Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Dustyevsky

Love the HRT's 'collar.' Ours have permanent fluorescent ones with bells, which they don't mind now. The woolly one manages to detach hers sometimes, but I can usually find them with a torch in the dark!

Murphybear, we tried to live close to Yeovilton, but failed.Couldn't sell our house in the time frame the vendor gave us, so she sold to a rich neighbour whom she hated. I'm not sure what the moral of that story is, except 'things happen when they're meant to!'

Never been to Portland Bill. I've heard it's windy!

YoungBlueEyes

That's how I make pasta sauce too. Try adding a teeny splash of soy sauce before bottling, it makes the world of difference  

Softly gently catchy monkey eh Dusty. Progress may be slow but at least you're moving forwards. I never heard of fireworks championships, I'm sorry I'll not see that for I love fireworks. Your cats have collars on permanently? Have I read that right? That sounds annoying, I'd be snickling mine off too ha ha!

Your butterfly is very pretty, I wouldn't mind a few dozen of them here  

ArbitraryRandom

I'm loving the pictures I'm seeing this morning

Dusty - Both the Common and Holly Blues are really rare up here, so I've not seen either in person. Maybe the grand climate adjustment will change that. One good reason for having a spiky bush somewhere in the vicinity at least  

YBE - I would need some of my flowers to actually open... currently they're sulking, but still there; I've still not spotted any immature fruit to indicate any females.

On the more positive side, I've seen a few recipes for blackberry ketchup that look nice; there's a few different ones that look promising, with some suggested ingredients being (blackberries, vinegar and sugar), onions, mustard, (spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, chillies and 5 spice) and other hedgerow berries. Sounds like it would be lovely on a hot dog or burger at an autumn bonfire   

Dustyevsky

YoungBlueEyes said:

 Your cats have collars on permanently? Have I read that right? That sounds annoying, I'd be snickling mine off too ha ha!

Your butterfly is very pretty, I wouldn't mind a few dozen of them here

Small cat collars with reflective areas and bells give birds, rodents and cats that live near roads a better chance.

I think the Holly Blue is rare around here, despite lots of holly in the area. There again, despite having lots of Elm, I've never seen the White Letter Hairstreak butterfly that depends on it.

Feeling in a generous mood today, so here's one of MiL's Lidl dahlias. Not really my thing, but it's not about wot I like all the time!

Farway

pink_poppy said:

I was on a blackberry recce today and was disappointed to find very few on the bushes that were absolutely laden last year (albeit later in the year for me actually picking them). I can see some fruit (green and red with the occasional black) but the numbers are definitely down   I don't think they've already been picked because it's still too early here.

I was gifted some homegrown cherry toms the other day - I think the neighbour must have had a glut - it certainly put my single plant offerings to shame   I've used one to make a 'tomato skidmark' on a piece of kitchen roll so will try and get them to grow next year. Sorry, that sounds a bit dodgy but I wasn't sure how else to describe it...

Very apt description, nicked for future use

Regarding blackberries, have you room, spare fence / wall to grow some of your own to guarantee supplies? They can be very pretty in spring in flower and fruit is reliable. Mine are thornless so pain free as well

Dusty, I think we were down in Plymouth one year visiting my brother, the week before the fireworks, lots of prep on the Ho and some sort of car show as I recall. Here we have the Kite Festival  https://www.visitportsmouth.co.uk/blog/read/2023/07/your-guide-to-portsmouth-international-kite-festival-b96 which is very photogenic, but my lack of mobility means I no longer go, too much walking & standing involved

Council meeting sounds promising, but you never know what goes in during "quiet chats" later, as J Clarkson found out

Sad looking cat there YBE, all for the best no doubt

Not much gardening today, weather is dull + warm, probably get out and sort out the blight toms, remove & bin I think. The non blight ones at the front I'll take off the remaining leaves to try and prolong them a bit longer

The flat yellow climbing beans I was so happy about are a poor show , very lack lustre. I was only growing in case the runners failed, to be fair they went in late without any soil prep, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and try again next year

PS, just had email, Mr F has seed sale on, £1 a packet. £1.99 P & P. Not had chance to see what there is yet https://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/

YoungBlueEyes

Didn’t think I’d read it right. I thought you meant your cats have the whole plastic lamp shade thing on all the time and they are fluorescent to boot My bad. 

And I’m not clicking that link Farway, I’ve seeds enough for a whole road of gardens and I’ll only see something I suddenly need… 🙄

pink_poppy

My own blackberry plant would be perfect, Farway - I know you've mentioned Merton Thornless before so I'll have a look around. Is there a good time to be looking/planting?? I'll have to figure out where to put one - there's a gap next to the relocated rhubarb, so maybe there, as long as said rhubarb doesn't get too big. Mmm, rhubarb and bramble compote or crumble, I wonder if that would work??

Nice dahlia, dusty - not my thing either because I remember dahlias crawling with earwigs!!

Fungus gnats are still flying around inside...  

ArbitraryRandom

Farway - MrFothergill and google are telling me little miss figgy grows to 1.2m (4ft)... in your opinion, could it be a suitable plant for against the fence I'm still waiting on my neighbours getting approval to replace?

It'll be south facing, 4ft tall, well draining soil - a little windy and exposed and only about 2-3m from the house (but some resources online say to build a container in the soil to restrict the roots of figs?)  

https://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/Fig-Little-Miss-Figgy-Fruit-Plant-MRF

Farway

ArbitraryRandom said:

Farway - MrFothergill and google are telling me little miss figgy grows to 1.2m (4ft)... in your opinion, could it be a suitable plant for against the fence I'm still waiting on my neighbours getting approval to replace?

It'll be south facing, 4ft tall, well draining soil - a little windy and exposed and only about 2-3m from the house (but some resources online say to build a container in the soil to restrict the roots of figs?)  

https://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/Fig-Little-Miss-Figgy-Fruit-Plant-MRF

Never heard of that one, but a quick search gives lots of results, it does sound good, and naturally dwarfing. Being a recent introduction, I can't find any results on taste, but it sounds a cracker and good for where you want it, not sure about the windy bit but with fence at its back should be fine, and ornamental if nothing else. 

BTW, I found a 3ltr potted one for £20, P & P is £6 when I put my details in, Mr Fs is 2Ltr pot

I bought my Boysenberry from these, and it was large & well-packed, not a recommend on this item, but mine was fine and arrived in a few days

https://www.rootsplants.co.uk/cart

Farway

pink_poppy said:

My own blackberry plant would be perfect, Farway - I know you've mentioned Merton Thornless before so I'll have a look around. Is there a good time to be looking/planting?? I'll have to figure out where to put one - there's a gap next to the relocated rhubarb, so maybe there, as long as said rhubarb doesn't get too big. Mmm, rhubarb and bramble compote or crumble, I wonder if that would work??

Any time really but now is a good time to plant because the ground is warm & damp with a hopefully a few more months growing time left before winter, which means it would have time to make roots and settle in ready to go next Spring

Depending on size, could have a [very] tiny taste next year, crumbles in 2025

Ideally needs support, fence, arch, trellis etc

PS I've picked over five pounds so far from mine, with more to come, but it has been a very good berry year here

PPS, Dusty bought one a year or so back, maybe he remembers the supplier? Mine was so long ago I've no idea