The Garden Fence - proper Old Style support and chat!

mothernerd

Cut the lavender back hard in the autumn (you can also put some bits in pots to make new plants) and it will come back strong and bushy the following year. I used to buy packs of 6 small lavender plants and have them all along the window bottom for my festive decorations (with the odd cyclamen or hyacinth if I had the cash or remembered to get things started in time). I had a cheap set of plastic drawers (bought as a stopgap to fit in a small awkward space in the bathroom). Could fill the bottom with small stones and a generous amount of water and arrange the plants/ candles/ decorations/ stand of tinsel (some years I wanted it utterly simple, others I wanted a bit more glitz) on top. Later I would put them out in the garden, so built up my path side feature over several years.

pollyanna_26

mothernerd said:

Cut the lavender back hard in the autumn (you can also put some bits in pots to make new plants) and it will come back strong and bushy the following year. I used to buy packs of 6 small lavender plants and have them all along the window bottom for my festive decorations (with the odd cyclamen or hyacinth if I had the cash or remembered to get things started in time). I had a cheap set of plastic drawers (bought as a stopgap to fit in a small awkward space in the bathroom). Could fill the bottom with small stones and a generous amount of water and arrange the plants/ candles/ decorations/ stand of tinsel (some years I wanted it utterly simple, others I wanted a bit more glitz) on top. Later I would put them out in the garden, so built up my path side feature over several years.

I never cut Lavender back hard, I learned from my dad and both grandads how to garden. Along with fruit and veg they grew pot marigolds very good for keeping aphids at bay, sweet williams and other flowers my mum loved and Lavender and Rosemary.

Lavender when they picked the flowering stalks they would trim about an inch off the top leaves. I did .the same once I started gardening myself and the Lavender is fine the following season. A few years ago visiting RHS Harlow Carr in Yorkshire I was chatting to one of the gardeners who was doing the same thing. I mentioned watching my dad and grandads do the samr thing each year and how I do it now.

I've no idea where my grandads and dad got their knowledge about plants . Maybe both Grandads growing up in rural Ireland had something to do with it but when I was a child they were growing on allotments near a big city. Anyway according to the gardenerI spoke to they were doing exactly the right thing. Cutting back hard can mean next seasons growth will struggle as it will be trying to break through old wood rather than soft new wood.

pollyx

mothernerd

I used to clean an office block and the first house next to it (they used to be 'firemen's' houses as the original fire station was facing them) had magnificent lavender bushes. It was owned by a very old couple and when I used to deliver papers, I asked him about it and that's what he did. Did it with mum's last year as it was getting very straggly and it came back well - I also do the pinning down the older, outer strands with stones and a bit of earth so they make new plants.

We were staying in Harrogate a few years ago and I really wanted to go to Harlow Carr (we passed the turn off for it a couple of times when we were travelling in the coach). It was too far to walk and the afternoon I could have gone, mum wasn't feeling well so I stayed with her for the day.

Floss

I want to go back to Harlow Carr, I went years ago with the 20th century husband! I went to Wisley a few years ago with the 21st century husband & his brother & wife - very nice, but not like growing stuff up North! I am waiting until Bridgwater matures a bit before going over there, it's a bit too new yet.

pollyanna_26

Floss said:

I want to go back to Harlow Carr, I went years ago with the 20th century husband! I went to Wisley a few years ago with the 21st century husband & his brother & wife - very nice, but not like growing stuff up North! I am waiting until Bridgwater matures a bit before going over there, it's a bit too new yet.

Oh Floss. 20th Century husband made me laugh now why diddn't I think of a name for the Toxic 2nd husband, mind you he has that title and that's how people refer to him.

I'm lucky to have been to Harlow Carr many times. I love the courtyard, little original potting sheds and the shop selling plants and veg. Then of course there's Betty's always a treat.

I've never been to Wisley. I tend to head North rather than South. Tatton is about the furthest I go in this area.

I watched the footage of Bridgewater being worked on but it was too new and sparse looking to be very interesting. We decided like you we'd wait until it was more established . However the news broke about the deer cull and I was one of the many RHS members horrified at what they'd done rather than just relocate the deer so will give Bridgewater a miss.

We've visited some beautiful gardens on the West Coast of Scotland well worth visiting. The talk of Lavender reminded me of a Lavender Farm we visited years ago in Yorkshire. A man bought up a lot of farmland in memory of his wife who had died of Cancer. He and the children worked over the years and created the most beautiful tribute.

I was talking about it to a friend yesterday. When we visited it was still an ongoing project bur many little lavenders I'd never heard of plus a tea room with Lavender scones, and Lavender cream and many things lavender.

I looked it up yesterday and it's mature and thriving. It's either Yorkshire Lavender or Yorkshire Lavender farm. Torrington. Yorkshire.

We haven't been outside this area since Feb 2020. We know where we'll be heading when we do and we'll probably combine it with a visit to Harlow Carr.

ETA.

Yorkshire Lavender. Terrington. Yorkshire. I need new glasses!

pollyx

Florenceem

Many thanks for all the Birthday wishes.
Fayre was for 3 hours 10 - 1 but was at the hall at 8 and then after clearing up not home until after 2pm.
Fayre raised £401 so everyone was very pleased. I sold a variety of items - took £125 on my tables.
I did have a Meniere's attack yesterday so my Birthday cake wasn't cut until after the service today.

Florenceem

Lovely weather here for fence sitting or chatting over.
I am having a day indoors - need to sort through my craft makes and pack them away for the next event. 
Corps leader suggested that I take a selection of my craft items along on a Wednesday to the friendship/lunch club.
Mr F is going to the bank and taking a bag of my finished books to the charity shop. Mr F will get a few bits of food shopping while he is out as we don't need a big shop this week.

MrsCD

Wow, @Florenceem! You made over a quarter of all the profits. That's amazing. Really Well Done. 👏👏👏
I hope you are feeling better after the Meniere's session and looking after yourself.

Florenceem

Wet day here but no rain when we walked round and back from the SA hall. I baked a Victoria sandwich last night and pleased to say that it all went at the lunch today.
Feels a lot cooler now.

pollyanna_26

You did really well Florence. It's nice you've connected with like minded people. I hope you're feeling better now. my youngest sister was diagnosed with Menieres in her early 30s. After talking to DVLA a year or so later she stoppped driving. Too many bouts of Vertigo which made her very disoriented . It's not been so bad in recent years but she found it so stressful in the past she still doesn't drive.

Well the boys certainly stepped up for your birthday! Two goals from Cristiano, One from Bruno and one I didn't expect from Jesse Lingard who's seemed a bit on the sidelines lately.

I felt as though I'd run every inch of the pitch until 46 mins and Cristiano did his thing. He can still do the trademark jump and spin when he scores and it did feel like the glory days.

I'd followed live text and Radio 5 during the match but propped my eyelids up for MOTD. First match shown but stupidly I decided to watch until the end of the very long MOTD just to see those goals again. Fit for nothing next morning.

They flew to Switzerland and are now underway with their first Champions League match. I keep popping in and out as Young Boys are a good team. so not a walkover.

Playing on artificial turf but according to Ole he's had the team practising on AT as he was used to it in Norway.

Weather here has been strange today. Muggy and damp then hot and humid hoping it will settle tomorrow as I have to go out.

Hope all are well especially monna. burtha's been quiet but I'm wondering if she took part in the Great North Run the other day.

Back to the Footie. Take care all.

pollyx