A general update

How about some berberis? The purple one is gorgeous & very spiky! I had to have it removed because I was allergic to it, but it would deter anyone from pulling it up!
You're quite right to be proud of Holly, she's a cutie, & obviously full of character!

Thanks MP. That's gone straight on the list :-))
That's one way of describing Holly, another is spoilt, bad tempered, dominant and very, Very GORGIOUS. Lol

(apparently she's just like me.....I don't know what you mean.) Lol :-))

So she got the first three characteristics from daddy then?
You can tell she's a daddy's girl. Just like me. I was at my dad's b/day party the other week & he kept shouting "here's my little girl!" (p*****d of course!) & I'm 50!
WARNING TO HOLLY! DADS ARE EMBARASSING, ALWAYS!!!
Back to the Berberis, I think it's purpurea you want! But make sure Holly avoids it, I had a bad reaction to scratching myself on it.

Hmmm. Thanks MP (now I keep thinking of you as a military policewoman) I'll have to check on that as Holly has the same walking disorder as her mum and often falls over :-((
By the way, she already knows that...... :-))

Well in that case, dont put it in!!
Military Policewoman indeed!!! :~)).
Think I'll have to put a notice up like Hywel!!

Lol..... Oh dear......sorry.....oh no....you've ....set...me...offf....again......

Plants are lovely Ian you`v done a good job!!! pity about your veg ,but sure always next year.Holly ,such a cutie...
Dont no much bout spiky plants and to fence it of wud be costly Ian,hope you get it sorted, not nice plants been pulled out....

Cheeky B********!
As long as you're amused!!!!
They wouldnt let me in cos I wasnt tall enough!!

Oh no..... your doing......this.....on purpose........Lol :-))

Berberis would be a great choice Ian. Makes a fantastic prickly hedge. Berberis 'Rose Glow' is a nice variety. It has gorgeous coloured foliage with a lovely variegated mottling on the leaves.

Your poor veggies......never mind.....there is always next year. Your flowers are looking very happy and healthy. Well done. :oD

The only problem with a prickly hedge is that when it gets bigger and encroaches into next door's "air space"...they may complain? (I get the impression your neighbours are not exactly friendly ones?).
Those plants look much better in the ground and are doing well....shame about the veggies though....better luck next year after you have done something about feeding up the soil.
Another lovely pic of happy Holly :)))))

we have put in a budlea (sorry cant spell it) on one side as they grow madly and it gives a bit of privacy but it isnt a wide spreading unfortunatly.

Holly is such a sweetie

good luck on your quest

x x

After I looked for a while I could see the two photos are different. lol

Sorry to hear about your vegies. Are you going to try some more or is it too late now? I don't suppose it's too late for some things.

Now I have more time I think I'll give some things another go ( if the rain stops and I can get out there. lol )

Holly seems to be enjoying herself. Nice that she's taking an interest in growing things too :o)

Ian......How come Holly's veggies have survived?
Maybe you should ask her for advice!
Sooooo sorry, just getting my own back ,digger!

Thanks GoYs, Lots of good advice again :-))
Berbaris and Budlea (I can't spell either) gone on the list, Thanks Gilli and Mookins.
Thanks AA, I think its a case of a couple of tons of well rotted horse manure and some serious digging (sigh)
Hi Hywel, I have put a few things in, peas (my second fav. veg) Runner beans, swede, more carrots (which actually prefer a poor soil) and some cauli. to over winter, a few spring onions and some radish so I might get something yet (fingers crossed).
As for Holly's veg doing better than mine, Military policewoman Lol, (30-15) her bed wasn't cultivated last year so it still has or had a lot of goodness in it, so there !!! ;-))

Chicken s***!! Seriously, it makes great compost!

Sorry about your veggies Ian ... but your flowers are coming along well............maybe you could plant some conifers along that side.........you can buy small ones and they grow quickly..and would hide you from your neighbours......lol

Thanks Holly, thats another great idea :-))
As for you.............'Hatter' I know, I use loads of it, but it can give the veg to much nitrogen... Nerrrrrr Lol :-)) (30- all)

Oooo....chicken s***. Now there is something I know about. In the eyes....in the ears....in the nose....wading through it......falling in it........having it dumped on my head....how it will rot the glue and the rubber on any pair of boots in record time. <Sigh!!> Those were the days! LOL

Ian....despite what Hywel says, you can't convince me that those are two different pics....you're pulling our legs.

How about a nice 6 foot brick wall with broken glass along the top???? LOL.

Shame about your crops Ian. I had blight on my tomatoes last year as did many, I think but niot heard much about it so far this year. My spuds and Tomatoes are fine so far(fingers crossed). Mind you, I too have got mildew on my main crop peas, the early ones were alright. Tends to happen when very hot and damp.

Gilli that would be my ideal solution but It might just upset the local council, Just a tadge Lol. Perhaps razor wire might do the trick and still let the light in?
I swear it is, they were both taken at the same time but they are different, even I can only spot one difference but it is there honest :-))
Hi Paul, Where have you been hiding just lately? Yes my early peas were gorgeous but I only got to try a few of my main crop :-(( I'll keep my fingers crossed for your toms and spuds as well.

Yes, been conspicuous by my absence , eh Ian?. Running Graeme around( and running myself into the ground I think) and obviously very busy in people's gardens at moment so no time( or energy) for photo taking or blog writing!

Well I'm pleased to 'see' you back again :-))

Blight so far has not darkened my veggies Ian , we loose enough plants to bugs as it is without loosing them to the neighbours

Lol Mac. Any sign of Bobg up there?

Funny you should say that Ian , the other day I dropped a watering can full of tomato feed and it spilled all over the place , just then a voice from the other side of the fence shouted " That wasnt my fault" and when I looked upI could only see the top of a hat running the full length of the fence.

As we all know Bob's hat has been surgically attatched and it is the kind of thing you might expect him to say, so who knows? Lol

Ian you told me that hat was held on with a six inch nail

Well how else do you do surgary? I don't know these people from over the border with their new fangled ways...... If it was good enough for my grandad then its good enough for me Lol

tis leeches for surgery now Ian, I bet thats whats holding that hat on.

Its probably what sucked his brains out..........Lol

Ok, digger, I can live with the "Hatter" !! ;o}}
This might sound like a wierd suggestion, but holly?????
I mean bushes, not plant your daughter!

Lol Hatter, I've often thought about putting her in a growbag until she's about 16 - 18 Lol
Good idea, I'll add it to the list :-))

If my baby holly bush survives, I'll send it to you, it's too fragile just yet, only about 1" high!!

Just heard a scrabbling noise at back door & went through to find the hedgehog in the kitchen eating Smudge's food after finishing his own in the garden!!

Awwwww arn't they sooooo cute at that age? Lol
I'm talking about the Ivy/holly not the hedgehog :-))

It's a holly!!
It's a gorgeous night here, & I went ten-pin-bowling, was actually heard to complain that it was an ideal night to be in the garden!! First night out in 3 weeks & I wanted to get on with my digging!! You lot are having some effect!!

Dohhhh, I often have these Homer moments Hatter, you'll get used to me in time :-))

I'm sure I will, Digger,I'm sure I will!

Lol.... :-))))) I have changed the comment though Lol

Cheat!!

Nerrr nerrr n nerrrr nerrrrr lol

Great blog, Ian, & your comments are often hilarious! like the others I, too, am sorry for your veg. My tomatoes haven't been affected by blight & I haven't noticed it in the allotments round here either. In spite of the HUGE amount of rain, at least for us in East Anglia, we have had during July. (Only half an hour ago we had a heavy shower!) August is set to follow closely in the footsteps of July! Sunshine & frequent heavy showers, occasionally thundery, would sum up July & probably August!

I have mildew on my sweetpeas but the rest of my plants are free of disease. But this year something is making holes in practically all the plants though it seems that the Fuchsias are free from whatever it is that causing them.

I have a geranium the same as yours growing in a strawberry pot with a variegated Geranium.

As for your long narrow bed I think that the small golden conifer they sell in many shops would be ideal. I have three on my balcony & they look good all year round. I don't know their eventual height but mine are around a metre (three feet, for you!) high. But then they are in tubs & in open ground they may grow higher but at least nobody will get scratched. Beberis have some nasty thorns & you wouldn't feel very happy falling in to one, even a small one. On the other hand Buddlia grow very, very fast & you have to prune them hard back every spring. They also get very wide & would overwhelm your border & your neighbours' side of the fence after only a couple of years.

Cheers Paul, I did think about conifers but kind of rejected them due to them being TO big Lol

Okay, I've spotted a difference.....I'm satisfied now. :o)

HaHa well done Gilli, I knew you would. :~)))