GreenFly - A 'flylady style' gardening thread with weekly tasks to tame your garden

greenbee

My gravel has arrived, so after work I'll be barrowing that from the gate to a. the patio and b. somewhere else further up the drive!

Cherryfudge

Even more shifting plants today! The irises had leaned so far over the path that I had to take a lot of them out and now have a big heap and am donating as many as I can to friends! There are still plenty in the border but I went into Yorksh1re Trad1ng on the off chance and they had some shallow planters down to £1.50, so I had to get a couple, didn't I? I have a similar one for irises already and they seem to like it there. In the border they thrive but hardly ever flower as the spot is too shady. Pots can be moved to the sun.

The men have started digging out for the new path and replacement of the slab of concrete at the back door. Under the concrete they found why the drain isn't working properly: a soakaway was put in, presumably in the 1930s when the house was built, and there are no connectors, just bits of pipe which have since silted up. It's going to be around £300 more to get this fixed and a new soak away put in, but at least we are less likely to have rainwater threatening to overtop the back door sill.

greenbee

That's the problem with getting work done Cherryfudge! It tends to lead to more work... but it's good that you're able to fix a problem.

I've shifted a builders' bag of gravel and it was JUST enough for the holes in the paving! So tomorrow I hope to move the water bowl and most of the pots onto the gravel.

redofromstart

DS1 and I have got a lot done today. He has cleared most of what will be the 'Cat Garden' which is hard work given that it was solid with grass, full of rocks and he had to work round the odd worth saving plant. I have done some more putting of things in to pots and in to the magnolia border. Lots of watering. 

First vase of the year filled to use the snapped off lupins.  

  

Cherryfudge

What an absolutely gorgeous colour palette, @redofromstart. Beautiful.

greenbee

Those are stunning, redo. I’m very envious of people with actual flowers in their gardens. Hopefully this time next year mine will be different…

KajiKita

That’s absolutely beautiful Redo ❤️😊

KK

EssexHebridean

Oh Redo how pretty! Makes me quite envious as we're also people who have very little to cut. That said, the way the front garden rose is flowering we may be able to cut some blooms from there! 

Realising that the temperature had dropped quite startlingly last night, I closed up the mini greenhouse last thing - glad I did too, we had a frost, albeit a very light one - overnight! 

redofromstart

Thank you all - a first for me as I don't usually have enough of anything to make up a bunch like that although a cutting garden would always be on my mental wish list. 

The Verbascum 'Southern Charm' came as garden ready plants last year (regularly £7 for 15 from T&M etc), and clearly love full sun, half hearted watering and poor soil.  It said they were good for cutting and I now believe them, whereas last year they were still getting established.

Much cooler here today.  Another couple of pots of bulbs done this morning and I have remembered to water the polytunnel.  No more lily beetles, but spotted aphids on my Scabiosa so I am trying washing up liquid solution in a spray bottle.  

Cherryfudge

No gardening done today but I've watched the men dig a big, neat hole for the soakaway, so at least digging happened. The other side of the house looks as though we are building a moat but got the plans at 90 degrees so the trench goes away from the house not round it. Instead of a drawbridge we have a stepping stone and from there it's a bit of leg exercise to get to the door step. Apparently the rise from the gate to the door step is 1.10m, not counting the few inches of step up from the road. My garden is insurance against bungalow legs.

A bit of me is sooo tempted to ask them to build a divided wall either side of the path so I can plant things in it, but that was never int eh plan. Besides, it will give me more opportunities to fall down steps. I have, however, got them to save the old land drain pipes because I want to try making a feature out of them, possibly on end with trailing plants in them.