What jobs are we doing in the Garden today 2015

Finally got around to taking off the fleece on the overwintered fuchsia bushes and spotted some nice new green buds. All trimmed and pots cleaned up. Into the conservatory this aft to pot on some youngsters.

 

Yesterday, I had another look at my paper "plan" of the garden and made some cut-outs of the essential items which simply *have* to be in the garden. Trouble is, in comparison to my previous garden, this one looks remarkably like a rear passage (on paper at least) I really wasn't feeling it at all (I'm home sick for the space I had before ).

So, onwards and upwards, this afternoon, I used the dogs activity poles to poke into the ground and assess the approximate area for trellis screening, my arbor, the garden arch and (very roughly) added some long bamboo canes to get a feel for where any structures may cause unwelcome shadows.

Cor! Really pleased I did that. I have now learned:-

• if I had begun the trellis screening from the left-hand side of the garden (my first measurement) the adjoining arch would not have looked right at all! Having the flexibility to change the poles and measuring from the right-hand side will make quite a difference
• I thought the chicken cube and run couldn't really fit anywhere other than where it has been all winter (bearing in mind the plans I'd made). However, once that trellis screening and archway are put in - happy days! Plus is will give them their own, exclusive, bonus run for free ranging.
• I *do* have a place to put a normal sized shed - and it will *not* interfere with sunshine hours throughout the majority of the year (Now to find one I like, can afford and will last).
• I've *gained* a vegetable plot!! With the layout I've marked out with the poles, plus moving the coop I will have the perfect spot for growing some edibles
• I do not have to go down the route of laying new paving - I can actually manage around the paving that is there. Ok, so not my dream plot, but not as ghastly as I had been thinking.

So: a tape measure, some poles, some time, couple of cups of tea and now ... I can envisage this garden as my own Very productive afternoon indeed

 

You've certainly been a busy bee "M"!

Quote: "this one looks remarkably like my back passage".......ermmmm I'd re-phrase that if I were you!

Of course we'll need some piccies when the new layout is formed please.

 

Must admit, I've never seen lupins in a hanging basket before so I'm really looking forward to seeing how yours do.

 

It never occurred to me that a garden centre would place these plug lupins in the wrong place....but it is looking like they did since, now I read the size of the plant at home (I just checked for conditions in the centre), it is clearly not a dwarf lupin. Don't think I have ever seen a dwarf lupin.

I bought a fairly large lupin the other year, i.e. so I could see the colour of the flower. Despite careful scrutiny, the slugs/snails managed to devour the flower spikes before they could fully bloom. (I used to go out early evening etc, place grit/gravel around the plant base).

 

You do get dwarf lupins but even they would be too big for a hanging basket I think. Do you have room for a pot that they could go in?

 

Only had 10 mins so planted the clump of pickwick crocuses I got for 99p. Other half had another blast at removing ivy from a tree which is well out of hand.

 

Fed and top dressed loads of the container shrubs and fruit trees, planted up an apricot tree in a container and planted out three roses - replacing a Whiskey Mac, which just never took, with a Whisky in Tiffy's memorial garden and 2 Indigoletta climbers at each side of the back door

 

Well I bought them with specific baskets in mind. I guess if they survive (they are so little and delicate currently) then I could always repot them if they look too tight or cumbersome. Would a dwarf lupin be 2 foot across though? That's what the label said.

 

No, don't think it would be that width if it was a dwarf. I don't think I would even put them in the basket to begin with though. I'm not sure they'd even flower this year if they are as small as you say. I would put them in a bigger pot for now if I were you and see how they do in that

 

This is a dwarf Lupin Rosebay. The flower spike alone is about fourteen inches long with a spread of around 2ft.

 

Sheal - so clearly they were in the wrong section then, i.e. not supposed to be part of the hanging basket plants? If so, I will let them know.

 

I 've previously grown Dwarf Lupins..'Pixie Delight' they grew to approx 12" tall by 6" wide,nice pastel shades but it sounds like there definitely has been a mix up Rosebay.This happens alot when folk pick up a plant ,decide they don't want it and put it back in the wrong place