WHAT JOBS ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2018

all day here and very warm when in a sheltered spot. Had long walk along one beach and then went across cliff top to another beach. Sat on the rocks for awhile. listening to the sound of the waves and watching the sun sparkling off the water Absolute heaven . I spent almost four hours in the garden this afternoon all of which was spent reading a book or lying horizontally, no gardening at all . I did have a wander around the front garden and look at the pond, moved some of the slate around to see if it looked any different


One of our resident sparrows flew into a window earlier and ended up on his back in a crumpled heap. He landed on the floor right next to the catio and said occupant of catio was most interested - only in your dreams cat . I picked bird up, he was ok, just a little dazed. Put him on the patio table and he flew into the hedge, turned around and sat looking at me - I'd like to think he was saying thanks .

 

Martin you have worked hard mate and the difference already with it taking shape looks good and your different climbers will make it look astounding...nice work and can't wait to see the final finish

Hi Cassie, you didn't do to bad otherwise mate on that day and the more you see things taking shape...the more achievement it will give you

 

Sounds like it was a nice relaxing time down at the beach ...it said on the news tonight that your area was having bad rain

What a lovely thing to do with the sparrow

 

Thanks Gail it will take a few years for the climbers to get established i will introduce all kind of climbers including roses, i have another fence ive done the same its not fully established yet but in a few years time it should look great,

I will be putting runner beans along the fence for a few years while the climbers take hold the bees love them and they do look quite nice in flower, i picked them up today along with a plant tree called i think red robin i am going to train the one plant across all the fence well i am going to try


Another job is the garden light cable i left some slack when i installed them for the day when i did this but i need to untangled my climbers of the wire to move them fed up of falling over the wire as well, the red robin can be seen in the middle it has two long branches it should be easy to train it along the fence and provide a little privacy the climbers will gradually full the gaps.

 

Morning @martin-f i know it will take a few years mate for them to get established as our clematis did...which as sadly failed we but in general with the amount of time it's took you besides the rubbish you've done a wonderful job so far on establishing a look besides doing the fencing and the colour does look nice

 

Well if the weather keeps as nice as it looks i'll be out there today ...instead of stuck in doors and hopefully get to use my new Bosch Trimmer on my lavender plants as the ball shape is getting a bit big on all three ...hopefully takes pic's besides so members can see if it's any good besides

 

Wow, you've got a pond skater already! Lucky you! They are lovely little creatures, and in the summer they make the surface of the water dance with ripples as they dart around...

Bloodworms are normal, and have the name because of their colour, not their food preferences! Yes, a lot of the insects that we love, e.g. Dragonflies, look seriously scary in their underwater form...!

 

I love Thalia daffs - so delicate, too!

 

After inspecting the new pond yesterday evening in the cold driving drizzle (temp down to 5 degrees, and rain almost horizontal) hubby and I retreated indoors and contemplated the "patio bed". When we moved here nearly 6 years ago, we brought our favourite rose (Winchester Cathedral) that we had planted in our rental garden. Obviously, it was dug out of the ground in the height of summer, so was quickly planted in our new home. 6 years on, the bed has grown around it, beyond all recognition. Instead of being a statement plant, and then a peninsula tip-of-bed plant, it is now in the middle, at the front, and enormous!

So, today we are going to try to move it again, to the back of the bed, where it can be reached by stepping stones. The Charles de Mills rose at the back may well be moving forward, of just have a new neighbour - yet to decide. There will be a few choice words, before we're done - of that, I am sure!!

 

Im delighted to say that the wasabi plant is putting on new growth!

 

Prob no work in the garden today.....fine now but rain is expected by mid afternoon

Early this morning I planted veronicastrum v. Alba....it was divided last autumn and a large specimen was available. Lovely plant both for foliage and flower. I checked on my begonia bonfire plants expecting to have lost them (beasts from the east) but they are growing away beautifully. It seems I have not lost many if any tender plants after all so that's very pleasing.
Looks like some rain today and tomorrow but then warming up beautifully on Friday and weekend

 

Three hours ago I started with this.




I then gave it a mow and got half a grass box full off it. Mowing is quick and easy with the hard edges I have.

But a couple of times a year, I go round the border and the edging brick circles with a knife and a bucket, to cut away the grass that starts to curl over the edge of the bricks. I could do it with a strimmer, but I prefer to get down on my knees and do it. "You see more from down there." I can also tackle any weeds near the edge of the border. Most of the grass that comes out has some roots so I use it for patching any small holes.




I also re-set the stepping stones, the grass starts to creep over them too.




I bought some more solar lights yesterday, if you buy them in pairs they're only £4.50 each.

They might be a bit in your face in the daytime, but my wife finds the view with them soothing late on in the evening.


I'll be doing a bit of painting over the week-end as it's going to be warm and dry. Just the rails of the pool pergola and the tea-house. That's all that will really need doing.

 

Begonia Bonfire was my first trailing begonia and my favourite . I planted my corm up beginning of March but no luck . Need to keep my eye out for another this year. Great plant

 

The week ahead looks like it will be fine for opening the greenhouse. I am only three days behind last year so it is not that bad.

Today I started mixing the ingredients for the Autobots and began potting my greenhouse tomatoes for the season. This year, I intend to include a lot of frying peppers in the greenhouse as well as the tomatoes. And, someone gave me seeds for an Italian tomato called Redorta. One plant will be placed in the greenhouse and if we like it I will be sure to save some seeds.

"Named for a mountain, Pizzo Redorta in Bergamo, Italy. TomatoFest preferred Italian paste tomato. A much larger tomato (8 oz., 4-inch) with much better taste than its cousin, San Marzano. Meaty, delicious enough to eat off the vine with the bonus of ending up with more tomato paste per plant. An excellent choice for a wonderful complex and flavorful choice for tomato sauce, canning or salsa. Disease resistant."