Snails Love The Rain (and my Grape Vine)

Its not all been about the wildlife.I still am taking a keen interest in my Black Hamburg Grape Vine in the greenhouse.It is growing well despite being attacked by the local snails.The vine had three canes when it arrived and two of the three have developed new shoots,leaves,and flower buds.

I think that it must have been grown for two years before I got it as the Internet says you cannot have grapes for the first few years.There is so much conflicting information about how to grow it,what you cannot do,and even more different advice about pruning the vine in the winter.

For me it is experimental gardening,trying to grow something that I have never done before.I hope that there are grapes on it by the end of the summer.This leaf has been ravaged by the snails.I have just found three more in the greenhouse.The incessantly wet weather means they are loving the cool damp conditions.I will keep going in at night with the torch to pick them off before they munch too much.I'm hoping to cover the trellis and maybe run some stems along some string.The greenhouse is looking very tatty in places.Strong winds have ripped the plastic cover.It may be time for a proper glass greenhouse at the end of the season.They are expensive though in comparison to the Wilkos plastic covered greenhouse.

I took a Braeburn Apple pip and sowed it last year.The plant is now over a foot tall with a beautiful red stem.I am trying to grow this to see if you can get Apples from an Apple pip!It looks promising so far.It may need grafting onto some root stock once it is  more advanced.I will need to take a horticultural class for that though.

The Mexican cherry Blossom is flowering away beautifully now.It came with the house but was dug up and re potted.The flowers smell like a Bakewell tart,a lovely sweet almond scent.The leaves smell like Basil too if you crush them.It gets leaf damage by the frosts that we have here.It has revived in the wet April and looks vibrant.

I went shopping today at Asda and impulsively bought these 100 Summer flowering bulbs in the cute little bag.There are Gladiolus,Sword Lily's,Freesias,Alium,and Anemone De Caen.I would have planted them if it stopped raining long enough.I will weave them between the plants in the sunken border and maybe replant the Tulip Barrel planters.

I noticed this lone Bluebell plant growing between our front garden grass and the hedge.The small dainty Blue Bells smell like warm honey.Maybe the birds have dropped it here.A free volunteer plant that is very welcome,and great to find.I definitely want more Bluebells.Cats Dad said he will give us some from his garden as they have a surplus of plants.
  The RHS Chelsea flower show has Her Majesty The Queens visit, and press day on Monday.I have been reading the Daily Telegraphs coverage,and watching You Tube videos of some of the garden designers.
  I hope it is not raining as much there as it is here or there displays will be waterlogged.I will watch most of the show on the BBC I player.
  It is far removed from real gardens but I love the build up,characters,and colour.It is the start of the RHS Summer garden shows.Medals will be won,new plants unveiled,and storys told.It is part of the fabric of Britain.