3: Gardening Diaries ...

[Logan]

Oh dear, you will have to move.You need somewhere it's semi rural, like us.

Yes i do my bit for the birds. Always get goldfinches and sometimes a fleeting visit by the long tail tits.

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Good morning, raining again! And the traffic is already queueing up outside ..

Sightings of goldfinches and long-tailed tits in British gardens soar thanks to rise in bird feeders and last year's warm summer

• Sightings of goldfinches up 11 per cent, with long-tailed tits also up 16 per cent
• More than 420,000 people took part in RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch this year
• But not all birds thrived, with a fall in records of robins, down 12 per cent
  
  I have done my bits!

So did I

Have to say we now have large flocks of LTTits, they use to be quite timid little birds but now aren't!!. Lovely little birds!!

 

[alp]

I would love to be able to feed them the way @johnny canoe does!

Comes summer, I will only have 2 feeders. Now I have 7 or more. They have made a hole in my budget!

Where's spring? How very annoying. Heating and light are on! Normally, I would be out 6am weeding in the front garden and a man would ask me why I got up so early!

 

[Upsy Daisy]

It's so important for people to take part in the Big Birdwatch. It plays such an important role in assessing their health and allows us to take relevant action to provide extra support in areas that report significant demise in their numbers

Another useful and interesting thing to do (and I'm sure @alp would be interested) is to join the BTO . You can take part in volunteer surveys, you choose an area (that will then ' become yours) and log it onto their website map, this could be your own garden , local park etc and then every so often you report back adding any new visitor's to ' your area'. Builds up a truly accurate record of what is happening to our wild birds. My area is my garden and nearby fields.

 

[alp]

I will definitely look into that. I will join only if it doesn't require membership fees. We are now members of only 2 organisations NT and RHS. I must say RHS membership is not half as useful as NT.

Another gripe I have is with NT that some of their places open 11am. We went to several places and had to leave early as we travelled a long way only to find the place open at 11am and time was of essence during holiday. We did that to Chirk Castle, only to find out that they had a beautiful garden looking across the inlet to another land mass. The garden was one of the simplest but best ..

Drove to Rievaulx, Yorkshire and had to leave, thinking the poky little room was not worth wasting an hour for. Came home and saw the interiors and went "Oh, no!"

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Nope totally free as they rely on voluntary help.
@alp pm you!

 

[alp]

Yes, I know. All these helpers and the CEOs earning tons!

Just wish they would all open 9am Except Wednesdays!

Rain and rain and I predict an explosion of slugs and snails ..

 

[Mark56]

At least the weather gives me a good excuse to rest up the points at Wyevale do add up, I think even if you just use the cafe, so sometimes they will send through monthly vouchers which is a plus although £3 won't buy you much there!

Alp and others I also found out the stockist for 9cm perennials at Longacres, it's Barbara Austin and her website lists the GCs & nurseries she supplies to.

http://www.barbaraaustin.co.uk/stockists/

I must find out who they get their 2L from.

 

[alp]

Ah, well done! Now @Mark56 has turned detective, we will have good intelligence. Heavens had sprung a terrible leak and it rained until 2.30pm.

Thank you for the intelligence, Mark! Handy!

This voucher seems to exclude restaurant, not that I will eat there. I think the restaurant did a roaring trade.

Went to B&Q as pensioners' day is on Wednesday. Saw a bicolour camelia and a white one - both covered with 8 buds. Yes, I counted them and checked the stems. A lady came along with her partner and said she saw them last year and didn't buy them. The following trip saw them all gone. She even mentioned that her cuttings failed and this reminded me of @Upsy Daisy !

Barbara Austin has no stockists in Essex!

The asking price £8 and I paid £14.40. Very pleased. Those I bought last year on fleabay had NO buds. Next time, I won't bother!

 

[Logan]

Hubby went to B&Q today, wanted to get rose food and some slow release ericeatous fertilizer for blueberries. There wasn't a good brand of rose food and no ericeatous fertilizer. Have to go to one of the local GC next Tuesday when he can get his discount.

 

[alp]

I stocked up ericaceous feed when they were reduced. I've got about 3 bottles. What is the rose food for? Is it just for rose? I am glad that we have 2 B&Qs and 1 Homebase within 10 minutes' drive.

 

[Logan]

What is the rose food for? Is it just for rose?

Yes it's made for roses.

 

[alp]

I never feed my roses with anything. I might have to have a look. I have tomorite. Can't afford to buy specialist fertilisers!

 

[Logan]

I am glad that we have 2 B&Qs and 1 Homebase within 10 minutes' drive.

No homebase here anymore and B&Q has given up half of its space so they could make room for a Asda store.

 

[alp]

To tell you the truth, I was saddened by how quiet Homebase was today. B&Qs were very busy. Son told me that ToysRUs was closing and things would be reduced to 50p. I told him I wouldn't go as we don't need the stuff and also just the thought of so many people losing their jobs saddened me. So many people losing their livelihoods and we can't even go window shopping. Amazon ethics is not my cup of tea!