Saturday, May 31, 2008

Celebration


This will be my first attempt to post in the future for tommorrow when I am at work.
The flower photo was from Hils garden, a small delicate flower with pink and white, and a pin cushion centre.
As i took close ups I was reminded about my blogs header.
"is it an Astrantia?" I asked her.It is a pink and white Astrantia.My motif flower that has adorned the top of the page every new post.
This will be my 2500th post since Febuary 2005 I think.
I have cleared gardens, visited gardens, sowed seeds, and grown beautiful flowers, bought masses of plants, and developed a photography bug for insects, flowers, wildlife, and birds.
I have answered thousands of comments and made a huge resource of photos and prose, advice and problems..
Even I cannot remember everything I post but generally will do one every day.I think Garden Voices and Blotanicals keeo track of some of my posts!Thanks to both of them.
My passion remains undimmed even after all those posts.I hope people enjoy my blog posts, heres to 2500 more!

Friday, May 30, 2008

A Different View


The bottom of a Queen Of The Night Tulip.I love the Kalaeidoscope effect of the inner cup.The petals are almost translucent at the base of the flower to let some light in that makes it look like a church window.
The colours are very strong with burgundy, crimson, purple, blue, white, and yellow!
The pollen stains the inner flower petals around the stamen and stigmata.
An insects eyes view of the target for pollination.These lovely Tulips have almost done flowering now.
The heavy rain has bashed the last flowers that were still standing.The summer flowers are coming slowly to take over the garden colour.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Green Day And Rain Daisy

Its been a busy day hence the late posting time. I went to the allotment for two hours with Cat and her son who was my little helper. We weeded and planted some onion sets, and I dug over mr Saddiq's overgrown bed.Three down, three to go. These Lupins were in flower in the community garden at the allotment...
I went plant shopping after the allotment for some Basil, two Blue Columbine wild flower plants, three large bags of potting compost, three Romantic sounding Dahlias, and a Black flowered Hollyhock.
The Dahlias in the packets were Dianas Memory (pink and white), My Love (pure white), and the Night Queen (crimson and burgundy).
On the way out of Hampsons I went to the mortuary trolley and rescued three African Cape Marigold plants, to try to revive them from neglect..

We went to Hils for a chinese dinner, where I took more plants from her. A tray of French Marigolds,Two Dahlias, and a Chocolate Cosmos. I have two long days at work and then the plant stall is on Sunday at Walton village hall.It started raining hard then.
When I got home the mortuary plants were trimmed and made beautiful.The Dahlia Tubers were planted in pots.
The Cape Marigolds nickname is quite apt: Rain Daisy.. photographed is one that has been brought inside from the pouring rain.
It is pouring down outside and the garden looks beautifully green tonight.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Lone Tulip


A lone Tulip that has not quite finished flowering yet.The rain is falling outside still, heavy rain. Everything looks very green. Only the Tulips, Brooms, and Salvia are in flower.
The allotment will be well watered now. I hope to go back up tomorrow if its not raining.
The plants will be drinking deeply after the three weeks of dry weather. I saw the Robin flying into the garden for a quick snack before darting off into the privet hedge.
I am going back to work for a long day.The garden is quiet except for the noise of the rain drops.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Rain, Birds, And Roses

I am back online after my sleep day yesterday. I finished my fourth night and was totally shattered and could not find the energy to do much. I slept and am a bit more energetic today. I left a link for the Arena Flower.com Florists blog with my guest post. The into said I had taken my gardening passion into informative obsession with a frequently updated blog! I think I will try a poll in the side bar to see how often people read it. Are my readers clicking daily or once a week or month?
The day has brought much needed rain. My soil had about one inch of damp soil on top from my watering and a foot of bone dry soil below. It has only rained three times in about six weeks and has been very hot on some days.The plants, gardeners, and farmers hoped for rain to make everything lush and green, and to make the plants grow better.
This Peony flower bud is opening now slowly revealing light pink petals. These flowers are blousy and brash, and maybe last for a month a year. I have seen them at the allotment, and in a baby bouquet on Arenaflowers.com. They are like Tulips in that the flowers last a short time but are such spectacular blooms its worth waiting eleven months of the year.

The birds are still visiting daily. I saw a House Sparrow today move from the fence to the Lilac Tree and hop around the patio to all the locations where the ground feeder has been until he found it by the greenhouse! He knew there would be some seed in a black plastic tray and it is moved around regularly but is always there.House Sparrows have memories!

Some so cute House Sparrows on the Bird table. They look so fluffy and sweet. They have been landing on everything in the garden, including sitting inside the hanging basket to look out. I hope these juveniles grow up and return to my garden with their own families.There is a family group that visits. I have read they stay within a short distance of where they were hatched.They might keep coming daily like the Blue Tits, Great Tits, and Robins.

Heres looking at you Snappy..this basket is so warm with the fake moss lining around the edge of it.

A tale of two Climbing Rose bushes. The White one, and the Pink one.This pink one has been badly cut with straight cuts and not angled. The growth has been slow and lop sided. I turned it today to face the growth to the mesh and tied on one long stem. I also trimmed the dead woody stems at fourty five degrees, trying to spark new growth.The Pink Roses will be sandwiched between the Honeysuckle on the right, and Sweet Pea's on the left. A scented Wall by the kitchen backdoor...

The Climbing Rose Iceberg (thats Titanic I think, not Lettuce leafs!) climbing up the Trellis on the outhouse. It has masses of Rose buds like Morrocan Minuets and is doing spectacularly well. It was trimmed properly with angled cuts and grew the best of all the one pound Rose bushes.
The David Austin Lady Emma Hamilton is growing beautifully though. If I was to do a Rose Garden anywhere I would try to buy all David Austins. The Stems were bigger, and the roots more developed, and it has grown as much as the others despite a three month delay in getting one!

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Feathered Friends


One of the first birds I photographed was this juvenile house sparrow.
Its cold and windy today, and overcast.I think its forecast to rain heavily tomorrow.
The birds are visiting my garden daily with the many feeders around the garden.All my regular visitors are looking plump and healthy..
The wind has wreaked havoc on the tall plants by the Viburnum.The Paeonies were held up with plant supports.The unknown tall plant have been bent sideways and towards the soil.I will stake them in the morning after my last night shift.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Urban Oasis


The camera is about half the size of the old one and is easily carried in my work bag. I saw these gorgeous white and pink Aquilegias growing on a rooftop garden on the way to work.
I have sown some seeds in the garden randomly to try to grow these pretty self seeding flowers. Its fun how they self seed and cross pollinate to make new wanderful coloured flowers.
They can cross pollinate within a half mile radius too, so keep your varieties well seperated unless you like natural selection like me, and seeing what colours develop.
I have written a post for the Arena Flowers website, a Florists Blog.Here is the link:
http://www.arenaflowers.com/blog/2008/05/23/floral-memories-and-flower-emotions/
I hope people leave comments on it so I can see their floral memorys. Did you Grandparents grow lots of Columbines in their garden? Or Dahlias...?
Flowers can spark our memories with their shape, colour, or scent....
I got up at half three and refilled all the bird feeders. I have a small flock of juvenile House Sparrows now who have been gamboling around the garden. Every fence, pot, bird table, and cane is a new perch for them to sit on.
The neighbours have been cutting the Privet hedge down. Only two houses have the thirty foot hedge now for the birds to hide in. My garden is truly an oasis and haven for the garden birds, both inside and along the back edge.
Some bird photos tomorrow that i have taken today :)

Wild Flowers And Allotment


Two nights down, two to go..I went to the allotment this morning to water the plot and to see what was growing.
Everything looked healthy including the weeds but the plants look lovely.
Potatoes poking through the mound were covered up The courgette plants are getting larger. The strawberrys look like they have settled in along the courgette bed.
The Onions and Garlic have healthy green strap leaves growing skywards. The Cabbages and Brussel Sprout plants are looking stronger from the full sunshine up there.Not too much slug damage, and a lady donated me netting to keep the pidgeons feeding off the baby leaved plants.
The slow starters are the Peas, carrots, and Beans, but they will hopefully start to catch up soon.The Runner beans are also hidden in the soil not showing any signs of germination.
I will be able to get back on Tuesday for some weeding and watering.The sun shines and I'm asleep. I had to go to see what was growing on..
The photo is of Queen Annes Lace. It is flowering en masse along the long alley below the hedge row. A Mock orange type of flowering hedge completes the white and green.
The QAL is so airy and has floaty flowers all around the wiry stems. I love the flowers, a real May bank holiday flower. Buttercups are in flower at the allotment and along the long causeway.
I want to stay awake for longer so i can see the flowers before I sleep.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Spring Into Summer


The first blogged picture from my new Camera.I spent a few hours today trying to work it out.A Fuji Finepix s8000fd.
I'm 88 pictures into it now.I learn mostly by trial and error, and as a typical guy I will read the instruction manual afterwards :)
This cheery scarecrow came from poundland yesterday.With the summer flowers weeks away I thought I would add some colour.
I spent two hours today at the allotment (where does time go when you are up there?) watering the plants and planting seven Strawberry plants.I have thirteen plants in my garden tub planter and seven at the allotment.Strawberrys for Wimbledon!!
I'm back on four nights so I will have a blog siesta and be back on Tuesday.
The Queen Of The Night Tulips look sumptuous and seem to be getting darker daily.
A nice contrast between the Dark and the Colourful.The Camellia is wedged between the two opposites.
Everything seems to be growing well as Spring moves towards Summer.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Recycling For The Eggplants

The sixth bed was finally dug today and most of the weeds pulled out. Five Holes were dug and filled with manure. I mounded them up and added cut plastic bottles turned to face the manure reserve under where the plants will go. My bed has four Courgette plants and one Butternut Squash plant. Later some Gem Squash will join them where there are gaps. I reused my compost bags to cover the plants and surrounding soil. I need to pin them down more tomorow.

I am trying the bottles and black plastic as an experiment. The Courgettes and Squash are thirsty plants and the bottles will direct the water to where the roots will be. The plastic will hopefully slow up the grasses and weeds that still lurk in the soil.
I spent four hours in the sun with Cat digging and planting the Courgette bed. Cat watered all the other raised beds, and weeded between the rows. I must get a Dutch Hoe to help us battle the ever present weeds.
The Pea's and French Beans have shown their heads through the soil. Mr Saddiq came up today after his holiday in Pakistan. I bartered if we dug his beds over for him he could get a compost bin for our plot. His black compost bin was like an oven today, there was even an any nest with larvae and lots of workers enjoying the warmth of the decomposing refuse.
In ten weeks I have transformed the wilderness into six vegetable beds, with paths between them.The hard work of digging is over untill the autumn. Its now about watering, weeding, and shaping the end section.
I want to put a level base down in preperation for a small shed.maybe six foot by four foot with a window. Somewhere to store tools, twine, pots, chairs to sit on, and a little gas burner for hot water to make fresh coffee...
Cat started the clearance of Mr Saddiq's neglected plot around the two grape vines. His soil is much richer than mine and falls away under the fork. I have said I will plant things in his beds. Onions and Courgettes to start.
I have used his watering can to start my vegetable seeds and plants, and rested on his chair.My green fingers will revive his one third of the plot.
Its good having a plot neighbour who is very amiable. He gave us some beautiful Spring Onions for making into a curry. I will cook some Dhall (lentil and onion curry) tomorrow with some rice.
My observation up at the allotment is that time passes so quickly when you are absorbed in the allotment. Four hours passed in the blinking of an eye.
I'm about to watch more of the Chelsea flower show. Hope all your gardens/plots are growing well.

Colours From The Garden

This morning the sun was shining. Here are the few plants that are in flower at the moment. To start with the darkening coloured Queen Of The Night Tulip. I love their burgundy to black colour, beautiful cup shape, and the scent inside the cup is like Belgian chocolate, a rich, earthy smell which appeals to me, and to bee's.

Rescued from the empty houses garden next door. I jumped over my fence to reclaim these beautys, purple Violas with lilac, black, and yellow faces. They were growing on in the loose stones. They have been repotted to save them, and I will try to collect some seeds at the end of the summer to grow masses of them next year!

The Copper orange coloured Broom.The flowers are really that colour, but not quite fully open. They have a light sweet scent if you sniff the flowers. The Brooms sit on either side of the Hydrangea.

The white flowered Broom with masses of white flowers up and down the stems.These plants can grow very large and unwieldy over time. My two are baby plants so wont need trimming back for years. I love the flying V shape the plant has displayed.
There is so much more planted, but I need to be patient. I bought twelve Burgundy flowered Salvia's today, and sowed some seeds for Corn Flowers and California Poppies. The gardeners world Carol Klein sowed some at Berryfields. I thought I must try that, the Blues and Oranges completely contrasting.Watch this blog if they grow on.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Nocte Garden

The Queen Of The Night Tulips at night start this blog post. I was feeling very lethargic today after all my days of digging and two 13 hour work days. I did not go upto the allotment. I went shopping for plants but came back with water absorbing granules and plant food for hanging baskets. I made another five large baskets up and they are hung up now around the garden growing on before they can be collected.Thats eleven baskets I have made now..

The oasis that is my garden aided by the security light. It is when the garden grows at night. It spends the day light doing photosythesis with all the green chlorophyll. It is so calm and quiet at the back, only the breeze is blowing. Even the birds were not singing tonight.
I was inspired to take two night photos after watching the RHS Chelsea flower show programs on the BBC iPlayer. Alan Titchmarsh presented the one hour taster on Sunday night, then Nicky Chapman did a thirty minute one this afternoon. I could not watch the one they broadcast tonight.
As most of the time I am in the garden or allotment it is good that I can watch tv I would normally miss. These shows gave glimpses into beautiful large show gardens, smaller urban and courtyard gardens, and the enormous floral pavillion.
Monday is Royal day when the Royal Family and Celebrities visit before the official opening tomorrow.The judges walk about tomorrow to bestow the medals, and what all the designers hope for is a Gold medal at Chelsea. The worlds most prestigious flower show, its the 86th one!
Watching all the gardens, structures, water features, and plants you start drooling.There is so much packed into the Chelsea Hospital grounds. Alan Titchmarsh was singing lyrical that the third week of May is about Chelsea.The celebs said they looked forward every year to visiting the show.
My garden is between seasons at the moment.The brightest colours are the fading Red Tulips, the sumptuous Queen Of The Night Tulips, and two flowering Brooms.with flowers of white and copper orange.The Daffodils and Anemones have faded.
Dutch Iris, Gladiolus, Freesias, and Roses are just a few of many summer stars that are growing on now. The gardens energy exploded in spring but is slightly dampened at the moment. As though it had to take a deep breath before another explosion of colour!
The greens are glowing in the light days, more so when it is sunny.The structure of the garden is green at the moment, but contrasting in forms, textures and shapes.The temporary hanging baskets add another layer of planting. I must have been dreaming about a tropical garden, full of lush green growth and bright coloured flowers.
Chelsea inspires I think, makes us want to grow bigger, more beautiful plants. All the energy and passion of the growers, designers, and the public focus on Chelsea. I must go one day to see it in person.The British hunger for plants and flowers and all things garden shows no sign of abating.The main show programs are on BBC1 so it has become attractive to a wide stream audience.
I think a tip for a Gold medal will be the Marshalls Childrens garden, designed by school children and very fun looking with secret hiding places and tunnels from one side of the garden to the other. Everything the children wrote down they took into account..

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Strawberry Flower Day

Strawberry plant in Flower the other day on my tub planter.This is an Elsanta Stawberry plant which are flowering beautifully.The Strawberrys may be here before July I hope.I have nine plants ready to take to the allotment from the shopping trip the other day.
The sun is shining this morning, more posts later.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Rain Rain

...Beautiful Rain.I was at work on my long 13 hour day when the heavens opened and rain fell lightly, then a bit more heavier.The first rain in about three weeks.I was so happy.The allotment will have been watered and some of the dustiness been absorbed into the water.
When plants are growing too much hot sun will kill them before they have grown on big enough to resist a water shortage.
The weed and the vegetable plants will have drank deeply from the cups of rain water after the recent hot days.
I will go up Monday to see what has grown in my abscence.I got my Strawberry plants from Hils and some Gem Squash from Pat.The latter have been repotted, watered, and put into the greenhouse to grow on.Ten Courgette plants are lining the edge of the left border and they are growing strongly.
The plan will be half a bed for Courgette, and half the bed for Squash.I have recycled compost bags to peg down over the beds to supress the weeds and keep the moisture in.I think I need some bottles to put upside down to water right to the roots of these water drinking plants.
This year has been so educational, with so many new plants being grown by me, that have bipassed me before.I was purely flowers before for their colour, form, scent, and beauty..now I have added plants that are edible or scented, or that will attract wildlife.
I will try to embed a quick you tube video of my fav African band Ladysmith Black Mambazo.It is only 37 seconds long, but today as it rained I kept humming it.
Only gardeners pray for rain during a hot spell (and maybe farmers too).Another long day tomorrow for me.

Mays Flowering Trees


Two of my Favourite Tree's flowering side by side near the allotment.A Lilac tree and a Laburnum.
The yellow pendulous flowers of the Laburnum look like a magic eye picture.
The scented Lilac tree is a perfect companian with its contrasting colours.
I just need a bigger garden now to plant this combination.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Buttercups, And Beans

A day spent at the allotment in the morning, and in my garden this afternoon. Seven hours today before work tomorrow for two long days. Everything is coming along. A small sea of Buttercups were in flower, nodding in the wind. It was cloudy all day and cold compared to the usual warmth of the past week. Cat took some photos including the Buttercup.



The allotment at Friday afternoon.The Runner beans have been planted under the new seven feet high A frame.The donated eight foot canes tied together with garden twine. I had to stretch high in the air to tie the twine. Six dug beds, five have been planted. Its amazing the transformation within two months. I have used a lot of my days off to make the beds from the overgrown plot.


Putting up the A frame, a work of art. The Runner Beans Polestar will clamber up the poles I hope. Two rows were planted under the poles. Its a photo showing up the plot towards Mr Saddiqs compost bin. A small sliver of black membrane covers the last undeveloped section.The Buttercups are just in shot.
I want to put a six by four base in preperation for a shed. I still need to prepare a Strawberry bed, dig the furthest bed ready for Courgettes and Squash, and plant my Gooseberry bush which is developing fruit like mad even when pot bound.
The two Rhubarbs from the garden are now up at the plot, joining the two crowns already up there.

The allotment last night after my evening dig. I spent three and a half hours up there last night digging the new Runner Bean bed, weeding, and watering.The same Robin from last night was there today sitting on the new cane structure.
All across the allotment these cane structures are being erected. People are bringing plants up grown from home and planting them. I need to buy a hoe to save my back and to weed the beds. We did it by hand today pulling up annual weeds,dockleaves and thistles.
The afternoon to evening was spent tidying the garden up, repotting Tomato plants,watering the dry soil, and planting my new plants from the other day.
A perennial Foxglove, three Purple Cone Flowers, three Cerinthe's, and two Hollyhocks that will have gorgeous dark burgundy flowers...
Night is falling and the garden and allotment are growing. My camera is very dodgy now with the LCD viewer all blurry, the USB cable not uploading properly, and the shutter button not clicking properly. Sigh, just after the warranty expires, but it has taken tens of thousands of pictures, virtually every day for over a year.
What do bloggers think the best affordable digital camera is? I will be looking for a new one tonight because a photo is worth a thousand words.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Colours


The photo shows the Alium Globemaster at Hils front garden. I love the colour of the Euphorbia to the left and the neighbours Bluebells behind as a back drop, drawing the eyes to the pink flowering Aliums..
I was busy today in the garden in the morning, and at the allotment earlier this evening. I was the last to leave the allotment, indeed i was locked in!
I marked out and dug the sixth bed, ten feet by four feet ready for Runner Beans.
I watered the plants and seedlings, and weeded the Carrot rows with the sun setting behind me.
The two Rhubarbs in the garden will travel tomorrow to the allotment. Along with the Runner Bean Polestar seeds, and the Gooseberry bush. I extended the Rhubarb bed ready for the new arrivals this evening.
The First bed will be dug and weeded next week after my weekend at work.The Runner Beans need a frame to climb up.I will build a Frame with eight foot canes that Hil's donated to me this week.
I have seven or eight strawberry plants to plant in a bed but I do not know where that is yet! The allotment has been developed as I go along.
The Onions and Garlic have grown beautifully.The Potatoes are growing and are earthed up now in new mounds.The Carrots have germinated in two rows. The Peas and French Beans have begun to appear in the seed beds.
A Robin flew down today as I dug the allotment. A skinnier version of my garden bird. He sat on the bag and hopped around the newly dug bed.
I seem to attract the birds wherever I go now.I hope to photograph him soon.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Walton Allotment


Yesterday I spent all day with Hil's trying to dig her grass covered plot.We spent five hours in the sunshine getting the big weeds and grass out, twenty four foot.
Only a small square is left to dig over now of a thirty six foot by thirty two foot plot.It is large in comparison to mine.
The soil was a lovely mix once broken up, like Chocolate brownie mix and it crumbled nicely.
We went plant shopping before and I have some more plants for hanging baskets, and some cottage garden plants for right border.
One Foxglove Merensis, three more Echinacea's, three Cerinthe's, A Butternut Squash plant for the allotment, and some bargain Strawberrys which we went halfs on.
Hils had a steady flow of visitors offering her free plants that they had grown.Cabbages, Lettuces, Runner Beans.I think they saw she was spending all her time digging and no time for sowing seeds and growing plants on.The soil should grow perfect veg for her..
I got nettled and stung by Thistles in the forgotten plot behind Hils.It has been turned over to builders but never developed.The allotment plots were lost in a sea of waist high weeds.I searched for lost treasures that have been swamped by the wilderness.
I found a broken china cup with two ducks on one side, and a pheasant on the other.I hoped to find a souvenir in the forgotten plot and I did.
I got some eight foot canes yesterday from Hils for Runner Beans. I need to dig another bed on Thursday and Friday ready to accomodate the newly arrived Butternut Squash, Runner Bean seeds, and Strawberrys.As I helped dig her plot my own list of jobs to do at mine grew.
I got sun burnt again yesterday.Back to work today before some time on my own allotment.It was still peaceful up at Walton allotments.The posters were up all over for the plant stall on the first of June.
The birds were singing as the Sun shone through the clouds.A productive day :)

Monday, May 12, 2008

Ladybirds And Lavender

Its been a gorgeously sunny day today and I was not at work. I spent two hours at the allotment this morning with Cat, then five more hours in the garden. I have a big smile, sunburn, and aching muscles.Tomorrow I am offering my muscles to Hil's to help dig her allotment.It will hopefully be sunny again so I can absorn more sunlight on my face, neck, and arms.
The first photo shows the garden in progress this evening. I repotted Cabbages, Cucumbers, Tomatos,Agastache,Butterfly flowers,Pepper Ring o'Fire, and the Blackberry bush into its new green veg planter.Dug up the Tulips that had finished flowering, and replanted my revived Catmint Six Hills Giant.I hope the local cat Blackspot doesnt chew it again.It has grown much bigger stems now in readiness for its blue flowers.

This Ladybird was under an Old Rose bush at the allotment, with gorgeous White scented flowers. An early flowering Rose. These were planted along a path by the communal garden.I was telling a man today about the gardens Blog. He looked quite sceptical, Maybe I should have given him the web address :)


The White Rose with its yellow centre, and sweet scent..

The fourth bed was planted today by me and Cat. Cabbages and Brussel Sprouts grown by me from seed, and tended for a few months. I felt quite emotional planting them, disbelief and laughing.. I hope they grow well in the sun baked allotment. It was hot and we spent two hours watering and planting them into the ground..

I was not in any photos today,Im behind the camera lens.The Brussel Sprouts Evesham get a watering.They were planted with holes filled with manure to try and hold moisture at the roots. If it works they will grow really well in the full sun. If it doesnt its back to the drawing board!
Do people become attached to plants that they have grown from seed more than if they were already grown when bought? I felt paternal pangs as the plants went in, but know its nature that will make or break them. I can only weed and water :)

The Cabbages in their green plastic collars. I saw someone else using these, as a slug and snail stopper.I hope it will protect the stems at the base which are not fully thickened yet.They also help watering as you can direct it into the collar to get straight to the roots.

The Lavender on the edge of the communal garden has flower spikes already.The past six days of strong sunshine have made them have a growth spurt. I love these plants. My garden has two Lavenders ready to attract the bees when they flower.
A day of Ladybirds and Lavender, in the sunshine.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Honey Bee In TheRhodie

The Bee yesterday was busy flying around the Rhodadendron sweet white flowers.The summer is almost here with the pollinators out in force.
I see them flying into my garden now daily, and my butterfly and bee attracting plants are not in flower yet.Enjoy your weekends wherever you are gardening!

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Bachelors Button


I had gremlins today preventing me from uploading pictures to the computer from the camera.I spent three hours this morning up at the allotment.
Watering, weeding, cutting the grass by hand, and turning the two unplanted beds.The first dug bed will be the last planted as it needs digging over before the Brussel Sprouts and Courgettes can be planted.
I went to a Barbeque tea at Cats parents.I photographed this handsome Bachelors button nestled between a Cherry Blossom tree and a Rhodadendron.
The sun was shining most of the day.I prayed when it rained for sun, and now its been sunny for days my allotment needs some rain!The weather likes to tease us gardeners..
The weeds have come back with a vengeance as I predicted.The allotment has at least two years of annual weed seeds in the soil.Turning it has germinated loads of them.
The most prickly weed is the thistle.I have been stabbed lots by the sharp needles of these plants today.Blood, sweat, and soil mixed on my hands!
The onions have started growing, and a few potatoes were showing signs of growth.The Carrots, French Beans, and Peas are not evident yet.One garlic clove has germinated and has sent growth up.
I realised today it will be hard going trying to make the neglected plot productive.I will keep trying to grow some organic vegetables up there.Autumn will see me trying to improve the soil more to break the clay up.Its sodden during the rain, and bone dry in the hot May sunshine..
Monday will be a planting day for the Cabbages that I sowed months ago.They have been tended in the cold frame, greenhouse, and now outside on a coffee table, with their green collars to keep the slugs off.

Friday, May 09, 2008

Colours And Surprise Visitors

The colours of the left hand border. Two colours are from Xmas.They were planted in December, the Daffodils and the Pink Hyacinths.Secret Santa presents that have grown beautifully..

These Hyacinths are so fragrant.I think I prefer them in April/May in the garden, compared to forced ones around December/January. They have been attracting honey bee's this afternoon but they evaded being photographed.

The Paeony flower bud with a visitor clinging onto the bud.It looks like some kind of Ladybird.These are very welcome as I think I spotted aphids today laying eggs on the plants.Two of my seven Roses are developing flower buds now, on the Climbing Iceberg, and the Tea Rose bush nearest to the Viburnum.

At the bottom left hand corner these hover fly was buzzing around the flowering Ajuga Reptans. Hils gave me a second clump from her garden and nestled under the Viburnum and Paeonys it has grown beautifully spreading out in all directions.It has dense flowering spikes with these purple/lilac striped flowers.The hover fly was buzzing from flower column to column.He was like a Helicopter just hanging in the air.
I worked yesterday and felt too shattered today to go upto the allotment.Tomorrow will be an allotment day in the morning.
The two hot days of Sunshine are a memory now.It was cloudy and cool when I woke up earlier.The garden is looking lush and full of growth..

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Sun River

The Sun River Daisy, one of the hanging basket plants awaiting a hanging basket has flowered in the greenhouse. Its a lilac coloured one with green and yellow centre.I have a lot of plants growing on ready for planting.This was photographed yesterday.

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Home And Away

The Red Tulips glows in the evening light as the sun shone down.It has been the nicest day of the year with twenty two degrees C temperatures.I spent some of the day in the garden potting on 136 Busy Lizzies, and moving the plants around to catch the light.

The camera has actually captured the glowing red of these Tulips.I cannot remember the name but they are gorgeous and like airport landing lights!

I went up to the allotment and took some photos of their communal garden.The Forget Me Nots were in full flower.I noticed a solar panel today which was supplying the water feature with its power.Water trickling down three black spheres.

The Chickens from the Barrett Street Allotments make their blog debut.They followed Cat around the enclosure.They are good weeders as their enclosure had no weeds at all.They were clucking away and waiting to be fed.Eight beautiful white Chickens.

I have only seen the Man once who went in to give them some lunchtime feed.They are quite chatty birds.They are behind the Community Garden and keep their eyes on the comings and goings of the allotment.

The Sunny weather has meant the solar panels must have been charged enough to power this water feature.It was lovely today with the sun out, and a light breeze blowing.The sound of trickling water..

The Tulips were still in flower, as well as the Forget Me Nots, Daisys, Calendulas, Geraniums, Monardas..

A Calendula at the Allotment community garden. I have these growing at home too..

A tulip with red flames.It could be a racing car or a mexican wrestler!El Diablo! I love the colours with the light blue Forget Me Nots in the Background.
Cat helped me plant two rows each of Peas Petite Pois, and dwarf French Beans Opera.The clay soil was like the Kalahari desert. I need to go after a long day tomorrow to water the rows we have sowed.The Potatoes and carrots had not done anything.The Onions had started to show signs of growth. I love the Sunshine but it bakes my plot dry!
The Cabbage and Brussel Sprout plants need to travel to the allotment. I sowed some Borage seeds today between the Peas/Dwarf Beans rows.
I have gardened home and away. I want a full Allotment day on Friday to clear the weeds and dig the first bed which can finally be weeded...
The grass and weeds have grown loads in just a week. I was stabbed by some thistles that had germinated and grown so quickly.
I need a Hoe I think to keep the weeds/grasses down around the raised beds. I enjoyed the sun on my face and arms today.