Yesterday and today the weather was good enough to tackle the allotment. Have actually finished the bed with the ferns and grasses. The thing that held me up today was the bamboo. What on earth possessed my son to plant it I don't know but I have desperately been trying to get the roots out. There is a clear space now but I know there are more roots lurking about deep down. It was hard to dig up as it is in such a narrow bed. Started on another bed now so feel as though I am getting somewhere. If the rain holds off I can get the grass cut. It was rather cold and windy today but dry. Like you @AnniD I had found pale mauve michaelmas daisies which I didn't know I had. There seems to be a distinct lack of birds around apart from the goldfinches. No seagulls flying around or crows or jackdaws. I would have thought the local pigeons would have been glad of the dropped sunflower hearts. Some more dry weather and I could get everything sorted for the winter ahead.
Well done @Fran IOM It sounds as though you have been doing some pretty heavy work out there. Hope you dont have a bad back 😊 Bamboo can be a pig to get out,so can some of the pretty grasses,then its too late when you realise they are taking over! Thismorning sun/cloud in the valley,but Im hoping to get out and paint a biggish pot,its very ancient and needs sprucing up ready for some tulips to go in. OH lugged a big bag of compost down the garden for me,so I must show willing and get the pot filled. The garden is looking tidy at least,now that the Cosmos have gone and Salvia trimmed back a bit. Yes I agree re birds......all I have coming to the feeders now is an unruly pack of sparrows,a few various tits,and the robin is back,I dont know where he clears off to through the summer,but hes always here in the colder months.
The whole truth is an instrument that can only be played by an expert.
All the birds seem to be keeping a low profile here. I have heard a couple of robins "chattering" at each other, but that's about it apart from the pigeons who are already starting to scoff the pyracantha berries. Let's hope they don't need them later in the winter. I have bought a pack of orange tulips from Lidl for £1.79, couldn't resist. I was going to wait until the end of the month to plant up the pots with tulips, but the way the weather is going it might be earlier than that - the week after next is supposed to be more settled.
Yesterday's weather wasn't suited to gardening and as I didn't feel 100% was pleased that I hadn't missed out although I did make sure the birds didn't go hungry. Not too heavy the work @Valley Gardener. More on my hands and knees with a handfork. There wasn't really the room for a big garden spade to get in the space. No doubt I shall see bamboo shoots in the future. Hope you managed to get your pot painted and filled or at least thing. More bulbs @AnniD ? £1.79 was a bargain don't blame you. Monty seems to be planted all his bulbs at the moment. Today was dry although a bit colder and windy. Carried on with the weeding and pruning and am beginning to see the light. Only one quite large bed left to do but doesn't appear to have that many weeds or so it appears. After that I will prune the roses although it seems a shame when they are still flowering and put some more bark down. I think I may be replacing a few next year unless they pick up. Don't particularly like the briar roses but when you buy them from the pound shop you don't know what to expect. With all that I have had to do, they haven't really had any tic so maybe it's my fault. At least the hydrangeas are doing well and I hope they will spread next year having given them the space. Am so tempted to plant in between them but must exercise patience. Tomorrow's weather could allow me to achieve some more. Here's hoping.
I don't think that I will be doing much gardening today, it's very wet, grey & gloomy. Wish I could see one of these again (I took this photo on Friday afternoon, after which the sun came out).
That's a lovely photo Anni. It reminds me of a film I went to see recently. I hope the weather improves for you as I know you have some Salvias to deal with.
You caught that rainbow at just the right time @AnniD. Wish there was one outside here now. Having said that it has actually stopped raining which I never thought it would so had better go and feed the birds. So glad I got the last of the main weeding done yesterday and with tomorrow's weather forecast as dry I should be able to choose what I want to do rather than what I have to do. The grass will be too wet to cut though. I do believe the last of the apples have dropped. Once the hundreds I have are rotten I should be able to bag them up for the tip. It seems an awful waste but what else can you do. Hope the slugs haven't been feeding in my absence. Will go and take a look....
Well, the morning started off dry, so l got the salvias out - one good thing about all the rain is it makes digging very easy ! I had a spot for the "Clotted cream", and it looks good which is a relief. l also found the label. It was a cutting l took in 2016. The other salvia is "Midnight", trouble with that one is that it tends to sucker, so took more getting out. However it also means l can just pot up up the rooted runners and get rid of the old woody plant. Also planted out some salvia "Caradonna", Cerinthe purpurascens and scabious "Butterfly Pink" which will give me some more room in the coldframe over winter. Needless to say it is now raining so that's the end of gardening for the time being, at least it saves me having to do any watering . Don't think l will be seeing any rainbows today by the look of it !
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There seems to be a distinct lack of birds around apart from the goldfinches. No seagulls flying around or crows or jackdaws. I would have thought the local pigeons would have been glad of the dropped sunflower hearts.
Some more dry weather and I could get everything sorted for the winter ahead.
Bamboo can be a pig to get out,so can some of the pretty grasses,then its too late when you realise they are taking over!
Thismorning sun/cloud in the valley,but Im hoping to get out and paint a biggish pot,its very ancient and needs sprucing up ready for some tulips to go in. OH lugged a big bag of compost down the garden for me,so I must show willing and get the pot filled.
The garden is looking tidy at least,now that the Cosmos have gone and Salvia trimmed back a bit.
Yes I agree re birds......all I have coming to the feeders now is an unruly pack of sparrows,a few various tits,and the robin is back,I dont know where he clears off to through the summer,but hes always here in the colder months.
I have bought a pack of orange tulips from Lidl for £1.79, couldn't resist.
I was going to wait until the end of the month to plant up the pots with tulips, but the way the weather is going it might be earlier than that - the week after next is supposed to be more settled.
Not too heavy the work @Valley Gardener. More on my hands and knees with a handfork. There wasn't really the room for a big garden spade to get in the space. No doubt I shall see bamboo shoots in the future. Hope you managed to get your pot painted and filled or at least thing.
More bulbs @AnniD ? £1.79 was a bargain don't blame you. Monty seems to be planted all his bulbs at the moment.
Today was dry although a bit colder and windy. Carried on with the weeding and pruning and am beginning to see the light. Only one quite large bed left to do but doesn't appear to have that many weeds or so it appears. After that I will prune the roses although it seems a shame when they are still flowering and put some more bark down. I think I may be replacing a few next year unless they pick up. Don't particularly like the briar roses but when you buy them from the pound shop you don't know what to expect. With all that I have had to do, they haven't really had any tic so maybe it's my fault. At least the hydrangeas are doing well and I hope they will spread next year having given them the space. Am so tempted to plant in between them but must exercise patience.
Tomorrow's weather could allow me to achieve some more. Here's hoping.
Wish I could see one of these again (I took this photo on Friday afternoon, after which the sun came out).
I had a spot for the "Clotted cream", and it looks good which is a relief. l also found the label. It was a cutting l took in 2016.
The other salvia is "Midnight", trouble with that one is that it tends to sucker, so took more getting out. However it also means l can just pot up up the rooted runners and get rid of the old woody plant.
Also planted out some salvia "Caradonna", Cerinthe purpurascens and scabious "Butterfly Pink" which will give me some more room in the coldframe over winter.
Needless to say it is now raining so that's the end of gardening for the time being, at least it saves me having to do any watering . Don't think l will be seeing any rainbows today by the look of it !