March 16, 2010, Multiply, The Gardening starts no 6

Another little garden update;
It was Mothers Day on Sunday and my daughter asked me if I would like to go the the garden center with her (silly question!!).
She bought me a couple of trays of bedding plants, she said she thought I would rather chose bedding plants than have a bunch of flowers. What a wise daughter.
Sure you remember these ... 'containers' from last year when they were full of multi-coloured bizzy lizzy throughout the summer months.
 It's so nice to have them planted up again, this time in various shades of pink.
This is my most recent eco-addition to the garden. I haven't figured out a way to have a water butt in the garden to collect rain water BUT;.... these cut off milk containers will (in theory)  collect the rain water ready for me unscrew the 'lid' and fill the watering can. One container only holds 2 liters but if I get enough of them fixed to the fence it will certainly help.

Tags: garden, plants

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delete reply agnes128 wrote on Mar 18, '10 A few years ago, I put some tetra brik bottle into a few pots. The brik was punched with holes and the neck just showing. It was my answer to pots with water reservoir included that I was not able to afford ;-D It worked so well I still use the concept.

delete reply djdx wrote on Mar 17, '10 Bedding plants, what a great idea instead of a bouquet! They look lovely.

delete reply hedgewitch9 wrote on Mar 17, '10 Oh Loretta what an excellent idea re: the milk bottles!!!! You never fail to inspire :D

delete reply agnes128 wrote on Mar 17, '10 What a good idea!

delete reply brendainmad wrote on Mar 17, '10 The milk jugs are a excellent idea!

delete reply nemo4sun wrote on Mar 17, '10 very nice to have all the color after the winter whites :)

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Mar 17, '10 secretcorners said Are you planning on moving the primrose out when they finish blooming? I shall see how it goes, my purple primula bloom twice every year, once in the spring and once in the autumn. I shall maybe find some nice summer colour for the containers.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Mar 17, '10 bennett1 said Lovely Mother's Day. Can you plant outdoors now? Are you frost-free? morning Bennett, yes... frost free (I hope) and even if we do have the odd frost I'm pretty sure the primula will be ok. I have loads of yellow and purple primula that have been out all year. I thought the pink would be a nice colour addition.

delete reply mitchylr wrote on Mar 17, '10 That was a nice gift from your daughter. That's a really good idea for catching/distributing rainwater, and a good way of recycling too.

delete reply initiativestain wrote on Mar 16, '10 Fitting gift from you daughter Loretta. It's ironic as I here Mothers Day is within the second week of May, and you would think that a "crown" country would have it at the same time. Regardless a very Happy Mothers Day to ya.

delete reply bennett1 wrote on Mar 16, '10 Lovely Mother's Day. Can you plant outdoors now? Are you frost-free?

delete reply veryfrank wrote on Mar 16, '10 Very nice idea for Mothers Day, ours is in May and I will be planting some new beds as gifts.

delete reply secretcorners wrote on Mar 16, '10 By the way, your recycled plant containers are cute.

delete reply secretcorners wrote on Mar 16, '10 Are you planning on moving the primrose out when they finish blooming? Later in the summer they will need less sun. They had some at a Lowe's here that were 50p a pot, but I left them since they won't winter over here.

July8, 2009, Multiply, I won the battle of the hedge

I WON THE BATTLE WITH MY HEDGE.

One week ago I began the battle with my hedge, I just wanted to make it manageable. I wanted it to stop taking up half the footpath, I wanted to be able to reach the top for trimming, And………..one week and many scratches later, I think I’ve won! My neighbours all think I’ve gone mad, they think I ruined my hedge, killed it beyond repair and made my garden look as if it were vandalised. What do they know?? I have every confidence that this time next year it will be covered in new growth and fresh leaves, there will just be a lot less of it that’s all.
I am now left with a mountain of branches and leavers, far too many to fit into the composter. So many that my gate refuses to close. My solution is to go buy one of those outdoor wood burning stoves. The sort designed to keep the chill from the air and allow you to sit outside after the warmth of the sun has left.
That is first on the agenda of ‘must dos’ for tomorrow. In the afternoon I shall start clipping these branches into smaller chunks and spend the afternoon leisurely burning them. I’m hoping that if the weather stays warm and dry over night, by tomorrow afternoon this pile of old hedge will have dried out enough to burn with out too many problems.
The tray of Busy Lizzie I bought for the garden ‘’toilet and cistern’’ containers have taken and are blooming nicely. They add a real splash of colour to the garden. Again, my neighbours don’t quite approve of me having a toilet in the garden………..but as it’s my garden not theirs guess there’s not a lot they can do about it.
I don’t have to much colour in the garden because most of my containers are full or herbs, which is very nice and very fragrant, just not particularly colourful.
The couple of colour splashes I do have are happy accidents really and not at all planned, except the Busy Lizzie of course.
I just have one regret about my garden at the moment. I had left all the clumps of wild clover to grow undisturbed on my driveway, I loved the look of all that clover growing there and I liked the fact that it encouraged bees into the garden. Until I disturbed one and it stung my toe…..OUCH…. it really hurt. Then I realised if the any one of the grandchildren were stung by a Bee it could be very dangerous……………so I reluctantly sprayed the clover and killed it. I hated having to do that but felt I had no choice.
 
BUT…………………I found a purple thistle growing under the gate and decided to leave it alone and let it grow there.

Tags: garden, plants

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delete reply pestep55 wrote on Jul 9, '09 Donnie cuts ours back when it gets too high and/or wide -- looks branch for a few weeks then fills in.

delete reply aimlessjoys wrote on Jul 9, '09 Good for you, Loretta! Have Fun & enjoy your labours!

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 9, '09 starfishred said we have a central place we can bring t I'm sure we do too Heidi but I don't drive so I would need to find someone to take it for me and I expect I would have to pay them to take it all away fro me. I thought this would be a 'one off' buy and I could use it all summer, if you se what i mean.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 9, '09 brendainmad said Are these photos you've taken with your camera phone? yep afraid so..................still no camera but I've decided to put that on hold for a while, I have so many things around the house and garden to do right now finding the money for a camera seems a bit of an extravagance. I did think about buying a couple of those disposable cammeras just for over the summer, maybe I'll do that. Anyway................I've got over not having a camera, I'm sure I will get another one day. So for now, I take photos with my phone.

delete reply brendainmad wrote on Jul 9, '09 That story about the bee stinging your toe reminded me that when I was little I used to step on bees on purpose. . Why? No idea. Your garden looks very nice. Are these photos you've taken with your camera phone?

delete reply starfishred wrote on Jul 8, '09 we have a central place we can bring things like greens that are to big for own decomposers-looking good loretta

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 8, '09 veroniquemariquita said Don't forget to run to the kitchen for the meat tenderizer to sprinkle on a sting Thanks Vero but I ran screaming to the kitchen and poured half a bottle of vinagar over it.............that did the trick :-))

delete reply dragonwind wrote on Jul 8, '09 For me, a Bee sting means death unless I get help REAL fast. I'm so violently allergic to them that within 2-3 minutes I start having trouble breathing and shortly after lose consciousness. And that is WITH a bee sting kit.

delete reply veroniquemariquita wrote on Jul 8, '09 Don't forget to run to the kitchen for the meat tenderizer to sprinkle on a sting. It really lessens the effect the bee venom has on you.

delete reply dragonwind wrote on Jul 8, '09 Alive is preferable.. that way you can enjoy their screams and whines and tears.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 8, '09 greenwytch said wondering if that is tansy or artemesia in bloom? which ones?? the little pink daisy like flowers in the container??

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 8, '09 bennett1 said Just checked the meaning of LOL................that will teach you to go being so inquisitive

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 8, '09 greenwytch said P.S...we call those charming wood burning things 'chimineas'. ; D yep so do we ..............just couldn't remember the word..........oh dam think this is the begining of Alzheimer's ??

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 8, '09 dragonwind said If not, rip it out and plant your neighbors in it's place. would that be dead...............or alive ?? (neighbours that is) :-))

delete reply bennett1 wrote on Jul 8, '09 Just checked the meaning of "sod off" on Google. That was interesting. I love learning about other cultures. :-}

delete reply greenwytch wrote on Jul 8, '09 P.S...we call those charming wood burning things 'chimineas'. ; D

delete reply greenwytch wrote on Jul 8, '09 lrrpslady said Can you send me some??? I love the way Tansy smells. sure! ; D

delete reply lrrpslady wrote on Jul 8, '09 I'll tell the neighbors to sod off for you. I think you're garden looks wonderful and I like the use of the toilet with the flowers in them. :-P

delete reply lrrpslady wrote on Jul 8, '09 greenwytch said BTW......wondering if that is tansy or artemesia in bloom? my tansy is blooming its head off right now. Can you send me some??? I love the way Tansy smells.

delete reply msowens1 wrote on Jul 8, '09 once had a hedge like that.... always required three clippings.... once for the massive new growth in spring, once in the summer and once by the beginning of autumn..... they never stop growing! lol.... the rest of your garden looks wonderful!

delete reply greenwytch wrote on Jul 8, '09 BTW......wondering if that is tansy or artemesia in bloom? my tansy is blooming its head off right now.

delete reply dragonwind wrote on Jul 8, '09 It will come back next spring. If not, rip it out and plant your neighbors in it's place...... oh wait um never mind! lol.

delete reply veryfrank wrote on Jul 8, '09 Good for you. The shrubs will return, maybe some yet this year.

delete reply bennett1 wrote on Jul 8, '09 I have done the same to my various bushes, cut them way back, and they do return, and rather quickly. So I understand and am confident your hedge will come back. I think it is charming we both have pink/rose campion in our gardens. And, of course, I have to say for the millionth time, I love that blue fence. Oh, I forgot, bee stings do hurt like crazy and one can never tell if you or the children are allergic. I stepped on one once and it pretty much put an end to going barefoot outside.

delete reply greenwytch wrote on Jul 8, '09 LOL, good for you for having your garden the way that YOU want it. sod the neighbours, hehe. sorry you got stung, hope you'll soon feel better. p.s........our old commode has become a container garden, too. ) ; D

delete reply djdx wrote on Jul 8, '09 Poor neighbours. Sometimes I think we should do each others gardens, since that is what we see, if you see what I mean. My neighbour and I have different gardening styles also. He is much stricter. :-)