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In reply to Catlady:
Well while the forum has been offline, I have been very busy in the garden (also since Friday i have been on holiday until this Tuesday)
More flowers are out in my layered planter. My Lobelia seeds have germinated and been potted on, they are now in the cold frame. I have now sowed White and Purple Foxgloves, My tomato plugs have arrived and are also potted up. Since The last post my "experiment" with a bell pepper seed has grown... (I didn't think it would)... So it's been potted up too and growing nicely. I have potted up the cuttings i took last year of the "Black Beauty" Tree, so hopefully have homes ready for 2 of them. I also bought 3 strawberry plants as i think the strawberry plants i have are wild strawberries and only ever produce a tiny fruit, but maybe they are just needing a feed?? so this year will see what the difference is between them.
Yesterday I found my first Ladybird!!! Delighted! I have yet to see a bee or a butterfly so seeing this little one really made my day. So i will really have to make myself a Ladybug house. I think it is a 7 spotted ladybird? trying to get a photo of its "Face" was a bit hard as didn't want to disturb it too much. but it doesn't look like the other one that i have seen a few years ago, but being in Inverness they do vary up here. But i'm hoping this is a "new" species to my garden :D
I have also planted a Blackberry and a Raspberry canes out the back, and managed to put supports up too. I spoke to the lassie behind me, and asked about growing grapes and gooseberries up the wall of her garage, and she said i can grow whatever i want :) Delighted, so next stage will be put into action soon in making a raised bed and then plant up grapes & gooseberry. I will be planting Globe Thistle and foxglove and other bee and butterfly friendly plants out the back to try and encourage as much as i can.
When i manage to see the lassie next door to me i will be asking her if she would like the whiskey barrels i have bought but have no room for.
I planted potatoes too but i think they have failed already :( but will give them another couple of days to do something, but i think the frost got to them.
All my starlings are back, Black birds are kicking around, pair of sparrows now don't seem to leave the garden for too long but i haven't spotted a nest in the bush yet... I don't often see my robin now or blue tit they just flutter in and flutter away. Still no nest in my bird box... Is it now too late for my box to be used my the bluetit?
In reply to LucyL:
It's looking beautiful Lucy and your hard work is paying off with such a wonderful splash of colour and new shoots and flowers appearing. I agree, its hard to visit a garden centre without coming home with a plant.. or two .... or three lol We planted a lot of bulbs 4 years ago but sadly the daffodils don't really thrive under so many Oak trees so should have bought the small tete-a-tete ones which can do better; the squirrels also dig up and eat the bulbs so its a bit of a battle here to get anything to survive ! Your photos are beautiful so thank you for such a lovely and interesting update. Roll on warmer days and hours of daylight :) Happy Easter to you btw and to all the folks on the Community :)
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Regards, Hazel
In reply to HAZY:
Isn't it wonderful when all the green shoots turn into blooms? I've got some seed potatoes too, but I'm not planning on planting them for another couple of weeks. The BT's and GT's have been visiting lately, but the Robins have disappeared for now, as have most of the Spadgers. I would imagine they are all nesting and will return in good time. You certainly have some great colours in your garden. Mine is mainly yellow, due to the dozens and dozens of Daffodils!
Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos
(One bush does not shelter two Robins)
Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)
So its been a long time since iv been on here, iv been busy, but not much done in the garden really, but efforts from earlier this year have turned out great. All flowers have been great, the 2 layered planter has been full of flowers all this year so far. i have descovered our first mammal that lives in our garden (apart from Tess) is at least one wood mouse living in the planter - I have a feeling i may be having to replace some bulbs... Do wood mice eat bulbs?
Got some nice veggies this year, little gem Lettice, paris carrots, onions, garlic, chives and potatoes. THE BlackBerry and raspberry canes have been fab, have a couple every day, yumm! No birds have been pinching them - not complaining at all lol.
My idea of having pots on the fence with Lobelia in it, have really worked, will do this every year, The bees this year have been delighted! Always a buzz in the garden which has been great.
The patch of grass i did earlier has been partially distroyed by so much use by tess, she has loved it but its too small a space that it doesnt get a chance to recover, so i have just fenced it off n re-seeded it. But my tree that has been looking soo dead and dying (was actually thinking id have to get it chopped down) is much healthier and actually green since i have had the grass beneath it, so the grass patch has helped it alot.
Today iv been busy, a nodding metal headed dog, that has been in a sorry state of paint peeling and gone rusty has now been painted, so few more details on it to be done n that will be done.
Next project i have just started today is my Pond in a Pot, found a Tin Bath, so hopefully next weekend i will start that! Rather excited. And there is room in the garden for it, weather Tess stays out of it is another question!!
Photos of everything will be done when i get to work tomorrow. Havnt got loads of birds atm as stopped feeding as crows took the P n actually emptied feeders as soon as id filled them on the gravel n didnt eat any of it! Grrr! But sparrows havent ever left n Chubbs the Cleaner is about but very lazy/doesnt eat much.
Will have more updates etc soon, but now time for my bed
It's good to have you back on the forum Lucy and nice to hear your garden is producing lovely flowers, vegetables and I like the idea of the tin bath pond - I had a small bendy-bucket placed inside a half wooden barrel, in the corner stumpery at the far side of the garden so the birds could have drinking/bathing water and we found a frog in it lol
Seems you have had a good year with the garden Lucy. Yes mice will eat bulbs! The tub pond sounds like a good idea but no doubt Tess will have fun with it!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Really looking forward to seeing your pics Lucy, you have managed to grow so much in your small space & an ongoing project as with many smaller gardens, always rejigging to get the best use, much as I've been doing this year to change cultured into more cottage type with insect friendly planting & a new small pond with waterfall ... but isn't it interesting & good fun?
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr