WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY - 2021

I shall do that ...

You're going to have a wonderful show in the spring @Perki !

 

I did do a small walk around even though I'm still in my jammies and it is below freezing out there.

@Upsydaisy I too am flabbergasted. Something came by and dug up my platycodon and it is nowhere to be seen! It was an expensive plant so I'm really miffed about it. As soon as we are allowed to travel back and forth over the border without having to provide a $200 PCR test result on our return, even after a day trip, I'm going down to the states to pick up the new sight for my rifle. Whatever it is could have just eaten the top not been greedy! Wascally varmint...

 

Oh no Lori...I promise that I didn't shoo my naughty critter over in your direction!! It's so upsetting isn't it..... like coming across a murder scene!!
I must say my Platycodons are in pots fortunately so they are safely stashed away in one of the coldframes.....

 

More weeding and mulching.

 

I planted the rest of my bulbs. I'm still waiting for a delivery of Tulips and Erythroniums.

I also put some tubs back on my new patio. They were moved when the builders demolished the old one. I also replaced the table and chairs.

Then I took a cuppa out to the patio and enjoyed it in the cold sunshine while Bella cat ate some biscuits

 

Spent most of the afternoon yanking out a tall perennial ( no idea of it's name ) that spreads like wild fire and never looks good as it flops even in a breeze. I doubt even now if all the roots are out, so it will be an ongoing job throughout the winter I think.
Then hubs and I raked up the leaves outside our house in the lane. We have to pack up so early now as the evening are really drawing in now.

 

Mowed the lawn using the highest setting - just to hoover up the fallen leaves. Chopped up a large and tired lavender - put it in the brown bin ready for collection on Monday. Watered the pruned Pelargoniums in the potting shed - not too much as they are sleepy this time of year. Measured up for a set of shelves in the potting shed - the pots, chemicals etc. are taking up too much room on the potting table surface.

Oiled the secateurs. Saw Carol Klein on tele. the other days using Olive Oil - which I thought was a bit extravagent as I use car engine oil. Each to their own I suppose .

 

We went to the Garden Center today ... to buy things to do gardening ...and were surprised at the number of Tree Ferns, Yuccas and Cycads for sale, possibly hundreds. at horrendous prices!!! We decided our Cycas is probably worth 300+ Euros as small ones were 50 Euros. Also there were lots of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and Mandevillas. Obviously there were lots and lots of Christmas Trees and Poinsettias of all colours. It is informative as to know when to plant things here. This particular place is where Professional Gardeners go.

 

Miserable day but I braved the weather and planted 5 Crown imperial fritillaria Orange Beauty . Back to the greenhouse I put the dahlias in crates and covered with compost from the tomato bed. Emptied a nice yorkshire pot which had an astroemeria in that had preformed very poorly its only just got going , after emptying it was easy to see why majority of the tubers were rotten so repotted that up and planted the yorkshire pot up with tulips . Potted another two pots up with spring bulbs , emptied a basket of fuchsia and others and put some in pots for winter storage , I am still thinking what I want to go in the basket yet.

 

Very excited: had a confirmation that my big pot order has been despatched. That’s big as in lots not big individually. We always have to lose an arm and a kidney for transport costs (plus 5% GST on the item and the transport and the tax already paid: is tax-already-paid a taxable good in Jersey Mr Revenue Officer? Yes it is Mr Ordinary Bloke) so big orders occasionally are the way to go. Anyway. Big old load of terracotta - heavy on the Long Tom pots - are on their way.

I do need to get some big pots though: I can’t bring myself to pay the huge prices they charge if not discounted so I’m carrying on looking…

 

Been busy this afternoon in the garden . Moved the Laburnum tree its about 9ft tall its not been happy since I planted it 3 year ago it drops its leaves every summer and tries to re leaf in autumn, so out it come and planted on the garage site just on the other side of the fence where it can live or die , I can still see it if it ever flowers. I moved the large camellia into the plot where the laburnum was, the camellia was next to the laburnum. And planted the Hamamelis Jenna I bought a few weeks ago where the camellia was .

Planted up the basket and partially planted the two large trough up on the fence . While looking where to site some alliums I noticed an Anemone ruffled swan has sent a load of runners out like a strawberry plant does up to 3ft away from the original clump , I were a bit surprised really I thought the swan series was well behaved, they weren't a problem to remove unlike Japanese anemones which have underground runners. Anyway I potted 16 runners up so I can dump them on some unsuspecting victims .

 

Planted some alliums new ones for me jackpot and stratos, accidentally chopped some alliums up to plants these alliums which is about normal for me, got some daffs thahlia planted my favourite white daff so far. Cut a few perennial back and took out metal plant supports and tyed them to up keep them tidyier they trip me up otherwise. Moved a few plants, still to pot some up for now. Iam in for a break and a brew plus mince pie

 

I've been using my Leaf Vacuum/shredder, heavy work once the bag gets full, but works well. All shredded leaves put in the compost bin.