Stream bank at the end of July.

Aww Spritz, I just love this!. Just beautiful ..... I'm turning green with envy, my brook banks are wild, at the moment - watch this space.

wow beautiful

exactly eileen, wow its beautifull

Thanks! Dawn - good luck with yours!

Spritz - does the stream run through your garden? What I mean is, can you plant both sides, if you know what I mean. Our's acts as the old parish boundary between our village and the next one.

Yes, it does, Dawn, but one side is a stone wall - it is covered with Virginia Creeper, but there's no bank there. Then the stream dives under a wide bridge, and after that I have another small area of planted bank...the other side is again a stone wall.

How wonderful Spritz. The opposite side of our brook is overgrown and beyond that fields but it is not maintained. It probably meanders for 100m along our boundary so quite a length to maintain by me. I'll battle on :-(

I haven't measured ours...I should!
Have you tried growing Loosestrife from seed? It germinated Soooo easily!

Funnily enough, I have grown Loosestrife from seed this year and I've set the plants around the pond, I must try some more along the brook but at the moment its all grass, nettles, weeds .... I need to retire Spritz ......

How amazing and the low growing conifer just sets it off wonderful

Absolutely glorious Spritz. Wonderful, peaceful spot.

:-) I do know how lucky we are to have this in the garden!

I'm sure you do Spritz and the way you keep your beautiful garden is a credit to you and an inspiration to us all. The stream and all of your garden couldn't be in better hands.

And so say all of us.

Toto's right Spritz - you and your garden are a real inspiration - in fact, you've inspired me to get in by brook this afternoon, in the rain, in my waders, clearing the banks.

You are just as mad as the rest of us, Dawn! I wonder how far you've got??

:-) Thanks for the lovely comments!

agree with all the above..a beautiful spot...........

Well .... my gloves were filled with water, my waders kept getting stuck in the silt, the stinging nettles, dog roses and hawthorn were nasty and those holes in the side of the bank gave me the creeps but I battled on :-(
Lots of clearing up to be done again now before I continue.

It's great to hear of a woman doing some work aye Bonkers? Just wish I could have been there to watch.

Its like water off a ducks back Toto!
How was your weekend - a restricted one?!

Yes Toto..a rare spectacle for sure.The tickets would have cost a fortune ! Lol

You can both come in for free if you want to come along and help me - or maybe it would be a bit hard going for you.

More of a spectator sport Dawn methinks !

Well, I say 'Well Done', Dawn! It sounds like a great start! :-) I'd help - only I'd need waders, by the sound of it, rather than my wellies! Have you got a spare pair?

Perhaps we could start a book on how many times she falls in Bonkers.

Thank you Spritz - these men are all talk and no action, lol.
I need to set a hedge on the other side of the brook in the autumn so that will have to be done standing in the brook and the brook is at the bottom of a bank like yours, so not an easy job but I'll carry on.

I'm sure I could get you some waders Spritz in exchange for your help and expert knowledge. I see the men havent offered to put their waders on.
Toto: I think your book may have a few entries going on past events.

I'm always sliding down the bank, Dawn! So far, only one foot has ended up wet - but to weed the bottom part, I have to stand in the stream. Henry enjoys that bit - he dashes up and down, and I get soaked!

Good idea Toto ! Dawn..always wading into deep water with you women ! Lol

What a sight we must be Spritz, as we slide down the bank, ha ha. Your stream looks stoney on the bottom - its lovely. Our banks are silty and tend to collapse into the brook, so when you put your foot in you sink right in.

Cameras ars called for.

Not allowed when I'm sliding un-gracefully down the bank on my btm. LOL.

No cameras allowed!

Have you got a long lens Bonkers?

Uh-oh! Trouble ahead!

Yes have long lens but not sure will stretch that far from Yorkshire Toto !

GOOD!!! (or thank goodness) lol.

Oh...just a minute Toto..we could try a satellite link ! Lol..Or you could "Bug" them !!!

I know some good bugs. And we could try Google Earth. Think I prefer the sneaky approach though. If your fighting women you need to adopt their tactics.

Ha ha ha. Dont know what to say .... you just make me laugh!!

I reckon we just give up and let them play, don't you, Dawn?

You won't be so cocky when your pics appear in the Suday Sport. What about that eh! Bonkers?

I agree Spritz.
Toto: Sunday Sport?? What do you think our garden attire is - bikinis?? Or is your imagination running away with you - well I'm speaking for myself, not sure what Spritz wears whilst gardening, lol.

Imagination is a wonderful thing Dawn. That's all I have left now.

Think you need to review that reading material in your shed Toto !Lol

The mind boggles - I cant imagine what's in that famous shed, sunday sport, restrictive 'things', lol.
Toto: I hope you've behaved this weekend and that the male nurse has been good to you.

My gardening attire is very respectable, apart from the hole in one knee of my jeans. I did that falling down the bank! lol.

I didn't laugh at the time, mind you. :-(

Ripped jeans are very trendy Spritz. Falling down the bank has its advantages, lol.

Me, trendy? LOL. LOL again!

Well you are now in your ripped, designer jeans, lol.

Not ripped, just a hole, Dawn! I am not going THAT far! I should imagine that rips make jeans very uncomfortable to walk about in!

I'll let you know as mine will probably end up ripped at this rate - going to don my waders now - in the brook I'm going again.

Good luck! :-)

Well Spritz, after all that banter last night with the boys, I'm so pleased no-one was here with a camera. I slipped on the bank trying to exit the brook and fell in, landing on my backside - all I can say is, thank goodness the waders were on as they come up to my chest. Just wet my back a little, lol

Is that under or over the chest Dawn.

Calm down Toto - sort of mid chest, lol

Ah! a teaser.

Yes, picture this ... nothing on, except waders, lol. Nah, too cold for that!

Anyway, I'm more concerned about my toms at the mo, put a question up and everyone is saying they have blight :-((((

Sorry to disappoint Dawn but my toms are lovely with no disease whatsoever.
Bonkers, where are you. I am being mercilessly teased by one of them women. At this rate I'm going to need another cold shower and some of that stuff the nice nurse puts in my tea.

Pleased you are disease free Toto. Nice to hear.

Thanks Dawn. I am glad to say that I have a lovely crop of nice tomato's this year. I have only had one with blossom end rot. It's such a shame that after all the anticipation of a nice crop, you end up with little or nothing at all. All I can do is to wish you better luck for next year.

Now now Toto...been caught like that myself.They seem to sense when you are out there on your own,and they "get stuck in " !Lol

Thanks Toto - its nice to see your considerate side, lol.

Oh dear! I've let the side down again. Oh well never mind. I arrived home from work tonight and as usual went to the greenhouse to check on the toms and chillis. I don't mean to boast but two of my toms had actually broken their stems under the weight of the fruit.

Toto...thats naughty ~

Sorry Bonkers.

Thats okay Toto...only Ive spotted it just before Dawn and dont want to see you mercilessly teased two nights in a row my friend !!!

Thanks Bonkers. They were not nice to me yeaterday so I told my nurse. He said he would sort them out.

Good !

I'm back, guys, from an enforced absence due to the telephone line breaking...now you'll have to behave, won't they Dawn?

Have you recovered from your cold dip? I'll try not to laugh.. (hehe)..sorry, couldn't help a little chuckle!

Wondered where you were Spritz - just when I needed your support, lol. Yes, watch out Toto and BB, she's back!. Go on, you can laugh at my expense - it was inevitable I suppose.

Sorry I wasn't online as back-up... I was really frustrated at the delay in mending the telephone line - especially as it was such a nasty day yesterday...I needed to have chats!

We've had a sunny afternoon - how about you? Got lots done outside!

Spritz....Jane here.Sent you a pm ....

Pleased you saw the sun Spritz - been a bit like April showers here, on and off all day - nothing done in the garden again today - it will be like a wilderness at this rate.

Dawn...we had a storm this afternoon with hailstones.What has happened to our "hot,barbeque " summer ? Plus you were right...August set to be more of the same...unsettled !

Same here Jane, thunder and hail at midday. Do you remember when we had the snow (how could you forget) and we were all looking forward to a hot summer as we were due one .... well ...

Hm...feel sorry for the people who decided to holiday in Britain because of the credit crunch.What a disappointment for them...let alone us...just wanting to get out in the fresh air ! Grrr !

I feel for them too :-( I'd rather be at home to be honest.

We too !