Daydream thread... without the rose-tinted specs

lostinrates

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

LIR... the holly is soooo slow growing, need something that will grow fairly quick, and thick growing...

Hire a mini digger, trench around the bigger ones you wanted to get rid of, leave them then move later. Increases chance of success of moving I understand.

Leave them a couple of years, then top to thicken out.

The bonus is that you are using what is deemed 'there' and tidying up 'retaining as much as possible' which tends to be received really well we are finding.

Davesnave

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

What type of 'thorny' strubs would you recommend Davesnave... as I think we could start doing one side for now, until we decide the final layout of the other..

The trouble is, you've missed the bare-root season when stuff like hawthorns can be had for sensible money, though a hedge/screen doesn't have to be thorny if it's thick, which increases the range of what you could use.

The only things that grow really fast are willows and poplars, but they come with a few problems of their own, like the ability to run sideways, get into drains etc.

So, most hedges of any use will take around 5 years, though they will start to do their job well before that.

Is there any chance you could bash in some secondhand posts from a farm auction and stretch/nail some secondhand sheep fence along it? You wouldn't get the tension a pro fencer would achieve, but that would stop most dogs, and you could get on growing a hedge behind it. Alternatively, something like black plastic netting would be easier to handle and do a similar job:

http://premiernetting.co.uk/catalog/black-barrier-mesh-black-plastic-fencing-p-534.html

Better_Days

Made a complet prat of myself yesterday.

Ordered a load of plants online on 26 March. Checked the website and it said the order had been dispatched into 4 parcels and one had been delivered and signed for on 1 April. Well, I hadn't received any plants so I rang them up and told them so. Oh dear said the nice lady I'll speak to my manager.

She came back and said she would fill out a non receipt form and did I want replacement or refund. Replacement I said - what is it you sent? She named some seed selections.

After I put the phone down I had a lightbulb moment. Oh dearie me - there were the seed selections on the windowsill with my T&M ones. :o:o:o

So I then had to ring back and explain that I didn't need that part of the order replacing after all. I blamed it all on Mr BD telling the lady on the telephone that he had put the stuff in the shed without telling me :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:She took it very well and thanked me for ringing back - whatever my convulated explanation

In my defence I will add that Mr BD did sign for a Debenhams order earlier in the year, and I did the same thing - rang up and asked where it was. Yup it had been signed for. Still haven't found where Mr BD put it.:eek:

lucielle

Started the stocktake last Thursday and carried on last Saturday, 4 hours in laptop shut down and lost the ruddy lot. Not a happy chappy and left the workshop before murder was performed, not that it was anybodies fault except my own. Been going in and doing a couple of hours after work to catch up. OH and I are finishing it tomorrow.

Had booked a couple of days off work but things didn't go to plan. Went to fill the cupboards on Thursday and the car had a flat tyre. Called OH but he was too busy to rescue me, nearly got the postie to help me out but by that time I'd arrabge for the tyre peeps to come. Thet couldn't get here till the afternoon.

So tried to be productive and weeded the raspberry bed (again). DD2 finished the lawns after needing to be refuelled. She lugged the mower round to the neighbours and did his. She was well chuffed when she got paid a tenner, I told him it was too much but he insisted. She's saving up to go on holiday with her friend and family in the summer hols. I managed to get some pictures put on the website and arranged a meeting with a PR lady for Monday afternoon.

The tyre man did come and my alloy is knackered. It's been welded twice before and is obviously not coping with the potholes, which are horrendous. Luckily of there is a silver lining my car was booked in at Volvo for a service on Friday. Phoned them to get a new alloy and nearly passed out at the price. Then phoned the council to tell them I was going to put a claim in as I'd reported the pothole back in October and it has even featured in the local newspaper and has been christened lake Windermere!

The kind peeps at the Volvo garage dropped DD2 and I in town. I was on a mission to get a dress for a wedding and my nephews 21st. Went in all the 'posh' shops and felt brave as I put a 'face' on and tried various frocks on. Dd2 did suggest going round in my underwear but I'm not sure people would've appreciated that, though therapists would've made a fortune out of it!!!!! DD2 got 'stuck' in a dress in primarni and I couldn't get her out for laughing.

Managed to get a new alloy but they couldn't put the tyre back on as that was knackered as well and they would have to order one in. Been into town today and managed to get a temporary one put on till Monday when local garage gets one in. They are doing a job card to confirm the tyre was damaged due to potholes.

Managed to take DD2 riding this afternoon and she's hoping to bike over to friends tomorrow to ride again.

Started the puppies on food today and they were ready for it and scoffed the lot. Sat here typing this with DD2 cuddling a puppy.

OH has got in a secondhand rotavator which will be put to use tomorrow. Right think I've got everything off my chest.
L

Davesnave

Horrible when 'puters don't do what they are supposed to do, lucielle.

Not a good week for cars either, what with your wheel and my springs; failures related to the state of the roads in country areas. :mad:

I know our car is a bit 'wussy' for the worst lanes, but we try not to overload it and use the Merc as much as we can for carrying feed, fence posts etc. We really appreciate getting roughly twice the mpg of the 4 x 4 we were about to buy, when someone who had one told us what theirs did.

Better Days, I'm not going into detail, but I reported the loss of my wallet last year, only to discover it hidden in my clean underwear drawer later that day. "No one will ever think to look there!" I must've said to myself, but really I don't remember... :o:o

I_have_spoken

In the garden all day (April showers aside) and am definitely past the half way mark :beer:

West and SW facing borders have had topsoil replaced and started to replant with a big move about of plants, dividing others and planting perennials bought bare root and potted up in coldframe.

East and SE borders have now been extended, grass lifted and a rough dig over. Will hopefully get some dry days and then get the tiller over it. Then will add the French drain on that side and complete the soak-away before covering with topsoil. Hopefully get the plants up another 15cm from the clay base.

Still hoping to get ground-works done before Easter!

Rummer

A gorgeous day today and I spent it indoors so frustrating.

Davesnave

Rummer wrote: »

A gorgeous day today and I spent it indoors so frustrating.

Rumlet?

Not so gorgeous here. It went downhill after starting well, but didn't actually rain.

We needed to keep warm, so put up the strongest pea net we've ever made, but decided not to plant the peas out yet.

Later, having cleaned out the old incinerator barrel, we loaded it with weeds & prunings and burned those. It was still smoking well at dusk.

Hard to imagine I started the day in a tee shirt, potting up stuff and sowing seeds in the poly.

It'll be better here tomorrow.

moneyistooshorttomention

Don't worry about that wallet incident Dave...I can worry for England (and Wales) about spots of absentmindedness. But sometimes I am saved from giving the side of my head a hard tap and telling my mind off by thinking "Now was I this absentminded before my recent move or no?" and I don't think I was.

Hence I'm thinking it must be down to lots of "mind stuff" going on working out whats what in a new area and not having the chance to designate a "place for everything" and know it will stay there yet (with house being in renovation chaos still) and the mind is being a bit upsy-downsy for rational reasons, rather than "Oh Heck A Problem To Solve" iyswim.

You've still got a lot on your plate with getting your place sorted in the first place, so its doubtless a bit of upsy-downsyness.

EDIT: I thought I'd just invented that word and there's the learning thought for the day. Apparently it already exists and comes from the Kentucky Mountains LOL.

Davesnave

I forgot to mention that I caught a mole yesterday. It was just making its way underground along the side of the hedge we'd recently planted to hide the caravan when it's re-sited. I could see the earth move, so I knew exactly where it was.

A quick scoop with the hands and earth + mole were in a bucket, which then went 100 metres to the orchard, which needs a bit of drainage work.:D Took it under 30 seconds to vanish.

Also, I think I've made my first eBay sale. Someone from Wiltshire wants my greenhouse glass. Quite funny, as the greenhouse (25' x 10') came originally from Westbury in Wilts, where a couple had bought a terraced house in which it took up about 75% of the garden! :rotfl:

I've always been absent-minded, money. Ask me how much a particular property was in 2009 and I can remember stuff like that!;)