Awful weather - typical Brits talk

twopenny

I've been struggling with that Dusty.
I knew I knew it with the red sepals but brain just wouldn't cooperate.
Well done.

YoungBlueEyes

Thanks all. It sounds harsh but MiL had been on a steep downhill slope (dementia, cancers, wrecked lungs) these last 2 years or more so she was ready for it. She was only 77 god love her. Himself read through the links and info and watched the vid last night, I don't think it's a goer but we're just waiting to see what the new company does. So that's the serious stuff out the way. 

I know what you mean about 3's Arb. First thought in my head after I stabbed myself was 'oh bu99er, one more to come'. True innit. I keep hearing about the vax queues being early and quick, I don't know why like. Hope your arm's not too sore today? I like your pics, particularly the first one. It looks like a lavender on a chrome stalk, and the background made me think of a watery swirly stony riverbed viewed from above. Nice   

Forgive my ignorance taff but what's going on with the latin name changes? Was rosemary not a salvia before this? Or have they reclassified it so it is now? People want to leave stuff alone, there's too much meddling going on entirely.

A good forecast for today, sunny with no wind and a bit cool. They say. Just like yesterday - which it was, somewhere outside all the dim and gloom and rain Flowers for mum+dad, then I absolutely have to get in that garden, it's a shame and disgrace

Farway

Sun's back, not sure how long for, but I'll take it while it's here, not that I intend doing any gardening except looking

Since my decision about using Russian sage for the car damaged spot in the volunteer border I have explored the options, it seems RS would be ideal, easy care, never dies, loves drought & neglect & just chop it down for winter. Also comes in a number of varieties, but I expect I will get whatever is around, but will try seed as well

Arbs, my Covid jab gave me shivers and not really sore throat a day or so later, one of the common side effects apparently, just mentioning it so you can get some warming comfort food & drink handy whilst checking what's on guides

DGD extra update, I now find out she is coming down to London next week, getting an award on Tuesday at  Futurescape London 2023 being held at Excel Centre. One of the "30 under 30, Next Generation of rising stars" I can see me soon having to make an appointment to see her, don't know if money attached or simply a certificate of some sort. She is at the bottom LH corner of the page 28.

I think it trumps my best pair of marrows award

Dustyevsky

We have sun too, but not for long. Mostly cloudy today and heavy H2O by tea time. Looks like Rosemoor's a goer though. Here's the Cool Garden (yet again) but I think you might spot a Russian sage! There's definitely some there. Looks a damn sight better than the Hot Garden at this time, which I'll show later.

Congrats to Farway's DGD on her award. I note they don't have a section for unrecognised grumpy old git gardeners over 70, which is glaring oversight. No wonder no one wanted the big jobs in the local Garden Club's AGM on Monday!

Farway

Dustyevsky said:

We have sun too, but not for long. Mostly cloudy today and heavy H2O by tea time. Looks like Rosemoor's a goer though. Here's the Cool Garden (yet again) but I think you might spot a Russian sage! There's definitely some there. Looks a damn sight better than the Hot Garden at this time, which I'll show later.

Congrats to Farway's DGD on her award. I note they don't have a section for unrecognised grumpy old git gardeners over 70, which is glaring oversight. No wonder no one wanted the big jobs in the local Garden Club's AGM on Monday!

Should we set up our own award & nominate us pair? We can swap places each year to keep it fair

Spotted the Russian sage, there is a very long border of it at Wisley, full of bees as well.

YoungBlueEyes

Yous do make me giggle  

Congrats to DGD Farway, she’s steaming along eh! Wont be long til we see her presenting GW… 

Sunny here too but it’s not high enough to reach over the rooftop so it’s chilly out there :brrr: 

goldfinches

Lovely sunny morning here among the Dreaming Spires so I went for a walk around the old hospital buildings in the centre of town to admire how they've been repurposed into University faculties. We had a look at the old Radcliffe Observatory followed by the new Humanities building site and then dropped into St John's to have a look at some beautiful watercolours of Wytham Woods. 
Then this afternoon I did some more weeding on my new allotment. When I'm head down pulling out endless creeping buttercups, willow herbs, dandelions and so on it feels like I've done loads but when I stand up and see  how much is left to do my efforts seem puny. See what I mean below, I'm hoping for a dry day tomorrow and Sunday so that I can at least get as far as the collapsed netting frame and see if there's anything under there that can be rescued. 



Congrats to your DGD @Farway, very nice photo and write up in the brochure too. Next thing we know she'll be writing a bestseller that gets admiring plaudits on GQT and GW and goes straight into the No1 spot in the sales charts and you can charge us all for autographed copies; very MSE how to boost your income that'll be. 

@Dustyevsky - there never is a category of award that suits ones current age I find. Invariably you're too old or too young or not in the right location or the wrong occupation or whatever and then if you somehow change so that you do qualify they've stopped doing it or moved the goalposts like the State Pension. Perhaps an online competition for Grumpy Old Git of the Year along the lines of the NZ Bird of the Year one is in order? I promise to vote for you as many times as I can. 

Farway

Back to rain & wind this morning, same for tomorrow as well it seems . I was sort of thinking about going up to volunteer place & potting out my plug pansies, but bu&&er that now

Likewise, finishing off pruning my buddleia, it'll have to wait

Hope it's a bit drier for you and weeding GF, it takes time, but gradually you'll have more done than not done

I well remember on hands & knees [way back when my knees & back were bendy] doing my newly acquired one, with every forkful producing more ever more couch grass

Went mad & ordered three small potted Russian sage & jetfire daff bulbs, from Parkers, a bit of an offer plus as pointed out on here, better to be looking at them rather than for them

I know the RS will be dormant over winter, but I'll pot on and be ready to go come Spring, and new fence at Volunteer place, one will also go into my DS horrible neglected dry parched patch at his front where it can fight the mares' tail

Dustyevsky

goldfinches said:

Perhaps an online competition for Grumpy Old Git of the Year along the lines of the NZ Bird of the Year one is in order? I promise to vote for you as many times as I can. 

That's a very clever way of involving the population in wildlife matters, even if it's rigged. Nominating a bat is a good example of clever marketing. Create controversy, divide the population into 'for' and 'against camps' and.... err, maybe a little too close to reality!  

Your plot's soil looks good, GF, and those sleepers look like they'll last forever. No doubts about the boundaries etc.

The drunks promise it will now be dry for the rest of daylight hours and it's warmish out there, so I'll have to get going in a mo. 

Yesterday at Rosemoor, light was very poor as the front moved in, but it didn't begin to rain until we drove away, so perfectly timed. By then, there was a bit of 'glowing' going on, plus lots of grubbing-out and re-stocking with plants that will perform in spring; foxgloves among the roses being one example.More photos to follow, many taken with flash, even at 14.30!

Meanwhile, here's the Hot Garden, shot last week and looking somewhat bedraggled:

ArbitraryRandom

goldfinches said:

Then this afternoon I did some more weeding on my new allotment. When I'm head down pulling out endless creeping buttercups, willow herbs, dandelions and so on it feels like I've done loads but when I stand up and see  how much is left to do my efforts seem puny. 

It's looking great to me - good coloured soil and nice and loose ready for planting  

And you're doing better than me... I've not even been in the garden for at least 48 hours and I'm starting to get that headache that's telling me I need some air. Debating going out now (it's drizzly but not raining iyswim) or putting it off until tomorrow and promising myself a decent walk about.