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Post by reclaimingrebus on Apr 7, 2010 16:29:30 GMT 1
Yes!!! my clematis have survived, and the tree paeonies, and the penstemons, and the majority of my fuschias. Think my bottle brush plant ( 5' and 10 years old) and my various hebes have taken a pounding though - they were all cuttings originally from my dad - who doesn't garden anymore.
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Apr 7, 2010 20:28:53 GMT 1
One of my clematis has survived but not yet sure about the other. Hebes have also taken a hammering, but one I thought was dead does have a little shoot appearing at the base... unless it is a weed coming up there? Leaf buds are about to open on two of the three bird cherry trees. I think another week of this warmer weather and more things will wake up a bit. Lots to do...
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Post by RuthE on Apr 10, 2010 11:13:54 GMT 1
It feels like spring is well and truely here. It is only 12C here but I have been out gardening in a T-shirt this morning! I spotted the first butterfly of the year: We have daffs The plum is coming to life I have finally planted out the honeysuckle Al gave me. I have planted it at the foot of a tree stump and hope it will climb the stump, which is about 5'6" high. And the birds are starting to nest. I am not sure what type of bird built this but they haven't quite got the hang of the nest box....
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Post by reclaimingrebus on Apr 11, 2010 21:36:56 GMT 1
My Cercis made it through ( Judas tree) which is just as well seeing I lugged it all the way home from Hampton Court last year!
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Apr 19, 2010 0:43:49 GMT 1
There are a few leaves showing next to the pussy willow flowers on the purple weeping willow, and at long last! All three bird cherry trees now have leaves, but no blossom. Not sure if the blossom should come before the leaves on those, though? Just a hint of leaves showing on the gelder roses and sloes, and a few lonely daffs have finally bloomed in the bird garden. No sign of leaves yet on the Cox apple tree. Hoping it isn't dead. One of the very dark purple buddelias hasn't survived the winter, which is a shame. Have lost quite a few plants, but there are lots of aquilegias and, of course, hardy geranims in the bird garden now. One of the clematis planted by the arch into the garden has survived and has leaves onb now. Not sure about the other one. Something green is appearing at the very base of it, but it could be a weed! A few of the honeysuckles are definitely alive, though, as is the forsythia, but no signs of any flowers on that. Peter spent Saturday down there trying to get to grips with some of the docks, but as fast as they are dug up, more seem to appear! The stream has once again almost dried up. Whatever happened to April showers, eh? Mind you, Dylan, the boys and my ex are off on holiday to Cornwall tomorrow, so it will probably rain there! It usually does when they go away...
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Post by reclaimingrebus on Apr 19, 2010 10:31:18 GMT 1
there are pied woodpeckers nesting in the park, saw the first brimstone and cabbage white, and Mays bumble bee score is rising steadily Don't know what she'll make of the Asian hornets when they arrive
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Apr 19, 2010 19:43:18 GMT 1
Transplanted some more aquilegia into the bird garden this morning, where I spotted several bumblebees, a couple of hover flies of some sort and three butterflies. Ginger George had has a couple of visiting hens coming in over the fence, yet again. Their scratching has made quite a mess in places and had covered the young strawberry plants with dried manure. Lots of birds in evidence, including some jackdaws busygathering up the old horse's shed winter coat for their nests.
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Post by reclaimingrebus on Apr 19, 2010 22:01:40 GMT 1
saw an orange-tip butterfly today and a couple of brimstones and a holly blue - and some very foolhardy bumblebees. The primroses are in full bloom and so are the dog violets. I can feel my winter aches and pains fading away
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Post by Florrie on May 6, 2010 10:16:11 GMT 1
I think we have robins nesting in the ivy ( fingers crossed)
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on May 6, 2010 21:02:51 GMT 1
Fingers duly crossed, Sue. So far no more obvious action around the bird box and the dried grass is still draped there in the entrance exactly as first seen. I guess the tit who put it there may have had second thoughts, or else its partner prefered elsewhere to nest? There is a nest in the tangled ivy on the elder that fell down and that we left where it fel for the time being, so that birds could feed off the berries and nest there. It will have to be moved later in the year, as it is where we need to put up the field shelter for the ponies for next winter. I've started trimming the grass and weeds from around the new trees, as that's starting to take over a bit. Of course, Bron and Daisy see me coming with the shears and appear at the fence with a look of hope on their faces, and Merlyn makes his presence felt by yelling his head off from his stable. He's got it into his head that that is where he wants to be every night now, even though most of the other horses in the neighbourhood are now out at grass 24/7. Not him! Appear on the yard anytime after about 2pm and he's at the gate demanding to be let back into his stable by clanging a hoof against the metal of the gate - and what a racket he makes, too. The only way to get any peace is to give in to the old devil is to let him do as he wants. I wonder if appearing at the gate with a saddle and bridle might have the effect of him disappearing into the furthest field? ;D I might try that!
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Post by petdesigns on May 9, 2010 11:09:24 GMT 1
You can watch the weeds growing on the field and in the garden, so we're having LOADS to do at the moment and I hardly make it to the computer these days! We've got loads of birds, bumble bees and butterflies around and the hawthorn is flowering
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Post by RuthE on May 31, 2010 19:56:33 GMT 1
My first foxgloves are out. A friend gave me the plants a couple of years ago but this is the first year they have flowered. I took some pics for her so thought I'd share them here. Finally something pretty that really thrives in our horrible clay soil!! Sadly my honeysuckle died. Well I assume it died but I am not sure as I went out to water it last weekend and it had vanished without trace!!
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Post by reclaimingrebus on May 31, 2010 21:03:36 GMT 1
You have to smile really. I've tried to grow echinacea for ages, and have put in various plants - to watvh them all fail and die. Last year I was wandering through the park and helped myself to some seeding heads, then lost interest and dropped the seeds into the clematis containers. At least 20 vigourous healthy little seedlings have appeared
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on May 31, 2010 21:43:23 GMT 1
Ruth, it might be worth trying to grow a honeysuckle in a container of good compost, then digging in plenty of compost into the area where you want it to grow before transplanting it. I have some growing in a fairly fresh pile of manure, and some nearby in what is really little more than builder's rubble! Lovely foxgloves, btw. I transplanted some from the field into the bird garden - just the ordinary wild growing ones, but think only one has survived. Elaine, perhaps I need to beg some seed heads from you, as I've also failed to grow it! I should have loads of blue aquilegia seeds available soon. Must try to mark the various plants with a bit of coloured wool, as hardly anything but blue has grown this year. Darned chickens from next door have dug up my violets and lily of the valley, as well as eaten the lettuce seedlings... AGAIN! Managed to catch another one today and clip its wings, but a bit late. Kids everywhere down the yard today, and leaving the gate open. They left the stable door open on the next yard, too, loosing the old TB point-to-point horse out into the yard, where he rolled in the muck heap and had a kick-about, despite nursing an injured leg. Darned glad we managed to shut the gate to the BG before he got in there! In the end I saddled little Daisy and sent them off with her for a ride! Later, Kerrie, one of the adult volunteers, went out for a ride on Merlyn, too. Kerrie is small enough to ride Bron, once they both have more experience.
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Post by reclaimingrebus on Jun 1, 2010 12:54:46 GMT 1
Al, do you want me to grow a couple on for you? Also, we have loads of cotoneaster seedlings appearing - the butterflies love the flowers and the birds eat the berries, do you have a wall or fence for it to grow against?
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Jun 1, 2010 14:02:11 GMT 1
I'd love some, thanks, Elaine. Once I manage to move a lot of things out of the back garden here, I'll have a wall where the contoneasters could go, and perhaps later, when Peter has built more of the terraced walls down the BG, they could be transferred there? Do they like north, south, east of West facing walls, please?
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Post by reclaimingrebus on Jun 1, 2010 20:10:17 GMT 1
one of mine is on a south facing wall, the others against an east facing fence - they're quite tough I think - the original I pulled out of a crack in the pavement and grew on, so they're pretty indestructible ! when I find it I've got a photo of one covered in silver lady butterflies
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Jun 1, 2010 23:31:09 GMT 1
Think the best wall here would be a south facing one, but possibly could clear an east facing area of wall. Been weeding down at LT this afternoon, after the rain stopped. When I got down there today the B chickens were all in there, and have made a heck of a mess of the lettuce seedlings I'd planted yesterday, dug up all the little violets and the lily of the valley down the bottom near where I am trying to dig out a pathway. Clipped some more of their wings, but suspect it was kids leaving the gate open this time.
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Post by reclaimingrebus on Jun 2, 2010 0:32:01 GMT 1
Its astonishing how high the average chuck can fly. I remember having to rescue mine from the top of the 6ft aviary on numerous occasions and they regularly took themselves over the 6ft fence into next doors garden and had to be escorted back ( I'm not surprised I've never had a Xmas card from the neighbours after 30 years of living next to them!)
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Jun 2, 2010 21:22:30 GMT 1
Tell me about it! Those chickens are like aeroplanes. Sue and Dai saw to my horses today, as I couldn't et down to LT in the end, but I bet the things have been in again and finished off what few lettuce seedings I had left after their last raid... I have someone coming to look at Ethan's pony tomorrow, and with a view to buying her, so will have to be down there tomorrow afternoon, and will try to clip some more wings, if I can catch more of the blighters.
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