What Jobs Are We Doing In The Garden Today 2019

Ha ha. Yes, that's exactly what has happened - they didn't like our objection to their planning application (even though they got it granted but the planners conditioned it as per our request in our objection). He is an utter coward - sends nasty emails but wont even look at me when I look at him - turns his head away because he is a coward.

 

The easy job will be to erect a small support so that this baby can grow around the kitchen window.

 

But what shall I then do with this mess.Next door neighbor (did not build the workshop) has no interest in maintaining it or taking away the copious quantity of rain water.The shed faces due north and I have planted climbing hydrangea so mask the brick.The water but takes his rain away to a sump,I can hide this with a honeysuckle or such.A rampant clematis viticella hides the first part of his broken fence and trellis.The holly is his and has broken the fence.As it is a north facing aspect I do not want to fill it in by purchasing more fence and trellis so what could I plant simply to cover his brambles and ivy. Thanks

 

Phew! To my utter astonishment, spending the winter in front of the computer both at work and home hasn't drastically improved my fitness level. Won't be writing a self help bestseller book then.

However, managed to give the lawns their first cut, after servicing the mower with Filippo Berio Extra virgin olive oil. It's a lovely, mild day so I was only wearing a Tshirt instead of sweater and stormproof gear that has been the fashion so far. Sorted out Rosa Rugosa in a container, which was not a great idea when one is in short sleeves. My arms look rather alarming at the moment. (But not as bad when I was young and Grandma tricked me into pruning the old fashioned roses, which I had taken as a large patch of brambles. The roses turned out very well, and I spent the following week trying to convince concerned teachers that I'm not self harming. )

Caught myself humming "the hills are alive..." which is rather sad perhaps What a lovely day

Window cleaning, pottery and board games for tonight.

 

I did a bit today.

"First cut is the shortest."

Not looking too bad, I'll give it some iron sulphate at the week-end.



The quince is doing well. Despite being heavily pruned each year to protect the rhodos and azaleas.




Gave the paths and patios a dose of "Wet n' Forget." I use a 5lt pump sprayer, gives more control and wastes less.


The "unloved" rose in it's new position. I'll let it grow to the height of the fence and no more so it'll still be hidden by the big tortoise shell rhodo.




The recycled bird feeder that supported it when it was over six feet tall, before I cut it back to about a foot and stuck it in the tub, got recycled again. It supports this wisteria.



A necessary replacement at the end of last year as the original tree stump around which it was trained, ended up like this. Cut it up with a bowsaw and took it down the tip.



There's five other roses which "aren't our favourites," languishing along the fence next to the drive. Together with two Mayleen clematis.



The fifteen which "are in favour" are in pots on the big patio.

 

Are you nuts..you could have used the cheaper stuff.

 

Mowed 'lawns'...I use that term loosely ..Couldn't do the edges as Mr Loli seems to have hidden the battery for the 'edger'..Moved some Ferns around the garden,lots of sweeping and mulching and plenty of staring at seedlings in the GH

 

Fed and mulched plants in containers All done now, I think
Every year I aim to reduce the number of plants in pots but I now have sooooo many
I will again donate plants to local hospice if only to reduce my stocks
Pelargoniums have thrived outside too....usually survive but this year they have actually grown over the winter and some are flowering. Fuchsias too. Often a martyr to vine weevils but a change from mpc to John innes seems to have a success

 

I didn't have any left after preparing packed lunches.

 

Oh I checked my heucheras today and a couple of troughs had vineweevils in despite using the JI compost and using grit. I must have missed these pots when I did the vineweevil drench the other month.

Spent the day tidying up; picking up some dried up leaves from the Armandii that were collecting I’m corners etc,
Clearing away brick bits that I’ve dug out the ground.

Drove to buckingham garden centre for a look around today. They have some lovely plants and is a lovely set up they have, but crikey-some of the plants were about 3 times the price of another local garden centre. I came away empty handed!

 

Snorky, it won’t be a one day wonder treatment. I have been using John innes and a grit mulch for maybe 4 years or so now.
I also found over watering heucheras in containers detrimental to them and an added attraction to the pesky weevils. Keeping them dryish helps too

 

Gaahhh... Vine weevils are evil! The nematode stuff works very well but can't be used just yet as the little ones would die if the soil is cold. So if it can't wait, a chemical solution might be needed even though those are not very pleasant chemicals to play with. But if the plants are ok-ish, you might be able to wait a month and do a big nematode round. It's not cheap, but works and is not designed to kill any life form coming to contact with it.

Would it work to lift the plants for a day and expose the roots and the soil to birds? Has anyone tried?

 

Mowed the front lawn, then took my garden vac to pieces to give it a clean.

I bought it in eBay three years ago, it was just over £30. it's quite powerful for a cheap bit of kit, 2600w.





I think it's brilliant. Extremely well made. Lots of screws to remove, (at least you can get into it). It gets a build up of compacted soil around the inlet, outlet and impeller, which reduces its efficiency after many months of use, But it's easy to remove and it's "right as ninepence" again.
It's the second time I've done it since I bought it.
As it's going to be dry for a few days, tomorrow I'm going to give the drive a go with "Wet n' Forget."

 

Got more local compost. Mixed it with mpc and perlite for potting on cosmos, Tithonia, gazania and top dressing hellebores.

 

Sprayed the drive with Wet n' Forget. Took less than an hour.


Pleased with the result of using it on the patios and path. No sign of "green."
The patio is a bit discoloured, but York stone is porous so it's impossible to remove all the marks.





Weeded the rockery. We've some more flox coming at the end of this month.



With six wisterias we will have hundreds of blooms as usual.



Gave the lawn a dose of iron sulphate.



"Negotiations are ongoing" about losing this conifer on the top of the rockery.
It was sold to us as a "dwarf" thirty four years ago. Just about two feet high.
It grew steadily over the years.
But in the last few years it really has put on a spurt.

This was it in 2011



This was it in 2016.



This was it last year.



It's as tall as the house.

It's not that big a problem to remove as it isn't just one trunk, but three with other branches. I've always had it "wired" to stop it spreading. I'll have to get some quotes. It'll be easier to take out a fence panel and remove it from next door's garden. They won't mind.