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I sympathise with you Karen. When we first came here it was clay soil but not as bad as yours. I lost count how many bags I put in and it has paid off.
It must take an age to water all your plants!

Your lawn is so pristine Julia and puts mine to shame! lol

It looks very pretty Julia.

Well Eileen, they have found a lovely first home there with those gorgeous peaceful views. I hope you enjoy helping to make it theirs. Don’t overdo it though…you need energy for your own! X

I’ve seen some up in the SF Bay Area. One my favorites is Fucshia boliviana, which is very common in coastal California.

Well,what an interesting blog..
Thank you so much Eileen for showing it.Your daughter and her husband are very lucky to have you as part of their family..
Your enthusiasm,knowledge and hard work shine through.

Hi Janey.. sorry to be so late responding. So sorry to hear about your loss. Jack Russells are so special...and wee Lottie was so full of life and vigor. Our Ryot is suffering with dental issues and he's going to get the snip on the 16th. April. I was just out raking along the stream and caught him in a fight with a little red squirrel.. I managed to separate them but the squirrel was badly injured and as soon as I took Ry into the house I went to see if I could find it. It has a burrow under the old walnut tree and I think it's gone to ground. so sad, and it's hard to not discipline Ry for instinctual behaviour. He knows I'm not happy... he keeps peering into my face. "Moooom! hello?!!" We are expecting a spring storm... 15 cm. of snow in the next 48 hours. it will be a mix of freezing rain and snow and I'm worried about losing power so I have to get water in and wood for the fire (to cook). This spring, like the winter just passed, is psycho. Strange, so strange. Unremitting cold too. on the calendar spring has started but looking out the window is like December!

That's a lovely picture of your Robin, Lindak! :)

I've never seen one on the balcony but I quite often see them around the area where we live. One Saturday returning from doing some shopping in town, I cam,e up a path that has quite a few trees on one side & I saw 3 Robins in the space of about 5 minutes or so! Very unusual! They weren't the same one flying backwards & forwards because at one moment I saw 2 of them almost at once.

That's a lovely orchid!

I have an orchid with a flower stem that has lots of buds developing but it will be some time yet till they open! I've had it at least 5 years I think & every year it flowers for me! :) I also have 2 others but for the moment there are no signs of flowering stems emerging. :(

Not sure whether it was rock or concrete Shirley. Either way it’s not good.

A beautiful Camellia, Shirley! :)

When we moved south, about 18 months ago, I could not bring a single plant. Not even the Camellia rosthorniana and hellebore that I bought with gift vouchers from my daughter on her wedding day. Not the Wedding Gown Hydrangea I bought for her engagement. Not the Rosa ‘Rachel’ that shares her name. Many plants given by dear friends and a beautiful pine I had grown from a tiny plant to a wonderful feature. All the Sedums I loved and had collected that I cannot now replace because the nurseries have closed down. A whole collection of Aeoniums …and on and on and on. Buy yourself a new one that the nursery have grown to a decent size for you. It won’t be the same plant, but it will be the same! And you will love it just the same. Good luck. X

Thanks, FF! :)

Thank you Linda. Kind of you. Much appreciated x

Lovely Siris.

In a pot to be planted out.

Jane, this Camellia has always been in a pot, never in the ground. Do you mean your soil or your garden style doesn't suit them?

Karen, you hit rock?!! That's not good ... :o(

Thanks ladies. It is in a West facing border and thrives there.

Lovely ... worth waiting for.

Thanks Janey, both of the Prunus came from a DIY store 2 years ago!

The other ones are planted in a sloping border.I did mulch well in the Autumn. Once the flowers are out they just go on and on..I was told not to cut the don't stems just pull them out.

I really love the colour of this one Julia.
I've not tried growing them in this garden. I imagine they'll need a lot of moisture?

Thank you for your comments👍

Beautiful!

So pretty and dainty Shirley..

My favourite little Fuji cherry. Mines still hanging back with more flowers to open.

Such a gorgeous shrub for spring!

So beautiful Shirley. I only wish my garden suited them!

Wishing you a good year after your Birthday Karen. You have worked so hard in your garden, and I expect it will be full of colour too when the weather improves. Take care and good gardening. Linda x.

Lovely! Way ahead of mine Shirley.

There are so many lovely ones. I would find it hard to choose. The deep red one I had at the flat got destroyed in the move. Now I only have my little ‘Cupido’. I may get another in time. They are shallow rooted which works well here as our soil is so bad. Trying to plant 2 roses today we hit rock and had to change plans drastically.

Klahanie, this came from an aunt of my husbands when she went into a hospice. It has always been kept in a pot. I love it, but no varietal name I'm afraid.

Very beautiful flower Shirley. Mine are starting to bloom as well.
Do you have a name for this one?

Yes, but do take lots of cuttings as you may find only a few will grow.

:o))) x

Thanks Josie, Janey and David .. they are still producing flowers.

Take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, remove lower leaves, dip the base in rooting hormone, and plant in a well-draining, moist medium, covering with plastic for humidity.
However, if you are moving before then, I would take some new shoots, pulled off with a little heel, and put them as cuttings.
You could try putting some in water as they often grow roots that way too. Best of luck.

Similar flowers and leaves to Fuchsia tryphylla. Some have fuzzy leaves like this as well

I think this one is not very particular, Balcony.

Thank you Klahanie..it seems very happy.We are having a summerlike few days!

It's doing well Julia and I envy you the sunshine, We had lots of rain this March.

Too early for them here too!
In our last garden they self seeded everywhere, never needed to buy any new plants.

Lovely show of colour there. The Hyacinths have flowered well this year.

We get the large birds over here too. The Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Red Kite, Kestrel and Buzzard going across.

Thank you. We are both birdlovers!

Thank you. I was afraid I’d cut them back too early. They’re beautiful and eye catching plants and I plan to buy more this year.

Like Hywel I also get fed up waiting around! You can't upload more than 1 photo at a time which takes ages! It's little wonder that we move to other forums! I'm on another one but still come back here - from time to time!

Is this the one that doesn't mind alkaline soil? I'm always confused between the one that won't grow unless it's in acid soil & the one that doesn't mind!

I am pleased about that Hywel. My problem is trying to do a blog and add pictures which was so slow, but my page opens and there are no other problems.