What are we doing in the garden 2024

I potted the first Acanthus Mollis to germinate. That is 29 days to germinate

Perhaps all of the time I keep staring at the soil blocks has encouraged something to finally happen

I'm contemplating potting the Shinybrids tomorrow morning before the lights go out. These Shiny hybrid chilles are absolutely dependable with germation rates and production.

 

Weeded around the polyanthus along the path and planted some potted yellow crocus in places where they didn't survive, in the front garden.

 

Spent an hour potting up a few of the plants purchased yesterday ...

Put the new Yellow Kalanchoe blossfeldiana by the Orange and Pink ones that are just starting their blooms this year ...


Made a trio in the square pot of the two Pelargonions (one palmate and one pelatum) with one palmate already in the pot ...

 

Spent the morning tidying up the 4 raised borders that edge the main kitchen patio. Trying as I go to remove most of the Blue Bells ( not an appropriate place) and if I can all the Muscari....really dislike that plant and have no idea where it sprang from and it spreads everywhere. I very much doubt that I've got it all out from these particular beds but will attempt to pull them out as soon as they show their faces. I'm on a mission!!!

Plan to carry on with the border that runs in front of this patio area this afternoon.

 

Hi,

After lots of overnight rain I was in the garden early this morning to make the best of it whilst it was fine but bitterly cold. I climbed to the top of the oak tree once again this time to attach a third rope for pulling. Back down to ground level I fueled the 20" petrol chainsaw and filled with chain oil. I felt absolutely perished so thought I'd have a mug of tea before felling the tree.

Having sorted the chainsaw our immediate neighbour shouted to me so I went down to see what she wanted; would I repair her storm damaged fence; yes I would ; then she asked what I was doing with the oak tree; I explained having watched it blown around in the terrific wind and the mess the leaves caused I was taking it down; she said quite rightly it's your tree but I love it and the leaves aren't troubling me will you please reconsider it's such a shame to take down a lovely big oak.

I came indoors to defrost and talked it over with Bron; after the mug of tea and now feeling human again I climbed the tree and removed all three ropes; then I drained the chainsaw and spent a while putting everything away. Next I did a temporary repair to the fence so now it looks tidy; a post had broken so if ever it warms up outside I'll replace the post free of charge of course just being neighbourly; the lady now living on her own in a big detached bungalow had very recently had her husband die; she's had lots of roof problems and just come out of hospital having had a new knee fitted. We'll drive over to collect a new post shortly in readiness for the cuckoo coming.

Very cold and wet this morning but it's turned into a beautiful day; all I need now is a lot of global warming.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Cut back and tidied up 3 more borders ..2 big ones and the raised one on the lounge patio..Then swept all 3 patios. It was milder out there this afternoon as that horrid breeze had gone, but still no sign of the sun.

 

@Retired that's good of you to think of your neighbour like that on both counts.

 

Sowed the Sweet Peas this morning.

Attacking the messy border that's hidden out of sight next to the greenhouse this afternoon. Thankfully it's not that visible from the main garden It's lovely come Spring/ Summer and is home to most of the Irises that I nabbed from my parents garden...but this time of year.

 

Picking up lots of sticks and limbs taking to the burn pile.

 

Unfortunately I didn't achieve what I had hoped this afternoon as rain suddenly arrived out of the blue....well no tell a lie....out of the grey.

Can you spot any difference..before...


..and now midway, just needs some cutting back and more weeding.

 

I didn't get round to my usual yearly pollarding of the Eucalyptus over in the extended part of the garden last year, so I needed to tackle it before it becomes a problem and it gets out of reach, the rate of growth is amazing bearing in mind I'm only cutting back 2 yrs old wood .

Legs was aching so the rest will have to wait until another day, but got the main two thirds off and shredded.

 

Had to bury a dead dove, been had by a cat.

 

I thought the eucalyptus was growing out of the patio at first glance . It is a lot of growth for 2 years , do they not make paper out of them with big eucalyptus farms in Portugal .

Finished off painting the fence the afternoon , I hate painting I think a little bit of me dies inside listening to the radio made it less painful . I don't have much hope for this Ronseal One coat bet its washed off by next autumn , think I'll try the Ducksback one next

 

I dont know about paper production but its probably even faster than willow.
I just put that stem there to give some sense of scale.

 

I wandered into a eucalyptus plantation here a couple of years ago, had no idea they grew them here. Apparently they were being trialled for biomass. I can see why with the growth you've had