Awful weather - typical Brits talk

in_my_wellies

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. Wednesday I drove home in the rain - terrible journey due to M5 closure but all caught planes and are safely where they need to be. I swapped hens for a dog and all seem happy. She is my dog but was 'on loan' to a friend who could give her the care she needs whilst I cared for mum. Thursday was blue sky and sunny here so I went for an extra long walk in the park/woods. I was as warm as toast, in fact I took my hat and gloves off for the last 20 minutes. It's very strange being able to please myself after five years caring for mum, before that supporting my son through studies and before that caring for my late DH until he died. 

Today is overcast and very still but I shall walk somewhere today. I agree Farway that gardens look miserable at this time of year. Trees come into their own if proportioned to the garden and gardens around them. That's a beautiful picture YBE. The Christmas rose I split and moved is doing well, in full flower and a few bushes with berries look good in the sunshine but that's about all. 

twopenny

Wellies, it's a tough and weird time. I've been though similar myself and it takes considerable time to find your place. Good wishes.

Went for a walk along a river after several days in. Looks like the virus is ebbing a tad but couldn't go far. No wildflowers. That's unusual as there should be one or two around for New Year. The weather doesn't help.

On the up side there are the start of catkins in the roadside trees, my Arrum Lilly which got battered by the drought, recovered, battered by the frosts and rain has shot a strong new leaf.

Crocuses have poked their leaves out and signs of the potted bulbs are coming up.

It's not much but it's a little bit of looking forward.

The garden is so sodden no chance of getting out. We haven't had a rain free day for ages.

So looking forward to some sunshine even if it's colder!

YoungBlueEyes

Strange times wellies, when you're thrown off kilter. Been there. You don't know what to do with yourself when you can suddenly do anything. A new routine forms quicker than seems decent, and you're soon on a new kilter. 

How's dog liking being back? Is he/she settling back in their real home? What kinda dog is it?

How are the lurgies doing? I've caught it off himself despite being very careful. A couple of days of sniffing and sneezing and I've woken up this morning with the chest of a 100 year old who's smoked 100 fags a day their whole life. Very unattractive. I've still got my ribs so it'll be fun when the coughing starts Chilblains have gone though - one in one out I guess.

Mild here today, drizzly rainy but not so windy. Lucky I've a load of books to read cos it doesn't look like I'll be going far for a wee while. I need to start planning that garden! God knows where I'll start but it'll fill the days while I'm not going anywhere..... :rolleyes 

Himself has announced he's going shopping to see if there are any bargains and what do I want? I said "well I could with a shed, and a greenhouse, a good big one. And something to sort the soil out (there's been wood chip down on about 1/3 of the garden for a few years so the soil is prolly in need of help). And what about some fruit trees? A couple of cherries and apples maybe. And will they want supports? And something that'll line a pond for when you get one dug. And some pretty stones, big flat ones to go round the outside. Are you going to a diy shed? Because what are we doing with these walls? You could get some paint, magnolia even.

You shoulda seen the face on him - I think he thought I was gonna say "maybe a nice bit meat for New Years"....

Farway

Back again, dull & damp outside as usual, I had hoped to get the hyacinth bulbs planted before New year, no real reason, just a calendar point TBH but it's so wet & cold that CBA even if it is just outside my front door. A job for New Year

Nice to hear catkins showing 2P, always means Spring to me. This year I may try and get a better photo of them than my usual snap

I have a new seed catalogue arrived, Mr Fothergill I think, so daydreaming in that is a bit of gardening I can do this in weather

More indoor gardening is to finish off the tin of Celebration chocs, so I can use the empty tin for my seed packets, I'll crack on with that task this afternoon

twopenny

That made me laugh Blue. 
But you could be lucky with the fruit trees. It's about now the supermarket gets them in.
Pot luck apparently despite the labels but I got a lovely little dwarf cherry tree I just couldn't resist.
Still weak and wobbly from the bug. 3weeks now which is aparantly about right. Like a head cold for the whole time.
Could have done with some dry bright weather but it's constantly dripping from the grey sky today for a change!

YoungBlueEyes

Eating up chocs is indoor gardening, gawd that made me laugh!

I like the idea of a dwarf cherry. Where did you get yours from 2p? Are some supermarkets better in general than others for plants...? (I'll warn you all now - there'll be a lot of ignorant questions coming cos I'm new to all this really!)

3 weeks for the lurgy is it? I don't fancy that much. Least you're nearly there now tho eh? 

LessImpecunious

Himself has announced he's going shopping to see if there are any bargains and what do I want? I said "well I could with a shed, and a greenhouse, a good big one. And something to sort the soil out (there's been wood chip down on about 1/3 of the garden for a few years so the soil is prolly in need of help).

If the wood chip's been down a few years it should be composting down nicely and be feeding the soil all by itself

twopenny

Blue that was Tesco, first plants after lockdown. My garden from scratch was mostly whatever I could get. It's a lottery + google.
Otter & morrisons do a range of small apple trees I've been tempted by. Not the most popular varieties but good ones none the less if you pick among them.
The really good ones are the ones you pay through the nose for and pick from a good centre. Mix & match?
Imp, it depends on what the chips are would you say. Pine not great.

LessImpecunious

Re woodchips, my understanding (mainly from discussions on no-dig fora, where wodchips are a hot topic) are that all woodchips are pretty much the same once rotted down - pine may take longer, but ends up as (neutral not acid) compost...but admittedly no personal experience myself

in_my_wellies

Sorry to hear about all the ailments, let's hope the spring chases them away. 

It's dark, cloudy and raining here, alternating between fine drizzle and proper stuff so I'm using the day to do some proper spring cleaning. (and normal cleaning, I'd forgotten how much mud a big wet dog brings in) My only gardening is planting an amaryllis, a present, which I do every year. This years is a traditional single flowered red one. An expensive one from a garden centre but the bulb is noticeably small than previous ones.  

Re supermarket trees, worth a try.  I bought an apple from Aldi about 10 years ago, either £3.99 or £4.99. It was just labelled 'APPLE' so I've no idea which it is. It's only about 5' tall with a good spread. Honestly, it seems to have more apples than leaves - far too many for such a little tree. I do thin some out. Delicious large red/yellow apples but they don't keep long. I also have a morello cherry bought at the same time, also from Aldi - definitely not miniature - lots of fruit but the birds won't share!

I didn't have success with pear or damson which are the two I really wanted.