Fern fronds

Posted on September 4, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Carboniferous, Environment, Evolution, Ferns, Gardening, Life, Nature, Random, Silica, ToxicLeave a comment

Ferns are ancient plants. They predate flowering plants. You can find fossils of them in the carboniferous era. They propagate, not by seed, but by spores which are held on the underside of the leaves. In sporediea. They are discharged into the air and are blown away by the wind. From there they create tiny ferns, I can’t remember the exact details because its over forty years since I learnt about them. All I can say is I must look it up. I do know they have silica in their cells and can be toxic to cattle and sheep.

Ferns are beautiful, they have lovely spiral fronds which then unfurl. There are different colours shapes and sizes. I know that some people have gardens full of ferns. I obviously need to find out more.

Still growing

Posted on September 3, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Begonias, Blogging, Colours, Dead heading, Enjoying gardening, Gardening, Green, Hanging baskets, Nature, PlantsLeave a comment

Everything is spreading out, the flowers are still blooming and huge leaves are sprouting from the courgette plants although I haven’t looked at them for a few days. My morning glory plants have survived a few cool nights, but still no flowers. I probably planted them too late in the season. I really need to dead head the plants but it’s so cramped along the yard its hard to get down there….. I have noticed the blueberries are ripening. I must pick them soon… I need to get my act together.

Crop

Posted on September 2, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Apple, Autumn, Blogging, Food, Fruit, Gardening, Life, Pear, Plant, Random, Tasty, TreesLeave a comment

Days are getting shorter now and the fruit is getting ripe. We have plenty of pears on our tree, but of all five apple trees only one fruit. But then after weeding the allotment this morning we were allowed to get a tub of apples in exchange. Some of them are different varieties, a lot of them are a bit holey but I’m hoping they will taste nice if I stew them up or cook them in a cake. If it turns out OK I will post about it.

On an allotment

Posted on September 2, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Allotment, Art group, Blogging, composting, Digging, Etruria Artists, Gardening, Helping out, Shelton, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, WeedingLeave a comment

Our art group met this morning to help weed an allotment for a local community group that has taken over a couple of them. There was lots to pull out, but also some beautiful ornamental poppies which we tried to leave in. I was pulling out couch grass, dandelions, euphorbia, dock plants and other weeds. I do think allotments are a good way to get fresh air and exercise when you want to also produce some food for yourself. My hubby was so kern he started asking about getting an allotment to grow fruit trees. We shall see.

Friends making a bench….

Posted on September 1, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Chairs, DIY, Gardening, Life, making, Photo, Plants, Recycling, Screws, Wood2 Comments

Two old chairs and some planks of wood. Upcycling I think it’s called? Or is it recycling…. The chairs are solid so this should work. I think she’s going to make it into a garden seat with a space in the centre for a plant pot or planter. The good thing about this is that it is recycled, so instead of hundreds of pounds this could be made from scrap out of a skip and some screws to hold it together.

More plants

Posted on August 28, 2020August 28, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Autumn, Blogging, Bulbs, Gardening, Gazenia, Life, Pelagoniums, Planting, Plants, TulipsLeave a comment

Ivy leaf pelagoniums and a gazenia (not sure of spelling). We saw them for sale at a florists in Wolstanton, Newcastle-under-Lyme today. I decided to get them as the weather is changing and I want to extend the flowering season in the garden. We also got some cyclamen including normal ones, and some called petticoat cyclamen which are more splayed out than the original type. I picked up a red sedum too.

It’s heading towards autumn now. I noted a tinge of broken or red on some of the trees as we were driving over to Wolstanton. It will be here soon. The nights are drawing in too.

When we got home I popped to the shops. While I was there I was tempted and grabbed a box of mixed tulip bulbs, and another one of various small flower bulbs. Gardening is a wonderful occupation. Try it if you can.

Window

Posted on August 27, 2020August 27, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Flower spike, Flowers, Gardening, Indoor plants, Orchids, Photo, Plant, Re-pottingLeave a comment

Orchid view. Through the window hubby is fixing the tricycle. The ariel roots from the orchids are spreading out far and wide. Some of the flowers on the large orchid are dropping, but they have been there for months. I’m hoping that is sends out another flower spike soon.

I might try repotting it carefully this time. I repotted another one and I think I over filled it with orchid compost. I think you have to leave the ariel roots some free space.

Begonias

Posted on August 26, 2020August 26, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Begonias, Blogging, Colours, Flowers, Gardening, Hanging baskets, Inspiration, Life, PlantsLeave a comment

One of the best things this year have been the begonias in the hanging baskets.

I’m not certain, but I think there are male and female flowers. Because some are big and blousy and the others are smaller and more simple. Whichever they are, they have been beautiful this year. The colours are subtle and amazing. They have also lasted a long time. I’ve only had to dead head them a few times. I’m hoping the weather does not get cold too soon so I can enjoy them for a few weeks longer.

Acorns

Posted on August 26, 2020August 26, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acorns, apples, Bushes, Collections, Garden, Gardening, Life, Photo, Plants, Seeds, Trees4 Comments

My hubby keeps collecting seeds and nuts at the moment. His plan is to put them in pots and try and grow them, then pass them on to friends? But what if no-one wants them? I do not need any more trees in our garden. We have two oak saplings already, a twenty five year old walnut tree which is sixty foot high, a willow tree, a pear, two or three apples, a sycamore, a mountain Ash, an Ash tree. Also a eucalyptus, three leylandii, plus others and lots of bushes. But no, he’s not satisfied. The garden is where two houses used to stand, there isn’t enough space for more plants.

Morning glory not flowering yet

Posted on August 23, 2020August 23, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Back yard, Blogging, Ceramic head, Flowers?, Gardening, Morning glory plants, PlanterLeave a comment

Green man ceramic head

I grew lots of seedlings, in the warm weather they did really well and the plants are getting big. But now the weather is cold and wet. They seem to have come to a full stop! I’m hoping if we get some more sunshine it will bring them on again… Photos to follow if they ever flower.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Gardening