verdun, I totally agree about flax; it is the most wonderful blue, keeps on flowering for months flourishes in an area of poor dry soil and pops up year after year without being invasive; the perfect plant
Busybee, just to "get your goat" I have to report that I managed to grow a dozen or so blue meconopsis sheldonii which are now nice sized plants and will be going in the border in a couple of weeks. Didn't do anything special ... just collected seed from one of my existing plants and sowed fresh. They came up quite quickly and have spent the winter in a coldframe.
Oh ... and I managed to get a record crop of honey from my bees last summer (500 lbs). Fingers crossed that we get another good summer.
But .. I am totally envious of anyone with half decent soil! I have to seriously improve mine with copious amounts of compost / manure before I can plant anything. Digging a hole for a shrub requires a pickaxe. Still, good exercise!
Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
envious of anyone with large south facing garden, still working out when sun catches my east and west back and front through year, envious of anyone with oh who shares love of gardening and v envious of anyone who doesn't get cripplingly sore back after an hours digging
Bee witched - you and I obviously live at opposite ends of the spectrum! Perhaps sheldonii is the way to go. We tried betanicafolia (I think - spelling probably dodgy here!) And you got the seed for free. Maybe I should look out for one at the GC. I am hoping that last year's pitiful honey showing was down to the bees being moved 200 miles in the middle of the season and having to re-align themselves, also the queens being in their first year. One of my hives seems to be marching forwards aggressively this spring, but I am worried about the other one. When I went to check on whether they needed more fondant icing about a month ago, the crown board had got stuck in the roof, and as I lifted the roof, it dropped out, so I keep wondering if I squished the queen! Need to go look when I can get round to putting a new zip in my space suit. But we do have lovely crumbly dark soil that hasn't been waterlogged, full of well rotted manure, into which I ventured some carrot, lettuce, coriander and rocket seeds yesterday (am going to cloche them - realise it's a bit early for the latter two).
I have a large south facing garden, Louise, but it has terrible soil. Shallow clay on limestone rock, very alkali. First year all the plants in the veg garden were yellow and short and the roses needed sequestrene But that was 23 years ago. Now, after tons of manure, a big love of gardening, arthritic hands (too much weeding) it looks like this.
Have also had problems with deer eating my plants and roses, now this bit and the veg garden are fenced. Has bindweed too!
It was a bramble and nettle patch with a farmyard and knee deep grass in 1990.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Busy Bee2 I'm envious of your Ceanothus, had one some years ago, too exposed for it. Mum only 5mins away can even grow the variegated Californian Lilac.
As for blue Meconopsis, I have one that I bought last year, it's in a pot and I'm waiting to see if it is alive having doubts.
Beewitched I'm not just green I'm emerald in colour. I've tried from bought seed and haven't even germinated any.
If it wasn't for Punkdoc being able to grow them I'd say they don't like S.Yorks.
Posts
verdun, I totally agree about flax; it is the most wonderful blue, keeps on flowering for months flourishes in an area of poor dry soil and pops up year after year without being invasive; the perfect plant
I'm envious, chris65, that looks great. Did you cut all those logs yourself or are they not real ones
I have had a Mandarin duck on the pond this afternoon, envious or what?
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Me, too, Chris65, that is going to look lovely once your plants fill it.
Oh, goody goody, Verdun, glad you still love me
Busybee, you might be lucky with your vine, fingers crossed. if so, hope you get better grapes this yr.
Yes, Doc, haven't seen one for years
Hello to all ... enjoying this thread!
Busybee, just to "get your goat" I have to report that I managed to grow a dozen or so blue meconopsis sheldonii which are now nice sized plants and will be going in the border in a couple of weeks. Didn't do anything special ... just collected seed from one of my existing plants and sowed fresh. They came up quite quickly and have spent the winter in a coldframe.
Oh ... and I managed to get a record crop of honey from my bees last summer (500 lbs). Fingers crossed that we get another good summer.
But .. I am totally envious of anyone with half decent soil! I have to seriously improve mine with copious amounts of compost / manure before I can plant anything. Digging a hole for a shrub requires a pickaxe. Still, good exercise!
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
envious of anyone with large south facing garden, still working out when sun catches my east and west back and front through year, envious of anyone with oh who shares love of gardening and v envious of anyone who doesn't get cripplingly sore back after an hours digging
Bee witched - you and I obviously live at opposite ends of the spectrum! Perhaps sheldonii is the way to go. We tried betanicafolia (I think - spelling probably dodgy here!) And you got the seed for free. Maybe I should look out for one at the GC. I am hoping that last year's pitiful honey showing was down to the bees being moved 200 miles in the middle of the season and having to re-align themselves, also the queens being in their first year. One of my hives seems to be marching forwards aggressively this spring, but I am worried about the other one. When I went to check on whether they needed more fondant icing about a month ago, the crown board had got stuck in the roof, and as I lifted the roof, it dropped out, so I keep wondering if I squished the queen! Need to go look when I can get round to putting a new zip in my space suit. But we do have lovely crumbly dark soil that hasn't been waterlogged, full of well rotted manure, into which I ventured some carrot, lettuce, coriander and rocket seeds yesterday (am going to cloche them - realise it's a bit early for the latter two).
I have a large south facing garden, Louise, but it has terrible soil. Shallow clay on limestone rock, very alkali. First year all the plants in the veg garden were yellow and short and the roses needed sequestrene But that was 23 years ago. Now, after tons of manure, a big love of gardening, arthritic hands (too much weeding) it looks like this.
Have also had problems with deer eating my plants and roses, now this bit and the veg garden are fenced. Has bindweed too!
It was a bramble and nettle patch with a farmyard and knee deep grass in 1990.
I love blue plants.
Busy Bee2 I'm envious of your Ceanothus, had one some years ago, too exposed for it. Mum only 5mins away can even grow the variegated Californian Lilac.
As for blue Meconopsis, I have one that I bought last year, it's in a pot and I'm waiting to see if it is alive
having doubts.
Beewitched I'm not just green I'm emerald in colour. I've tried from bought seed and haven't even germinated any.
If it wasn't for Punkdoc being able to grow them I'd say they don't like S.Yorks.
Lizzie all your hard work paid off, you have a beautiful garden.