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

[Logan]

I'm glad i don't have to bother with insurances.
Hubby does all of that.
Was going to tydy the blackberries, but it's all wet from last night.
Have to make some more Christmas puddings, might start on them.

 

[alp]

I don't mind doing that. I have learned a lot and there is NOBODY to clamp my style..

Christmas pudding - Gosh, you're forward thinking, @Logan Key to marital happiness!

 

[Logan]

@alp these things have to be. I don't like leaving things to last minute. Got the turkey and gateau. Christmas cake is done, only got to ice it the day before Christmas Eve. Getting the sausages in freezer for the stuffing. Got sage in garden for it. Got the chocolates. Sweet mincemeat for the pies.

 

[Verdun]

Morning folks...early riser too. Been up for 3 hours
Dry, mist clearing and sun emerging. Far cry from the other side of the pond where another hurricane is doing its worst. Feel for those battered yet again

 

[alp]

Cor, blimey, no wonder Christmas music starts earlier and earlier .. Gateau ready already!

Yeah, good morning, @Verdun . Yes, more flattening on the way. Quite sad for those involved. Mind you, we have our fair share coming our way. After Aileen, there are 5 more to batter us, so sit and hold TIGHT!

Been up 3 hours, what have you been doing? 3 hours is a long time. I was glad that I got up at 6.30 as I discovered the dishwasher tablet was in the wrong place and started a proper wash straight away.

 

[Verdun]

Pure speculation alp. Nothing but that. We will have storms of course but .....
Of course,3 hours. You dont doubt me now do you? Would I lie to you? Ha ha

 

[Logan]

I'm making 5 Christmas puds, got to cut out 3 circles of greeseproof paper for each. With this plate as a guide. Cover with foil and cook in pressure cooker.

Then when they're cooked got to replace the paper with fresh pieces. When cold cover with clingfilm.

 

[alp]

Pure speculation alp. Nothing but that. We will have storms of course but .....
Of course,3 hours. You dont doubt me now do you? Would I lie to you? Ha ha

I must say, I was taken by surprise that suddenly, we had a storm called Aileen and thousands of people without electricity because of that. I watched weather reports every day and yet bang, Aileen came and knock the kilter out of people's lives. I couldn't afford to ignore the speculation. But you when people complain of cold and rain in winter, someone humorously replied that THIS IS CALLED WINTER! Boy, wasn't he right?

Wonder what gardening work you've been doing in those THREEE hours, hehe! Normally, it takes me an hour to water the garden in the morning and that's a looong time! Hehe!

 

[alp]

Coming in for lunch and I have removed the zoom and see if there is an improvement on the camera

Not the best

Got some new dahlias so please have a look here if you have time:

https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/darling-dahlias.12459/page-2

 

[Logan]

@alp they look great.
Been tydying up the blackberries this afternoon, it's so warm, just like Autumn.
The rose is beautiful.

 

[alp]

Thank you so much, @Logan

I have been dividing and planting some more irises and hellebores. Then rescuing some more streptocarpus. I had some in an inch of water and they look very healthy. Those without that water looked like dying. Brought in my two remaining Birds of Paradise. Repotted 5 trays of hibiscuses. I'm going to have a hibiscus farm!

Now I am ravenous. Just play Euro Million - £2.50 a go.. I won't do that again. No more 25p game, and I played 2 x £1 games and of course, I lost. Also, repotted some salvia seedlings.

 

[BigC]

Good Morning All.....Gosh its Dark

 

[Logan]

Morning all

 

[MaryMary]

Good morning, everybody!!

Chelsea Chop is when mid to late summer perennials like heleniums, taller sedums, phlox and others are trimmed back in late spring. ,"chelsea" because the timing is, give or take, when Chelsea Flower Show is on . This slightly delays flowering but produces much sturdier self supporting growth

Ah, ok!! Thank you! I chop my phlox after the first bloom, and they bloom again!

Can all (or most?) perennials be cut back like that?

Mischevous MaryMary yanking my chain,

It's in my nature, I can't help myself.
Surely you've figured that from my user-name?

Among the Chinese, they call them scallop squash. ...(snip)... I call it Green and white speckled squash ...

I googled scallop squash, and it came back with Patty Pan squash.

I think you should call them "Snowflake squash." That's what they look like.

 

[Logan]

@MaryMary Morning. it's before they flower you give them the Chelsea chop.