What did you do in your garden today?

[Logan]

Planted some more hyacinths in between the others and more polyanthus.

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Sowed yet more seeds...rained most of the day here

 

[Sean Regan]

If it's not wet I've another job to do tomorrow

This is one of the troughs we have either side of the tea-house steps, well it was like this in 2012 when we bought them. They were only made of cheap pine, so I painted them with Dulux Woodsheen

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Now, six years on, despite more coats of Woodsheen you can see that the right hand side of this trough is lower.

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When I checked the base panel, which I covered with plastic to protect it, so any water would run out through the holes in each corner, I found that it was rotting away. The pots sit on big saucers.
So I'm going to remove the base and screw two "2 X 1" wooden bearers lengthways along the bottom. I did have blocks under the base to keep the feet off the path, so I'll re-use those. I'll do it for both troughs. They just need a bit of a clean up. So they'll be fine.
The saucers can sit on the bearers. I use saucers as they will retain a bit of water in the summer. The big overhang of the tea-house roof, means the run-off of the rain, misses them. Without a solid base, a bit of air can get under them.

Not a lot to show for a morning's work.... Well...Didn't start until eleven and finished by half twelve.

But at least it's done. I did both troughs, I was able to kick the bottom out of the second one, so it was well on its way to dropping out.
Two 2" X 1" tanalised rails with two cross pieces for feet did the job, plus a bit of wipe over with a damp cloth.

I don't mind if we get the predicted rain this afternoon.

You can just see on the right the end of "The Alley of Shame." Where non-performers or out of season plants go. They either recover or go in the green bin after being given a chance. There's eight down there.

Went out this afternoon to a different garden centre. Parkers at Flixton.
Really only wanted a couple of hebes.
Bought these two, to replace one of those that died in the really cold spell a few weeks back.
They are a bit smaller than those we bought from Wyevale, but half the price!

We also bought this Sinensis Alba Wisteria.

We had this one (photographed in 2004) bought about fifteen years previously from Bridgemere. But it died of honey fungus or something similar.

We couldn't get another white one at the time as no one seemed to have any locally, so we settled for this. They do grow like weeds.

Anyway, when I got to the checkout I said that "it wasn't doing much, the buds are only just starting to show, when those of ours at home were quite big and if it doesn't perform within three weeks I will be coming back for a refund." This didn't go down too well with the girl on the till, so she called for the manager, for "a decision."
We had a pleasant chat and he agreed to my conditions, (well, fifty quid is fifty quid).

We also changed the Peace Lilies in our "hanging baskets" in the hall. The old ones were getting very woody and far too big.

Got it all sorted before the rain.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I trimmed up around the yard and added to a pile for the chipper. Glad I bought a new blade.

 

[Silentrunning]

I planted 4 heirloom tomato plants and a six pack of purple cabbage. We had 1/2 inch of rain overnight so it was perfect soil conditions.

 

[JamieB]

Yesterday, I started prepping to solerize. Watered the ground well, saturated where the crap trees were so I could bust them out, got most of them, but it was getting late, so I’ll finish my next day off. I did get one of the pieces of plastic down, pinned with rock and planters. Got a bunch of things replanted, my tulips were going brown, I guess they didn’t like the compost mix. Went down to the tree line where some trees were cleared, hauled back enough soil to fill a large wading pool to put plants in.

 

[Logan]

Replaced 2 lavenders planted hyacinths and polyanthus.

 

[Logan]

Put a lot of the little plants in the greenhouse,weeded all the blueberry pots and gave them a ericeatous feed.

 

[JamieB]

So I’d bought a tomato from the store about a week back, didn’t get around to using it, to discover it was growing green tentacles. The seeds were sprouting inside it! Flesh was still firm, but they were growing. So I split it open, put it in a pot, added just a bit of dirt on top, I’ll see what I get. Once they are bigger, I’ll thin them out. Another frost expected tonight, so my plans for a garden may end up starting with just a container garden. Doable, but not ideal.

 

[alp]

Dug some new ground and removed all the compost bins and exposed the contents to the elements. Some two buds in my irises and rushed to water all the others. Move a tomato greenhouse to a shaded area. Now sitting down to chill to regain my sanity!

Last week there was nothing on this acer. How amazing heat and sunshine are!

 

[Logan]

Yes it's surprising how fast things start to grow.

 

[alp]

Yes it's surprising how fast things start to grow.

And how I'm sweating one day and freezing the other! But then don't complain. Bet some of our US contingent are still hovering round 0c. Know that @johnny canoe is basking in double digit. It's surely is warm as a fly is now buzzing in my living room!

 

[Logan]

Planted some more parsnips, should finish them tomorrow. Didn't want to do any this afternoon.
In this country it's cold or hot, nothing in between.

 

[Sean Regan]

Weeded the rockery, why is it grass will grow anywhere but where you want it to?

Sorted out the new clematis, spread out the different branches, rather than let them strangle each other. Here's a couple, we've over a dozen around the garden half new half established.

The wisteria we bought on Sunday, that I thought might not do anything, is showing signs of life. They were hidden behind a rack of plants in the garden centre up against a fence. But it's in full sun up against the garage wall so that's obviously helping.

Opened up the tea house door as it was very hot in there. Over 70F. Must remember to close it tonight.
I've put the lamps I use as heaters in my jukeboxes on their timer, so they are off for most of the day.
I've opened the vent in the roof. It's just a heavy "box lid." The vent bit is two halves of an old dishwasher cutlery tray, fixed to a bit of 3" X 2" so air can get out and pests can't get in during the night.
There are two air vents with insect screens in the bottom of the back wall of the building. I've removed the polystyrene covers I put over them during the winter.

If it gets really hot I can turn this on too. I installed it last year so I could reduce the heat in there without opening the door and so let the curious fox cubs who lived under the building get in.
A week after I put it in they left home!

Our two troughs of three new hebes either side of the tea-house steps are almost ready to bloom.

Gave the paths and patios another dose of "Wet n' Forget." The first application did seem to get the grout between the crazy York stone blocks cleaner. But York stone's a bit porous, so it made no impression on it. I'll give it a couple of weeks, but if it isn't working, I'll do what a was going to do, jet wash it as usual.

Just a bit of warm weather and sun has brought on our acer palmatums in leaps and bounds.

I've dragged this Conference pear in its big tub to the edge of the small patio so my wife can see the blossom from the French windows. Glad to say the bees have found it.

These are our azaleas in the side bed next to our patio. There must be over dozen in there and they seem to "thrive on neglect." Lots of buds as usual.

 

[alp]

Weeded the rockery, why is it grass will grow anywhere but where you want it to?

Sorted out the new clematis, spread out the different branches, rather than let them strangle each other. Here's a couple, we've over a dozen around the garden half new half established.


View attachment 35398


View attachment 35400


The wisteria we bought on Sunday, that I thought might not do anything, is showing signs of life. They were hidden behind a rack of plants in the garden centre up against a fence. But it's in full sun up against the garage wall so that's obviously helping.

Opened up the tea house door as it was very hot in there. Over 70F. Must remember to close it tonight.
I've put the lamps I use as heaters in my jukeboxes on their timer, so they are off for most of the day.
I've opened the vent in the roof. It's just a heavy "box lid." The vent bit is two halves of an old dishwasher cutlery tray, fixed to a bit of 3" X 2" so air can get out and pests can't get in during the night.
There are two air vents with insect screens in the bottom of the back wall of the building. I've removed the polystyrene covers I put over them during the winter.

View attachment 35391


View attachment 35392

If it gets really hot I can turn this on too. I installed it last year so I could reduce the heat in there without opening the door and so let the curious fox cubs who lived under the building get in.
A week after I put it in they left home!

View attachment 35401

Our two troughs of three new hebes either side of the tea-house steps are almost ready to bloom.
View attachment 35394


Gave the paths and patios another dose of "Wet n' Forget." The first application did seem to get the grout between the crazy York stone blocks cleaner. But York stone's a bit porous, so it made no impression on it. I'll give it a couple of weeks, but if it isn't working, I'll do what a was going to do, jet wash it as usual.

Just a bit of warm weather and sun has brought on our acer palmatums in leaps and bounds.

View attachment 35393




View attachment 35395

I've dragged this Conference pear in its big tub to the edge of the small patio so my wife can see the blossom from the French windows. Glad to say the bees have found it.

View attachment 35397


These are our azaleas in the side bed next to our patio. There must be over dozen in there and they seem to "thrive on neglect." Lots of buds as usual.

View attachment 35399

Yes, suddenly the bits of green have become leaves and it's amazing how cold it was last week 5c and now 27c and everything seems to be teeming with life, gifting us great expectations!