I've had a few days confined to the sofa as BPPVertigo has struck so as one does when bored I've been looking for jobs for the husband and noticed after 38 years in this house( its lovely) and numerous attempt with my favourite flower, the Lilly of the Valley that finally some are coming up. I remembered when we were planting last year, my mums were at the end of the roof down pipe in heavy shade so I shoved in 2 bags and low and behold from the window I can see them popping up. It really cheered me up. So many daffodils are up, tulips too and I invested in 20 cyclamen which are still flowering in a deep majestic red alongside the primroses. Spring is on its way, so hopefully is the vaccine so I'm going to say reasons to be cheerful ? and pass on to you. Mine are bulbs coming up, the grandaughter saying no no no, and blowing kisses on Zoom (aged13 months) and my latest eGFR is 25. That is excellent news.
With rain and more rain, how is your garden growing ?... - NRAS
With rain and more rain, how is your garden growing ? off topic
Thats lovely to see you fruits of your labour coming through 😁
We've been in our house now 24 years and the previous owner planted crocuses and daffodils, we had to have the garden redeveloped so alot of the grass was taken up and replaced but right in the middle of the garden we get the crocuses and daffodils pop through; Its like the previous owner is saying hi !
Take care x
Thats lovely we built this and one day I hope someone will look at the garden and understand its many years of cutting, feeding, planting and growing. Or more likely they'll sell on for yet more housing and it'll be under the foundations of a house.Sad but realistic, we went a couple of years ago to a neighbours funeral and a developer made an offer to her son for the plot. Bungalow gone in a week, and then 4 detached houses in its place. Trouble is they built over a natural spring thats now bubbling up and destroying the road and the builder has long gone leaving the new owner with a large bill.
A beautiful post, thank you.I am so glad you have had good news with your tests, and how lovely to watch your granddaughter progress so well through her first learning curves of life.
I too am finding cheer from looking out my window and seeing the buds on trees and shrubs, and the birdies happily singing and chirping away. I've noticed the Starlings' beaks are starting to change gradually into the yellow they have in Spring . Yes it's coming, and so too is the vaccine, hurray!
The simple things are the best! x
Mine is mostly my garden too & the first hints of spring coming up. Snowdrops I planted last year are flowering, plus more my neighbour gave me that I planted in pots. She was given them by her daughter who has a nursery. She's forgotten what she said they were but I suspected the were snowdrops, as I wasn't totally sure in pots they went, so I now I know. We inherited hundreds of bluebells in both the front garden & the back which are popping up & just ordered lots of tree lily bulbs. We had a voucher from a plant company due to a Gardenia dying off in part so spent a pleasant hour or so selecting some summer plants & bulbs. I've been dividing primroses too, they grew so big last year there's no need to buy more this year, except for the ones with stripy flowers, they didn’t fare quite so well. I've given my neighbour some of the colours she didn’t have & one or two Spanish geraniums I had over from cuttings I took. Otherwise it's just tidying up after the frost, quite a few leaves dropped from the hydrangeas & they just go to mush, I'd risk the bases rotting otherwise. I still have some roses flowering too so cut off those buds as they're weak & will only go mushy on the stem.
Otherwise I’m tracking through filing, first job was sorting through all my health records as my h bought me a new ring folder for the overspill from the previous one. Then renewing my Blue Badge. Exciting stuff. Oh & getting a new photo taken whilst I’m out following my Rheumy appointment on Friday. I look like a monkey's Moor man, not been to the hairdressers since before the first lockdown, I’ll scare children. 😲
With the primroses just don't weed around them as they need a frost to germinate. We fight a losing battle to stop them spreading across the top lawn. Mine came from the MIL over 35 years ago and cowslips too. My roses were chopped back (I chop back, my husband prunes !) You made me laugh the height of exciting activity a blue badge renewal. Such a trill ehh ?, I dream of a haircut and eyebrow colour too. xxx
During the first lockdown my small garden was a source of pleasure to me, out there all the time, it looked beautiful in the summer. When he could, my younger son completely renovated my lounge diner, including a new hard floor. I’ve enjoyed choosing new accessories to go with it, also a new sofa and recliner chair. It lifts my spirits every time I’m in it. Even though I’m shielding I realise how lucky I am, my lovely grandchildren keep in touch all the time, we can’t wait to have a big hug when it’s safe to do so. Looking forward to my turn for the vaccine. X
I love my garden and we are lucky to have a good size garden so can mooch around. I think so very lucky to have space and one really good thing is we still have enough things to do, so life is still good despite lockdown. I so feel for the families in towns and cities. x
I’ve always loved gardening, when I bought the this house 27 years ago the size of the garden was a disappointment, my sons were still at home and I got this house in a good area for the right price. As I’ve got older and my mobility not good, it’s the right size for me, I do have a gardener who helps keep the shrubs in shape and mows the grass. I have lots of containers too and it looks it’s best in the summer months, it still has lots of promise now, with all the spring bulbs popping through. The camellia is full of buds some showing pink. The elephant ears plant is in full flower. Spring is on its way. 🤞 X
Hope you are soon feeling better and up from the sofa. Good news for your blood results. My container bulbs (and there are hundreds .. I’ve been very busy!) of varieties of narcissus and several of exotic tulips are on their way through now but small shoots for now. Also many of the new ones planted are pushing through from the soil beds. All the established bulbs are more advanced and snowdrops out. Red Cyclamens in one area and white in another. Deep pink cyclamens and white hellebores in one large hanging basket by the door and winter violas and pansies in many others. Some flowering and most with many buds coming I harvested/planted my own viola seeds too. Several large pots of winter ones and lots of gorgeous Fothergills viola plugs which are very colourful. Also crocuses so we will have an explosion of colour very soon and already have some of that with lovely flowers in bloom. I love cyclamen as they are so hardy but beautiful. Sounds like you r got a lot of lovely things to look at too. Gives enormous pleasure to nurture something and see it grow/see its beauty. x
I feel just fine as long as the head is upright and stays that way. So really can't moan as he has cooked tea twice and grates too much cheese over the jacket potato and pasta bake is now called his speciality. LOL we planted 2 sacks of bulbs last year and a load of anemones which I like as cut flowers. I had some pink daffodils from the Eden Project but they went back to yellowish last year. I just love container and we lack a few of them. A project for later this year. x I plate new Hellebores under the tree's as thee old ones sort of went wild too these are going to be purple so looking forward to seeing them. Frittillary's grow well here and the soil is rich we put a cartload of wee rotted horse manure down in September so things this year should be lush. xx
Sounds beautiful. You must post us some photos and I will too when I’ve got more blooms! We’ve a few fritillaries but they don’t seem to ever all come through, planted 3 doz and got about 10! We’ve lots of perennials but can’t resist a peak at my fave online growers new ones in stock and no doubt I’ll make some purchases. We’ve a lot of well established plants and a large garden but I always find room for more! I’ve seen the pink daffodils! Gorgeous. Nearly got something similar from Holland but they sold out. I have some very pretty narcissus from Holland ..frilly fried egg ones and mini trumpet ones and some which are a cross between a tulip and a narcissus. I did get carried away with the Dutch order I have to admit! Glad hubby helping and mine overloads on cheese too but I ate it! 😜 Take care of your head. xx
I post on Social Media on the MacBook and the photo's are on the Big Mac I'm waiting for my son to show mw how to put in a cloud and then will do. A garden is one of life's real pleasures. When I read or listen on the news to those with mental health issues I do wonder if being able to access private space outside does really prevent a lot of angst. It's certainly been my lifeline this past year. I've never been to Holland but its on the bucket list. Done a lot of travelling but never seemed to get it together to see the tulip fields. I know what you mean about seed catalogues I once grew over 30 Eucalyptus trees from the RHS free seed scheme. All snow guns and this village had them popping up all over the place as friends took one home. We used to get people knock on the door to ask for a branch for flower decorating or to keep knots away. Sadly it died 2 years ago in a really bad wet winter. So I might try again as I have a soft spot for trees. Whose catalogue do you use for bulbs as I get fed up with same ol same old and that narcissus sounds super. xx
Hi M-L, look forward very much to seeing your blooms! My main narcissus and tulip bulbs came from Farmer Gracy which come from Holland but also have a depot they store them in here too in the U.K. They were so efficient and they were packed perfectly in brown paper bags with little holes in and all in a huge box with ventilation holes. They aren’t exactly cheap but they have lots or discount offers all the time. I got quite a lot of discount getting so many. I ordered three lots of each. There are some divine species and it was hard to choose but I got - narcissus: Spoirot (like a small lemon bell); Replete (frilly fried eggs!); Lemon Drop (simple traditional one colour but so pale and delicate) and the tulips: Black Parrot (dark purple jagged edge .. the rock star of tulips!); Cummins (Lilac frazzled edges); Lilac Perfection (self explanatory!) Then I got some smaller tulips which look a bit like little daffs so I could layer my pots. Those are Orphanidea and Sylvestri which are both yellow and red combos. It was like receiving a Thornton’s hamper it was so exciting when it arrived! 😁 (Much less calorific!) I’ve already been looking at FG’s perennials. I also use Fothergills and Sarah Raven online for seeds. Both are quality. I received 250 viola and pansy plant plugs ready to put in in October and Fothergill’s were really good to deal with. Their plants were of the highest quality. SR has some very unusual seeds and plants. There are so many excellent sellers online. I’ve a couple of tins full of seed packets I’ve bought over the last year and also quite a lot of my own harvested seeds I dried and stored.
Also my hubby buys me a lot of gardening magazines in Tesco and many have free seed packets. I have lots of salad and veg seeds too which I like to grow also.
Agree totally that gardening is so good for mental well being. AUntil the really cold sub zero weather a few weeks ago I was out every day. When I am out there I don’t think of anything else but the garden and plants and the task in hand. It’s the best thing you can do. I have dozens of comtainers and baskets as it’s a large garden and for those who can’t bend or dig (I’m limited in that, so my hubby assists) container pots on tables or plant shelves or walls are a way to get colour and to do gardening smaller scale.
I love the sound of the eucalyptus! It’s a smell I really do like. At least they knocked and asked! We had two idiots savage a deep purple lilac tree a couple of years ago. It grew up from our side inside out wall but protruding up enough for people to have an interest and this couple stood and broke many blooms off. I asked them to stop and they were abusive. Explained it doesn’t last once you take it inside and they threw half of it on the path and took about 8 blooms and went. I was fuming. We’ve also had blackberry thieves coming into the garden! xx
I'll look up Farmer Gracy as seen on Facebook but never knew anyone who'd recommended the quality of the bulbs which if poor are a waste of money. That is a good thing as tonight my husband has his Council meeting so I'll happily invest in more bulbs for the summer and next Autumn. XX
Farmer Gracy has some lovely peonies I'm going for them and looking at Dahlias as they make lovely cut flowers. Lets get the debit card now. xxxx
LOL I thought you might like FG! Such a wonderful choice. The peonies caught my eye too! 😍 Farmer Gracy are superb quality and they are a class act you can tell with the website and the way they deliver and take care of the order and update you, I’m very impressed with what I received. The bulbs were first class. They are all coming though now. I’m shortly going to make my perennials order! 🌼🌸🌺xxx
Lovely post, m-l. Good to hear you have beauty to look at and appreciate, and more to come.
I have a river view and have seen otters a few times recently, both from my window and while out walking by the river. Sometimes I see a heron fishing opposite, or flying above the water. Also a cormorant or goosander ducks, or a kingfisher. I need a bigger home but would really miss the river if/when I might move.
That sounds idyllic to me. We too are by a river but a very small, usually pretty shallow one. This year I was treated to an otter family visiting at night times. Unfortunately I couldn't see them but could certainly hear them, just outside my window, squabbling and calling, the noises they made were quite something! Keep meaning to get a trail cam so I can capture some footage. We also get Kingfisher and Heron .
You lucky thing, we are near the Thames Estuary so lots of marsh but thats sheep and more sheep a lot of badgers and too many urban foxes. But the reserve has migrant birds some of which go in at night and we here owls too, but nothing as exciting as otters. xx
It is ideal in terms of close access to buses (pre pandemic, not using now), GP and the region’s hospital and clinics whilst also being on the edge of town yet an easy walk to shops and PO.
And circuit walks on my doorstep too. But I lack my own outdoor space and have very little space for anything eg storing preserving pan and jars, Christmas stuff, bucket etc.
It would be very worthwhile for you to invest in a trail camera! Otters here are not that close to us though not shy of people gathering along the riverbank close to town, to watch and enjoy their diving and coming up to eat their catch. I saw some just about 40 minutes ago, while going my circuit to get joints and blood circulation moving!
That's a sight to see indeed! Yes, I must get the trail cam! I understand what you mean about the lack of storage, we have very little outside either. I hope, if you do move, you're able to find somewhere that still offers you such spectacular views of nature in one form or another .
Sorry to hear about the vertigo Medway-lady, hope it leaves you alone soon. Your garden sounds just lovely and I am very jealous, ours is suffering terribly as a result of being football pitch for my 8 year old son during all the recent lockdowns, but at least it gets him outside for a bit I guess! 😉
Ah but we have 20 years of football, forts, the make us rich club , (they found a bit of coal and some old pottery and a few fossils at various times) the tunnel to school club and the dens. A neighbour fell into a hole dug by 4 small boys (2 mine) that was covered in twigs he used to cut through our garden to get home from the pub. It was so funny it was dark and we heard a lot of shouting, looked out as the shouter was calling for my husband. We saw the neighbour flat on his back waving like mad. The boys have given the trap a great deal of thought and it worked. Suitable warned over the injury a badly twisted ankle , they continued to modify the garden into a war zone. Now all gone and parents themselves our garden is reclaimed. lol xx
I love the sound of the make us rich club, I’d definitely be in that one. Story about the trap is brilliant, although I bet they didn’t design it to catch unsuspecting neighbours! 🤣🤣
We think they might well have done ! it was hilarious even now 25 years later it makes me smile.
Sounds beautiful. I don’t have any lily of the valley planted. I’m sure I used to but we’re on chalk and things just seem to disappear. Unfortunately for the time being our back garden is a bit of a disaster area with a half laid patio and lots of mud. It’s looking very sad indeed. Hopefully it will stop raining soon and the builders will be back. The front garden looks better with lots of daffodils that are well up and loads of those little ‘wild’ cyclamen which seem to self seed out of nowhere. The thing I have noticed over the last few (dry) days is the birdsong and the fact a lot seem to be pairing up - spring is definitely on its way. Yay!
We have chalk too but its black rich soil down the the fact that many many years ago this plot was an orchard. Sadly the trees are in my memory from childhood but it was an overgrown plot of brambles and ivy, and Elderberry that may have helped though. I've read somewhere that Elder only grows within 18 inches of fresh water and am trying to get the hubby to dig down and see if we do have naturally occurring water. Down the road a spring has come up and its just a trickle and the neighbour called Water Board who did indeed look for a leak , then confirmed no water pipes in the area its completely natural. The birds love it and sometimes when it's still you can see the odd bubble. I'd love a well, not a pretend garden centre decoration but a real one. xx
I am reading After me comes the flood. It feels like that 😩last year I had vestibular neuronitis which felt like I was sitting in a boat all the time. So I fully sympathise with you and hope you get better soon
Weeds brambles rats and badgers have over run my once beautiful large garden. I am trapped like sleeping beauty waiting for my prince gardener to save me 😂
If you can find a prince can I borrow him? Mind you I'm watching The Crown and know its fiction but its not flattering of royalty. I don't think the nice clothes and being waited on although it might be nice for a while is exactly good for the soul.
I agree perhaps Lady Chatterley's gardener would be a better choice 😀
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
Off topic- garlic growing
Off topic. This is me done with hols abroad 😔
How lucky ... off topic
Me and my weighted blanket- off topic
Off topic - Need new slippers for your RA ravaged feet?
Off topic diary of my RA and benepali
Off topic - cracking on with craft - scissors query
Off topic - Press and Media hyperbole...
