Awful weather - typical Brits talk

YoungBlueEyes

Dustyevsky said:

 All will be well if nothing extreme comes our way, but what are the chances of that?

I'll be a good girl and start on topic. I've done the right thing in planting those wee daffs. I'm not to believe the things they write on labels cos that's just a lot of nonsense to make the people who don't know what they're doing buy stuff.  Apparently I've forgotten what Cissie's aunt used to say - "As the days lengthen the cold strengthens" - and as daffs like the cold they'll be grand. And if you have vases of daffs you're to leave them outside overnight for the same reason. So that's this week's weather forecast, the cold is coming.

I hope you get some drier weather soon 2p so you can get your tree planted and all our "tree cousins" (love that Farway) can get going together. Checking mine yesterday it seems to be happy enough cos the buds are developing. Well it's not unhappy enough to die, anyway.

Blackie was in fine throat this morning, and a lot of the wee ones. I think I've got a new bird... I didn't recognise the song but then it didn't seem to have a song, it was singing every song with all the notes and sounds and clicking and tutting and squawking. Powerful it was too. I don't think it has a mate because it wasn't leaving long enough gaps to wait for an answer itms. I wonder what it was...

Forecast isn't too bad today, it's already started and stopped raining in the time it's taken me to write this. They've given windy so my washer's on. The humidity is dropping in the afternoons now too, so that's better.

greenbee

I’m struggling with the ‘what goes where’ at the moment Dusty. I’ve cleared a lot (still processing, hopefully more will be turned into woodchip today), am waiting for the tree surgeon, and have the greenhouse in. Like you I’m starting with edibles - although in my case the asparagus bed may well be the first one made as I’ve now ordered the crowns! I’m going to try ‘no dig’ on the basis that it looks like a quick way to get up and running and we have a LOT of compost.

We planted snowdrops at the weekend, and I have a couple of camellias to go in (there are two in the ground already looking very good, so my mum has given me her potted ones as they keep blowing over). Friends are donating plants, so I have white penstemon waiting to go in and promises of a lot of iris sibirica when people divide theirs! I need to go over the area where the bamboo was dug out very carefully to make sure there are no roots left - but I suspect this will be an ongoing battle. 

Sadly I left the Devon variant of the acqueligias behind at the last place - but I have found ONE acqueligia seedling in the garden so far. The east side of the garden is shaded by the wood next door, so ideal for things like camellias that don’t like morning sun. 

I have a LOT of work to do. Not as much as you did, but I have to keep reminding myself that gardens evolve.   

Dustyevsky

greenbee said:

Sadly I left the Devon variant of the acqueligias behind at the last place - but I have found ONE acqueligia seedling in the garden so far. The east side of the garden is shaded by the wood next door, so ideal for things like camellias that don’t like morning sun. 

I have a LOT of work to do. Not as much as you did, but I have to keep reminding myself that gardens evolve. 

I'm not sure what the state of play is with our aquilegias. We try to pull out the poorer ones, but sometimes the pressure of other work means they escape. I think some people on this thread decided to grow some from seed last year, but I can't remember why! I certainly planted seed from a white variety, and these are growing in a pot in the polytunnel. Maybe someone not as ancient, with a better memory, can recall what that was about?

Yes, gardens evolve. Later in the year, Next month, I want to put up photos of before and after with our small woodland. The trees which looked so frail when we planted them, exactly 10 years ago, are now up to 30' tall!

twopenny

Cold east wind today and a tad of wet stuff but up to 10 out of the wind.
Not encouraging to be out and about.

Little tree still upright for the mo but still got a duff leg so it will be happy for a while. Hope it will keep up with Farways one.
Greenbee thats a good name for you're busy as a bee  looking forward to photos.
Ditto Dusty, for and after photos are always encouraging.

Poppy, go for the pots. On my trips round open gardens I've seen all sorts grown in all sorts. And there's those potato bags that are not so big but you can grow all sorts in them.
Bluey, last week I started walking round the hilly estates in the evenings and there were blackbirds singing away and small birds. Love it at this time of year.
Did you know there's an app to point and identify bird song? But I wonder if that takes the fun and mystery out of it?

YoungBlueEyes

I didn’t know there’s an app 2p, I’ll have to look for that. Isn't it lovely hearing the birds, they’re such a joy I don’t think I have anything swish in the bird dept (a pair of blackies, at least one robin, some sparrows, some blue and long tail tits) but I’m happy enough with them and I’m that glad not to have bladdy starlings like I did in my last house. I'm not 'old man holding a kitten on a bus' happy, but who is  

I'd make a start with the pots too pp, it might not be their ideal situation but wouldn't it be better than nothing?

Gawd you don't stop gb, you make me feel idle. Actually most of you make me feel idle tbh ha haa! Looking forward to pics...

Dusty I think you mean me with the aquilegia seeds..? pp very kindly sent me some cos I was that taken with the pics on here. Hopefully they properly go for it cos I think I'll really like them 

OT There's a discernible amount of apricity out there now cos the sun's out

Dustyevsky

The first blackbird I heard singing 'properly' this year, was outside Lidl in Torrington, well over a fortnight ago. It literally stopped me in my tracks, even though dusk was approaching, and I wanted to be home before dark. We have lots of blackbirds here, and some now singing at dusk, but that one was so early to be claiming territory! It should be added, Torrington is a special town, having common land around most of it, with many acres of impenetrable scrub and trees, including behind Lidl!

After early rain, the sun really is shining here, so I must away to use the fine weather, while it lasts. As I have no pictures of any great relevance to post. I'll add this one, spotted last year when out and about. Needless to say, we didn't go that way!  Apologies if I've posted it before.... Thanks to my advanced years, you'll have to excuse the occasional duplicate!

pink_poppy

Haha, love that sign, Dusty   

YBE, I wonder if that little bird is a wren. They're pretty loud and do make clicking noises. Lovely little birds - I saw one in our garden this morning.

I'll go for it with the leeks - just need to get some seeds - hopefully not too late for them. I'd better start saving up loo roll tubes   

twopenny, I've got a few plastic hessian type bags - do you think they would work for planting things??

I'd forgotten about the white aquilegia seeds - I've still got some in a little plastic storage pot if anyone wants a few sending.

Farway

Cold wind and dull but at least it's dry, as expected now that I want some rain to settle in the newly planted apple over DDs.

pink_poppy said:

I'll go for it with the leeks - just need to get some seeds - hopefully not too late for them. I'd better start saving up loo roll tubes   

Another one here who reckons leeks will be fine in pots, don't they grow those huge thick as you leg ones in pots? Or are they a different variety?

YoungBlueEyes said:

Dustyevsky said:

 All will be well if nothing extreme comes our way, but what are the chances of that?

I'll be a good girl and start on topic. I've done the right thing in planting those wee daffs. I'm not to believe the things they write on labels cos that's just a lot of nonsense to make the people who don't know what they're doing buy stuff.  Apparently I've forgotten what Cissie's aunt used to say - "As the days lengthen the cold strengthens" - and as daffs like the cold they'll be grand. And if you have vases of daffs you're to leave them outside overnight for the same reason. So that's this week's weather forecast, the cold is coming.

I hope you get some drier weather soon 2p so you can get your tree planted and all our "tree cousins" (love that Farway) can get going together. Checking mine yesterday it seems to be happy enough cos the buds are developing. Well it's not unhappy enough to die, anyway.

The daffs will be champion next year, I was up the volunteer border today en route to collect prescription and even our squirrel ravaged ones have buds

Glad to hear the apple is still with us, nice turn of phrase, happy enough not to die

Paspatur said:

First job was disgusting. @Farway can you please change your signature to read Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens  

Job completed, sig V2.0 posted

After prescription, I went to Morries, no snowdrops to be seen, but there were other temptations.

I came home with an Autumn Bliss raspberry and Thorn Free blackberry

The raspberry is for me, I've been on the lookout & today was the day, only a small plant but should give me a few berries later this year as a taster

The blackberry is for DDs new garden, can you believe there is not one fruit or veg plant in it? Nice with shrubs etc in a tidy sort of way.

Both the plants are in pots, from the £2.50 range, but will soon grow now it's warming up

greenbee

Fairway - no fruit or veg in mine (apart from a very neglected scabby apple). Shrubby in a ‘supermarket carpark’ style. Or at least it was. Most of them have now gone through the chipper 😂

Farway

greenbee said:

Fairway - no fruit or veg in mine (apart from a very neglected scabby apple). Shrubby in a ‘supermarket carpark’ style. Or at least it was. Most of them have now gone through the chipper 😂

Sorry if my remark seemed critical in any way, it's just DD had fruit in her old garden, making jam etc from it, so I think in her case fruit is a good idea.