Botanical blunderings on a budget - good life starts here.

Greying_Pilgrim

Morning All!

I'm currently beginning to gather seed from the foxgloves at the allotment, they are from some original Foxglove 'Alba' seed that I had - saved and transplanted/grew on IYSWIM. Does anyone want any? The white version of foxgloves really are quite nice imho, some are more or less completely white, whilst others have claret red spots in their 'throat'. Either way up, the bees go mad for them.

As it's fresh seed, you can start it off now, and fingers crossed you'll have dreamy foxy spires in about 18months. The only reservation I have about offering this seed is if you have littlies in your household, you need to be aware foxgloves are toxic, and not necessarily the best choice for a family friendly garden - I think I'm right in saying that - if our botanical experts know different, please say, you'll put my mind at rest.

Also, I might have some borage (officianalis) seed (if I can 'capture' it!!! :rotfl:) and some calendula (mostly orange, but might include the odd yellow too) seed soon too.

Hope all have a good day and a great weekend.

Greying

Pippilongstocking

Hello all

Not much to report from me, busy with visitors and the garden (I got 3 1/2 tonnes gravel delivered yesterday and have been madly spreading it)

In office today - did a bit of batch cooking this morning
Made another set of syrup for elderflower cordial - making more thank you squizz must take some photos!
Bagged up extra chicken and froze it
Watered polytunnel at work and wrote diary for when chap away
Planning an adventure with OH for a weekend on the mainland

Need to collect seeds too, well reminded Greying foxgloves are indeed poisionous in a family garden I'd be cautious and perhaps put them at the back of the border great site I use for plant information is this one linked to fox glove

HERE


Borage does go 'boing' doesn't it? I'd love either if you've any spare, but one day being able to send you postage would be nice!

Loving all this car chat I managed to soak the little tot in the sea yesterday, everyone likes a paddle don't they, problem is she's a very 'vigourous' paddler - lol - don't think her mum was overly impressed by how deep we were going! But, we didn't drown, although we did get very wet. Whoops, earned extra points today by making the tiddlers clothes all dry and clean again

Milk, we do get deliveries here - about 8 ish - hello dragon, peedie says woof, he's in the office with me today (no one here)

Squizz I have all food genes except sweet

Maty that sounded ace! Cheri and LT I'm afraid you'd disown me, I still often go 'outdoors' saves a flush!

There you are but I'm very feral.

Tonight - meal out with OH and guys as everyones going tomorrow - then quick clean of beds and rooms and Keiss will be with us on Monday

I've also got seeds to collect here - scots lovage (anyone want any?), a short form of island angelica (not recognised as a seperate species, I've tried and asked - but only gets about 3 ft tall.) and sweet cicley..................let me know!

Elderflowers still flowering away here so I'm making the most of making cordial and stashing it, got 6 bottles made so far. Squizz I also used your recipe to make raspberry cordial, used 500g rasps crushed with a fork into the same mix - its delish!

Whats everyone got planned for the weekend??

redsquirrel80

Ooh I'm glad you're getting lots of cordial made! :T Raspberry sounds lovely.. hopefully going fruit picking this weekend (sadly my fruit crops in the garden so far this year consist of one strawberry!) so might have a go at that too. Made lovely elderberry cordial last year with a similar sort of recipe, but minus the citric acid and with a few wintery spices added, which was very nice. I currently have a fridge full of very fizzy, vaguely alcoholic things (ginger beer, elderflower champagne, kvass) and am desperate to try proper wine making....

Have a good weekend!

Pippilongstocking

Squizz question - do you NEED the citric acid? If you did it without will it still preserve the same? Sorry for the daft questions.

My garden haul of fruit thus far has been ONE raspberry - the cordial was made from reduced rasps from co-op

Enjoy the fruit picking and vaguely alcoholic fizzy things sound very interesting I've never made wine.

redsquirrel80

Nah I don't think you need it for preserving purposes, there's enough sugar in there to stop it going off for ages. I think it does help with the tangy taste though, I made some last year without it but with extra lemons, and it was nice, but a bit on the sweet side for me.

Cheery_Daff

Sounds like lovely time you're having Pippi! :T :T

I've got a fun weekend planned :j :j Doing 5k run/race thing Saturday morning (slightly less 'fun' :rotfl:), Women's Institute for tea and cake, Mr Daffs is doing a gig as part of giant free festival thing, then toddling off to hostel I used to work at in Peak district to watch mate do fire trick things at a beer festival :T And that's all just on Saturday! (might rest on Sunday :rotfl: :rotfl:)

starnac

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

Sounds like lovely time you're having Pippi! :T :T

I've got a fun weekend planned :j :j Doing 5k run/race thing Saturday morning (slightly less 'fun' :rotfl:), Women's Institute for tea and cake, Mr Daffs is doing a gig as part of giant free festival thing, then toddling off to hostel I used to work at in Peak district to watch mate do fire trick things at a beer festival :T And that's all just on Saturday! (might rest on Sunday :rotfl: :rotfl:)

sounds like you'll need the rest cheery

I'm treating DD to the cinema today to see kung fu panda 2. I sky+ the first one a couple of weeks ago and it's on constantly :cool: so I thought i'd treat her today. and it will be a treat with the amount it'll cost me. can't believe the prices :mad: but I'm going to try not to think about that one

gilligansyle

Hi
Its a lovely day at the moment, so all the covers off the sofa are in the wash.
Everyone has such lovely plans to get out and about at the weekend. My out and aboutness will be restricted to how fast I can push Mum in a wheelchair. She wants to go to Tatton, but think that may be beyond my pushing skills, unless sister comes too.

Have a good weekend all.

starnac

can someone point me in the direction of the cordial recipe pls? Did I miss it?

Pippilongstocking

Morning all

how you all my family are all gone away and there is no one here but us chickens!

Off to catch up