Our gardening diaries - from latest toys, flowers to wildlife .. Please upload pics

[Logan]

@alp I've got some lavender seeds from the garden. Do i sow them now,or leave them till spring?

 

[BigC]

Early morning in the park Spring 2017...Today I'm I'm off to a garden centre on the Nth Antrim coast road....should be fun..maybe pick up a bargain you never know have a great day folks....happy gardening.....PS..the sunshine is glorious this fine morn

 

[Zenj]

@BigC
Lovely photos I have the urge for some new plants I was looking at a site called Ballyroberts have some nice plants and postage only £3.99 good selection they are in Ballyclare I wondered if you have heard of them and any good Rgds J

 

[BigC]

Lovely photos I have the urge for some new plants I was looking at a site called Ballyroberts have some nice plants and postage only £3.99 good selection they are in Ballyclare I wondered if you have heard of them and any good Rgds J

Yeah Ballyroberts Gardens is on my route today and is another fine piece of gardening experience but sadly its closed on Sundays...Today we are visiting Creative Gardens once again..(they have great strong plants and always someting unusual (at least to me) I love going to these places to take photos and get ideas for maybe something I can make at home ...They have a wonderful Acer selection, much more than the usual varieties Last season I bought an Acer palmatum 'Beni-Maiko' which cost an arm and a leg but I just couldn't let it go....today I am looking for some alpine rockery plants if still available but you never know.

https://creativegardens.com/donaghadee-1

 

[alp]

@alp I've got some lavender seeds from the garden. Do i sow them now,or leave them till spring?

I wish I had my old electric oven. I'm such a dummy, duped by fad .. got a gas one with a lid which will shut down the system and then I got about the fan assisted bit.. .. I could do more crying me a river emoji!

 

[alp]

Just come back from Lakeside. It's so pretty there with 4 stumps of water and a fountain .. a view to die for. Bought some unibond silicant which is under £3 each. Must be inferior to the £8.80 that I bought from diy store, but I will use it to see how bad it is.

@BigC We might have led you astray.. Spend, spend, spend. I will buy my acer when they are cheap ie. £5 for a 5 year mature acer reduced. I have 3 of them lying around - very pretty. One was £2. Go for diy stores as they have some lovely finely palmated ones. Well, I like those. Lovely park pictures. I also saw someone fishing by the lake, 3 rods and nothing for show. Can't really eat the stuff as they would be so muddy.

Nice to see a bit of wildlife here.. and I think @zenji will agree.. so will @johnny canoe .. missing his squabbling woodpeckers.. Funny thing is that they do squabble - they might be using their AI language, but you can tell one of them is not happy ..

@Logan I might hunt for my pastry. Got to go to the shop.

 

[Logan]

I don't know anything about fan assisted ovens. Have you still got the instructions.

 

[alp]

Don't worry, trial and errors and I will find a way. Thank you so much, @Logan !

 

[alp]

This dahlia has now 3 flowers

I must have been overcome with something when I ordered it. Hehe!

£1 here! Oh, dear! Next year, I will buy them fresh. Astrantia primadonna

First tomatoes either gardeners' delight or sugardrop

Not the biggest of my marrow

 

[Logan]

@alp dahlia flowers look great. Don't know about the astrantias, tomatoes are yummy and the marrow are you sure it's not a cougette got too big? Can leave them until their bigger.

 

[alp]

@Logan The biggest one was consumed days ago and two given to ex to take home and I also gave him a spaghetti squash. Was trying to weigh it, but the scale said EEEEE .. error as it was too big. Don't really like the dahlias.. Everything seems to be so slow this year.

 

[Logan]

@alp that's great. You'll have to get some new scales.

 

[alp]

Just watched Carol Klein's clematis clip. Very useful .. Adam Frost's getting a bit boring now. Love the view of that garden though..Perhaps, I should start buying premium bonds..

 

[BigC]

Well a little bit of an anti climax todays outing to 2 garden centres became...dont get me wrong they were pretty decent as they had coffee shops and other paraphernalia but not just what I wanted (bad timing) so I only came away with a new pot for the Acer in the pergola, a cheapo Laverder and some black polished pebbles which I intend to drill to make a nice Rain-Chain..I did get a few ideas for garden furniture though (when I find the time) I hope everyone's day went as planned...Interesting to note that some plants in the garden centres on the mainland were flourishing whereas here they are past their peak...I suppose vice versa would also be the case too...
Anyway I have enough projects to see me through this next week i.e Sauces and the Rainchain to name but two. hahaha. Just had a lovely ham baguette with veg from the garden (My Lettuce has lasted really well this season and is still going strong).

Afternoon in the Hothouse...Loving my Lettuce this year

and this Bad Boy has eventually decided he doesnt suit green

and I might just make something like this distressed dresser ... Could make a nice potted herb display

But for now I think I need this...yes yes...really do need this

 

[alp]

Lovely lettuce .. I feel so shamed looking at your vegs... That's a big beefsteak tomatoes. I have the feeling that the tomatoes this year won't be any good. I mean mine as they are outdoors and the skins will be tough .. Might bring some indoors. Nice vegs .. @BigC Don't thin you need that chair - too short .. where are you going to put your legs?!