What Jobs Are We Doing In The Garden Today 2020

Just been out marking where some plants are starting to shoot up in the border so the builders avoid destroying them when they do the fencing.

Filled up the bird feeders too. Had a visitor help me out. Poor Mr P had a narrow escape the other night. We found lots of blue feathers scattered one morning last week-thought he was a gonner....

Gave him a treat of walnuts

 

Been replacing three lights along the drive this morning. The were tall(ish) lights to give a bit of light at the top of the garden. I now have an LED light on the house which lights the top of the garden (to an extent). One of the lights has taken damage in the storm so we decided that it was time to replace them.

Old fixings ground down, new holes drilled. Didn't realise that the chemical fihing needed a special gun so a trip to screwfix sorted this.

Quick bite to eat and I'm back out to finish the job this afternoon

Edit: Back out, swapped connectors over from the old lights to the new lights. Then the wind came and it went cold. Then the snow came - great !

Checked the bulbs in the new fittings and they don't come with bulbs - this is not my day !

Back in to check stock availability at Screwfix

 

Today just wasn't my day.

Got back from screwfix, checked the resin had cured - all good (or so I thought).

Started to connect the first light and the resin had not cured on the first bolt. I can only assume that the first hole was filled with only one part of the two part resin.

Fitted the second light no problem. Went to the third light and the base wasn't aligned in the same position as the other two in manufacture, meaning that the light was pointing in the wrong direction. Bolts on this were well and truly secure so I had to grind these off and start again, positioning the template at an angle to compensate for the inconsistency in manufacture.

Drilled more holes, installed the bolts and left them to cure.

Just need to tighten them all up tomorrow and what should've been a half day job will be complete

 

Very cold and very windy after a night of heavy rain. Couldn't find any sheltered spot to work in, so chose border in back garden to work on as slightly less windy there. When I finished the planting I chucked a bag and a quarter of compost on and raked it through. Had a look at the area around the Willow tree and pulled up a few weeds. Went into front garden and cut back two Docks before placing terracotta pots over them weighted down with rocks.

Tried a sit on the bench, which lasted around two minutes. But long enough for me to see most of my Daffs getting flattened . One of the rats came along almost blown sideways. Birds were all in the trees and hedges.

If I cut the heads off the flattened Daffs will they flower next year? I usually leave the blooms until they are gone over before removing.


@Victoria apologies for not having posted the pics. I will try and take some tomorrow. I love your paintings by the way

 

Hi @luciusmaximus , cutting the flowers off Daffodils makes no difference think about it they're one of the most popularly grown flowers for cutting.

What you mustn't do is cut the leaves off. They get all their nourishment for forming next years flowers from the leaves as they're dying off.

 

Couldn't do anything outside as it was blowing a gale and we had heavy hail storms as well. I did however brave it and went out to collect up the broken/ battered Daffs that I could see being damage beyond recovery, might as well enjoy them indoors.

 

Since it is only 20f and I have no more seeds to start inside at this time, I've been cruising around online viewing gardening type things to do.

I'm going to the Canada Blooms show in a few weeks and here is the description I received in an email today. @strongylodon and other birdie people would probably love this although - yes, I know it is too far to paddle.

"However, there is one place where you can come close: Canada Blooms. The largest garden and flower festival in Canada, runs Friday, March 13 until Sunday, March 22nd.





The theme this year is "Birds of a Feather". Each of the 40 feature gardens, including the balcony/small yard creations, will feature birds and birding. We are really looking forward to this, the 24th edition of 'Blooms to see how the creative minds in our profession pull this off.





The whole affair is almost 6 acres, not including the National Home Show, which is bigger still and co-located with 'Blooms at the Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto. The space is devoted to the best the gardening profession offers. Not to mention the volunteers from the Garden Club of Toronto who host the largest juried flower show in Canada. Contestants from 10 countries will be featured, plus many other local participants."

I'm really looking forward to this

 

I am itching to get into the garden, well it's Spring (meteorogically) and do something constructive. The weather has been so awful these past few weeks, limiting any efforts to a mad dash here and there.
I have a question- it's probably a daft one me not being very knowledgeable, unlike you all!
I have a French lavender in a pot and am wondering if I should prune it back a little... it still has its 'bunny ears'. Is now the time to do it, or should I wait until the weather gets warmer(!). I'm amazed it's survived thus far, it's in a sheltered position.
In this pot I also have some viola plants around the edges. They are looking somewhat bedraggled- should I trim these back too?
I am in the cold North, if that helps.

ps as someone who hasn't posted much, (sorry) I would like to know how to create a new post... or point me to instructions?
Many thanks.

 

Many thanks, shiney.

 

It is a truly lovely day Woo, but we have a very chilly ' fresh ' breeze over this way which definitely puts the dampers on the day. Gives me an earache and headache usually . Even with a hat on !!

 

Just been out and collected up a lot more Daffs that have been battered and snapped by this wind. Such a shame isn't it, we wait all winter for the joy of seeing the first signs of Spring then along comes the heavy rains and strong winds and batter the first blooms and all the blossom on the trees!! Boo hoo!!!