[Bush Lady]

Thanks for your input on my cucumbers Bruce

Originally Posted by eggplant43

The secret is to plant enough so you both get some

And about Steppinstone's blackberries. If you want to keep the birds out, do like my brother just suggested. Take some page wire, ( the type the farmers use to fence their fields in.) Put page wire around the field of blackberries and on top and then over the page wire you buy chicken wire. This way you will have the blackberries for yourself and not have to share them with the birds.

My mother years ago wanted to put some sunflowers in the garden, because she like the big yellow flowers. Well that was a bad idea. The black birds had a feast on those flowers. The picked out all the seeds.

[telecom69]

Hi all, After having such a good start in May,this season has been a disaster due to the weather I should be used to having good and bad seasons after all the years Ive been gardening but this one has been very bad,its so dissapointing to see almost an end to the season already for so many plants,its as if they think Summer is over and have given up,my hanging baskets in particular have now finished, the Surfinias never even got going properly,and just went brown and died, so many plants have just given up, the Cucumbers are showing no signs of growing at all,the Runner beans might possibly crop eventually although they are really well behind what they should be,even the tomatoes in the greenhouse are very slow,all this of course due to the non-appearance of any Sun ...the only thing that has not suffered at all are my Hydrangeas which are bigger and better than they have ever been

However the weather forecast now says we are in for much better weather,so Im hoping whats left will get a second chance,the Dahlias especially ( which I was hoping would do well) have suffered from being flooded to a depth of 4 inches or more at 4 different times,its possiblethat they yet still will recover because they do go through till the frosts....

Super Dahlia pics Frank cant say I have ever seen better pics posted anywhere,they are a credit to you,wish now that I had grown mine in containers like you do,then they wouldnt have got flooded out ...the permanent shrubs havent suffered at all except for their flowering periods which were very short due to so much rain and winds no doubt,lots of very lush growth that has to be cut back this week with the better weather on offer ...any sign of those barricade builders yet Penny ? dont suppose they have been or you would have said I think,not hard to tell whether they are Runner beans or not,if they are long and straggly with just two leaves every now and again up a thin central stem then they are beans its really a bit too late to be planting them though now,best of luck with the Carrots and Leeks .... all for now ...see you later

7.30 am Monday and the Sun is shining hooray

[franca]

Originally Posted by telecom69

Hi all,

the weather forecast now says we are in for much better weather,so Im hoping whats left will get a second chance,the Dahlias especially ( which I was hoping would do well) have suffered from being flooded to a depth of 4 inches or more at 4 different times,its possiblethat they yet still will recover because they do go through till the frosts....

Super Dahlia pics Frank cant say I have ever seen better pics posted anywhere,they are a credit to you,wish now that I had grown mine in containers like you do,then they wouldnt have got flooded out ...the permanent shrubs havent suffered at all except for their flowering periods which were very short due to so much rain and winds no doubt,lots of very lush growth that has to be cut back this week with the better weather on offer...

7.30 am Monday and the Sun is shining hooray

Thanks tele....I'm very pleased with them, bummer on the weather you had, but like you said your Dahlias still have time to bounce back, till the frost hits......but things are looking up for you weather wise......Here comes the sun - and it's set to stay for all of August after torrential downpours and flooding Britons are finally celebrating a return of summer. This week is predicted to bring consistent sunshine with temperatures reaching 26C by Friday ... hope your Dahlias do make an effort for you. good luck and don't forget keep getting those hands dirty......

[eggplant43]

One of the nice things about gardening is how forgiving that plants can be. They sleep, they sleep, and then when the conditions are right.............Let's hope you get that gift.

[Tuppence2]

Hello everyone. Lovely dahlias, Frank. Sorry to hear about your growing problems, Bob. The same here! The plants I was given are either broad-beans or sprouts. I do have runner beans but they, like yours, and my neighbours' plants, just aren't producing beans. My tomatoes have one or two fruit forming but they aren't doing well either. Hope you are drying out quickly.

I watered the leeks and "beans/sprouts" this morning as it was a lovely sunny day. I cut the grass and thought to myself how nice it will be when I don't have so much to mow. I'd been wondering when the builder would turn up, only to find a message on the phone this evening, when I got back from walking along the canal to collect Cecil, saying he will be here on Thursday!

Ziggy and Cecil chased rabbits on the walks through the wood we came through on the way home this evening then dunked themselves in the canal to cool off. It really was hot.

My "Oregon" blackberry is very poor. It's not grown well at all. I think I'll concentrate on growing the cultivated one that birds brought to the garden. Interesting for you to see the robin eating your berries, Chari. Hope you're able to pick more for yourself later.

[Tuppence2]

The builder arrived yesterday to take up grass and lay gravel,and to erect a little fence to keep the dogs off that area, but had to give up after an hour or so because of rain. It's a much sunnier morning (Friday) and I'm waiting for them to arrive to finish the job. I've also to walk and fetch a neighbour's dog, "Milo", who's staying with us for a week.

My leeks and "probable" sprouts are settling in. I'm watering my neighbours tomatoes and the odd other plant or two in her greenhouse as she's away, and I'm looking after the chickens, so I'm getting nice fresh eggs from the four hens.

I thought you might like to see me wearing my hat as a Sustrans (Sustainable Transport) Cycleway Ranger. We dedicated a bench we've set at the canal-side for weary cyclists to use.

Hope your wet gardens are drying out, or you have rain if that's what you need.

See you over the weekend, I expect.

[telecom69]

Hi everyone, big improvement in the weather of late,hardly a drop of rain and plenty of sunshine for the last four days or so, apart from the plants that think they have had their Summer,and finished other stuff is showing signs of renewed vigour,which I am pleased about....I even managed to pick a small Cucumber (they grow so quickly),but out of the three plants I have only one looks healthy,the other two are starting to yellow off ....the Runner beans too (what few I have left) have started some leaf growth at last and also have quite a few beans on now,about 2 inches in length,so maybe we shall be able to pick some soon perhaps, the Tomatoes in the greenhouse are doing okay and have quite a crop on but havent yet had any ripe ones,might get my first towards the end of the week hopefully.

Shame about your builders getting rained off Penny,but I expect they have finished it by now? ...liked the hat photos also,you are a busy lady Penny,Im pretty sure you dont have many idle moments,what with the gardening etc,and are you still doing the nursery work? I wonder if you watch thes twenty20 cricket matches Penny ? they are certainly different to anything we have seen before in the cricket matches,and I think they are here to stay ....I watched all the finals yesterday and pretty exciting they were too, lots of big hitting,great stuff ... were into August now of course and the football season is almost on us,dont know whether you watch that as Ive never heard you talk about it .... thats about it for now....see you soon.

[Tuppence2]

Hello everyone.

Yes, Bob, I do watch the 20/20 cricket when I notice it's on. I also like the F1 Grand Prixs but missed today's as I was out. I do watch the big football matches but don't follow a team like I used to in the 60's and 70's, when I followed Leeds, would you believe! Don't know why, except that it was a time of very good football for them and very enjoyable matches.

I've just got back from cycling to the next village, 3 miles there and 3 back (approx), for a get-together of people who supported the manager who was made redundant at the nursery. He presented cheques to "Dorothy House" and a local children's nature and farm charity, the "Hope Trust" - money given to him by his supporters as a leaving present. No, I'm not helping at the nursery at the moment as they're who made the manager redundant ater 21 years, for very spurious reasons. He plans to start his owen venture as a community project and I hope to help when that's up and running. He has to find 3 acres or so of suitable land and has the backing of his new employer.

Boy, was it warm! The temperature is now showing as 104 Farenheit (40 C). I even did some hoeing in the vegetable garden when I got back. It's fairly shadey there at the moment. Phew! I know we need sunshine, but I don't like extreme heat. I've one or two tomatoes ripening but not many. Picked some rhubarb for my neighbour.

The garden is finished and here are photos. I've added more plants since these were taken, and some of the bonsai. I'm very pleased with it. The strip of grass next to it, with the big pond, will be paved when I have some more money to spare! That will leave only a smallish area of grass under the apple tree at the bottom of the garden. Lovely to think I don't have that to mow any more.

The next job is to cut the hawthorn hedge in the veg garden and to trim the one at the front of the house, but not today.

I have "Milo" staying - he's a lot like your dog to look at - for a week and we are just going out for a short walk. Too hot to go far. Cecil's away for the weekend. I was treated to a pub lunch when I dropped him off, along with a glass of very nice cider. Graham drinks "Butcombes" beer. I'll be treated to supper at the pub when I walk to collect Cecil tomorrow evening. We sit in the pub garden to eat.

Hope you are all having a good weekend in you gardens.

[eggplant43]

Wow, that looks so nice. Love the chair. It looks just like a bench I had, just shorter. I'll bet it's comfortable to sit in.

Had big winds last night, and several of the lesser stemmed Sunflowers have bent to the ground, so I've got some work to do, looks like some bamboo poles are called for.

Right now I'm going to grill some zucchini, and make a nice cold salad with Feta cheese. Yum!

[telecom69]

Hi to all, Nice job they made of the garden Penny can see why you are pleased with it,it was worth waiting for ....you missed nothing by missing the F1 race on Sunday it was very boring actually Lewis Hamilton led from the start to the finish,it was just like a procession really,that track has absolutely no means of overtaking,so the first away was going to win,barring any accidents of course I suppose you are talking about Leeds when they were managed by Don Revie,they were quite a team in those days and didnt lose very often....I think all teams have their time and that was certainly theirs,but inevitably it couldnt last,because all good things come to an end and just look at them now in all sorts of trouble.

Pity about the nursery episode whatever the reasons behind it,I know you liked going there ...like your weather it was far too warm to do anything yesterday afternoon,I even had to fetch the portable fans downstairs again,I had taken them up when we were getting battered by the rains ....in my case ther is not really much to do anyway in the garden from now on except for keeping things tidy and weeding,fully expecting to get a Tomato or two ripe for the weekend,and Im pretty sure a feed of Runner beans too.

Its Busters birthday today he is two and we will have had him for a year at the end of this month,time flies doesnt it ...more soon,happy gardening folks ...



The flowers fight back after a bad summer

[eggplant43]

Too cute, nice pose.

[telecom69]

Thanks Bruce Carolyn....MQC made that card from a photo of Buster,and sent it to me on my birthday earlier this year ...bless her heart...it meant so much ....

[Tuppence2]

Happy birthday, "Buster", and Happy birthday "Jaki" (Frank's dog, who is 4). Birthdays at the same time, how nice!

Eggy - Yes, the chairs are nice. They're wrought-iron and wood, just like a bench. My neighbour gave me two of them, as they no longer wanted them. Nice for me.

Bob - Yes, that's right, it was Don Revie in charge.

I hoed the vegetable garden yesterday and cleared up fallen apples.
It's sunny again today but not quite so hot. I watered the pots and tubs, then walked the dogs to "Jewsons" along the road, to see what they charge for paving stones, then cycled to the vet at the other end of town to pick up Schuee's tablets (for his heart murmur), then I weeded the front garden, and sawed pieces off the two hedges I have there to tidy them and make them easier to trim. Had enough gardening for a while. I have to walk to Bradford-on-Avon along the canal path this evening, to collect Cecil, and be treated to a pub supper. It's the Credit Union session this afternoon, where I'm training as a volunteer for when we open our branch on the estate in November.

Think I'll have some soup for lunch.

[MightyQueenC]

Good morning, everyone

Happy Birthday, Buster and Jaki

Well ... haven't posted anything as of late, as I haven't done much of anything, injury aside.

There's just nothing for me to do at this time of year but enjoy the hard work and try to keep the grass "contained" and weeds under control, which has been a breeze with the tons of bark I threw down, but I know it won't last. The hard digging at the other side will have to wait until I have 2 out of 3 of the lads present to help with it, and they've conveniently made themselves unavailable most of the summer, choosing to work for real money rather than the pittance I offer them. No worries, it'll get done this fall as I am determined to start off with a decent Spring 2008. And to combat the August hum drums, I'll grow some veggies next year so will have some harvesting to do, if all goes well.

The one thing I have been doing but haven't had any success with is using my camera to make a wee clip of the moon flowers opening at night.
My middle son, just happened to be in the garden with me one evening and just as I pointed out the Moon Flowers, asking if he remembered them from his younger-childhood in Grandma's garden, it began to open right before our eyes. He thought he was hallucinating and it really does look some sort of time-lapse over time clip that you might see on a nature show.
So ... every evening I've been going out at just before 9 pm to try to capture from start to finish, but my timing is rather off, and in the dark I need an assistant to shine another light on the flower because I sure as heck can't see it through the camera lens. So, I was out last night, having another go ... with my youngest lad, holding the flashlight, and up pull the cops. They wanted to know what was going on (a neighbour across the way had called them) so I told them and they nodded and then got in their cop-mobile, pulling away again, not even bothering to muffle their laughter.

I'm gonna try again tonight, if the rain stops.

Hang on .. I do have a bit of colourful news: The house plants on the balcony are loving their summer place. My Jasmine flowered for the 2nd time this year and a Cacti that hasn't bloomed since I bought it in bloom 4 years ago, did so. The scent from the Jasmine in the evening especially is glorious. White flowers and me taking shots of them don't always turn out. My apologies.

And now that I think about it (always tres dangerous) I have another plant for you to identify in attachment #3. It's a tiddley little thing, about 4" tall and hidden among the ferns and Bee Balm. I think I remember it having tiny white flowers on it at some point, but the name escapes me and my garden plans are still in my other computer (in repair).

Penny: your garden looks simply lovely. I'd love to lose ALL the grass in my yard as well ... maybe a small patch for Angel, but that's it.

Eggy: I love zucchini and so do my lads. Perhaps will have a go at them again next year, as I have the back side patch that would be a suitable growing space for them.

That's all for now, folks. Have a lovely day in or out of your gardens

[franca]

Originally Posted by MightyQueenC

Good morning, everyone

Happy Birthday, Jaki

Jaki thanks you MQ.......