WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2023

Although I've said in other threads I wasn't going to get any Pansies this year - I've changed my mind! :D I can't bear to see the 3 troughs on the middle bar of the balcony railings with just soil! So I bought 3 packs of 6 yellow Pansies. I will plant 1 pack in each of the 3 troughs! Then I will underplant them with Anemones!

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Hi,

GRRRRR more heavy rain overnight; I'm thinking of naming our bungalow "PUDDLES". The gardens are soaking wet so even if I don my waterproof gear I'd only make matters worse trampling around in wellies leaving a dirty trail behind me; looks like a workshop day again.

I'm still here working around our terrible climate so it's not all bad; there's still lots to be happy about.

Many thanks @Logan for the interesting video. Hopefully I've sorted the water ingress entry; I'll find out soon if it starts to dry under the bungalow.

Good choice @Loofah.



Here's one of two identical garden huts I made; 6' x 5'. Outward opening doors giving maximum internal space. Please note the door catch to prevent the door blowing around when it's windy also the padlock wooden cover I made to prevent the padlocks rusting. Everything I do in the garden I have to work around the steep slope. The paint is Benjamin Moore at around £100 per US gallon; I used three gallons to paint both huts but well worth it because it will last many years unlike modern preservatives.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Your welcome Colin

Nothing today it's raining again

 

Planted up the Violas I bought yesterday in the troughs on the balcony railings. I underplanted them with Anemones.
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Hi,

I've just cut the grass and also gone over the top meadow with the mower; the meadow has reverted back to grass so I need to complete the rotavator restoration then I can explain the meadow grass it's not welcome. It's given me a good workout.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Just had 60 crocus bulbs arrive and they were sprouting so i planted them straight away.

 

Zilch! Back to incessant showers today, after getting half-way through rose and honeysuckle pruning yesterday There's going to be sooo much catching up to do once it does dry up.

 

Just a quick dash into the garage to pot up recent purchases and to clean the stepladder so that it can be brought indoors for some high level mould removal. Bloomin damp old house

Cleared the leaves from the ponds and cleaned the little solar powered fountain pumps. They are a credit to Chinese workmanship, at less than £20 each they are quietly squirting and blobbing away year after year. The oldest is 5 years old, frozen solid a few times.

Placing a pond under a deciduous shrub is basically a bad idea but in the summer things look very nice. And the leaf clearing in the autumn is in fact quite a nice weekly task, I like to play in puddles. Perhaps I'll get myself a tiny boat for Christmas

Made order in the blowaway greenhouse that during the winter just provides rain cover for succulents and alpines and houses some cuttings- I keep the door open to avoid humidity build up. I don't grow anything that would need temperature boost, a shelter from rain and other interesting stuff the heavens chuck on us is enough.

Checked the bird feeders. I hung the small awkward plasticky thing in the Viburnum just outside the back doors to make room for my Tesla of Feeders just bought from Dobbies.



The wise people advising to place feeders in an open position to allow the birds to monitor the surroundings are wrong. The sparrows love their new feeder-in-a-shrub and don't even make dashes to and from but just sit there munching away.

 

I planted out the Anemones I got from £land much reduced at 25p packet!


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I also planted out some Allium 'Moly'
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The Ranunculus tubers I suspect won't come up. Of the 10 tubers 5 or 6 looked too dry with only one really plump one. So I added in the 'Glory of the Snow', just in case!
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Nothing today it's raining.

 

Hi,



Has the Met office lost the plot; where's the rain. 4C whilst shopping this morning; BRRRRR I think I'll wander down to the comfort of the workshop. My order from J Parker's is due to arrive so even if it does rain or is so cold the plants will have to go in. I must be getting soft.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Just repotted the Plumeria and the Portulacaria afra I put three of the latter together to see what would happen.

 

Dug up and potted up more Fuchsias for over wintering. They are now safely stored in the bubble wrapped section of our greenhouse. I have also taken some cuttings too.

Most of our Dahlias are now over and hopefully the cold temps of tonight will finish them off, then I can finally cut them down and mulch before covering with large upturned pots for additional Winter protection. Some I will dig up as I plan to give them new permanent homes next Spring.

More leaf sweeping ,this is now a daily task as I particularly have a fear of hubs, visitors and myself falling due to soggy leaves hiding loads of acorns ....deathtraps!!!

Right this won't get the other jobs for today done, better get on with things as it gets dark early . Not enough daylight hours in the day now.