It was nice and sunny when I got home this evening. I saw my first ever baby ladybird, if I hadn't been following the wildlife thread I'd have sqashed it thinking it was a nastie, need more than one to eat the greenfly though or it is going to be one fat baby ladybird.
I dug a new border last year - LORELLI- and introduced climbers and flowers into the new bed, it was so hard work, had to shift a ton and half of slate, the ground was so impacted after 10 years, thought I would die before it was completed, what a difference, didn't expect the plants planted to take as they have, I've bumble bee's, butterflies, a red admiral was spotted at the weekend and the number of different birds which now visit is unbelievable.
Had a fab day pottering in the garden today. Dug a bit more of the border and planted the last two plants I bought last week, a white scabious and a red day lily. Im glad your new border took so well Zoomer44. I still have a bit of a way to go with mine but I will get there. I am already planning what I will plant there.
Been glorious here today got to a tropical 20.4c and supposed to be nice again tomorrow then by Friday the rain is coming back, I need to do some repair work to the grass out the front is it OK at this time of the year to be putting grass seed down, this border is used as a cat toilet so I intend to leave the Box and daffs and just level it and sow some grass seed I'm just so sick of shifting the cat poo.
Oh Rain - what a shame. The pic is lovely. A couple of thoughts: first - have you tried the product "Get off my garden": it's readily available in GCs and there are green jelly-like crystals that you sprinkle around to deter cats. I've found it's worked in the past. Secondly - if you still want to sow grass seed, then, as I understand it, this is not a good time of the year to do it, unless you are prepared to ensure regular watering (though we may get enough of that naturally!) Late summer/early autumn is often given as being a good time, since the heavy dews help with moisture, and the ground is warm to promote rapid germination. And since we've had a cool spring, the ground has a way to go to warm up properly. Hope this helps.
Sunny and warm today on Teesside and that was at 07:00 am, some cloud although nothing serious. I am out in the garden, not at the moment of course just a quick cuppa and kit kat. Hoping the car sprayer has gone back to work, I could still smell it late last night. You should try that on those cats Rain, it kept me out of the garden. We were inundated by cats before I got Benji who saw them off, now I tend to damp the garden with a hose last thing at night, cats prefer dry soil for their toilets. try it for a few nights before doing anything drastic, even after putting down seed the cats will try to use it unless you net the area. Frank.
Sunny yesterday morning followed by cloud, seems to be the same here in the Midlands again today. French Beans are not enjoying this weather. Luckily(?) I tried lots of old seed packets and am awash with brassicas so planting them everywhere as they enjoy the rain. What I will do with a glut of kale and cabbage has yet to be thought about, but Hugh Fearnley Whittenstal does have a recipe for kale pizza! The greenhouse is doing OK though, glad I bought a large one as I am growing not only the usual suspects but fennel. lettuce and beetroot inside too.
Had an unexpected short sharp shower of rain mid evening yesterday! None had been forecast. Grass was still wet this morning, so abandoned plans to do lawn today.
Just now have been & checked & it's dry enough to do a cut- car still out after doing errands earlier, so easy to get mower out of garage.
Some sun out there, but quite a few dark clouds over to the west. Must get a move on. J.
Bright and sunny here on the south coast. Have been to allotment today cant believe how much the weeds have grown. Picked my 1st lot of home grown strawberries, so much better than shop bought.Out in the garden this afternoon need to move a compost bin, what fun.
Bright and sunny though a fair bit of cloud and still a cool 'nip' in the air. Should be warmer tomorrow. But Thursday onwards - we have a yellow alert for - guess what? Rain! Again!
Sunny but very windy quite warm at 20.5 which is more or less what it was yesterday.
I have tried the crystal's Shrinking Violet they do work but only if it stays dry as they are washed away when it rains, I was going to net it when I put the seed down Frank as I wasn't going to take the chance of them scratching about in it and the ground is quite wet as I seem to have rain every night and belive me the cats are not frightend of the dog one of them has even sneeked up behind us and nipped at Phoebe's heels
Posts
It was nice and sunny when I got home this evening. I saw my first ever baby ladybird, if I hadn't been following the wildlife thread I'd have sqashed it thinking it was a nastie, need more than one to eat the greenfly though or it is going to be one fat baby ladybird.
I dug a new border last year - LORELLI- and introduced climbers and flowers into the new bed, it was so hard work, had to shift a ton and half of slate, the ground was so impacted after 10 years, thought I would die before it was completed, what a difference, didn't expect the plants planted to take as they have, I've bumble bee's, butterflies, a red admiral was spotted at the weekend and the number of different birds which now visit is unbelievable.
Been glorious here today got to a tropical 20.4c and supposed to be nice again tomorrow then by Friday the rain is coming back, I need to do some repair work to the grass out the front is it OK at this time of the year to be putting grass seed down, this border is used as a cat toilet so I intend to leave the Box and daffs and just level it and sow some grass seed I'm just so sick of shifting the cat poo.
Oh Rain - what a shame. The pic is lovely. A couple of thoughts: first - have you tried the product "Get off my garden": it's readily available in GCs and there are green jelly-like crystals that you sprinkle around to deter cats. I've found it's worked in the past. Secondly - if you still want to sow grass seed, then, as I understand it, this is not a good time of the year to do it, unless you are prepared to ensure regular watering (though we may get enough of that naturally!) Late summer/early autumn is often given as being a good time, since the heavy dews help with moisture, and the ground is warm to promote rapid germination. And since we've had a cool spring, the ground has a way to go to warm up properly. Hope this helps.
Sunny and warm today on Teesside and that was at 07:00 am, some cloud although nothing serious. I am out in the garden, not at the moment of course just a quick cuppa and kit kat. Hoping the car sprayer has gone back to work, I could still smell it late last night.
You should try that on those cats Rain, it kept me out of the garden.
We were inundated by cats before I got Benji who saw them off, now I tend to damp the garden with a hose last thing at night, cats prefer dry soil for their toilets. try it for a few nights before doing anything drastic, even after putting down seed the cats will try to use it unless you net the area.
Frank.
Sunny yesterday morning followed by cloud, seems to be the same here in the Midlands again today. French Beans are not enjoying this weather. Luckily(?) I tried lots of old seed packets and am awash with brassicas so planting them everywhere as they enjoy the rain. What I will do with a glut of kale and cabbage has yet to be thought about, but Hugh Fearnley Whittenstal does have a recipe for kale pizza! The greenhouse is doing OK though, glad I bought a large one as I am growing not only the usual suspects but fennel. lettuce and beetroot inside too.
Had an unexpected short sharp shower of rain mid evening yesterday! None had been forecast. Grass was still wet this morning, so abandoned plans to do lawn today.
Just now have been & checked & it's dry enough to do a cut- car still out after doing errands earlier, so easy to get mower out of garage.
Some sun out there, but quite a few dark clouds over to the west. Must get a move on. J.
Bright and sunny here on the south coast. Have been to allotment today cant believe how much the weeds have grown. Picked my 1st lot of home grown strawberries, so much better than shop bought.Out in the garden this afternoon need to move a compost bin, what fun.
Bright and sunny though a fair bit of cloud and still a cool 'nip' in the air. Should be warmer tomorrow. But Thursday onwards - we have a yellow alert for - guess what? Rain! Again!
Sunny but very windy quite warm at 20.5 which is more or less what it was yesterday.
I have tried the crystal's Shrinking Violet they do work but only if it stays dry as they are washed away when it rains, I was going to net it when I put the seed down Frank as I wasn't going to take the chance of them scratching about in it and the ground is quite wet as I seem to have rain every night and belive me the cats are not frightend of the dog one of them has even sneeked up behind us and nipped at Phoebe's heels