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

[echt]

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

Sorry to hear that mrsbert but clear gardening priorities there taking the fall for the pot. Just noticed my mint taking off as well but I think I’ve lost one of my ice flowers (lampranthus?) it seems a bit ridiculous but it didn’t like the snow. It looks very dead so I’m going to cut it right back and see if anything regenerates. It was a lovely one as well .

Ouch MrsBert , hope you recover quickly, definitely well done saving the pot.

My Magnolia stellata is in a pot. Hasn’t grown much but flowering nicely. My Mirabelle tree is actually going to produce a decent amount of blossom. Finally. Year 6, patience is a virtue and all that!

Been working hard at allotment. The soil has been waterlogged so have had to be very selective about when I can work it. I’ve gone for raised beds but just shovelling the soil on to raise it at the moment. Was lucky to get some free top soil which is good stuff and really helped the beds it went on. I’m very very lucky as tucked away in the corner overlooking fields and we’re allowed shed so I can sit with a cuppa watching the birds and the river.

So today, I took my lovely fuchsia "prosperity"'s life in my hands. It's in a big planter, and has been dropping down every year, so the top of the earth has reached half way down the pot.

So, with my smallest boy's help, I hauled it out, shoved a load of fresh compost and some blood and bone in the bottom of the pot, and replaced it on top.

If it bloody dies on me, it will die an ungrateful little swine.

It is a beauty, though.

ooh, I do love a fuchsia MrsB - My all time favourite is Swingtime for a hanging basket - my DF always grew that one.
Dahlias are finally shooting - I thought I had lost all but one, but they are all slowly emerging - may do some cuttings after seeing Monty last night.
My sown flower seedlings haven't germinated too well - cosmos only 5
have popped up from about 12 , but poppies and hollyhocks that I saved from plants last year are somewhat abundant however!
Trying to sort out my little plant nursery now to make space - I gave away all my Kolkwitzia cuttings from last year. Offering them free on my local gardening fb group, they were snapped up in about 5 minutes . People do like a bargain....
DH did the first grass cut a few days ago , so now I need to get out and do a big tidy of all the overwintered dead stalks tomorrow , will make it look a bit tidier , hopefully ... :)

Ooh I was out yesterday and today, and DH was out too - he doesn't usually do much in the garden, so that was great. He mulched the roses, a thing I rarely do, and not as thoroughly as he did. Almost all my half hardies sown last week have germinated, and now a few of the hardies that I now sow in modules, are also peeking through. And not everything I feared had died in the cold, has died.

We had such a lot of rain (plus thunder) last night, but a glorious day yesterday and today. I went out onto the terrace in my pyjamas at 07.00 this morning - still slightly damp underfoot but clear blue sky, birds singing their hearts out, and warm sun. Perfection!

Fuchsia 'Prosperity' is lovely. I haven't seen that variety before.

Anyone got any idea what's eating daffodil flowers this year? I've never had this trouble before.

Proper afternoon pootling in the garden, the weeds have gone crazy suddenly and the grass is finally growing. Chickens were ‘helping’ - discovered they eat ants which will actually be helpful come the summer. DD planted out a few of her french beans, we are hedging our bets and leaving some to carry on in the green house. My ice plants have been hit so hard by the snow, and they were massive and I loved them so I’m a bit sad about that. They look completely dead but I’ve cut them back and hoping the odd one might make it .

Searabbit the other day I saw a huge snail nibbling on a daffodil flower - looking very precarious but obviously motivated to get up to the tasty flower. I've always blamed slugs and snails.

Something has been nibbling my drafts too. Not amused!

Daffs.

Anyway, if it was slugs, they can watch out, because I just applied my nematodes.

That reminds me I need nematodes. Weather horrible so not gardening even though it’s my day off. Anyone got rhubarb recipes that are not crumble? I’m hoping for a glut

Weather miserable here too - was due to get some much needed weeding done ...
Cath - I have a fabulous Rhubarb and Vanilla Jam recipe if you want?

Rhubarb and vanilla jam sounds nice, recipe please!

Last year I chopped my rhubarb and froze it spread out on baking trays, then put it into bags. We used the last at the start of April so it has lasted us a year round.

Other ideas: pie of course, we make ours with sloe rhubarb

This rhubarb ice cream is delicious.

I'd like to try some rhubarb gin too, or maybe rhubarb liqueur.

In searching for these links I also found 10 best rhubarb recipes I like the sound of the self-saucing pudding!

Hi, can anyone help? I'm having trouble identifying this plant. It's highly scented, flowers all year round though less vigorous in winter. I thought it was a climber, but it's more of a wall shrub. It's about 2m high and 1m wide.

Any ideas?

Looks like some sort of broom to me.

May I ask for some ID help too? Both shrubs, the white one is very small at the moment but I think it's relatively new, and the yellow is 2m high but it's much older.

Only one picture posted, trying again.

Una - is the white one Fothergilla major?

Rhubarb and Vanilla Jam

Makes 3 x 1lb jars

1 kg rhubarb , weighed after trimming, cut into 3 cm chunks
1 kg Jam sugar - (or 1 kg caster sugar + 1 x 8gm sachet of pectin)
2 Vanilla pods, halved length wise
Juice of 1 Lemon

Into a large pan, put rhubarb, sugar, and vanilla pods.
Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.
Then add in the lemon juice , and increase the heat.
Boil for about 10 minutes- and test for setting point (105º )

Fothergilla major looks right, thanks book! It is very pretty.

Rhubarb icecream! Much excitement

Una I would have said that might be Coronilla:

www.thompson-morgan.com/p/coronilla-valentina-subsp-glauca-citrina/t71403TM

Una I think your second picture might be a single flower variety of Kerria Japonica, judging by the leaves. The flowers are usually have multi petals.

Yes, just looked it up Kerria Japonica single form. It grows quite vigorously, but can be pruned after flowering.

Aha, well done JT, that looks like it exactly! It's woven through the rather overgrown tangle of cherry laurel, fatsia (and brambles and bindweed) at the back of the garden so its size is limited by the other thugs it hangs out with! Thanks for the ID help, this garden has some lovely things in it but many of them I'm still trying to work out! The fothergilla was almost choked by weeds and looking very sorry for itself, so I'm happy I managed to rescue it!

I love the fothergilla! Are the bees liking it Una? Because I really fancy one.

Kerria seems to be indestructible, I have one that is really badly placed which I am trying to eradicate, but it just keeps on trucking.