Spring Flower Show Colours 2

Faces in the Ladybird Poppys start the second post about the Spring flower show.I had two packets of these seeds from Tatton Park but lost them in the move.They are fun though and bright coloured!

The Yorkshire theme, a Chrysanthenum Teapot and Yorkshire tea.The display was about the Miners Strike.A still bitterly disputed part of Yorkshire history.Margaret Thatcher is not welcome up here still.The mines were a part of Yorkshires history and heritage, although mostly they are used as educational centres or museums.Just need the fat rascals (big Scones) from Bettys Tearoom.

Ladybird Poppies.How did they get them to flower so early in the year?I was amazed how much was induced to flower ready for this flower show.It helps sell your plants if you can show them in their Summer finery..

Baa,A sheep and a Ram in a display.More Yorkshire theme here, the countryside and the Hill farms like in James Herriot books set in the Yorkshire Dales..

I have been dreaming about Himalayan Poppies and they were here in the Show.Meconopsis I think they are called.I love the red ones but these blue ones were used at Harlow Carr but I never saw any in flower.I wander if i can grow them in my Garden?

Fairys and Spiders webs in another display.I love the magic of garden spirits..

These Frilly edged Tulips were in the Plant Societys section. Bee keepers association, Wakefield and North Tulip society, Fushia Association etc.They had all set up tables with information and plants on display.I loved the Beekeepers pots of Honey, bottles of Mead, and Wax candles.They were there at the Autumn flower show last year.The hall also had the Daffodil and Tulip competions.Individual flowers or groups of the same Species.These were awarded prizes.How mad to grow flowers for flower shows.Some people are very competitive even growing Daffodils.In the Autumn flower show there were lots more categories and vegetables were being shown too.The British love horticultural competitions..

The Students from Seven different Horticultural colleges had designed gardens for imaginary clients.They all had to use Bradstone Patio sets, and then use their imagination to fill the rest of the spaces.I photographed this because it has all my plants.The Heuchera, the Black grass, the Pulmonaria, and the grasses in the background.Who knows,one of the students may win a Gold medal at Chelsea in the future.
The Show had a mixture of ages and gender.The weather was foul but it was packed.There were thousands of visitors on the day I went.Brass bands played, the smell of sweet freshly cooked doughnuts filled the air.

Some of the Daffodil competitors in the Green plastic vases for showing them off.

Cat posing with some awesome Tulips.They are spectacular colours.

More Tulips, three flowers of the same Species of Tulip.These would look good in a vase in your front room..

the Auricula society, such mad looking plants but beautiful flowers.I wish I could grow them but I killed off the two i had.Its better to look at their beautifully grown specimins.

Back home this was what I had bought. A show guide book, Chocolate Cosmos, Ranunculus, Chocolate Peppermint plant, A Sambucas Niger, Treacle toffee,a Heuchera Obsidian, and a Casa blanca Lilly.

this stone frog clutching a flower was also bought at the flower show.I love frogs and flowers, so its very me!
I hope that gives you all a quick tour of the Spring Flower Show.The Flower Shows will come thick and fast now across the summer.I have a little of the magic in my garden now
The plants are planted, and the Casa Blanca Lily potted.The Chocolate Cosmos and Ranunculus need planting yet.They will hopefully flower for me later in the year.
I have tickets for Tatton Park at the end of July. The big RHS Chelsea flower show is starting in about three weeks.

Spring Flower Show Colours 1

Last sunday I went to Harrogate again for the Spring Flower Show in the Yorkshire Show Ground.This is the traditional first flower show of the year. Chelsea RHS flower show is about three weeks away.All the plant nurserys and suppliers were there in two halls with their gorgeous plants.They had made displays on the sides of the pitches for prizes from the organisers.The Spring flower show is organised by the Northern Horticultural Society, a charitable organisation.This Daffodil is the opening colour photo of my selection.After the cold and wet winter its a kaleidoscope of colour and beauty, inspiring, and making you look forward to the summer to come.

The first Plants I looked at were Phlox, beautiful healthy plants, and this one with the delicious pure white petals, and a sweet scent.My phlox never looked like these.They were slug and snail cover as they were ground cover..

These displays of flowers were all for sale, at the end of the day.Various plants had sold tickets hanging off them.If you so wished you could carry a part of the show home with you.I saw them at Tatton carrying massive flower displays on the final Sunday.Its becoming a habit for me to visit these flower shows on the last day!These were Chrysanthenums..

Yellow and Green Mums.So bright you need sunglasses to approach them..

The displays the plant sellers made were amazing some of them.Rocky woodland with running water and pretty jewel like flowers.The shows theme was Yorkshire, so some sellers opted for images of Tea, Miners Strikes, Wensleydale cheese...They gave out prizes for the best display.The ingenuity and creativity were on display through both Flower halls.

Whats spring without a Primula?These were on display through many displays and on many stalls.I love these colours and delicate balls of flowers.

Tildia or something? I cannot remember what these were called.The graceful, airy white flowers splashed with a light orange colour.They are electric looking flowers..

the hearts of the Show.There were a good selection of Dicentras (Bleeding Hearts) in Pinks, and the Whites.I adore these flowers, they are on my wishlist.Maybe the garden will be able to nurture them.I killed off 3 in the mouldy flat before :(

Hippeastrums in shades of Strawberrys and cream, like the sweets.These were called Clown face or something.I prefer the sweets label.The colours are gorgeous with the lime and yellow centres (Chocolate Lime sweets yum).

Aliums were present in the Flower displays.I loved these after Harlow Carr used them in their main border displays.Purple fireworks, then mad looking dried seedheads, as used by the Victorians for Xmas decorations.I wanted an Alium Globemaster but nobody was selling them that I could see.I settled for other bulbs instead for summer.

The Lily's in a rainbow selection of colours.I think its great they could grow flowers to this level of beauty and have them ready for the end of April.All the displays had magnificent specimins. Being grown especially for the three days at the Showground.

Tulips and Daffodils.I loved these colours.It warms your heart after a cold, dark winter.These are like Jewels that appear as messengers for a new growing year.They light up my garden too the Tulips.I have never grown them before this year but im convinced now gardens benefit from their presence in April.

Pink, red, and white.A selection of Geraniums splashed around the display side of the stall, with lots of labels for plant-o-philes to read the variety aloud, like reciting poetary at school.Lots of crys of oohh look at that such and such.Did we grow that before?The neighbours have that etc.The profusion of blooms and colours inspired the mind, and tapped into memorys of summers and springs past.

the final photo of the first post is some sumptuous Springfield Black Pelagoniums.Looking at the photo I wish I had bought this plant now.It looks better noe than it did there.I took its photo so I liked it.There seemed to be a trend to grow darker flowers (as close to black as you can get it).
This darkened Crimson just glows with warmth.The second half is still to come tonight!

The Kiss Of The Sun

I bought this plaque from the Spring flower show on Sunday. I will post some photos later today.
The allotment had the first Vegetable crops planted today. Chitted King Edward and Nadine potatoes, Red Karmen and Stutgarter Onion sets, Carrots Chantenay Red seeds, and Some Garlic cloves. I picked a pot full of Dandelion flower heads too ready for wine making.
Despite the torrential rain overnight the Raised beds were relatively dry, and not as boggy as the surrounding grass.The two boggy beds were waterlogged, and one almost has a pond to one side :(
I lost my keys at the allotment too, and had to go to the estate agents to borrow their spare set to get back into the house.I bought some plastic mesh for my Honeysuckle to climb up, and the Climbing rose when it takes off. I used nails to hang it on the red brick wall by the left border.
The frames on both sides are up now, with the Climbing Iceberg Rose clambering upwards.If the Honeysuckle and Pink scented rose can grow it will look beautiful on both sides of the backdoor. The bird box is attached but not yet taken..
The slug traps with John Smiths beer worked a treat, I have caught maybe 25 of the slimy Slugs so they do work.My Daylilys may be rescued yet.
More posts and photos to follow.I do like the sentiment of Dorothy Francis Gurney whoever she was..

Laymans Alchemy

..Is turning a humble common wildflower into a alcoholic liquird. The Dandelions are out in flower now all along the roadsides, and in wasteground. I am working early but will over the next few days collect some flower heads for wine making. I have made it in 2006 and 2007.
My recipe is in the blog somewhere, and is googled a few times. I myself has to google for it a few years back.
http://snappycrocsgarden.blogspot.com/2007/04/dandelion-wine-recipie.html
There were lots of different recipes but I wanted an old fashioned one without the chemicals. It can be made as complicated as you want it too with specialist equipment. Mine will be made with a saucepan, a bucket, and the glass demijohn!
I hope it turns out okay, but it will be a year before I can know..

Gardening Day

A teaser from the spring flower show yesterday, a Tulip in the Daffodil and Tulip Competition.
I spent today shopping for more compost, bought some new pots for my Chilli plants and the Mallus Braeburn.
I bought a Tomato plant for 75 pence, as mine are slow in germinating. Cat wanders how I can be so patient pulling weeds from the allotment, yet be impatient for things to start showing signs of growth?I wanted to watch a Tomato plant grow as my seedlings develop.
The weathermen said it would rain heavily today. So I stayed way from the allotment and concentrated on the garden. It did not rain much at all!
The Apple tree is now in a large deep pot with its new leaves fluttering in the wind. I repotted the four Chilli plants that needed it and put in big canes to tie the main stems to. I rehoused the Courgettes that had filled their cells totally with roots. My dozen Cabbages have been repotted to hopefully increase their size prior to planting up at the allotment. I planted all my Strawberry plants into the Polythene hexagonal planter like a Victorian Strawberry pot.8 plants have gone in the outside pockets, and 5 smaller ones on top of the planter.
The garden has two potato grow bags with six plants between them.The African Bag garden seeds are germinating now. Mixed Lettuce, Beetroot, Spring Onion, Spinach Beet, Mustard Greens, and Rocket. The dwarf French beans have not germinated yet. The hessian sacks are marked with 7's to show me where to cut to put plants into the sides of the bag to expand what can be grown.
My tomato seedlings have germinated but are small still.The Cucumber seedlings are growing on too.
The first sown cabbages and Courgettes are growing on ready for allotment planting.
I have triedsome organic slug traps, two pots tonight filled with beer as I noticed my Daylily plants have been hammered by them. Only one is a good size, the other three clumps have been demolished.
Any tips to stop them? I have used slug pellets before but I worry about the Birds eating the poisoned slugs and snails!
My first Chilli plant has got five Chillis growing. It does not look like a Friars Hat though, as the Chilli is long and thin at the moment.
Its a thrill though to see the fruit develop on a plant sown from my hands eight months ago! The Chillis have survived a damp flat and moving house with me!
I just watched Gardeners World on BBC i player. I saw Joe Swift has an allotment in North London. He planted Swift Potatoes, Jeruselum Artichokes, and Goji berrys plants from Tibet. I saw the Goji berrys at the spring flower show.
Back to work for me tomorrow before hopefully (rain permitting) allotment planting on Wednesday. I planted a beautiful Black leaved Sambucas Niger today in the left border. It will hopefully give me lots of Elderberrys in the Autumn.
The Raspberry Canes have flower buds growing now so they will fruit which suprised me, as they were 30cm tall and woody. New growth is coming from the base and thats what I will tie to the metal mesh behind the plant.
As April draws to a close the Garden speeds up its growth and time spent in there gets longer, and time blogging diminishes. There is a lot going on in Snappys garden. Its hard to know what to blog about with so many projects for the the garden, and allotment, plus visits to flower shows which were spectacular.
Today was just a Gardening day :)

Robin And Rain

Its Sunday morning and the rain is pouring down outside.I am going to Harrogate today to the Spring Flower Show at the Yorkshire showground.
The camera batterys are charged and ready to come with me.I will see what plants are being sold, and may bring a few back :)
I hope your weekends have been good.I want to get to the allotment next week ready to plant!
I joined the RSPB (Royal Society For The Protection Of Birds) last night online.I will wait for my membership card, and new book of British birds for joining.
The Robin is still a frequent visitor to the Garden, at the ground feeder, and on the table.He likes the fence posts to sit with his head cocked singing away.
The birds still give me enjoyment. Its therapeutic hearing birds singing and watching them fly around. Natures own wild spirits.

Toronto, Tulips, And The Black Book

A little taste of Canada in Wakefield.This is the Orange coloured Tulip Toronto. I found my black book with my Spring Bulb planting plan, after I misplaced (lost) it for months.
I have green fingers but a terrible memory for what has been planted, and the names of plants I have bought.
Its funny seeing how many bulbs I planted and how many are nearly flowering now. Darwin would be smiling, my selection pressure is Mollusc like, as in Slugs and Snails.
The White Tulips on the right hand side are more of a lemon yellow.They have beautiful sweet like inner cups but are hidden artfully at the moment.
Its forecast heavy rain for the next four days so I will get wet at the Spring flower show tomorrow in Harrogate.
I love Cat peeking besides the Camellia bush.The end of April has seen an explosion of growth in the Garden. Both for my flowers and the annual weeds that have germinated en masse. Last decembers digging over has given the annual weeds a lease of life. I have a problem that I need to wait to see which is Annual flowers, and which is annual weeds. Time will reveal which is which.
The late comers to the Spring flowering are the Narcissus minnow, but the flower buds are appearing in the compact strap leaves.
The Muscari are flowering now, a line of blue grapes under the Jonquilles and the pea plants.
The Narcissus Caniculatas on the right border are also only developing flower buds now. The windowbox bulbs have all flowered a mix of yellow, green, and blue. The Virginia Stock, and Scented Night Stock are germinating too between the strappy leaves.As the Spring Flowers fade the Summer ones should take over.
I will take some photos on Monday of the Garden with its bright Spring Colours. Watching the birds flying in and out, and seeing all the Bee's now flying to my Viburnum Tinus, Polyanthus, And even the not opened yet Tulips is very calming.
I am coming around slowly after my four hectic nights.

Spring Preperation

A sneaky spider had spun his web across the bright Primula flower. these have been flowering non stop since December now. They were underplanted with Anemones and Chionodoxa's. They have flowered and I have a suprise blue/Yellow mass of colour in the left hand border now.
In December I imagined the Winter Primulas would have finished flowering, by the time the spring bulbs began to flower.
In my daily mini walks around the garden after each night shift I have seen the Tulip flower buds rise upwards on thick stems, the Blue pot Hyacinths begin flowering today in earnest. The Mallus Braeburn Apple tree has elongated and developed leaves.The Raspberrys have developed flower buds from stems from last years canes. I might have Raspberrys and Strawberrys by July :)
The African Bag Gardens have started germinating all the Rocket, Mustard greens, Spring Onions, and Beetroot Boltardy. I have the areas marked to cut the hessian sack to grow plants from the sides of the bags.
It still continues to rain though. I looked at Allotments walking down the long causeway to work. I see people have begun to plant their plots! Next week I will start my Veg planting!
The Spider has been busy, preparing for the flys to come to the yellow flowers. I have been working nights and waiting to get to Allotment next week...
The Harrogate Spring Flower show is on now,I am going with camera on Sunday.I may take a few photos :)

Sunny Side Right..

The Tulips Empress Fotheriana on Monday have gone mad in terms of size of the leaves, and the rocketing flower buds. What a difference it makes having Sunshine for tea.The garden has sun by the compost bin in the morning as it rises before it goes behind the row of houses on the right, then by the Afternoon the sun reaches the left side of the houses and the right border gets warmed by lovely sunshine.
The left border tulips are developed but not as stunningly as the ones on the right. I think they will all flower around the same time. Reds, oranges, Black Queen Of The Night, and pinks. Some unknown colour with the striped leaves, and of course these ten white Tulips.
The top photo shows the sunshine yesterday evening before I went to work, illuminating the Narcissus.
Two more nights before I can spend a day in the garden to see whats growing on.

The Names Of Flowers

Or how you say the name..
The sun was shining two days ago when the Anemone Blanda flower opened fully. I have them in shades of purple, white, and pink all in the left border. Anemone comes from the Greek word for Wind, as they propogate by the wind dispersing the styles from the fruit. They are a Genus of 120 species related to Buttercup family.
How do you pronounce it?I call it An-Ee-mone (rhymes with phone), whereas Cat and her parents call it Anim-O-Knee.
The other flower that makes me laugh is Cotoneaster...I pronounce it Cotton-Easter, where as Hils says Coton-ee-aster.
What other names of flowers cause consternation in their pronunciation? That rhymes after my first night shift, random flower thoughts on a Wednesday morning.

PS it is Shakespeares Birthday today, traditionally April 23rd.He would have loved the pronunciation of words and played on them.It is said one of his plays is being performed every day throughout the world.I will do a bigger post about him soon.

Three Little Birds

The Robin posing the other day with the birds water table.I move around the ground feeder to keep them guessing.Over the next four days the birds will have free run around the garden.The sun has been shining today and I have been cleaning up the house.
The apple tree, gooseberry bush, and first sown cabbages have been sunbathing in the corner.I am working nights so posts will resume from Saturday properly.I am going to the Spring Flower Show in Harrogate on Sunday, fingers crossed its not too wet.
An unwatched garden seems to grow faster than one that is being looked at daily :)

Allotment And Garden

The Allotment today had manure dug into the beds before I start nights. Four beds can be planted soon.The fifth is still waterlogged.The aim now is to raise the soil level and maybe grow green manure.
I have plants growing in the greenhouse, and cold frame.Potatoes chitting in the spare bedroom. Onion sets, garlic bulbs, and seed packets on the breakfast bar.
Cat came up to lend moral support and sat wrapped up warm as I worked up a sweat and aching back muscles...


A rare photo of me, taken by Cat.Im usually behind the camera lense not in front of it!
Back in the garden I sorted my greenhouse plants out and watered them.I potted up my French Marigolds from the large 84 cell tray. I found germinated herbs that I planted and had given up on in the FM tray. I have a pot now growing mixed Herbs.
My Strawberry plants have developed flower buds on a few plants. I need some more compost. I have used nine 75 litre bags so far! I need another three bags to fill my grow bags, repot the Mallus Braeburn, and fill the Strawberry planter.
The garden seems to be growing fast now, and every day brings new flowers or new plants shooting up from the ground. I even saw Amazon (my long tailed fieldmouse) this afternoon in daylight sitting in front of the Hyacinth pot, before he made a dash for the compost bin.
I finished the day by making Rich Scones, for the first time since I was at school. Its been a productive day for the allotment and garden.

Sunday Best

April showers are falling again, so the allotment day has been postponed untill tomorrow.I am back on night shifts again next week so Monday will be my best chance to dig manure into the beds before planting afterwards. The top photo is a lilac coloured Chionodoxa, in contrast to the electric blue flowers photographed below.

An Anemone in flower. These have sprung up all around the Camellia and Rose bushes in the left border. I need the sun to shine to open the flowers fully.They stay shut when its cold and wet like the past few days.I planted them in December and they have only been visible for a few weeks.I have planted more too for the Summer.They can be grown all year around if started indoors I read.I have planted Anemone De Caens before, the red and white Hollandia and deep blue Mr Fokker.They are pretty with feathery leaves.

A trick shot using a mirror to show how the blue/white Chionodoxa look from the kitchen window.They have the electric blue and white flowers, like bursts of magic in an otherwise grey and cold day.They were planted to contrast with the yellow Daffodil Dwarf Minnows.The Daff's have flowered weeks before the Chionodoxas.A half dozen are pushing their way up through the soil.The Night stock And Virginia Stock are germinating already.The heated cold frame must warm the soil up in the windowbox above it.They should do really well, scented flowers for the day time and the evening.

The Shy Camellia flower that is flowering towards the fence.I used the mirror again and held the leaves away to show the beautiful pink flower.The darker colours make it look like Raspberry ripple ice cream I think.The other buds are developing and hopefully will flower frontwards so I can photograph them without a mirror!
I hope all your weekends are good, and that Spring is in the air too...

Chilli Angel And Wizards

A Chilli Flower looking angelic, I can see the wings, legs, and head.

The second Flower on a seperate plant has just begun to open. I have grown two Chilli plants from Tatton Park bought seeds from last year.I acquired two more plants from work, and started a fifth plant from some store bought chilli's. I removed the seeds, dried them, then planted them.One plant survived from the eight seedlings.
I have a Blogosphere Chilli question...

Do you need to pollinate Chillis to make them set the fruits?

I read conflicting advice on the internet, so im putting out the question on the blog.
I have five plants growing, three definite varietys of chillis, and two mystery ones. I asked the lady who grew the seeds what she sowed in pots before bringing them into work. I have growing on the kitchen windowsill:
Chilli Jalapeno x1, Chilli Friars Hat x1, Chilli Serenade x1, and two plants from( Pepper World Beater, Corno Di Torro, and Chilli De Cayenne.)
Two of those are sweet Peppers but untill the plants produce recognisable fruit I will not know what I am growing.
I read Sweet Peppers are self pollinating.
So over the past few days I have been hand pollinating the flowers with a cotton bud, moving between flowers in a Bee like fashion. As i was doing it the question appeared in my head.
Does anyone know can you pollinate a Chilli plant flower, from another flower on the same plant? Or do you need two seperate plants of the Same Variety to exchange pollen to make fruit/Chillis?
The google research confused me, with talk about cross pollination making hybrid Chillis and losing the specific variety you grew to start with. Some Chilli species can cross pollinate, others do not cross.
Some websites talked about wind being enough to blow pollen from flower to flower.
The internet is good for somethings, but in this case has muddied the water even more..Does the blogosphere have some Chilli Wizards to help answer my question :)

Crowns In The Plot

The Rhubarb was from Hil's new allotment. When I went to see her new plot I took two crowns from the side of her allotment. They were driven up to my allotment and left untill today, after my long days on Thursday and Friday.

Behind the near side long bed is the newly dug Rhubarbs home. I cleared it and forked it over, then planted them. The first plants in the ground. I had a coffee from the flask to celebrate and took a photo.
I forked over all five beds, but got slowed up by the infernal clay and rain water in the ground. The top bed and the top right bed have moats of water around them.
The day was gray but it never rained.I hope it drys out before tomorrow when I return.The time to plant the allotment beds is nearer, just need some warmer, dry days.

Fourteen Views

Some more Views from yesterday. These fiery looking Tulips were flowering by the Study centre.Most of the Tulips were at the same development as mine, with flower buds and stems but not open.Some were just leaves.I love these colours, like the Monsters in Labyrinth that dance around the fire and chuck their heads around.

The Scented Garden was planted with masses of Hyacinths, the fragrance was very heady when the wind blew.I was down on my knees sniffing the flowers, and the Applemints plants with furry yellow leaves..

A purple flowered Spring Primula.I know in the summer the Candalbra Primulas and Himalayan primulas will make the streamside light up.This lilac coloured one is pretty but understated.

Inside the Magnolia Tree flower was this gorgeous centre.Its very science fiction.Alien plant?It smelled divine.I do like Magnolia trees too.This one was covered in gone over pink flowers, pink glory amongst all the Conifers and Fir Trees down from the bird hide.

A simple White Flowering Geranium in the woods as we walked about trying to work out where we were. The wildflower meadow seems to have dissapeared somewhere, or they have mowed the grass!I want to go back to look for the British Orchids I saw last July..

Unknown flower.If anyone knows what this is tell me.The plant had no label on it.Two green strap leaves and these wanderfully ornate, angular flowers in white and yellow.They were on the path to the scented garden.

Inside the Alpine House these Tulips must surely come with sunglasses? Or a bottle of Spanish Sangria. There were some fabulous flowers, delicate showy specimins like this.I hope they raise enough money to rehome all the Alpine plants from the two delapidated greenhouses.They have such an enormous collection.There is something flowering every time I visit, no matter what time of the year.

A work in Progress. Preparing for the summer the gardeners at HC dig in more compost into the main borders. The grasses have been cut, and the topiary clipped.I think they must over winter the perennials somewhere within the garden. Only a few remained like Daylilys and Geraniums.

The Streamside has grown large yellow flowers, like Arums or Triffids? These were the Famous Skunk Cabbage.They have great yellow flowers and bottlebrush sized anthers inside the flower. They develop large leaves afterwards.Last year I missed seeing these flower. This year they are the only thing in Flower by the Streamside gardens.

In Situ, the Skunk Cabbages by the flowing stream..

A waterfall by the Daffodils. the streamside runs through the heart of Harlow carr, and is fed by many tributaries. these flow from the lake as a natural resevoir.there has been a lot of rain.

Looking towards the Gardens through time.I loved the Daffodils and Dogwoods, and the curving path. Paths are much better when they meander and curve around gardens.

By the Tropical Bed in the Stream the Marsh Marigolds? The last photographed flowers before the rain teemed down and soaked the ground.We were in the Car by then driving back,Three hours had passed by. One hundred and twenty photos later..



My Souvenir from the day was a dark Chocolate mouse, and the leaflet.I got a brochure too about Tatton Park, 27th July I have tickets....
I was relaxed and inspired yesterday.It changes every visit and I hope I captured some of the Spirit of HC.
Wander if the Curator reads this?
Back to work tomorrow and friday.Hope your gardens are all growing well.

Nine Views

After the Kitchen Garden I walked around the gardens looking for flowers.. the Daffodils were flowering en masse, around the main borders and in the woodlands at the far side of the gardens. Last time only a few were in flower.

In the Gardens Though Time display the Victorian garden had the Auricula House.I love these flowers but unfortunately killed my two from last years plant stall. I had to admire the colours and perfect shape of the flowers, with the icing sugar dusting on the petals.There were burgundys, reds, whites, and a few almost black ones nearly flowering.

A glass greenhouse that overlooks the lake always has masses of flowers ready to be planted out. Daffodils like this Paper white, and Narcissus. Hyacinths galore too.I love the colours of these though.

The Queen Mothers Lake looking beautiful as always, the rippling waters reflected the trees and the sky. The dogwoods have a burnished glow on the other side of the lake.The marsh Marigolds were in flower, the bright yellow flowers..

Photographed as the clouds rolled in, it looks almost like an oil painting, but it is a Marsh Marigold I think.It reminds me of a Buttercup flower.

Glory Of The Snow, the Chionodoxa's were also out in force. Sky blues, dark Blue, and this soft pink and white flowers. Like sprinkled sweets all over the woodland floor. The birds were singing in the quiet woodland at the hilly north side of Harlow Carr.

Every visit finds suprises. New plants, newly dug beds, newly planted trees. In this case a cut tree stump was being fashioned into a wooden Buddah. The muse is sat at the base, but you can see the shaping that has taken place.I did not see who sculpted the stump but will return to see if he has completed it.

By the Doric columns and Stone lions was three or four Camellia bushes.I never even noticed them on two previous visits.They were in flower this time.Its amazing what you dont see sometimes :)

A new Bird hide has been made, and as me and Hil's sat this Pheasent walked out, called out a few times, then strutted.I love his colours, like a military soldier in full dress!
He dissapeared.I want to go back to see if I can photograph him around the woods.He is full of bravdo squawking his whereabouts every so often.
He looked quite at home in Harlow Carr.
Fourteen Views to conclude the tour of my highlights of HC.

A Harlow Kitchen Garden

My visit yesterday to RHS Harlow Carr was really good. There was lots going on around the 58 acres with old beds being cleared and new ones appearing. A dug bed for Rhubarb has appeared behind the Rose revolutions border. We wandered from the Rhubarb to the Kitchen Garden..

I spent a while yesterday in the Kitchen garden at Harlow Carr.I was not Vegetable or Soft fruit minded last time. Now with my grow bags, african bag gardens, and allotments I have an interest in what they were doing. The number of Raised beds is incredible. The photos show a section of the Kitchen garden. There were lots of sweet peas planted around the beds, new willow structures, and fruit trees grown as pergola supports between some adjacent beds. I want to go back to see how these are used. Vegetable plants and soft fruit canes were planted, as were seeds. I liked being nosy and reading the labels. We wandered up to the greenhouse behind the kitchen garden to see what was growing inside it (it said staff only but we pressed our faces against the greenhouse to see inside. Hundreds of plants in trays and pots).
They were trialing a no dig way of making beds called Sheet Mulching. Sheets of newspapers had covered the top soil and weeds.They had added manure then a layer of straw and then some netting. This had been overwintered. The composted soil was raised and warm ready to take plants without the need for digging. We saw cauliflower plants in little plastic collars..

The castle at the back of the photo had a moat filled with Strawberry plants. A trio of Mints were planted in pots sunk into the ground to avoid its insidious spread.
The raised beds here look like a Middle ages knot garden. The shape of the beds making a pleasing snow flake pattern..

Here the Beds are joined by some living pergola structure. Pea plants were growing around the base of the woody stems. They were all covered in buds, and looked like a Blueberry bush. The structure will be like a covered tunnel between the beds, protection from the elements and support for the climbing plants.

Some Greenbeans in flower.These looked Orchid like in their structure and colour.I saw lots of use of planting flowers around the beds to aid pollination.An original design of the humble kitchen garden mixing flowers and vegetables, the Potager.

Along side the Kitchen Garden was a long line of Mallus, Apple tree's glowing in the sunlight.This was the Edible part of Harlow Carr.The Flowers are to follow this post.

Kaleidoscope Blue

From the Harlow Carr Alpine house yesterday two photos of the Blue flowered Gentian.I loved the Kaladeiscope effect down the middle of the flower.It was nice in the morning and raining by lunchtime.I loved exploring the gardens to see what changes have been made.The colours and flowers were there, but not as obvious as a summer visit.
The curator likes to keep visitors guessing what is new.I will pick a bakers dozen (13) from yesterdays photos.
I paid more interest yesterday to the Kitchen garden with its many newly laid raised beds, and funky pergolas between some of the beds.
Enjoy this flower!The alpine house's are always full of beautiful and sometimes strange flowers. A photographing gardeners dream.

Narcissus?

Its Sunny out and I am going back to Harlow Carr today.
The photo is of a narcissus, one of the ghostly gardeners bulbs.
I love the sunlight on the flower petals.I was trying to capture the sweet glow of the flower.
When the sun shines these Daffodils and Narcissus light up the Spring garden..

Anemone In The Sun

The weather today went from Sunny to torrential rain then back to sunny.
I took a few photos when the light was good.This is one of the Anemones that I planted in December, nearly flowering.
As the sun shines plants are waking up and putting on growth spurts.
I fixed the birdbox to the outside of the outhouse, secured to the wall. I hope the Bluetits find it.
I bought some trellis today for the Iceberg climbing Rose. It has grown to about two feet high now. It is the most developed Rose of the seven that I have growing.
I found a black caterpillar today hiding in the leaves below a tulip flower bud. I hope that I have lots of Butterflies this year, as the caterpillars have demolised a lot of the Tulip leaves, and some have eaten the flower buds and stalks too..
I bought some seeds today for Chilli's and sweet Peppers. Four packets of seeds with a mini propogator, and clear lid.
Four of my kitchen Chilli plants are developing flower buds and growing on strongly, with thick stems at the bases.
The kitchen is filled with plants and seedlings. Like Courgettes, Cucumbers, Alpine Strawberrys, Hot Peppers, new Potato plants in bags....
April has been a busy month so far with so much growing now in the house, greenhouse, and cold frame, plus the garden plants/bulbs/annuals.

Glory Of The Snow

The Chionodoxa glowing blue in the light a few days ago.These Spring plants are called commonly the Glory Of The Snow.They originally grew in the mountainous regions of Turkey. As the winter snow starts to melt they appear through the snow.
Chiono is Greek for glory, and Doxa means snow.
I have a few coming up now in shades of blue and purple.The flowers are not fully open yet.I will post more photos when they are open.

Pink Reflection

The Camellia showed signs of life after the past few days by starting to open its tightly furled petals. Like pink blotting paper the pinks have darker striation on the revealed petals.
The other buds are showing signs of pinking up.I can not find any sites that tell me when Camellias flower even the plant label (which I've misplaced somewhere for a change) does not say.
I planted some Lillys today.Two bulbs each of Oriental Stargazer, and White Lillys.They are sat in the kitchen chilling at the moment.
The sun shone today between grey skys and rain showers. The garden has been illuminated from midday onwards as the sun is over the houses which suprised me.
The suns rays have travelled from the back of the garden upto the edge of the right border by the pavers and African bag gardens.
The right side of the garden does get some Sun then, and hopefully more by the summer.It is very calm outside with the birds singing and the sun shining (just need the cold wind not to blow so much).
The photo is from a mirror I took into the garden and put against the fence.The flower is facing away from the garden and I can not fit behind the Camellia.I did lean into the fence to take it though.Its not bad for a reflected image!
Enjoy your weekends wherever you are.Hope it flowers fully soon.Expect more pictures....

Fiery Spring Colour

The ghostly gardeners Peonies are growing really well throughout the left border. A large clump has appeared under the Viburnum.Even more red spears are still appearing.I know they spread through a creeping rhizome as I dug one up before in the name of being nosy...
There are ones with green leaves and red stems and I wander if they are white Peonies?
The Spring Sunshine today cast a warm glow on the plants. The Peony looked fiery in the border as its leaves were illuminated.
The Sun seems to be reaching the end of the garden twice a day.Once as it rises, and today even after it passed over the houses.As Summer goes on I can work out how much of the Garden will get some Sun.
In the Winter I was lucky to see the Sun rays at all due to it being low to the horizon..
I went shopping today for bird seed, and came back with Boot/frog planters x2, a frog with long legs to dangle in the wind, two Rhubarb crpwns from Wilkos, and 55 Dutch Iris for £1!
The Rhubarb crowns looked healthy in the packets. One was called Victoria, and the other Red Canadian.
The second one had rot around the crown! Fingers crossed the potting up will revive it, after I removed the rotted parts. I wander if they pack the crowns wet? Or does moisture form in the bag which turns to mould?
Back to work Friday, then hopefully upto the allotment on Saturday.It has poured down tonight torrential rain.My beds will be swimming, April showers I guess.

You Bring Me Sunshine

The Dwarf Daffodil Minnow in bloom in the windowbox, with the sky reflecting off the kitchen windowsill. Its like a painted backdrop from a really old movie!
I love the delicate petals and central yellow cup. I was doing some research today into Florigraphy and the traditional meaning of Daffodils was "You bring me sunshine".
My camera is over a year old now. I wander how many photos I have taken with it since March 2007! Tens of thousands I should think now.
As the Window reflects the sky, so does the Camera reflect my passions and interests in Flora and Fauna. I have a weakness for Daffodils.This represents the third bloom in the garden this year after the normal Daffodil, and the mystery Narcissus Jonquilles.
My bringers of sunshine are still rising up from their winter slumber. Whereas most of Wakefields Daffs are nodding in the wind, mine are wiping the sleep from their eyes.I think the Tulips will beat them to flowering.

A Suprising Return Visitor

On Monday night I was looking at the left hand border when I spotted a small brown body behind the Hyacinths.I looked down, and the mouse looked up. The next night I took some peanuts from the bird feeder and made a pile between the plants.I waited for the light to fade as it was twilight that I ran into the mouse.I stood at the doorway in the cold waiting..

The series of photos shows the nut pile getting smaller as he ran to grab a nut, and then scurry off. Cat reminded me that he looked like the mouse from before who lived in the Amazon.co.uk box. The woodmouse is called Amazon.He has survived the winter and damp spring.

Amazon is a Apodemus sylvaticus, or Long Tailed Fieldmouse.

I sat in the dark for the last photo but left him in peace then to carry off the remaining peanuts. He is a little beauty.Some people do not like mice but he is living outside in the garden.I found a neat pile of shredded sunflower seeds and grains.He had carried them there and under the cover of the Polyanthus and Camelia eaten his bounty, acquired from bird drop all over the garden.
He kept coming out even with my Camera flash on.Maybe the birds have told him I am mad but harmless.I even saw Blackspot yesterday poking her nose under the garden gate before dissapearing over the brick wall in the alley.
Time to brave the weather now and see the allotment.

Raindrops And Awards

Thanks to Claire from Claires Garden
http://clairesgarden.blogspot.com/
, and Sue from A Balcony Garden.
http://balcony-garden.blogspot.com/
Both nominated me for E for excellent award.I am flattered thank you both!
The rules state that I have to pick ten further blogs to pass it on. I have to think of twenty :)
Todays photo is a Rain drop on the Pink climbing rose leaves. It is a slow starter in comparison to the other Roses.
I have seven rose plants in the Garden.Two Climbing, two Tea Roses, two Floribunda, and the David Austin Lady Emma Hamilton.
Its been raining all today, the allotment will be swimming but I will go up for a few hours on Wednesday to try and dig the beds and add manure.
There are potatoes and onions ready to plant, Brussel Sprout and Cabbage plants growing here itching to be planted in prepared beds.
I sowed the African bag garden seeds today. Rocket, Spinach Beet, Beetroot, Spring onions, dwarf French beans, and Mustard greens. I also added Parsnip seeds between the already growing mixed lettuces. Eight varieties in two Hessian sacks.
I got an email too from Selections.My vegetable planters (polythene square bags) have been dispatched.I got the allotment after I ordered them!I do need more soil ready for growing more baby carrots.The first lot of plants are growing on in the cold frame.
April has been wet and cold so far.I hope things warm up soon.

Teasing Flowers And A Robin

The cheeky Robin this morning had worked out how to hover in front of the fatballs and was clinging on for a high fat snack. I was in bed untill three pm recovering from the night shifts.A Cat photo this one..

A Tulip plant with gorgeous colours of Burgundy and Green.It reminds me of an ancient Maori warrior covered in tribal tattoos. On the left border three Tulips have been demolished flower bud and all by slugs.they are loving those so they stay.The other Tulips are pretty much intact and close to flowering.

Tulip Tease. One of the Red Tulips gives us a quick flash of the developing flower encased in the green leaves.The flowers are itching to burst out of the leaves and light up the borders.

On the Kitchen windowsill outside the Spring bulbs continue to develop, nearly flowering. Yellow flowers and one blue one. I planted Chionodoxa and Narcissus in December.
I have just put my paraffin heater back into the cold frame.The cabbages are growing on with roots all the way to the bottom of the three inch pots. Twelve Strawberry plants are growing on ready to be planted into the Victorian style polythene planter.
The warm days last week lulled me into spring mode.It has been freezing the past three nights, with below freezing temperatures.It also rained and snowed briefly.
The allotment will be sodden again.I will have to push back the planting dates as the clay soil is waterlogged and cold.Maybe near the end of April..
Days off to come, so hopefully lots to post over the next four days.I need another coffee :)

Ghost Bloom

The mystery bulbs left by my ghostly gardener have bloomed today.It is a fragrant, sweet smelling flower with two flowers within the bud tip.It has long thin green leaves.
It reminds me of a Daffodil hit across the face with a shovel to flatten the flower.
The scent though is so sweet when it wafts up from the flower. Another is almost open behind the first flower.
The Red spears have turned into Paeonies, and have overnight developed chocolate brown leaves and flower buds like lollipops.
There are two types of Peonies growing, the red spears, and others with red stems but green leaves.I think they will be white flowering.I need to research about them.
I will go out each morning and photograph something for the blog.The windowbox Chionodoxa are almost flowering.They have swollen buds at the end of the strappy leaves.
Does anyone recognise what the flower is? I dug up about a hundred small white bulbs which are drying in the outhouse. I left about twenty mystery bulbs in the ground, but do not know what they are. The geraniums, the Viburnum Tinus, the Peonies, and the mystery bulbs were planted before by my ghostly gardener a long time ago..

Kitchen Garden

The five Chilli plants that came with me from Westgate four months ago. They have grown beautifully into strong plants, with one already developing a flower and flower buds.I assume the Chillis follow the flowers.There is one Jalapeno, one Friars Hat, one Zambian Serenade, and two unknown Chilli plants taken back from the ward.Some people got too many seedlings and brought their spares in.Five Chilli plants in all. I have also planted three coffee cups with Pepper Ring Of Fire seeds.Four in each polystyrene cup..

The First Chilli plant flower.It is in a ten inch pot now, and is branching at the top with multiple flower buds forming from each of the stems.The central stem is thickening nicely, as lignin is being laid down to solidify the plant.
They have been protected in the warm kitchen from the extremes of temperature outside.The light falls on them through the large glass window.
I have never grown Chillis before these ones.I bought the seeds at Tatton Park last year.The kitchen also houses the Marshalls New Potatoes in the grow bags.They grew leaves in about two days after chitting (growing shoots in a light warm place on the seed potatoes), and are pushing upwards.I am covering up the green stems with more compost daily untill the grow bags are filled to within two inches of the top.I will move the two grow bags outside at the end of April. These will be the first potatoes I have this year.
The seed potatoes upstairs are Nadine, and King Edward.They are second early, and main crop so hopefully the harvesting should be spread out over a few months..
My Rhubarb crown has rotted away in the pot, which is why it never developed.I will have to buy some more crowns for the allotment.It was £1.50 from Wilkos. Caveat Emptor.I will shake the bag next time to check the health of the crown in the packet.
I replanted more Tomato seeds after the frosts killed my other plants. Eight pots of individual seeds, Tomato Gardeners Delight, and Tomato Maskotka.The Maskotka is for the hanging baskets.They are like small cherry tomatos growing in a tumbling fashion.Its a space saving way of growing Tomatos.
The Gardeners delight can grow in the greenhouse, along with the Cucumbers..I need to remove two tiers later to accomodate the tall plants within.It is suprising how warm it gets within the clear polythene cover even with no heating.
Im working night shifts again this week from tonight.The posts will be shorter.I have a day to recover then three days off to try to prepare the allotment beds.Its thirteen degrees C outside rising to seventeen.I hope it drys the boggy beds so i can adequately prepare them for planting.
Hils has been inspired by my allotment clearing/digging and got half a plot up at Walton.Hers does not need the clearing that mine did.
April the third, and the kitchen garden is growing nicely.

Soil And Seeds

The allotment yesterday after I had finished for the day. It was Sunny between showers of rain, and strong winds.
I turned four beds over and wrecked my hands. Patience is hard to come by when you have many plants growing or seed potatoes chitting in the spare room. The clay soil was still boggy in places, and rainwater still pooling.I turned it over to try to dry it out a bit..
I have four night shifts coming up to let my blisters heal. I spent today planting annual seeds in the garden.
Purple Zinnias, Calendulas, Scarlet Flax in the left hand border.
The right hand border has Aquilegia Grannys Bonnett, Snapdragon seeds from Cats garden, Lavatera, Love In The Mist, Cornflowers, Chamomile, and more Zinnia.
In the windowbox I put in Virginia Stock, Scented Night Stock, and some Nicotiana..
After the April reflections I got the urge to plant seeds.There is something calming in cupping seeds and sowing them along your marked rows..
Hopefully they will start germinating under the soil as I am doing nights. The allotment needs digging over and manure adding next week, before some planting of veg seeds.
Next week will be about soil and seeds.

Spring Reflections

The Sun actually shone yesterday onto the back of my garden. I photographed the still water of the birdbath with the Frog looking serene in the soft light. The water was like a mirror reflecting all above it. Water in a garden is good for calming you, even small bowls filled with water..

Back today after my first sighting yesterday, my Juvenile Goldfinch. A pair of birds visited yesterday after the wind and rain battered me at the allotment. After four hours I had dirty hands and giant blisters on my palms from digging over four beds.

My first Daffodil, brought back from Cheltenham last July. Who cannot love the bright yellow flower nodding in the wind. Its something deep in the English psyche ever since Wordsworth tapped into it with his Daffodil poems. I have lots more planted but they are so slow in coming up, that this one is the leader by miles.

Up at the allotment this was the first Daisy i saw in flower. My sister used to mow the lawn avoiding the daisys, so the lawn was crazily cut, but with all the Daisys still intact.They are a beautiful Wildflower though heralding April, along with the Daffodils and insects..

I photographed this Lady bird on Monday at the allotment.They are always welcomed back in my garden. A sign that spring is here, aphids beware!

Yesterday I saw this bumble bee foraging in the mystery plant.The sun was glinting in his eyes as he ignored my camera lens..

My Goldfinch attracting preparation involving buying thistle seed and a special seed feeder, making a bird feeder station from bits salvaged from the cellar, and hanging sunflower seeds up with inviting perches for little gold feet. I also hung up broken branches from the Fir trees with tasty pine cones still on.
After four months of seeing them high up in the trees a pair of Goldfinches came to the garden to feed yesterday for the first time. They came back today as well.
I took lots of photos, I could not believe they were there after all my dreams of them.The garden is a neutral ground where nature and the gardener meet halfway. We put out bird feeders and the birds come eventually, then help keep the pests down.
Its bird friendly the garden and I do love the frequent visits.They even come when im messing around the garden.They think its the crazy one poking at the dirt. Crazy but harmless :)

The first Bumblebee I managed to photograph climbing around the Heather flowers. They have been today visiting the Viburnum Tinus, the Polyanthus Blueshades, and the Heathers. Its April and the Bee's have started to return to gather nectar.

The last photo. So much to show, and so many photos. April has been good so far with wildflowers, Bee's, A Ladybird, and the Goldfinches.Work progresses on the Allotment, and in the Garden.

Dente De Lion

Growing yesterday before I accidently trod on it the first Dandelion of the year.Soon all the grass around Wakefield will be ablaze with the Sunrise yellow of this wildflower/weed.It has sultry good looks and if you admire it at close range it is suprisingly complex.What lets it down is its leaves and taproots.
I have two demijohns of Dandelion wine in the cellar from 2006 and 2007.Will 2008 be a good Dandelion wine year?
The title is the French version of its name, the Lions teeth.Its yellow flower head looks like a lions mane to me.
I'm off to do some more allotment preperation.Its sunny but windy.I will top up my Vitamin D levels today :)