Tag: Gardening

Baskets

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I’m trying hard to keep my hanging baskets alive. They are on a shady fence which is good, but one in particular is in full sun and is getting rather crispy. Also I bought a few small extra plants but they outgrew their pots so a friend and her son came over to help today to repot them into containers. Some of them were a bit wonky so I tried to straighten them up. That was hard work. Even putting the bin out exhausts me.

Anyway the photo is of one of them. Bought just over a month ago from a small farm and really filled out. I’m using washing up water and some bottles of water to keep them going. Might rain next week… Cropped off the dried out bits.

I do this every year, but this year was a bit much, I will see what happens next year x

Damsons

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What fruit there is is ripening in this excessive heat but will possibly be spoilt by next Wednesday when I see it again, it’s at the craft group I go to, either that or it will have been eaten by hungry birds.

In other news my neighbour down the road owns a computer shop. A couple of years ago they bought the land to the side of my garden and now they are in the process of building a new office. So because my old hedge was growing over the boundary line they have cut it down and some of my Walnut tree branches too. I think they thought they were doing me a favour but I’m worried someone could get in the garden and break into my sheds (I have been burgled before), and Walnuts can weep until they die. With that and metallic fencing they are putting up it will feel more like a prison than a garden.

Hanging baskets

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Summer arrivals

My hanging baskets arrived today and were carefully hung by my sister. She had transported them from a country nursery squashed in the back of her car.

They are all very well grown and cost a bit more than I intended. But they certainly make me smile. Now I’ve got to work out how to water them without falling over or soaking myself, wish me luck!

Garden centre blues

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I went to the garden centre today, it was crammed with lots of colourful flowers and I wanted to fill a trolley with lots of plants to put in the garden like I do every year. But this year is different. I am not strong enough to lift and carry compost, to fill the pots, I don’t think I should walk around the garden incase I fall, I want to do something, but my friend who would help is ill. I’m going to try and ask another friend to help out. Wish me luck. I still want a beautiful display.

Tulip

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Such a pretty flower, even when it fully opens up…. Generally tulips are sold in bud and then gradually open up fully over a few days, although this happens more when they have been cut through their stems, are brought into a warm room, and displayed in a vase.

This is a photo taken by my friend. I’ve only got three pale pink tulips at the front of my house. I tried taking a photo, but my phone keeps switching itself off.. I think its battery is going… Anyway happy Spring to you all.

Holly

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Variegated Holly. Taken a few weeks ago. On a bright, sunny day. The blue sky was reflected off the shiny surface of the leaves. I like the way the spiky edges add to the textures. Holly can be male or female. The female plants are the ones that grow the berries.

A formidable hedging plant, it grows slowly but if your not careful it can grow up out of reach. It needs pruning to keep it in shape. And with the sharp pickles it can be painful to trim.

Poppy time

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One of my favourite flowers is the poppy, Papa er.

Different shapes, sizes, and colours.

Oriental poppies (large reds and pinks), californian poppies (small and orange) , Welsh (yellows),                               Himalayan (largish, pale blue)                                      wild British poppies (reds, pinks and white), some are called Shirley’s mixed or ladybird with black splodge.

Their petals are enclosed in bulbous green capsules until they open to display paper petals that unfurl into lovely flowers. A central large seed head like a pepper shaker is left to dry and mature after the petals fall.

Poppy juice is collected and has been used in medicine over the ages, but this can be dangerous. Don’t do anything but admire the flowers beauty.

Summer ending

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Most of my hanging baskets have survived a very dry summer as I watered them every few days. But I made the mistake of thinking the rain that has been falling heavily for the last few days would suffice. And because I have trouble negotiating around the yard I haven’t done any watering! Big mistake. Because I had two hanging baskets hung underneath another two baskets. Usually when I water the top ones the water runs into the bottom ones, but then I also do the lower ones to make sure they are thoroughly wet. The rain just didn’t penetrate and the two lower baskets are now badly wilted. I doubt they will be able to recover as the nights are getting cooler and the growing season is almost over. They have also gone to seed. Drat!

But the photo shows one of the healthy ones…. If only I’d done the watering!