What are we doing in the garden 2024

I raked the gravel area for the third time. Disturbed a spider and one of these brown little flying ones.
But all leaves are now in the corner behind the greenhouse for everyone who needs a bed over winter.

 

Definitely prise off any timber from posts @Selleri - but it can be difficult, depending on what the timber is and how it's fixed. Single planks can be easier, but if you don't have a crowbar, as @Allotment Boy says, or something similar, sometimes the edge of a spade works - just to get things started, or even a hefty chisel, depending on how well attached things are. There will always be breakages, and there will definitley be one bit that won't budge - usually the last bit!
My job yesterday was a bit like that. I needed to make a cage for the newly repaired feeder, and I'd acquired [from the local tip] one of those cages for transporting pets. I had to use the jigsaw to cut pieces to size, and that was infuriatingly difficult! I'll get there though.

Today, the ground is frozen, so planting will have to wait for a milder spell. The ground is too cold at this time of year for planting anything that's not woody and tough anyway. I doubt I'll do anything out there other than finishing the cage and putting the little feeder back up.

 

I need to get to the Allotments today, not sure what I will get done. Any progress is useful at this time of year

 

I've planted 70 tulips in the borders. Took some time as I had to look through my photos to see where the daffodils are, then clear areas of dying down perennials and dead leaves so I could get in and see what I was doing. I hope the muntjac doesn't get in again. It ate my tulips last time.

 

Battening down the hatches ready for the first frost on Thursday. All the terrace plants are safely tucked under the roof, bananananana (I know how to start spelling it, but have a job stopping ©the late, lamented Terry Pratchett) and Bougainvillea Violet de Mèze all wrapped up. A thick layer of mulch applied to borderline plants in the garden. The Tibouchina and Brugmansias will get their fleece overcoats tomorrow.

 

I have that problem when writing banana on the shopping list sometimes @noisette47 - managed it here though
Got the cage done and put op, with a lot of faffing and my cracked ribs and dodgy shoulder both complaining. Not sure I'm happy with it though. Sigh....
It's nothing-y sort of day, but it's mild and to be reasonably dry, so maybe I can get some of those poor plants put in that have been languishing for a while in pots. I've just had an email informing me that my dianthus are coming tomorrow, so I'll have to look at getting them potted up when they arrive and put somewhere to tick over for winter.

 

Just to show that I have not been idle recently.
https://imgur.com/a/summer-house-raised-bed-kv5gCdA

 

Pollarded the Catalpa bignoniodes "Aurea" as reaching for the heavens. No flowers next year but the golden leaves are what we grow it for. Collected all its fallen leaves and onto the compost heaps. Stacked the branches in the wood area to dry off for a couple of years.

 

Our friends' son didn't up, there appears to have been some confusion over the date and he now can't come till the 25th. It's disappointing as the weather was perfect today and it's usually very wet at the end of November, still needs must I suppose.
On the brighter side, I flagged down a local farmer who was cutting the hedge of the house opposite about 4 ish and asked him to do ours as well. He came over in the tractor to cut our front native hedge which was about 8 ft high, now about 4-5 ft. A bargain at £30!

 

Today I moved a Cotinus from the border in front of my sitting area to a new location at the top of my bank. I managed to get the whole rootball up without any damage, which was surprising . It will have more space there to expand and provide a contrast with the grasses in that border. I cut back some hardy geraniums and Nepetas and moved some grasses around. I know it’s not the best time to do this but it’s mild here at the moment and there are still a few mosquitoes buzzing around .

 

I’m interested to know how low you pollarded your tree @On the Levels and whether you do this every year? I pollarded mine for the first time this year and have read that it should be done annually, cutting to 10 cm above the previous year’s cuts. That sounds a bit harsh to me .

 

@Plantminded May I ask what your going to do with your tree fern? Will it remain outside properly wrapped or do bring it inside?
I noticed that our tree fern has found its way outside and the roots are now in the ground. That means I need to wrap it.

 

Still lacking in energy because of a persistent cough, but I actually got some leaf clearing done this afternoon, with the "help" of a neighbour's cat. Plenty more leaves to fall, but I can see the lawn again.

 

The Gods of Deliveries certainly smiled today. I usually work in office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and otherwise from home. This week I have to be in tomorrow so stayed home today.

First arrived the lovely Crab Apple Red Sentinel, a very sturdy potted 1.2m plant via Amazon, £20 and free 2-day delivery. Beats small nurseries bare root ones I had been looking at, a £20 delivery on top of £30 pound bareroot plant is not suitable for my character!

Then arrived the first part of my JParkers perennials order. Also this one managed to come when I was not in a Teams call.

When I slammed my laptop closed at 4pm I ran out to start franctically potting everything up in the 30cm pots I had ordered in advance (apart from the tree as it might go in the ground this weekend).

2 Clematis, 5 Echinops, 5 Verbena Hastastas, 5 drumstic Primulas all went in the pots and then there was a knock on the door and my replacement Arbutus Unedo, this time very Rubra-ish, arrived.

The light was failing fast and to my amazement, I discovered we have an external light. New homes are full of surprises! The other external lights are of "drill a hole into the wall, pull the cable out and reconnect to the light, what could possibly go wrong?"- type which I firmly unplugged from bedroom sockets when we moved in. This one is a proper one.

So both the incorrect Arbutus Compacta I was allowed to keep and the new Rubra got potted up as well.

Everything is now in the cold greenhouse hopefully growing loads of roots ready for spring planting.

My Hollyhocks and Hellebores are promised by the end of November.

I must say that JParker's small and plug plants are usually very good. These all had sturdy roots roaring to get going If ever I have had a complaint, a replacement has been quickly shipped out.

A very happy day for me

I'm just keeping various body parts crossed that the Crab Apple turns out to be the correct variety- "YouGarden" is not on the top of my list of most trusted, established nurseries. I'll find out sooner or later.