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Making hay etc and other things....

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In between the heavy showers I managed to do a limited amount of gardening. The ground is far to wet to even attempt weeding and it was all I could do to stay upright walking to the greenhouse. I have to walk across grass to get to it and its more like a swamp every day. I`ve never known this bad even in the wettest weather. I`ve managed to pot up nearly all the Summer bulbs with the exception of some fragrant Freesias and some Irises, both of which are going in containers. The Basil I planted has sprouted and I only sowed it on saturday afternoon. I like to keep Basil in the kitchen because of its gorgeous aroma, to me you just can`t beat it.


I`ve planted the Primroses in the large wall manger at the front of the house. It look good if I do say so myself. It will look even better when they spread and the bulbs grow through them. The cactus dwarf Dahlia is also bound for a container. I have a few ideas for my Summer planting and most of them involve containers ( I blame Alan Titchmarsh and Gardener`s World magazine…lol!) I rran out of rose food and decided to get a large size Top Rose which should see me through the growing season.


I wonder who else has a pretty old gardening book. This book belonged to my late father and I can remember seeing it in the bookcase when I was no more than four or five. It`s still a good reference book but many of the old chemicals that were used back in the early fifties are now banned by the EU. That`s a very thorny subject but is also another conversation entirely….


purple Hellebore. My camera needed charging when I took this and the next photo so I was lucky to get them at all. The rain has spoiled most of the white Hellebore Nigra but the darker shades and `orientalis` seem unaffected.

This hellebore is almost black. Unfortunately its in the wrong place for it to be most effective, I`ll have a think about where to move it too. You can see just how wet the soil is too.

This afternoon I also washed, no scrubbed a terracotta container that I haven`t used for a couple of years. It looks as good as new now its no longer green and very dirty. Tomorrow, weather and sore back permitting I`ll do a couple more. Next door`s cat Willow is extremely friendly now Jake is no longer with us. He even follows me into the greenhouse and sits and watches me. I don`t encourage him but I think he`s made me his new best friend. What will happen when we eventually have another dog I don`t know but I`m sure the dog won`t like it. I`m not too sure about Willow as he`s a very cool cat and not much fazes him.

Bye for now. :o)

Sandra x

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Comments

 

another busy day for you sandra, it does look very wet to, mine the same, sodden and try not to walk on grass though the pigeons have done some damage, when you get a new doggy it may be young enough to make friends with willow, will have to wait and see, hope your back feels better tomoz :o) x

24 Feb, 2010

 

What is it with us Sandra's,we never know when to give up,once we start.
The pink Princess dahlia will look lovely in a container.I am really starting to take an interest in Dahlia's,after seeing all the lovely ones on here.I have had some before,but never had that "must have"feeling.We do change our preferences
sometimes,or just fancy a change.Your garden does look really wet,Sandra,you must have been a couple of inches taller when you finished:o))

24 Feb, 2010

 

I bought that Dahlia last year as a potted plant at the Malvern Autumn Show and have recently bought the very same packet tuber as yours, there !
It's a beauty :-))))

24 Feb, 2010

 

I`m really into Dahlias and have been the last few years. I used to think they were too `showy` but as you say Bloomer, we change our preferences. They make the garden look so cheerful and I`ll keep trying out different varieties as they take my fancy. :o)

24 Feb, 2010

 

Lovely Hellebores Sandra,theres not a lot that I can do either because of the wet but it does feel good when I can. I made a mistake and stored my summer bulbs under the staging in my bottom greenhouse, found out a couple of weeks back that I`ve been providing dinner for something through the winter.
There are some really old books at my dads, mum loved her gardening books and they are all still there and yes I can remember looking at them and being told to be careful and not to bend the pages...
Go easy on your back, we all need to be fit when that lovely weather comes ......

24 Feb, 2010

 

I grew park princess last year at she isnt that dwarf. unless you are using a big pot.

24 Feb, 2010

 

Seaburn, i agree, it's about 2.5', i have it in a semi shade position :-)

25 Feb, 2010

 

And it's a beauty, too! :-)

25 Feb, 2010

 

Thanks for that info,Sbg and Louise...I will make a note of the size if I buy one...It doesn't seem to be a dwarf one like it states,after all....

25 Feb, 2010

 

I also have 2 of the 'Gallery' range and these definately 'are' small, they're no more than about 12" high.
They still produce the same abundance of flowers and are great as small, front of border colour.

25 Feb, 2010

 

You have been busy.

25 Feb, 2010

 

Thanks for letting me know about the so-called dwarf dahlia. On the packet it says 24" so we`ll have to wait and see. :o)

25 Feb, 2010

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