[margaret zanoni]

This morning I have begun to cut back the shrubs and taller plants as we have strong winds and heavy rain forecast for tomorrow onwards........and we have been enjoying 3 of the nicest days we have had in ages!

The warm spell encouraged the plants to produce more blooms.......but with a difference! The dahlias have produced single blooms instead of double ones as has my pretty pink rose (although it has a delightful centre to it.

The cosmos I grew from seed were a dwarf variety 'which will not need staking' according to the packet! They are 6 feet tall and as I put them at the front of the border the plants behind can only be seen from the sitting room window! The bonus is that they have formed a feathery hedge and have been completely covered with flowers for months - I have saved some seed and this time will sow them at the back of the border. My husband says they will probably be dwarf ones if I do that!!!!

I love the perfume from Peacock Orchids and have over a hundred bulbs but this year although they have produced lots of strong leaves have been rather lacking in the flower department probably due to lack of warmth this year. Today however one is blooming right under our window and the scent is really special. I am also posting a picture of my nerines which my little niece calls the 'spider flowers'!

Whilst these may not be the largest or most beautiful blooms of the year coming at this time they extend the summer in a way and even a single flower is doubly welcome.

I hope you are all enjoying the lovely autumn colours - although for those on the other side of the world it is Spring and the planting season beckons........as does back ache!!!

Regards to everyone......Margaret

[poochee]

Originally Posted by margaret zanoni

This morning I have begun to cut back the shrubs and taller plants as we have strong winds and heavy rain forecast for tomorrow onwards........and we have been enjoying 3 of the nicest days we have had in ages!

Regards to everyone......Margaret

Enjoyed viewing your beautiful flowers!

[ymfoster]

Those flowers are beautiful Margaret,

I only had one flower on my Nerines last Autumn, your niece is close as the common name is Spider Lillies,

[margaret zanoni]

Who said Olive Trees don't grow in England........I am delighted to prove all those who told me I was wasting my time wrong - for not only has my tiny olive cutting grown into a sturdy tree it has produced olives this year despite the lack of warmth this year. I must admit there are only a handful but they are all a good size and really olive trees are lovely in their own right - delicate leaves which allow you to see through the branches and so give a nice airy feeling to the garden.

Naturally I am now having to put up with the family pulling my leg - "do you want some pickers in" - "are you going to take them down to the pressing plant for oil" etc., Really they just don't want to admit they were wrong and have lost the bet!

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.......regards Margaret

[poochee]

Originally Posted by margaret zanoni

Who said Olive Trees don't grow in England........I am delighted to prove all those who told me I was wasting my time wrong - for not only has my tiny olive cutting grown into a sturdy tree it has produced olives this year despite the lack of warmth this year. I must admit there are only a handful but they are all a good size and really olive trees are lovely in their own right - delicate leaves which allow you to see through the branches and so give a nice airy feeling to the garden.

Naturally I am now having to put up with the family pulling my leg - "do you want some pickers in" - "are you going to take them down to the pressing plant for oil" etc., Really they just don't want to admit they were wrong and have lost the bet!

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.......regards Margaret

s

Congratulations on your success!

[ymfoster]

Well done Margaret,

quite an achievement,

[margaret zanoni]

My chrysanthemums were late starting to bloom - in fact it was only near the end of November they really began to put on a show but then the nice warm spell came to an abrupt end! Of course I had waited too long to take photo's of them in full bloom outside and had to wait for a lull in the storm to go out and cut the flowers to bring inside. At least we enjoyed them in the sitting room for a couple of weeks!

Not only did the rain come but we have had snow, ice and freezing fog which has put paid to most of my flowers and some of the more tender plants too I am afraid. I have cut them back though and some close to the house will survive I hope. I have left quite a lot of the fallen leaves around some which should help them.

The winter bulbs though are beginning to push up through the frozen earth - it always amazes me that such delicate little flowers can force their way through when I can't get a spade into the ground! The Christmas Roses (I suppose I should call them Hellebores really) are on track to bloom for the holiday and some of the winter blooming shrubs are beginning to show colour - hopefully to be caught on camera at the right time! The Holly has plenty of berries and the Mistletoe is super this year so with a few eucalyptus leaves we should decorate the house ok.

I enjoy looking at the posts of other members who live on the other side of the world and have different seasons......it makes the winter here pass quickly.

I expect most of you are getting ready for the Christmas holidays and in case I don't post here again before then may I wish you all a Blessed Christmas and a Peaceful New Year - whatever your faith.

Kind regards.....Margaret

[margaret zanoni]

Another year has begun with mother nature springing a surprise for us garden lovers! We have had such a lot of snow that I doubted my tiny flowers would come up at all - but the snowdrops have.......and they are being followed by more shoots of the other spring bulbs but will probably flower a little later this year.

Regards to everyone........Margaret

[ymfoster]

Lovely snow pic Margaret,

the Snowdrops look great too

[3kgt]

Nice snow shoot, but why the photos looks a little pink or red?

[margaret zanoni]

Originally Posted by 3kgt

Nice snow shoot, but why the photos looks a little pink or red?

I think it was probably due to the light - but I am no expert at taking photo's and I was using my old camera to finish up a film which had been in it for some time - from now on I shall stick to the digital camera - point and shoot!

kind regards..........Margaret

[poochee]

Originally Posted by margaret zanoni

Another year has begun with mother nature springing a surprise for us garden lovers! We have had such a lot of snow that I doubted my tiny flowers would come up at all - but the snowdrops have.......and they are being followed by more shoots of the other spring bulbs but will probably flower a little later this year.

Regards to everyone........Margaret

Hi Margaret, nice pics!

[margaret zanoni]

Finally this morning there was a lull in the stormy weather so I had the opportunity to clear away most of the fallen leaves from around the smaller plants. Then just as I was taking a well earned cup of coffee the rain began again...........so I nipped out and took a couple of photo's of my hellebores! They are such a beautiful colour and despite being hidden under snow for weeks still have lots of blooms on sturdy stalks.......for how long though is anyones guess! Most of the white variety has had the buds damaged by the freezing temperatures unlike this later flowering purple kind.

Kind regards as ever..........Margaret

[poochee]

Originally Posted by margaret zanoni

Finally this morning there was a lull in the stormy weather so I had the opportunity to clear away most of the fallen leaves from around the smaller plants. Then just as I was taking a well earned cup of coffee the rain began again...........so I nipped out and took a couple of photo's of my hellebores! They are such a beautiful colour and despite being hidden under snow for weeks still have lots of blooms on sturdy stalks.......for how long though is anyones guess! Most of the white variety has had the buds damaged by the freezing temperatures unlike this later flowering purple kind.

Kind regards as ever..........Margaret

Beautiful!

[ymfoster]

Beautiful Helabores Margaret,

they would look very cheerful after all that snow.