Prosperous and Creative Soul Year 5

skint_spice · 15 May at 11:54AM

Garden looks a nice place to relax.

jwil · 15 May at 12:58PM

Lovely pictures!

savingholmes · 16 May at 9:41PM

Thanks Skint, Jwil, KK, Beanie, TG, WD and GlassHalfFull

It's my birthday next week - and a load of plants kinds of felt into my trolley. A tall orange azalea, another standard red robin, an acid loving evergreen shrub with red flowers - I need to check the name of, an annual that is like a multi stemmed sunflower - that I've forgotten the name of already. (Not planted yet). Plus a smoke bush that I hope to grow as a standard. I'm hoping to use the red robin and the smoke bush to become mini shelters - like parasols… You get a standard tree (all the early side shoots cut off) - that has leaves / branches in a lollipop type shape - and then potentially use bamboo to train it into the desired shape… I did look at buying fully ready done ones but walked away at the prices - especially once delivery got added on. I'm debating doing the same kind of thing with the wisteria I bought - after it finishes flowering… YT seems to suggest it is possible. Might be easier than trying to train it up the house - although if I can get the arch to go where I want it - I might train it up that near my new bench.

The wind is likely to take out parasols here - it has already killed off one - and although I replaced it with a cheaper one - my long term aim is use plants to achieve the same thing like they do at some posh gardens - like the Salford one… Similar to what I created by accident at my last home.

It poured it down with rain all day today pretty much - so although I also topped up with compost and a cheap metal arch - not done more than that towards changing things yet.

I returned £60 of stuff to another shop - and have as much to return again to other shops so I'm hoping that will offset some of my spends. I'm also hoping my Mum will contribute.

The starlings/fledglings are now mostly feeding themselves - with some parental supervision. I went out and got a huge tub of mealworms but I think the peak feeding period may start tailing off soon.

savingholmes · 16 May at 9:49PM

I had a beautiful, sunny day out with a friend yesterday - although it was raining cats and dogs when I left here. The weather is weird.

NT above

savingholmes · 16 May at 11:23PM

I've just booked an overnight stay and a visit to a sculpture park for my birthday. Pretty pleased - as both of those came to £69 including breakfast - so just a couple of meals to find on top probably… I'd allowed £200 for a birthday treat - so the lowish cost trip will help offset the gardening spends today.

I just investigated a lower cost sim - but I'd losing 20GB when roaming so that doesn't seem as good an option as it first appeared… so sticking with my current provider for now.

Also spoke to my Mum about our Italy holiday. She is wondering whether we cancel one night at our Lakes and Mountains hotel and have an extra night near the airport instead. I'm not sure I want to do that… So will sleep on it. It could cost £100 each less though even after paying for a new hotel as we'd use public transport rather than a private taxi - even if we can't get a reduced cost for our main stay. Another option could be to get a taxi part way the night before - and then a train and still eat at our main hotel in the evening before leaving. I love it there… I also don't want to mess our hotelier around as he did me a deal…

I still need to sort out a cattery. One option is on my way which I may go for just for simplicity if they have space although I doubt they are the cheapest.