Magazine style - all inclusive

[alp]

Finally, I sowed the lobelia seeds. Today, it's the turn of aubretia, helenium, helianthemum ...

I need to dig up some dahlia so that I can take cuttings.

Hopefully, the weather is turning warmer.

Roads were much quieter yesterday and we went shopping.

Hens laid 5 eggs yesterday. A record. I gave them such a lot to eat. But it has been so cold. I gave him cooked spuds, carrots, sprouts and they soon looked up at me, wanting something else; I fed them shop bought chicken pellets, and they looked up at me soon after one go. I then realised that they want mealworms. Anyway, as it being so cold, I gave them a treat every day. Not much, but I hope they are happy. Whenever I chopped the vegs, I think the hens would appreciate my sacrifice. I reckon my right arm is now bigger than the left one due to these daily chopping business. Well, I might be wrong. Appreciation is hard to come buy. At least, they have something nice and warm to eat every morning.

Son doesn't have to go in today, but still a long day's work at home. Now that ice has eased off a bit, it's not so worrying for me. He still has to go in the rest of the week.

It's shocking that we are nearly on the anniversary of the lockdown! Bonnett gc is not open. A lovely place, and it's a shame that we can't just pop in and get some Kings seeds. It used to be one of my weekend treats.

 

[Zenj]

Morning all a lot milder today ,went for our local walk yesterday and the roads were very busy apparently here in the ne the beaches and country parks were very busy people are just travelling where they want and doing as they please they need to close the parking areas and clamp down .

 

[alp]

Yes, much milder, but there might be another beast from the east later this month. Beaches were full of people yesterday, according to papers. Those travelling far were naughty. Now, they are talking about letting us peasants out once a week?! Imagine that!?

Rewatching some Beechgrove to pick up some veg and fruit tips. Quite enjoyable! Time to feed my babies again.

 

[Perki]

Its been raining today and melted the snow finally

. I've tidied GH yesterday cut back the fuchsias and bashed them around to remove the leaves , brushed all the staging down shelfs and trays, pulled out all my pots to give the GH a good clean up . I've set my little grow light up in the house for my little begonia seedling last night, I might go and sow some more seeds today but its rather dull and miserable outside.

 

[alp]

I woke up so late as the air was so cold. Normally, I heard the central heating groan and moan, but not today.

We're raining too, but it is predicted to be bright.

Dug up tons of strawberries and put them in 4 hanging baskets and 3 tubs. Will bring some in so they fruit early, especially now they are talking of 3m social distancing! More alfalfa, cress seeds and I have already planted the carrot tops. Some parsnip tops are already showing green. Going to dig the grape vine and plant it where there is more proper soil. Really fancy my chance of seeing grapes.

 

[alp]

Just had a look at the weather report! Oh, dear! Wet, wet, wet and cold, cold, cold!

One big consolation: crackling pork is being cooked in the oven! Nothing to complain about! LOL!

Snow for you, Zenj! Time to cuddle your better half! LOL!

 

[alp]

Tidied up all the Salvia Amistad cuttings. They sat outside in a cold frame and it's like 2 months and yet most of them had not rooted. Last night, I turned on the propagator and hopefully, my Green Twister Echinaceas will grow a bit more. They germinated and then sulked and stared at me. I hate stuff staring at me, doing nothing. Anyway, I might turn up the radiator in the small bedroom to warm my babies. I still have credit in my gas payment. I wish I could talk to my irises to make them flower this year. Not likely. They were dry like fossils when delivered. I just hope they don't all turn out to be Indian Chiefs!

Two months after I had received the Cayeux irises, I found a letter saying that the French region suffered raging drought and they had changed some of the stuff I ordered. I could ask for a refund. I emailed them and no response. And then I complained on Facebook. A staff member said M. Cayeux would contact me. Then it was Christmas. Of course, I have had no news from M. Cayeux. I just keep watering all my irises and hope for the best. I must check and check to see if any more deliveries have hidden surprises like this. My impulse is to open the stuff and plant it and that's why I missed the letter.

Lovely weather!

Can't even go out to dig up any of my lovely dahlias. Hope my lovely Alauna Clair-Obscur will still be alive after this funny stretches of wet and cold. I have shown some Rejman's Firecracker seeds. Think I should sow some Fancy Pants as well. Reckon it's snowy in NE and rainy in Lancashire! I remember my trip to Cumbria: It was lovely, but it rained so badly. Watched a documentary about The Magic of Mushrooms and found out that Beatrix Potter was also a mycologist - someone trained in the study of mushrooms. We visited her house and it was very busy with visitors. We had to drive round and round to find a parking space. Amazing woman and amazing legacy she has given to the nation: books, illustrations, ethos and lands.

 

[Perki]

woops write this out last night just didn't post it .

Nice day today ( well yesterday really ) the sun took a bit of the chill off , I ripped up the rest of my mums decking today. I cleaned the outside of the GH which surprisingly wasn't that dirty cause its all inside instead which I may tackle tomorrow while its raining or snowing . Its cold outside now freezing in fact I like a late night stroll nice and quite and I can hear my music without the traffic . I wonder if my seeds will turn up today ordered most of my bedding plants got quite a few different petunias this year and restocked on lobelia and others.

 

[Perki]

My seeds have turned up and its is raining

 

[alp]

Well! My seeds have turned up as well. The whole day has been drizzling and I stood outside for hours - from 1 to 4.30 and I was dripping with rain water. Dug up 3 or 4 dahlias and found my Iris Cats eye had become mash. Very annoyed. Couldn't find my green peony. Primavera. Very annoyed.

Now I am watching Levens Hall. Guys, you must watch it. It's brilliant. Aerial views of places I had missed.

And a beautiful mutant digitalis

Gardens Near and Far episode 35 – Levens Hall - HDclump

Gardens Near and Far episode 35: Levens Hall's garden was laid out in the 17th century by a French designer, Guillaume Beaumont, who trained at Versailles.

hdclump.com

 

[Perki]

I've been wanting to take a visit to levens hall a good ride out as well through the Trough of Bowland , you had to book a appointment to visit last year which isn't ideal when you are depending on the weather. I am quite critical on hedge cutting as well I don't really like odd shapes if it round / square it should be that shape for example. I cleaned the inside of my GH this afternoon bit cold on the hands but at least its done.

I forgot to show you my almost finish wardrobe just need something for the shoe stand . I think I've done a reasonably good job for a first attempt . I am getting quite good now with the Vinyl wrapping , I wrapped some drawers today and I've ordered some more to do a bedside table which I've been painting this evening.

 

[Perki]

Interesting watch on the Levens hall explains why the shapes are a bit odd , still topiary isn't a natural thing but a manmade thing about structure and shape, well that how I see topiary .

 

[alp]

Perki: That's quite good a wardrobe. But Perki, you're still a millenial. Try to use white doors next time. They look so much more contemporary and stay so for years to come. That colour belongs to your dad's era. I would go for white myself. At least, it reflects light onto my plants! Otherwise, it's a brilliant job! You can come and do mine. We need to have some done.

I love Levens Hall, a bit fuddy tuddy! But hey, it's a 400 years' old garden. I wouldn't want to work on the topiary though. Imagine all of them have to look nice when visitors are to be allowed in. Such a lot of hard work. We never managed to see the herbaceous border. I love those borrowed landscapes though. Nowadays, a drone on an iPhone can allow you such a nice aerial view. We are so lucky to be alive at this time. A click of a switch, a cup of heart-warming tea is ready. I remember when I was young, I had to lug two bails of water from the mains back to the house and by the time I was home, half of the water was gone watering the path I laboured on. We had to wash our clothes by hand. We really should always remember our blessings.

Well, it looked good, but the skin was still teeth cracking!

This tub of Salvia Paten Blue Angel cuttings looked diabolical and I was in the process of chucking the moudly cuttings until I saw light or green! Well chuffed. Very difficult to take these cuttings to take.

Not bad as I think I have 3 which took.

This hellebore actually looked up at me! Wow!

This green is so serene. So beautiful!

I have counted about 5 yellow ones.

I love this Spring Promise series. They are early and full of blooms - Lily acquired a deeper colour in its veins and looked so much more striking in the dark!

Don't you just love hellebores? They can be so radically diferent!

 

[Perki]

Afternoon its snowing again wet snow that turns mushy on hard surfaces.

I am not one for white well not white furniture it to common now , one of my friends did mostly white downstairs white walls ceiling and carpets not for me . Used to have white drawers / wardrobes when I was much younger hated them then. Took me a while to come round to white flowers , not that I didn't like them but how easy they spoil, I use white to mix with the pastel colours but also to transition from a hot colour to more calming / cool colour without having complementary colours mixing, white more a less goes with everything not a fan of it with yellow though.

A while back I wasn't keen on hellebores either my mum had a very large plant at her last house years ago , thought it were a ghastly thing with muddy purple colour single flowers with huge leaves covered inblack spotted . Since them the range hellebores are incredible which makes them desirable for everybody.

I wouldn't mind the gardens at levens hall don't think I'd fancy doing the large hedge in the middle though, the height of hedges aren't to much of a problem now but the width can be problem. Used to do a large hedge before they moved it were about 12 - 15ft tall but 12 -15ft wide in places , had to carry a large sheet of wood up the ladder and put it on top of the hedge to sit on while I worked my way across, I don't miss doing that hedge or doing the 25ft tall hedge next to it thought that hedge were going to see me off a few times.

I were on about tv to my dad the other day he said when he was younger you had to put money into the back of the TV to watch it seems a bit bizarre now compared to tvs now, I weren't sure if he were pulling my leg at first.

 

[alp]

Your dad was pulling your leg. Perhaps, someone had to pay for lecy so that the box could be powered. I'm so pleased that I have a smart TV. Before, when I didn't pay TV licence, I never watched it, not knowing that you could catch up on all other channels. Now it's a bliss. I have never watched so much TV since last year and they were good TV as well. Shame I had exhausted all true crime series. Well, not exactly, but Discoveryplus is now charging. I was so desperate that I tried Adult Material. 2 minutes into it, I found I couldn't stomach it. So I had to watch Food Unwrapped. It was a very good series. I never knew that Israel was so advanced and organised in their farming. The way they recycle human waste was amazing. A very efficient country.

I never like beige either. White shows up dirt, but coming from a hot and bright city, I prefer white as it reflects more light. The incessant rain really was boring. I didn't sow anything. The biggest propagator was taken upstairs and it scratched the WHITE walls! LOL! The garden was flooded, again!

Hurrah! At least, heavens will stop crying today! No more new water to feed the flood.

This is a Spring Series and it seems to be Spring Series bloom very early, as evidenced by the blooming Lily!

Theoretically, I should destroy this Anja Oudolf, but I bought it with the virus. I still love it, virus or not. I blame the heat and the aphids. Nasty things which go everywhere, cold or hot!

Think I broke one of tepals. Never mind! I think this is the 2nd of this snowdrop.

Today's sowing: Ariane asparagus, chilli, aubergine, more of the carrot tops I have kept from chopping food for chickens. I had 4 eggs at least every day, out of 6 hens! Friend up the road bought them for her food catering friend. 10p an egg. Not enough to pay for feed; but I do remember how I panicked when I had too many of them. I must have a more powerful right arm and hand, with all this chopping! I feel nice when they have a warm meal in this cold.