Daydream thread continues.....

choille

Hi Rummer,

Hope things are a bit more settled for you.

I didn't get that much gardening done this year past coz of one thing or another, but I bought some sweet peas from the Poundstore & believe it or not they are still flowering as I've been cutting them for the caravan since they started flowering way back in July - well worth the £1. I've actually kept some pods so if you want some I'll post some off to you.

I have some (2) Hydrangeas & they too make lovely heads for cut flowers & seem to last in the garden really well. I did them from cuttings so free! I love the stuff out of Morissons - the Clematis are excellent value as are all their garden stuff & seem really good quality.

I did plant a load of bulbs & they make a lovely show in the Spring however the tulips seem to have vanished - I suspect mice!

I get seeds from Tenerife that a neighbour brings back, but they haven't been this year. The packets are huge & you get loads so I'm well supplied but carrot seed doesn't 'keep' well.

Went to a crofting thing & there was folks with Organic seeds & I got some free - best was cut & come again cabbage. Still using that. Worth getting. Unfortunately since being ill I can't tolerate it so well so the sheep & hens get their share.

Alexelisey

Fairly inevitable after Thursday night's discussion, but we now have three chickens instead of one! :j

Our older one is twice the size of the new ones, but she's well-feathered for the winter. These two will be fine, I'm sure. There's been a bit of pecking but nothing to concern me, just a matter of sorting out who's boss. These two were out of the house and looking round the run within five minutes, you can tell they're more used to outside than poor old battery hens who'd never seen a sky...

choille

New hens is always nice & interesting to watch them.

I seem to be well supplied with dinners - wee cockerels!

rozeepozee

Davesnave wrote: »

Hello Rummer, sorry to hear you have had a rough time. Hope things are looking up a bit for you now. :A

The seed companies rozee mentions are all good, but you could also look at Premier Seeds, which I will try to find a link to. They have an ebay shop which I find hard to locate until ebay send me a link. They are definitely the cheapest, best value, or whatever and their range is good too.

Here we are:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Plants-Seeds-Bulbs-/1509/i.html?_ipg=25&_from=&_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ssn=premier_seeds_direct&_dmpt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&Item%2520Subtype=Vegetables%252F%2520Fruits&rt=nc

Hope you are soon planting like a demon (but not too early, eh?);)

How cool are those plants!

alfie_1

premier_seeds_direct

i got my seeds from this guy on the bay... very good results !

rozeepozee

Rummer wrote: »

I have quite a few unusual things from Real Seeds although I haven't heard about the other company so I will have a peek. There is so much potential in my garden and I feel that I need to move a lot of things around to start getting the best from it. Every year something has stopped us from getting it sorted and it is being wasted.

What I would love is to sit down with someone who knows what they are talking about and bounce ideas off them. Initially I planted things just to get started and now I realise that they are not where I want them or where they would work well.

There are four main parts to my garden and they all need work!

This year I want to make the back garden into a haven of relaxation with the herb bed extended and flowers in the other bed. There are a lot of pots on the patio that have been neglected and would look amazing filled with flowers. To extend the herbs I would need to move the raspberries (if you can do that) to the side garden. I also need to finish painting the fences and the walls.

At the bottom of the garden I need to replace glass in the greenhouse and get it working again, currently it is overrun with wild rocket . There is also a cold frame covered in nettles that I should clear and I want to plant green manure down the side of the sheds. The pond also needs clearing and tidying.

The side is where we are going to grow the majority of our fruit and veg and the beds need extending and clearing and I need to organise a rotational planting system. This is the area that vexes me the most and will require the greatest amount of though and planning.

Finally there is the front which is constantly flooded and sad looking. I am going to save up and buy plants for that area that will spread and cover the beds so that all I really have to do with it is the occasional pruning and cut the grass.

I guess I need to write some lists and make some sketches so that I can really get started. We are also putting our names down for a local allotment as there is a 5 year waiting list and we thought the extra space would be helpful and we should hopefully have the garden sorted by then

Phew after not posting for ages I have written loads :rotfl:

ETA - Does anyone know of a good book/website/online course on permaculture?

Me! Me! Me!
www.
Check these out. I haven't had time yet, but they came from my course and the tutor was an ecologist doing a permaculture design course.

www.permaculture.org.uk
www.permaculture.co.uk
www.permaculture-wales.org.uk

Diploma Websites - examples of desins and lots of interesting info from people studying for or who have completed the course

www.diplomaadventure.weebly.com
www.permaculture-jb.me.uk
www.appletonpermaculture.weebly.com
www.permapeach.co.uk
www.aranyagardens.c.o.uk/diploma-portfolio.html
www.dreadbensdiploma.weebly.com
www.longandwinding.weebly.com

There are more, but it's late and I'm being summoned for homework assistance. If they are helpful I can add the others.

Permaculture Design by Aranya (his link above) was recommended, but I've not seen it yet. It's on order at the local Library. This part of the world is teeming with hippies - there are loads of permaculture books in the library!

Plants for a Future by Ken Fern was also recommended

Permaculture isn't just about gardening. It's about design and can be applied to any system, but is mostly associated with horticultural systems. It is basic commensense plus. I came away with some ideas and the desire to plant Sea Buckthorn and edible hedges:D

alfie_1

i am sat here by the fire.:D
having cleaned my house, then taken all the wet washing [3 binbags!] to the marina's tumble dryers ..[they have a room for yachties to wash / dry........] dried the lot for £3

fetched more garden bird fodder, got fodder for us tomorow and thats it for me....barf,eat,chill

if i could really drink, id get drunk too feeling like i want to reaaaalllly chill. i keep "doing" things when i want to just sit ..:D

put lots of wood shavings in for mabel this morning so she's nice and cosy..:D

going to fetch a tapestry fire pole screen tomorow for a friend. i bid for her and won..;) it is 1800's and very nice. said id pick it up rather than post, only 15 miles away... its going to the london house..

oh lord im bored but cant face listing on the bay, will try to do it tomorow.
i have to sand off the top of the kitchen unit thingy ive painted up. perhaps tomorow.... im soooooo lazy tonite that im figgity...:o

Davesnave

rozeepozee wrote: »

Permaculture isn't just about gardening. It's about design and can be applied to any system, but is mostly associated with horticultural systems. It is basic commensense plus. I came away with some ideas and the desire to plant Sea Buckthorn and edible hedges:D

I have Sea Buckthorn.:D I think it's better if you have male & female ones, but I don't know what mine are.:o

(The seeds came from the car park at Abbotsbury Sub-Tropical Gardens, but they're also available in Morrisons at Bridport. )

Rummer

Thank you Rozee for all that info, I will have a good read through them

Thanks you to everyone else for the seed links I will be looking through them too! We have quite a few seeds so I only need a couple of things and some shallots and garlic.

This afternoon I sat and looked over our seed lists and sketched out the garden. Now I need to rope OH and DD into a discussion about next year. I have big plans but OH says we should just use things they way they are at present and once that is maxed then think about development. However I think the way we have things at the moment is awkward and it puts me off doing things in the garden. A new layout would be much better. Hopefully we will find a happy middle ground

Tomorrow I am going to go out and tidy up a few things and maybe pull out a few of the bigger weeds .

rozeepozee

Davesnave wrote: »

I have Sea Buckthorn.:D I think it's better if you have male & female ones, but I don't know what mine are.:o

(The seeds came from the car park at Abbotsbury Sub-Tropical Gardens, but they're also available in Morrisons at Bridport. )

Have you tasted the berries? They are a taste sensation!