my tulips on FB so he can see what he's missing living in a one bed flat with no outside space.
A bit annoyed today about the weather as this was going to be my big gardening day, but had a lovely day yesterday, had my 18month old DGD, she now knows tulips and then we went for a walk and she pointed to a beautiful Magnolia Stellata (sp?) it was quite a large tree, we picked up one of the fallen petals and she carried it all round the village and even took it home with her

How sweet pizza!

Our weather forecast for the weekend has improved so I will be out there. Hope it's the same for everyone else. I have Sarah Raven's pinks collection and pink/silver/blue pot collection to pot on, and some sorting to do. The pinks arrived all beautifully wrapped in white paper.

The quince tree is about to flower -some of my favourite flowers - all soft pink and slightly floppy. What a fabulous time of year.

More from me for Pizza. What a cad. Hope he comes to realise the magnitude of his loss!

I'm hoping for a bit of gardening time today, too. We've had lots of rain in the last couple of days, so I won't have to water the pots, but I'm hoping more of my tulips have opened.

I feel bereft because this is the first year for ages that I haven't been given the Yellow Book ax an Easter present. We go to quite a few gardens every year. DH is happy to come along because they offer tea and cake and DD likes taking photographs. I do think, though, that they are one of those places - like the cinema - where it'd actually be quite nice to go alone and be able to indulge one's own thoughts.

Thank you Maud, we'd only been together for 17 years as well! Hey ho. I didn't get a yellow book either this year.
geoff The other night it was a bit chilly so that was the night I forgot to get my sweetpeas in...they were fine!
Right, I'm off to go and repot greenhouse kiwi, move foxgloves and sow (sew?) some seeds!

I've just had a couple of lovely hours in the garden. Got rid of some of the junk - being thrifty, I try to reuse bulbs from year to year, but some of last year's tulips came up blind and so now are compost - and began to plant some of the many things that have been waiting since last year to find a spot. Apart from the gaping hole in the fence, it's beginning to look almost presentable!

pizza - in my head, I am sending your ex all the cat poo in my garden. And that's a LOT of cat poo. I may also (in imagination) send him some mandrake tea and tell him it's herbal viagra.

Crikey, we could send him a pretty toxic cocktail. I can offer oleander. (Note to the murder squad if they are watching: this is intended as a joke). I would quite like to get rid of my cat and fox poo, though!