Colour in the Garden

Your garden is looking amazing Sue - the perfect way to keep your spirits up. A great solace I’m sure.

Sue, you have so much growing in your garden, no wonder it gives you a lot of pleasure. I agree about the rate at which the grass grows, Michael left ours for about ten days between cuts and it went berserk!
I do like your pond area, the Echinops look wonderful and your Apple tree has lots of lovely fruit. Is it a cooker or an eater?
I have a terracotta star sphere just like yours in the photo with the succulents on the shelving. Just an ornament, but I do like it and am always careful not to knock into it.
When the football is planted up would you be able to hang it up, in a hanging basket sort of fashion?
I can't help you with the Rose foliage problem, other than it might be Sawflies, or extreme heat perhaps? Some of my Roses are looking a mess thanks to the Leafcutter Bees and others are covered in Blackspot this year as I forgot to spray the foliage. Mind you, I have only ever done that once before.
Lovely to see your garden once more, take care.

Lincs, so much colour in your garden. I'm glad it is helping you. I have had exactly the same problem with a number of my roses, all stripped clean. And the blackspot is a shocker! I have released 2 of them into the green bin today as I can't stand the reproach! These were potted cheap ones I bought a few years ago so I don't feel too bad.
Your garden looks enormous! How big is it? It is a pretty credit to you.

Your garden is lovely, & yes , it does seem very big, so a lot of work. I love all areas, especially the pond. The foot ball planting is a good idea, should look good in time. Did you ever see little caterpillars on your Roses? ( sawfly) as Ange says. They demolish the foliage very quickly once they get going, & they drop to the ground very quickly when you try & nab them!

You have done so well with your garden and it is looking beautiful and so well cared for.
I have no idea what had attacked your roses but there will be a lot of help on here I feel sure.
So lovely to see.

As you know Sue, I love your garden!
There is so much going on there and I imagine you get some comfort, as I do, walking round your garden and thinking of Derek.
I wouldn't know where to start, so will just say your garden like Sheila said, is amazing.
The idea with the football is a great idea.
My roses have suffered really badly with black spot this year and am ashamed to say that I religously spray them at the first sign of the new leaf, but then as the summer goes on, seem to forget.
There is a leaf cutter bee which makes holes in the leaves but not sure if they would strip them.
Did you get my last p.m? It was in July.
Take care
Love Rose xxx

Thankyou Sheila, I sit out there most mornings with my drink and sort my mind out, chat away to to Derek, I cut the hedge trimmer cable a few weeks back,I would have been in trouble if he'd still been here with us but it made me smile at the time because I didn't have him here to nag at me so I got away with it..x

Hi Shirley, I am pleased with it, best decision I ever made was to grow more perennials, both ground spreading and the tall varieties, people ask how I manage to cope with it all at my age but in all honesty its so much easier now, a lot of my time is spent deadheading, I hardly have any weeds except what comes under the fencing from my neighbours, I'm sorting that as soon as we get some moisture in the ground, bought a strong weedkiller to pour along the edge, making sure it goes under the the fencing, I won't be breaking any boundary rules, when we erected the fencing we kept it a few inches inside our property so I have the right to do it, my neighbour is actually very nice and will probably thank me anyway.....The apple tree is an eating variety, think its Cox's Orange, sadly they don't store very well so I freeze a lot of the apples, I collect as many as I can to give to the birds during the winter months, I also have a Victoria Plum which I'm growing as an espalier against the fencing, it has had quite a few plums this year and they are delicious....The football is doing really well, I keep adding more to it, it has a square base so will always be freestanding, I'm not altogether sure how it will cope during the winter, fingers xx, aye...I also have an oasis snail that has been used as a doorstop for donkeys years, if I succeed with Derek's ball I'll plant that one up as well, you never know what you can do unless you try do you ??.. The little star sphere has never had a candle in it, like yours its just an ornament, that is also on the list for planting up, watch this space.....Really frustrated as regards the roses Shirley...Take care now..xx

Thankyou Ange, it is a fair size, think its 98ftx40ft if my memory is correct, doesn't seem that big to me when I'm working in it because of my sectioned off areas, if I get overwhelmed I just move to another part....The roses that are suffering are in what I call the rose garden, where my g'house used to be, the ground is so dry there and its always in full sun so that is possibly the cause, although the original cause was a nasty critter, I don't like to use spray in case it drifts to the ponds, I will win Rose , as you know I'm a stubborn beggar..
Decided I'm still going to dig the bulbs out, lay a membrane down around the roses and lavender, then cover it with granite, thats my job for the next few weeks, for obvious reasons it got delayed a bit....

Feverfew I did find a couple of little green caterpillars on my one and only standard, it was when they first began to show their buds, I removed them obviously, so thats probably why it wasn't as badly affected, I'm going to give them a good douching with my garlic mix, it saved my viburnam in the past so should work thanks for that and for your lovely comment..x

Thankyou W'rose, don't know what I'd do without it, obviously it gets even more of my time now, hoping to catch up with all I've been missing on Goy, much better frame of mind now..xx

Thanks Lincslass
Enjoyed the walk around your lovely garden colourful but with a peaceful and calming feel to it , definitely a place of solace which is good for the soul .

Hello Rose, I'm sorry I didn't answer your pm, lost my way for a while back then, went away to my brother and sister in -laws for a few days beginning of August and it did me a power of good, I felt I needed someone else to be with besides my kids, I needed to talk to someone besides them, they were worried about me but I was trying not to burden them more as they were trying so hard to be brave for me, it seemed unfair to them as obviously they are also grieving, you know what I mean...xx
I have Sandra from Corside to thank for my interest in the succulents, I've followed her from the beginning and I'm in their group on FB, think you will remember her..
I was very disappointed when with my roses, last year the flipping drought spoilt them and then this happened, I think we are all in agreement that it was the Sawfly so I'm at war with that particular creature, I read up on them,, lol..
I've promised myself that I'm going to catch up on here so will be about once again, thanks so much Rose I know its hard but hope you are coping as well, ... Take care Sue xx

Hello Julia, it feels good to be back, I was down but not beaten..
I've never had it on roses before but it nearly killed my lovely Viburnham, it won't win, I'm determind to not lose my roses, I have already said to Ange that I'm removing the bulbs from the little rose garden and putting a membrane and granite in place, to do that I'll need to dig out some of the soil, I'll hopefully be killing two birds at the same time. I'll keep you posted.....

Hello K'gran, I've always said I put my world to rights in my garden, can't change things but it certainly helps me and keeps me going as it has in the past when times were tough, naturally it helps that I enjoy it so much..x

Thankyou Klahanie....

Your garden looks lovely and as with you the garden will become my place of solace, yes definitely been a funny year weather wise, and had a few strange things happen. My wisteria flowered the best it has ever, after the flowers the leaves came out as normal then just shrivelled up and dropped off, the branches still feel supple and I am hoping it was just stressed because of the very dry beginning of the year, thinking of getting some wildflower turf for two banks I have out the front as it is just moss and the odd blade of grass

Dont know how I missed this Lincs. I knew we couldn't keep a good woman down. Those sawflies have 'messed with the wrong woman'. Pleased that your break with your brother and sister in law was so restful and helpful for you and yours. My eldest brother is my anchor for me too.

the garden is looking lovely, as usual.

That was good you got away Sue! It does help, doesn't it as I sometimes forget my family are grieving as well.
I went away also to Suffolk with my friend Helen.
It did me good too and actually had a full nights sleep for the first time since I lost Rick.
We always went to Norfolk and Suffolk three times a year, but it felt comforting going to places we had been before.
I don't think I remember Sandra. Did she go on here with another name?
I am pleased you found out it was the saw fly and knowing you, will soon be rid of them.
Take care
Love Rose xxx

Good to see you back on GoY, Lincs! 👍Your garden is a great tribute to your hard work & looks really great! 👍

Sue, your garden is thriving! Colour everywhere, it's a haven for the insects I bet! I do hope you're feeling more like your old self and getting stronger too. Good to hear you had the support of family and friends, Sue.
Thank heavens for gardens..they really do help us. Therapy at its best.
Do take care, sending my best wishes x

It is the best therapy isn’t it?! Being outdoors, touching the earth, soaking up the colours, shapes and growth. Observing the wildlife as it buzzes and flutters and creeps about. Feeling the sun and rain on your body. Healing.

Sorry to be so late in commenting ,Sue, I had read it previously,but one thing and another ? you know how it is sometimes x
I do hope your Roses are recovering from whatever caused their problem, I guess it's just one of those things we don't expect,when you have had them a long time..
Your garden overall is a credit to you,and looks wonderful.I think the rain,and let's face it,we have had more than our fair share this 'summer ' ? ,has really done our gardens good,more so,the shrubs,trees etc,and even not had to water the pots,and other bedding plants as often,so I look on it as one less chore,as like you,I still have plenty of dead heading etc to keep me occupied..

The Ball you had for Derek is going to look beautiful,when it's filled with Succulents, what a great idea..I'm sure he would have approved. .x

Take care,Sue, love,and best wishes. x

Sorry I'm late Sue ... your garden is beautiful !
Can't give advice about roses, I don't know much about them.
Good idea to keep the football, it will look great with succulents in it :)

Thankyou David, (Balcony )its always been my favorite pastime since I was a tiny tot...

Davey its even weirder now, don't know whether we're coming or going, I've been stopped in my tracks by the heat this week, predicted to get even hotter by Sunday and lasting for most of this month, I've moved my Acers back to the edge of the bottom pond thinking it was safe to do and now I'm regretting it, they are very heavy and not easy to move, Grrr!!!....
In the town where I live the verges and grassed areas are gradually being sown with wild flowers, council are sadly lacking in what they care for these days so local people have taken over and do the work themselves, we are alsosowing seeds next month on Dereks grave, received an email to say the ground has settled enough now to do it, they are selling and sowing at the end of October and hopefully by that time we will also be planting his tree......My youngest daughter has wildflower patch this year and its turned out absolutely lovely Davey, reminds me of my childhood, she is trying t coax me to do the same here but I would probably end up with only daisies and dandelions......

Thankyou Kate, I am feeling more like my old self, get lonely obviously but not stressed all the time, mind you the heat has driven me indoors, can't take it like I used to Kate, old age is catching up with me ..xx

It certainly is Karen, I hope you are not getting overwhelmed with all you have to sort out, I would most certainly be a nightmare to live with in your shoes but then I've been here since 1974 so wouldn't know where to start.....

Hi Sandra, I've been driven indoors by the heat, so I'm trying to catch up on here, I always seem to be behind these days, no real changes in my garden this year so haven't written as many blogs, I would only be repeating myself....We could do with some rain now but nothing like last year which I'm thankful for, the roses are perking up at long last , I gave them a good feed with Tomato Feed, I'm going to douche them in a few weeks with my garlic mix, it worked with my viburnam so fingers xx..I get rid of the blighters...
I'm pleased with Dereks Ball, if I can get it through the winter I also have a snail that is carved out of Oasis so will be doing that as well, luckily I have plenty of baby succulents to play with....Take care Sandra x

Sorry Seaburn I nearly missed you out....I won't let those beggars win Eileen, those roses are all special to me, I can't spray them because of the fishpond so I douched instead with my garlic and washing up liquid, then a few days later I fed them with good old Tomato Feed, they are all perking up and producing both new leaves and flowers... I needed those days with Ray and Jane, did me a power of good to get away...x

I'm often behind Hywel but we get there in the end don't we, cant advise on all things but everyone knows who to come to as regards Fuschia's, Cacti and Succulents....
I'm unsure as to whether I will manage to keep the ball going during the winter months, will certainly do my best Hywel, I have figured that as long as I can protect against any bad frost it should be okay, the biggest danger is too much water isn't it, not a worry in the winter, only time will tell, xx....

We had a basket with Snowdrops for Beryl's funeral Sue and I was going to keep it but decided it just added to the clutter already here, and she is always in my heart anyway, so I threw it away xx

Don't mention de-cluttering Hywel, Derek was a worse hoarder than I am, my son Gary sorted the attic and his shed for me but his little room and cupboards are full of computer gear, music collection and all his books and other treasures, I keep giving things away to my family, majority of his tools especially the dangerous ones I gave to Gary, the camera equipment has been shared out but its what to do with the rest, I open a cupboard and then close it again....xx.

I know the feeling Sue. Beryl's niece took what she wanted but the rest is left for me to sort out. I've lost count of the times I've been to the charity shop with a car full of stuff and there's more to take again. I haven't started on the attic yet.

It all takes time Sue, and it's early days for you yet. It's best not to fret over it, just live each day as it comes along. The details don't matter. xx

That's right Hywel, we sorted the important bits xx

:) xx