Awful weather - typical Brits talk

YoungBlueEyes

Forgive the poor quality - v quick point + shoot - but look at what just landed in the trees behind the Oracle! 

Dustyevsky

That Exmoor photo link was really something, 2p! I went in and spent an hour going through them all. Having experienced Exmoor in all its moods as a youngster, I'd not see it quite how Bluey does, but then there's a world of difference between the tops and the sheltered valleys and woodlands of the Coleridge Way.

While those of you in the north may be having a fine day, things are predicted so wet here, our builders are giving themselves a day off our job, rather than make a mess. It's 10c warm this morning, and things are changing for the better, but first winds and a deluge. They still reckon to finish on Friday.

Before I show my tomato and squash forest, I'll make it clear that various seeds sown this year have either failed or come up badly for me too. I always mix my own sowing compost, usually with added vermiculite, or soil if it's likely to be a long germination job, but some subjects are very difficult. However, my main claim to fame is killing them with kindness after they're a few days or weeks old.

Sticks courtesy of Mrs Dusty. The tougher stuff is now in the polytunnel. We have a Garden Club event on Saturday, so some of this lot will go then....hurrah!

ArbitraryRandom

Wow YBE. I'm not a bird person, but is that a heron? Are they normally in trees...? (I thought they were water birds). 

Dry but grey here so far, which is good for the bin men. Trying to work up the motivation to go outside this morning (first meeting isn't until 10, so I can take half an hour to wake up before logging in). This gardening lark isn't half tough! And I have to admit to being a little pooped/achey. Not a bad feeling, but I may have jumped in at the deep end a little too eagerly  Nice standing here looking out through the window starting to see the beds actually have plants in them and looking orderly/planned out... but I think next year I definitely need to be a bit more sensible about how many things I'm actually trying to fit in. 

Speaking of aquilegia. Of the seeds planted last year in various places, I think I've got one plant remaining (after the levelling and builders). I scattered two varieties, so keen to see what colour it comes up as Aquilegia and the forget-me-nots that poke up later in the year always make me smile  

Edit, just seen the maris peer I ordered is actually maris piper delivered (which I already had from T&M but not chitted so who knows if they'll do anything anyway)... bit annoyed but not sure if it's worth complaining about. 

Dustyevsky

I missed the heron, making breakfast halfway through my post. Good spot! It might be resting, rather than looking to stick-around. Although looking ungainly, herons nest together at long-used sites in the tops of trees. They're wary and clever birds. I've seen a heron being mobbed by crows go into the top of a huge beech tree, then 'fall' through it, to emerge at the bottom and escape with a head start!

YoungBlueEyes

I don't know what it was Arb, it was only sat there a wee minute so I was lucky to get a pic at all. A heron or an egret or what I don't know.

Bluddy 'ell Dusty, you and Farway gonna have a forest-off?  

-taff

Oh gawd YBL, John Connoly! One day I will proof read before posting, my fingers get the keys mixed up and my brain doesn't see it. Good job I didn't have to write anything the likes of what Dusty did, it'd be a whole new plant by the time I was finished. A heron? woop woop!!!

Less an Arb, I forsee a whole new raft of experiments for you two in your future....Fingers crossed for bountiful harvests an forget about the resuslts

2p, seen from quite far away, gorse looks lovely ...up close though..they did remind me of where I used to live though, the mountain was covered in it, but yuo were alo lucky to find wimberries there too, which I always preferred to blueberries. And who'd a thunk Highland cattle there but i suppose it makes perfect sense.

Dusty, John Constable would be itching to paint that sky. fabulous. I haven't had another dog since my GSD went, but that was also because we didn't feel we could look after a dog with the work we were doing, and now the cats have inserted themselves, it probably won't happen. I like your forest btw, I like the trays they're in too, whereabouts did you get those? I have very very big trays or I've been using the tops of the packs of cells [ lidl specials or really old ones that have seen better days]

Arb, one thing though, at least you're stopping and looking. I sit down, see something, get up and do it, I am training myself to leave it alone until I've had time to enjoy looking at the damn thing first.

Greek weather here, sunny and windy, mares tails across the sky.

ArbitraryRandom

Less - those links are working now this morning, no idea what's changed!

Thanks, it's interesting and I can understand the logic (but I can understand the logic of the other way as well). I wonder if there's then something like with tomatoes that if you snip the top and take out the second run of flowers they put more energy into the fruit (or in this case tubers?)...

I think THREE tubs might be the way to go  

twopenny

But Arbs, you were understandably keen to get your garden finished-ish, you've waited a long time.
The fun part comes with the fiddling once it's established. About 5yrs 

Love your garden from the window Dusty.
We've got a lot of gardening club sales going on here. I've deliberately not marked them on the calendar!
There are one or two talks i may go to though.

Woke up to 12c and looks foggy but it's not. I think it's rain coming in.  Supposed to be a wet day and so far I'm much better so it will be no excuse not to get on with some decorating/ clearing out. I've lost the get up and go for that. Will have to get me an audio book I think to keep me going.

Still no sign of any more seeds coming up.

ArbitraryRandom

Dustyevsky said:

Before I show my tomato and squash forest... 

I recognise the tomato and squash - but what's the plant with the cuneate leaves in the middle there?  

-taff

2p, I changed compost, sowed again, so fingers crossed for herbage this time...

Arb, I can't tell, the sun is shining on the telly