What are we doing in the garden 2024

Everything is on hold at the moment - a long story - so I'm just pottering and snipping bits, BUT.. it hasn't rained since the early hours, and so we got the front lawns cut before the next onslaught. I'm feeling pretty righteous at the minute.

 

@AuntyRach, you might be sorted now but I buy my grit from the big south American river site.

 

@RowlandsCastle. I am definitely feeling it could be a Clematis!

 

We found a location for the hydrangea - but it was a bed already inhabited by primroses, primulas, and a deep-rooted seemingly invasive plant that is proving to be a challenge to keep under control.

So, I left the task to the lady who likes a challenge - after all, she married me!!

I took over when she came in for a cuppa, and allowed her to finish the task.

I was then permitted to dig the large hole required.
Ah!!
It was then that I found my wife had really only removed roots to about six inches deep. The plant needed a hole twice that depth. And more for mulch. And more to get roots out!
Job done, and she congratulates herself on a job well done. I'll give her the satisfaction.

 

Sensible @RowlandsCastle

 

Trying to rescue half of a multi-stemmed Eucalyptus which seems to be the only casualty of the gale today. Split two of the four trunks clean off You hear so much about Eucalyptus being shallow rooted, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. The big, single-stemmed tree has been bearing the brunt for two days now and is solid as a rock! It's heart-breaking seeing the new, tender young foliage of trees and shrubs being subjected to 60kmph, drying winds, even if there's still plenty of moisture in the soil.

 

@noisette47 your poor eucalyptus!
I hope you don't get battered too much more.

 

@fairygirl I have one that has now flowered and, if I'm lucky, three more should be opening up in the next couple of days. With the way things have gone through, it wouldn't surprise me to find them devoured as well

 

This morning had a wander round to see how things were doing, so far all the young trees/shrubs put in last year are showing willing, given how wet it's been I'm expecting more casualties in the tubers, perennials and bulbs. Impatiens tinctoria is already a couple of feet tall normally doesn't appear until beginning of May.
Then retreated to the greenhouse and checked things over, potted up some freshly germinated tomatoes.
This afternoon weeding, mainly removing violets and various aroids that were in the wrong place, bind weed has also made an early start.
Although strong the wind from the SW was not cold and I could work with my back to it.

 

Thank you, Mrs. B.! Luckily, they seem to take injury and hard pruning in their stride (ask @pete ) so I'll make do with a double-stemmed one for now These gales and storms are a new feature of life here......suppose we'll have to get used to it!

 

Well I spent a good deal of this afternoon repotting a large, nature olive that we bought recently. It was in a plastic pot and kept falling over during windy periods so I’ve put it into a larger clay pot with chunky crocks in the bottom and Scottish pebbles on the top and “earthed it up” with patio stones …. So far so good ….

 

The strawberries that were in individual pots, have now been planted in a big grow bag. Unfortunately I managed to knock the first flower off. Discovered that I really shouldn't have left bags of compost outdoors over the winter (although I didn't have anywhere else to put them) but there were a good few worms in there so it wasn't all bad. I mixed it up with farmyard manure and topsoil so there wasn't a whole lot of smell in the end. Time will tell whether or not the strawberries like it.

Potted up some echinacea bare roots and then put those on some fence plant pot holders in the hope that they'll be out of the way of anything that might want to nibble on them. Did similar with salvia plugs and the soil pipe pot holders.

I'm still not entirely sure what's going to happen with the geum. It looked a bit peaky again yesterday so I gave it a very generous watering and this morning it looked great. By this afternoon it was wilting a little again so another generous watering. It had been pot bound but I think when I divided it, I was a bit too harsh with the roots on that side. I think I'm just going have to water the hell out of it until it's established.

It looks like I have tulip buds about to emerge. I only planted the bulbs in January so I've been expecting most of them to be blind this year. I'm really hoping La Belle Epoch flowers, the photos I've seen are stunning.

Umming and ahhing about planting the sweet peas out. I sowed them in February on a windowsill and a couple of weeks after germinating, I put them in the cold frame where they've been ever since. They're looking nice and strong but it's the slugs that worry me. I did sow more than I actually need so I could always pot up the rest and keep them on standby, just in case. Not sure I'm that adventurous though!

 

I finished weeding the Donkey Paddock Fence bed. I also continued it down to the shady end of the fence the other day and planted some plants for dry shade there. There are 3 clematis, group 3, and a honeysuckle on the fence and a new rose, Narrow Water, and a lot of foxgloves in the bed among other plants. 2nd photo is summer last year.

 

Only you can make the decision about planting your s. peas @Februarysgirl . Mine are just starting to germinate.
Not sure what I'll be doing today. More strong, gale force winds for later, and it's been windy all night, so, after my morning walk, and a few bits and bobs, it'll probably be indoor stuff , while listening to Johnnie Walker. Maybe some seed sowing