Awful weather - typical Brits talk

LessImpecunious

YoungBlueEyes said:

Here’s me latest acquisitions. I gave them a good drink when I got them home yesterday - 

i don't know your blue flower Bluey, but it looks mediterraneany (and search confirms that), so may be looking sorry for itself due to overwatering in their previous habitat (or was it B+M ) in what will undoubtedly be unsuitable potting compost for a plant of that origin - so if it hasn't perked up noticeably by now I'd dry them out ASAP and perhaps repot in something gritty...

twopenny

Oops I missed Greenbee and Bluey posts.
Good thing people do quotes 😀 

Just having a lunch break. Managed to get the solar fountain going thanks to YouTube.
BTW did you know if you use Duck duck you don't get ads with yt? Blissful 🥰 

Got the raspberries tied up and swimming costume line outside the back door, weeded etc. a couple more things to do but its 16c out there and much nicer reading a book.

Dustyevsky

LessImpecunious said:

YoungBlueEyes said:

Here’s me latest acquisitions. I gave them a good drink when I got them home yesterday - 

i don't know your blue flower Bluey, but it looks mediterraneany (and search confirms that), so may be looking sorry for itself due to overwatering in their previous habitat (or was it B+M ) in what will undoubtedly be unsuitable potting compost for a plant of that origin - so if it hasn't perked up noticeably by now I'd dry them out ASAP and perhaps repot in something gritty...

I'd agree with the above. They require acid soil, but B&M will sell them anywhere. Funnily enough, Mrs Dusty's been badgering asking me to propagate the one we have by the front hedge. It isn't at all fussy there, with the right soil and full sun.

Farway said: 

Not been in my Specsavers lately, it was a normal shop last time I went. 

I quite like the idea of a sleazy nightclub. Do they have lads outside trying to entice folk in? 

Come on in for an eye boggling time.....

Love the cowslips Dusty, and the fact you can get down there to photograph them..

You had me nearly spilling my tea there! 

 I can get down, any day, but getting up again is a different proposition! Apparently, some elderly people of mature years can stand again without using an arm, but that appears ridiculously difficult when I try it.

I may be too late to take a photo of our useless pear, but I see some apples are almost flowering. Maybe a stroll in the orchard after the massive Easter lunch would be an idea.

....or a snooze!

pink_poppy

I forgot to mention your alpaca/llama, twopenny, I loved that photo - another vote for photo of the week, along with Bob the Boulder (that name was inspired, Dusty   )

I never did get to B&M - we were supposed to go to Stirling, which then changed to Dumbarton, but we were both too tired after house and garden clearing. That was a good haul of bargains you got in your local one, YBE. Btw, the pot with the snapdragon in is a potty pot - it's a lovely cauldron shape and a nice colour too.

I'd forgotten about the SMs telling fibs about what variety fruit trees they were selling, Farway   The only one pictured in the online magazine was Golden Delicious, but I'm hoping other varieties will be available, I think this Thursday is when they're due in.

My Hosta survived overnight, but I need to get something to protect it asap. I was actually thinking of horticultural grit or gravel?? I wasn't planning on putting it in the ground, just in a nice pot, but it'll be interesting to see the results of the GW experiment. A neighbour has some Hostas in the ground and they always look really healthy, so maybe Monty is right.

It's been a nice day today, a bit cloudy, but with sunny spells and it felt quite mild when I went to check on my Hosta   

YoungBlueEyes

Has your hosta survived it's 2nd night pp...?

I love your woodpecker Dusty (thanks Farway) such a beautiful clear pic, you can see every feather!  

I don't know if your strawbs would climb up dead rasp canes 2p (is that what you meant?) but I'd have a go with half of them. Then it they fail you've still got half left

Sleazy nightclub - trust a boy to think of that Fully functional mis-labelling department here too. My lovely wafty hanky pinky wosname looks nowt like the label *sigh*  It'll have to stop now cos it cost me £7 but I'm not happy with it. Imagine sowing LiaM and getting toms come up  

My Heavenly Blues will hopefully enjoy their new B+M Habitat Less <snigger>. I knocked a lot of the soil off them and dried them out cos the soil was absolutely sodden and going green, then mixed it in with tiny stones and chips and planted them in my stony wall. If they come good it'll work well. RHS says they're mat-forming and long flowering so fingers crossed. A few weeks ago I sprinkled poppy seeds and stuff in there so if it all comes good it'll be lovely looking  

Funny you should say about propagation Dusty, the labels on my ones talk about Breeder's Rights and warning you not to propagate them Well if they live I'll be splitting them so I've got them everywhere!  

I thought your pot looked like a nice one pp Was there any fun to be had in Dunbarton?  House and garden clearing...? You moving to warmer climes..? 

Busy day here yesterday, I didn't stop in that garden once I got going. Only thing left today is weeding, again, and stabbing the grass with a fork and then mowing it before the rains come this aft. Possibly. My ranunculus are potted and looking well, I've more seeds sown and some scattered, I've repotted my lovely wee hebe - when I moved it about a million ants fell out of the bottom of it and it was light as a feather   Soddin ants. And them wasps things in my lawn are having the time of their lives   Sprayed killer stuff on the thistles that are making a comeback, and tried chopping/folding the ivy back over to next door's garden. And gave the Yanqui ivy nonsense a good trim. And spread out the contents of last year's tom bags onto the plants who might appreciate a boost. Himself got the seat/table thing I bought last year out of its box and gave it a couple of good wipes with some nice oil The way he was carrying on you'd think he'd painted the Forth Bridge Oh and blacky's definitely had babbies, the pair of them are carrying food now  

Dustyevsky

The hostas at Rosemoor survive OK in the ground. I've no idea how the RHS manage theirs, but blue sweeties must be out. I wonder if someone pours garlic water on them regularly? Frozen blitzed garlic is available cheaply enough.

I went for a wander yesterday evening after my snooze. The pear blossom's coming to an end: The apple blossom is just getting under way, and it looks like it might be a bumper year if the quantity is any guide.

Everything's greening-up nicely since the rain.

You can see where I had the bonfire after chopping-up the willows that fell, or had to be felled. We'll have to start a replacement programme next winter, maybe with a variety of different species. 

It rained lightly overnight, and it may do so again until lunchtime. Then things improve, just in time for the grockles to head homewards! I don't see any frost in the next 7-day forecast, so the two panels I've removed from the side of the polytunnel may be out permanently now.   I have a courgette in there being coaxed along in a big pot and some toms are well advanced too. Will it be courgettes in May, and toms in June this year?

Dustyevsky

YoungBlueEyes said:

My Heavenly Blues will hopefully enjoy their new B+M Habitat Less <snigger>. I knocked a lot of the soil off them and dried them out cos the soil was absolutely sodden and going green, then mixed it in with tiny stones and chips and planted them in my stony wall. If they come good it'll work well. RHS says they're mat-forming and long flowering so fingers crossed. A few weeks ago I sprinkled poppy seeds and stuff in there so if it all comes good it'll be lovely looking  

Funny you should say about propagation Dusty, the labels on my ones talk about Breeder's Rights and warning you not to propagate them Well if they live I'll be splitting them so I've got them everywhere! 

What you've done with your Heavenly Lithodoras is exactly right.   Fingers crossed you got to them in time. Take no notice of the plant breeders' rights nonsense. It's aimed at rival companies, not Mrs Baggott from the WI... or you! I know a little about the commercial plant trade, and there are many sharks out there. They'll even set up legal agreements with unwitting amateurs who breed a new plant, even if it doesn't fit their needs, and then 'sit on it' to prevent rival companies benefiting. Don't ask me how I know!

Farway

Dull but dry, not ideal for doing “stuff” in the garden, although I'd like to get on and sort out some peas, but rain due lunchtime so maybe another day will pass without me lifting a green brown finger.

Dustyevsky said:

I went for a wander yesterday evening after my snooze. The pear blossom's coming to an end: The apple blossom is just getting under way, and it looks like it might be a bumper year if the quantity is any guide.

Will it be courgettes in May, and toms in June this year?

I never realised your blossom was so far behind mine, I'd always assumed you were similar to me for timings.

My pears blossom is just about over, apples & cherry in full swing, blackberries & raspberries just budding up

Agree with you, looking like a bumper year if blossom is anything to go by

I have one courgette geminated, just, still on the window sill, so no to May courgettes here

Toms, I must get some potted on in the conservatory, they're getting very leggy now. Which is why I was quite pleased to see self sown ones coming up outside, any port in a storm.

My dwarf dahlias are growing away, and will soon need hardening off for next stop on slug trail.

You've been busy YBE, that's the trouble with a proper job, not much time for wafting around.

BTW my hebe has headed off to Oslo. If I get round to it, I'm going to put one of my seed sown lavenders in that spot

pink_poppy said:

I'd forgotten about the SMs telling fibs about what variety fruit trees they were selling, Farway   The only one pictured in the online magazine was Golden Delicious, but I'm hoping other varieties will be available, I think this Thursday is when they're due in.

Hope you find one suitable, just in case you were not aware, GD is not ideal for your climes, more of a Southern Softy.

Hopefully the one you pick will have correct label on & do well. FWIW my hard red pear that is not a Comice came from Lidl

Dustyevsky

Farway sai d:

Dustyevsky said:

I went for a wander yesterday evening after my snooze. The pear blossom's coming to an end: The apple blossom is just getting under way, and it looks like it might be a bumper year if the quantity is any guide.

Will it be courgettes in May, and toms in June this year?

I never realised your blossom was so far behind mine, I'd always assumed you were similar to me for timings.

Hopefully the one you pick will have correct label on & do well. FWIW my hard red pear that is not a Comice came from Lidl

We're not in a 'soft' area of Devon, though if we were down in a valley, we'd be worse off. We're roughly 2 weeks behind the coastal towns and Taunton. Of course, none of that is relevant in the conservatory, or in the poly by this point in the year. Everything in those is well forward.

We inherited our hard red pear. They stay hard till January, and then go bad. I'm no big fan of pears, anyway! It only survives because I've not done any serious work in the orchard for 10 years.

twopenny

Funny old day here. Sunny one minute and cloudy the next but that's normal for the time of year and we're not used to normal. 

Overwhelmed by the amount you got done there Bluey 🙂 you must be so pleased.

Dusty, that is a wonderful avenue of trees. I even like the bonfire spot, it's like a little accent. Perhaps put a little walking statue on it 😉 
Ideally it wants an old seat for reading in all that tranquility 

Fairway that's bad news about the hebe but it does mean the chance for another plant.

My picture today is the squirrel food I'm growing - Cox, small, self fertile 



No idea what I'm doing today. 
Joy this morning to see the blackbird bathing in the pond. He looked so happy about it and then sung his little heart out and went for a bird table breakfast.

So now thinking of another pot pond that I can put the fountain in so the frogs and birds can have that one 😉
Seems Bailey's and Easter eggs make a lovely combination while mulling it over.