Morning all , @Fran IOM, it could be an abelia, but l'm not sure about the leaves to be honest. Maybe someone will have a better idea ! With regard to the blackspot and the coal, l have heard of that. When we lived up in the North East someone told me about it. It's to do with the sulphur emitted by burning coal. For some reason this prevents blackspot. Weather here is not too bad this morning, sunshine and a bit of a breeze. We had some heavy rain and rumbles of thunder last night and Hedgehog and friends wisely decided to stay at home. Hope everyone has a good day. Laters x
Very windy here,i've panicked over the way the eucalyptus is bending horizontally in the wind,so went out with my secateurs and lopped the top. It's going to need re staking. Really fed up with being in now,and the click of the computer is driving me nuts.....OH playing cards! Grrr! I think I'll risk the showers,and find something to do out there. Feels as though I'll need a fleece and wellies. Has anyone else done anything gardenwise? @Fran IOM. I zoomed in on that Poundshop 🌹 it is really perfect,a lovely colour too. I thought first of all your shrub was a Wigela,because of the flowers,but the leaves are nothing like one,it's nice though.AnniD will find out what it is.😁
The whole truth is an instrument that can only be played by an expert.
Good Evening all, @AnniD I googled Abelia and it certainly looks very similar. The buds are pink and when they open the flower is white with just the one pink "petal" which had previously enclosed all the white ones if that makes sense. Will try and get a better photo. Wonder what hedgehog lives on if he doesn't frequent the restaurant? If this weather continues he will be rather hungry. Weather has been very strange today. Alternating between heavy rain and sunshine. Also very windy. In spite of that it was very warm. Just as well you lopped the top off you eucalyptus @Valley Gardener. Did you manage to achieve anything? A lot of my pound shop roses are doing well but don't produce many leaves. I have two which are very slow but I think they are a completely different type and have produced lots of bush and there are buds appearing now. Will have to get photos when they are out. The area looks quite colourful including all the petals on the ground with this wind. Managed time over there today but had to shelter in the shed when there was a ten second downpour followed by bright sunshine. Even the cat ran for cover in spite of feeding at the time. When I first arrived there were several pigeons feeding on the dropped seed and also a flock of starlings which I haven't seen in a long time. There appeared to be a few babies amongst them. I think the goldfinches have won the war as they are back on the sunflower hearts and the sparrows must be taking a back seat. Didn't really achieve much apart from deadheading and tidying up. Just cutting the grass makes the place look tidy even if there are a lot weeds wanting attention. Will post below a photo for ID. It is now about 7ft high and hides the patio area from anyone coming in. It is quite sheltered there apart from when it rains. It must be a shrub I have bought from the pound shop probably a couple or more years ago. Enjoy your evening.
Thanks for the Chubby suggestion @Hazel-1 but I have a little cat called Chummy and He would get mixed up if we were discussing Chubby in his presence. I'm going to plump for Snuffles for now 😀.
The garden is still looking drenched but I am going out there, secateurs in hand to cut back the Nepeta. I would like to divide it, but the last time I tried it fell apart in my hands.
I know you have a busy day ahead with family @Fran IOM so good luck and let us know how it goes.
This is Chummy, the runt of the litter, but far brighter than his fat brother Charlie:
Good Morning all, Not a gardening day that's for sure although as I say that it has stopped raining but very strong winds. @Purplerain Definitely a Spiraea thanks. I have just had a look in my tin of labels etc and found one "Spiraea The Western" which seems to match up. Appear to have two labels so what happened to the other I have yet to see. To be sure it came from the pound shop. Another shrub I noticed quite well advanced is an Echinops Ritro which looks rather nice although somewhat prickly. (Found the label for that too). I thought I had lost most of these plants but it just shows you should never give up. @Hazel-1 £10 for one of those bird baths is certainly a bargain. The modern ones you can buy just don't look the same. I know where there is a neglected one in the grounds of some apartments and it had recently been moved out of sight in order for plants to go in and if I were that sort of person it wouldn't be there now! Probably weighs a ton too. @Purplerain Just love your Chummy! Often the runt of the litter turns out to be the better one. Our border collie we had was the runt of the litter and the farmer wanted rid and it was the best thing we did to take her on. Never had a dog so obedient and loving. You could take her out with no lead and she would just walk by your side awaiting instructions. Whether she could have rounded up the sheep would be another matter. We heard her brother had to be put down as he was so vicious. Good luck with the Nepeta. Young ones arrive tomorrow so will have my work cut out. Hope the weather improves for them so they can have their picnic on the allotment! Will leave you in peace. Enjoy the day.
Ooooo @Purplerain I love your Chummy,he's gorgeous,i have a soft spot for the black and whites!
I also noticed your bird bath @Hazel-1,it's lovely! Ours was found under an old Pieris and some barbed wire when we moved here I think it's quite a few years old,for some reason it was filled with marbles! I put two bags of them in recycling,it seemed a pity as I expect some kids round here would have loved them.......or not,depending if they had a phone!😏 I also found an old stone frog,a bit on the weathered side,but I put him on a Leylandii stump and use his head for balance,I'm a bit unsteady on the old pins! Our pond frogs just disappeared,perhaps not keen on the cats drinking from it. Actually it's been a bit of a treasure trove,what with the pick head,and a lovely old bottle which I would think contained ink. Unfortunately there has also been a lot of broken glass and coal . All this rain will probably churn up some more.
The whole truth is an instrument that can only be played by an expert.
Good afternoon everyone @Purplerain , Chummy may have been the runt of the litter, but he is a beauty who has graciously allowed you to take his picture 🐱.
@Fran IOM it's surprising how those "dead" plants can reappear when you think all is lost.
@Valley Gardener , who knows what treasures you may find after this weather has passed through?
@Hazel-1 that bird bath was a bargain, it is nicer than any l have seen in the garden centres lately. I think they are missing a sales opportunity.
At the moment the rain is going sideways and it's blowing a hooley. Have had to go out to rescue pots of tomatoes and dahlias that had blown over. The tomatoes weighed a ton, but l'd forgotten to take the pot off the pot feet, so the wind caught it. Managed to tuck them in by the garage wall, but l didn't hang around to check for damage. I feel sorry for anyone getting married today, all those months of planning, but you can't plan the weather. Haven't watched GW yet, think l will do that this afternoon, and try and decide which tulips l want to order. Also watching the football! Anni x
I said at 8.37 that I was going out to cut the Nepeta..well, that's me just in! It turned into a scorcher! I have dismantled the garden peas, planted another box ball, dug out some geraniums and day lily's, planted new ones and on and on.
I don't know what is going on with the weather, but last nights forecast for Scotland was all doom and gloom and then we got this. They don't seem to be able to read the weather patterns at all at the moment. I bet you all get the good weather tomorrow, and I'm sorry it's so rubbish for you today @AnniD. At least you have GW to watch.
I have passed on your adoration of Chummy and he looked very pleased about that.
Off to do some shopping as soon as I clean up my gardening hands.
Well done @Purplerain, sounds like you've had a really good go today! It's been awful here until these last few minutes when the sun has shone brilliantly,the rain storms have been really heavy,and rivers have run down the hill. I'm dreading looking in the garden again,this has put all the plans for the planter on hold,you can't even look around a garden centre in this weather. Thankfully it was all painted with wood preserver,several coats,before the rain.
Just looked at next week's forecast and apart from Monday,it's rain every day,it's turning into a typical August!
The whole truth is an instrument that can only be played by an expert.
Posts
@Fran IOM, it could be an abelia, but l'm not sure about the leaves to be honest. Maybe someone will have a better idea !
With regard to the blackspot and the coal, l have heard of that. When we lived up in the North East someone told me about it. It's to do with the sulphur emitted by burning coal. For some reason this prevents blackspot.
Weather here is not too bad this morning, sunshine and a bit of a breeze. We had some heavy rain and rumbles of thunder last night and Hedgehog and friends wisely decided to stay at home.
Hope everyone has a good day.
Laters x
Really fed up with being in now,and the click of the computer is driving me nuts.....OH playing cards! Grrr!
I think I'll risk the showers,and find something to do out there. Feels as though I'll need a fleece and wellies.
Has anyone else done anything gardenwise?
@Fran IOM. I zoomed in on that Poundshop 🌹 it is really perfect,a lovely colour too.
I thought first of all your shrub was a Wigela,because of the flowers,but the leaves are nothing like one,it's nice though.AnniD will find out what it is.😁
@AnniD I googled Abelia and it certainly looks very similar. The buds are pink and when they open the flower is white with just the one pink "petal" which had previously enclosed all the white ones if that makes sense. Will try and get a better photo. Wonder what hedgehog lives on if he doesn't frequent the restaurant? If this weather continues he will be rather hungry.
Weather has been very strange today. Alternating between heavy rain and sunshine. Also very windy. In spite of that it was very warm. Just as well you lopped the top off you eucalyptus @Valley Gardener. Did you manage to achieve anything? A lot of my pound shop roses are doing well but don't produce many leaves. I have two which are very slow but I think they are a completely different type and have produced lots of bush and there are buds appearing now. Will have to get photos when they are out. The area looks quite colourful including all the petals on the ground with this wind. Managed time over there today but had to shelter in the shed when there was a ten second downpour followed by bright sunshine. Even the cat ran for cover in spite of feeding at the time. When I first arrived there were several pigeons feeding on the dropped seed and also a flock of starlings which I haven't seen in a long time. There appeared to be a few babies amongst them. I think the goldfinches have won the war as they are back on the sunflower hearts and the sparrows must be taking a back seat. Didn't really achieve much apart from deadheading and tidying up. Just cutting the grass makes the place look tidy even if there are a lot weeds wanting attention.
Will post below a photo for ID. It is now about 7ft high and hides the patio area from anyone coming in. It is quite sheltered there apart from when it rains.
It must be a shrub I have bought from the pound shop probably a couple or more years ago.
Enjoy your evening.
The garden is still looking drenched but I am going out there, secateurs in hand to cut back the Nepeta. I would like to divide it, but the last time I tried it fell apart in my hands.
I know you have a busy day ahead with family @Fran IOM so good luck and let us know how it goes.
This is Chummy, the runt of the litter, but far brighter than his fat brother Charlie:
Not a gardening day that's for sure although as I say that it has stopped raining but very strong winds.
@Purplerain Definitely a Spiraea thanks. I have just had a look in my tin of labels etc and found one "Spiraea The Western" which seems to match up. Appear to have two labels so what happened to the other I have yet to see. To be sure it came from the pound shop. Another shrub I noticed quite well advanced is an Echinops Ritro which looks rather nice although somewhat prickly. (Found the label for that too). I thought I had lost most of these plants but it just shows you should never give up.
@Hazel-1 £10 for one of those bird baths is certainly a bargain. The modern ones you can buy just don't look the same. I know where there is a neglected one in the grounds of some apartments and it had recently been moved out of sight in order for plants to go in and if I were that sort of person it wouldn't be there now! Probably weighs a ton too.
@Purplerain Just love your Chummy! Often the runt of the litter turns out to be the better one. Our border collie we had was the runt of the litter and the farmer wanted rid and it was the best thing we did to take her on. Never had a dog so obedient and loving. You could take her out with no lead and she would just walk by your side awaiting instructions. Whether she could have rounded up the sheep would be another matter. We heard her brother had to be put down as he was so vicious. Good luck with the Nepeta.
Young ones arrive tomorrow so will have my work cut out. Hope the weather improves for them so they can have their picnic on the allotment!
Will leave you in peace. Enjoy the day.
I also noticed your bird bath @Hazel-1,it's lovely! Ours was found under an old Pieris and some barbed wire when we moved here I think it's quite a few years old,for some reason it was filled with marbles! I put two bags of them in recycling,it seemed a pity as I expect some kids round here would have loved them.......or not,depending if they had a phone!😏
I also found an old stone frog,a bit on the weathered side,but I put him on a Leylandii stump and use his head for balance,I'm a bit unsteady on the old pins! Our pond frogs just disappeared,perhaps not keen on the cats drinking from it.
Actually it's been a bit of a treasure trove,what with the pick head,and a lovely old bottle which I would think contained ink. Unfortunately there has also been a lot of broken glass and coal . All this rain will probably churn up some more.
@Purplerain , Chummy may have been the runt of the litter, but he is a beauty who has graciously allowed you to take his picture 🐱.
@Fran IOM it's surprising how those "dead" plants can reappear when you think all is lost.
@Valley Gardener , who knows what treasures you may find after this weather has passed through?
@Hazel-1 that bird bath was a bargain, it is nicer than any l have seen in the garden centres lately. I think they are missing a sales opportunity.
At the moment the rain is going sideways and it's blowing a hooley. Have had to go out to rescue pots of tomatoes and dahlias that had blown over. The tomatoes weighed a ton, but l'd forgotten to take the pot off the pot feet, so the wind caught it. Managed to tuck them in by the garage wall, but l didn't hang around to check for damage.
I feel sorry for anyone getting married today, all those months of planning, but you can't plan the weather.
Haven't watched GW yet, think l will do that this afternoon, and try and decide which tulips l want to order. Also watching the football!
Anni x
I don't know what is going on with the weather, but last nights forecast for Scotland was all doom and gloom and then we got this. They don't seem to be able to read the weather patterns at all at the moment. I bet you all get the good weather tomorrow, and I'm sorry it's so rubbish for you today @AnniD. At least you have GW to watch.
I have passed on your adoration of Chummy and he looked very pleased about that.
Off to do some shopping as soon as I clean up my gardening hands.
It's been awful here until these last few minutes when the sun has shone brilliantly,the rain storms have been really heavy,and rivers have run down the hill.
I'm dreading looking in the garden again,this has put all the plans for the planter on hold,you can't even look around a garden centre in this weather. Thankfully it was all painted with wood preserver,several coats,before the rain.
Just looked at next week's forecast and apart from Monday,it's rain every day,it's turning into a typical August!