The first rule of potting shed is YOU ALWAYS talk about potting shed. The thread continues.

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Here goes, and feeling bit cheeky as I didn't post much on the last one.

A fine autumn day here, with much seasonal clearing done. Now I come to think of it, is there ever a non-clearing season? :o

Aaahh how lovely pansy!

That is beautiful Pansy, so you know what it is ?

I've just transplanted a 6 foot clematis freckles. Fingers firmly crossed it survives...

Sorting out the garden earlier I have rediscovered leaf mulch I had collected up last year. Is it worth using that on the roses?

It is Princess Anne. Has a lovely perfume and in the evening light it turns a deep magenta. I bought it from David Austin 2 years ago.

I would imagine so Lizs and well done for actually making it, I never quite manage!

Hmm, I think I have that one Pansy but in my head mine is a lighter pink. I'll have to see when it flowers.

Lovely!

I have knackered my knees weeding today. I have also unleashed a second wave of nematodes on the slugs. Just to be on the safe side.

I could barely walk last night, having obviously overdone it in the garden. Today I will be mostly wafting about admiring it (and deliberately not looking at the state of the lawn).

I'm relying on our resident frog to eat the slugs. We do seem to have fewer since he arrived but, really, we need an army of them.

Yes ,slugs I'm afraid I've ordered Sluggo which says it won't harm wildlife and that the slugs will take themselves off to die underground .

It's v grey and I'm very tired ( health issues ) but I'm going back out there today !

Little stint of potting on. Even got the kids to help, briefly, before they reverted to chasing each other around with sticks.

I have also ripped out a load of mystery plants. Although I have stuck a couple in pots in case they turn out to be something gawjus.

It's a bit of a shock to the system the first bit of spring gardening isn't it?!

I could do with a resident frog, did find one by the water butt but don't think he stayed. I excavated some of the old ivy roots at the top of the retaining wall by neighbour's fence and made holes for 3 x 9 inch pots that I had of climbing hydrangea, evergreen Honeysuckle and a clematis. They've gone into a mix of No 3 compost plus vital Q4 so hope in time they will turn from tiny plants into covering the fence. So in time that's those three, plus another Honeysuckle, Mme Carriere , Clematis Armandii if it survives plus Clematis Freckles.

I have on order one cheap garden mirror and 2 metal type windmills (DH looked at me like this ) in the hope they will block out a bit more of the trellis this year. Plus have emailed planning to ask where original ground level is so I know whether we can out something on our side up to 6 feet on their side, just so I know where we are do officially stand.

I had one last summer, it discovered a tray with excess foxgloves in pots standing in water, and took up residence. It scared me half to death when I came to retrieve them.

I love the idea of your mirror! Fab idea!

Hi all, poking my head over the fence to introduce myself... I have a lovely south-facing garden that had been a bit neglected by the previous (elderly) owner, except for the rose bed which was obviously her pride and joy! There were 4 foot thick leylandii all the way around the garden so those have gone, and I'm just trying to figure out how to best replant to fill the gaps! Suspect it'll be a slow process as the soil is in terrible condition and I couldn't afford to get the stumps removed, so need to have a five year plan really!

However the roses are beautiful, I've never had any roses in my gardens before so am a complete novice!!

Those of you who are move knowledgeable about roses, what is happening to these leaves?

What a glorious day after yesterday's winter. Out early to the nursery to buy a jasmine to climb over new fence where the bin screen is. Of course a few other bits popped into the trolley!
New greenhouse is being put up tomorrow so DH having laid the foundation has now started on his raised beds.
I planted the sweet peas; I'm experimenting with two large pots. One has a water gathering system in the base and the other has a large pot to act as a water reservoir, in the middle of the wigwam. Apparently you just keep it topped up with water and the soil never dries out! We'll see!
Rue your rose looks like black spot. I'd pick the affected ones off and bin them.

Lovely sunny day here today. Welcome Rue, what a lovely garden ! A couple of my roses have black spot already this year .

JT05 I have something called Autopots which sit in a base with a special valve and water is gravity fed from a tank. I find them very effective and got huge crops of tomatoes when I used them a few years ago.

Minsk strangely obsessed with the couple of potential tiny fruits on my Mirabelle Tree, hope they don't drop off.

Minsk translates to I am !

Hi Rue! Yes rose black spot, not uncommon. I've picked mine off and given them a spray with a rose anti-fungal product.

I'm very jealous of your ferns!

Could you develop the ex-lleylandii area into a rockery with lovely things tumbling down? Maybe a pond/ waterfall too! I don't have electric in my garden but I've installed a small wildlife pond. Sounds grander than it is, it's a preformed liner sunk into the ground I'd love a waterfall but I don't have power outside. I have a solar fountain on order though and may investigate solar pumps in due course...

JT05 very jealous of your greenhouse and raised beds! Which greenhouse have you gone for?

Thanks for the info on Autopots, Mirabelle, I will definitely look them up.
Ginger we went for an Alton cedar green house. We only have one suitable space for either a green house or a 'sheshed'. So the greenhouse won. I'm planning on putting a nice wicker chair to sit on and have already started on bunting made from an old sack! Maybe the plants will grow more in a homely environment!

I just googled Alton Cedar greenhouses and they are lovely! Lucky you JT05. We are quite keen for a greenhouse after seeing how well NDN's plants are doing, but I think I'd like a lean-to one on the side of the house.

They are lovely greenhouses!

Watching Chris Beardshaw on Beechgrove LIZS. He says research shows plants potted into leafmold grow better than just about any other medium.

My rose is flowering! When I am back home, I'll take some pictures, as I promised some of my mirror too.

Does anyone know how to tell the difference between Spanish bluebells (bad) and native ones? Not sure whether to grub them out when I see them, or leave them be.

Spanish and English bluebells have different coloured stamen. One is paler than the other, but I can't remember which way round. I think the Spanish are a bigger plant with thicker stems and more bells.
I have a few under a hedge in my garden, they grow amongst the dreaded ground elder, so I leave them.

As well as what JT05 said, Spanish are more upright. What you may find is that you end up with a cross between them which I think a fair few of mine are.

english bluebell
Distinctive 'droop' like the top of a shepherd's crook
Sweet, cool perfume
Narrow bell-shaped flowers with rolled back tips
Creamy white pollen

spanish bluebell
Upright stems
No scent
Conical bell-shaped flowers with open tips
Blue polle

Wonderful. I'm happy to leave mine where they are, but I don't want to share them out if they are the Spanish ones.