What's Grandad got to talk about?

A place to swap ideas, share your hobbies, pass on hints and tips and discuss how you spend your free time.

Moderators: DJKeefy, 4u Network

Post Reply
User avatar
Grandad
Egyptian Pharaoh
Egyptian Pharaoh
Posts: 6924
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: South East UK
Has thanked: 797 times
Been thanked: 2254 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Grandad »

My topics tend to be limited to my garden wildlife, the plants on our small patio, my local trips on the scooter, our increasingly infrequent holidays and our fairly frequent visits to local restaurants.
On the last item our favourite is still Chapmans fish restaurant not far from our home. Last evening was mussels and chips night, or to make it sound a bit more classy, 'Moules frittes' as much as you can eat for £10.50. We went with our daughter and SiL and still came way £90 worse off but it was all very enjoyable. :up
On the first item on my list of topics, the dog fox is always the first to visit each evening and gets his share of the dog meat, peanuts and strawberry jam sandwiches.
9209

I have not been out on the scooter so far this week and holidays are not high on our agenda. We did however propose last evening to daughter and SiL that we go somewhere for Christmas to get away from the boring routine. We suggested 4 nights in the Austrian Tyrol which would be very seasonal, but definitely no skiing. :lol: :lol:

I will join with other comments about 'spring in the garden'. I know I have said time and again that I am no gardener and have little interest in the subject. That said I do like to have colour around in pots on the patio so my garden activities extend to buying a load of bedding plants early May together with a large bag of new potting compost.
'The 'Gardening' then takes about a morning around mid May and that is it. Just wait for all the colour to emerge. I DO water the plants of course; I Do have that much concern for the plants. ;)

I walked around 'The Estate' ;) this morning and took a few snaps to mention here:
LLL has talked about ferns. I love ferns and hostas, both like moist to wet conditions and grow every year virtually without any attention. With hostas I just cut back the leaves when they have dried back to brown. I do the same with ferns but if they don't fully dry back I just leave them and they usually grow better than ever in the new season.
This enormous hosta is quite old and I should have split it by now but keep forgetting until it is too late.
9211
Daughter in law gave us this fern last year. I did cut it back but as it was SO late showing new growth Mrs G wanted to ditch it. I insisted that we leave it and in the last few weeks it has sprung back to life. I also helps to hide the garden lights transformer. :up
9210
I don't bother with names but this still has its label. Polystrichum Aculeatum, it is called. We have had it three years now from a very small plant.
9213

Patio pots can be a bit low level so I like a few plants that add some structure and height. These are the things around my patio to do this.
We have had this Mediterranean palm for many years and it helps to hide the water butt.
9212
This little Acer is also quite old but is kind of 'bonsai' and doesn't grow any more.
9215
One of my staff gave me this cordiline about 25 years ago, long before I retired. Of course it was just a small plant in a 6" pot but this is how it has grown over the years. I rather like it.
9218
My daughter in law gave me this banana plant last year. I wrapped it through the winter and although last years leaves died off, it has started new growth so hopefully I can keep it going to form a much taller plant. ;)
9217
Finally, this is another plant that still has its label. It is Cordiline Australis Torbay Dazzler, which we bought as a very small plant three years ago.
9214

I think that will do for my musings on a dull Thursday afternoon. If fine tomorrow my daughter will take us, and scooter, to Herne Bay for a walk (ride) along the front. 8)


:gg:
User avatar
LovelyLadyLux
Egypt4u God
Egypt4u God
Posts: 11596
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2009 9:12 pm
Location: Canada
Has thanked: 417 times
Been thanked: 2714 times
Canada

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

Your photos are lovely and your Ferns, in particular gorgeous. I bought some last year for the first time as a outdoor plant, put them into pots out front and they grew extremely well. The hostas are growing as expected and looking really full and beautiful but the ferns are hardly moving and not looking at all well. If I was a guess person they're looking like they've all got some dread disease that is debilitating them.

I didn't cut them back last year as they seemed to be weathering the weather well and now I'm kinda wondering if I should have.

Yesterday I tossed one which was in a medium sized pot and it was 100% dead. Planted a miniature hosta called Canadian Blue as I was noting I've tended to like variegated hostas but don't have too many that are solid colour or any in the blue shade. This one has a bluish hue so should contrast well with all the green and white striped variations.

I have ferns left. Two are doing so-so but probably Friday I'm taking H's suggestion and will plant it somewhere out back in the shade to see if it'll kick back. WILD ferns are going out back out of almost concrete type soil with no nutrients so am not sure why these guys didn't weather better.

@Grandad - I like your white owl! It looks cute and was interested to hear you left your Banana plant outside all winter albeit wrapped. I've never grown one but the plants can be more than showy.

I've also been thinking about planting a few Japanese maples into big pots and position them between me and the next neighbour. I have 2 large red Japanese maples out back and get tons of baby red leaf maples germinating in all the gardens. I've pulled most of them but have left a couple cause if they grow where they've fallen they won't look bad there. Been thinking of putting a couple in pots so see how they grow.

I like plants and I do like them at different levels. Just gives me something to look at outside.
Mad Dilys
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2271
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: Luxor
Has thanked: 3044 times
Been thanked: 676 times
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Mad Dilys »

I love your plants Grandad, especially the magnificent Hosta :up
Smile! It confuses people
User avatar
Horus
Egypt4u God
Egypt4u God
Posts: 12363
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: UK
Has thanked: 1658 times
Been thanked: 2213 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Horus »

Oh dear Grandad! What a shame the weather being crap at your end Grandad, it gorgeous up here, ah well what a pity never mind. :lol: I have done little or nothing in my garden this year so it is looking rather sparse and very untidy compared with yours and not half as clean, it always was Mrs H’s domain with me doing the heavy stuff, but this year I seem to have been very busy doing other things. Anyway I had a quick tour around the Hosta’s and ferns saying as everyone was posting their pictures, so for what it is worth here are a few of mine.

The Hostas are all in pots and are quite big if you take into account that those somewhat dirty patio flags are 450m square.
92209222

This is an area behind my garage and it has a lot of ferns and as you can see none of them were cut back last year which is unusual for me not to do so, but they have come up OK.
92219223

This is my Acer and again it is very large about 2 metres across, behind and alongside of it I have a variegated Weigela and a Euonymus interspersed with a Honeysuckle and several ferns, it is all a bit jumbled but looks OK in the Spring.
92269224
Image
User avatar
LovelyLadyLux
Egypt4u God
Egypt4u God
Posts: 11596
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2009 9:12 pm
Location: Canada
Has thanked: 417 times
Been thanked: 2714 times
Canada

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

@H - Quite like your big blue looking Hosta. That one is impressive. Your Japanese maple looks more than nice too. I like those.
User avatar
Kiya
Egyptian Pharaoh
Egyptian Pharaoh
Posts: 4286
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: Peterhead Scotland
Has thanked: 1575 times
Been thanked: 537 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Kiya »

Grandad, For being a non gardener your pot plants are looking good as is Horus'
Mad Dilys
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2271
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: Luxor
Has thanked: 3044 times
Been thanked: 676 times
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Mad Dilys »

While waiting at traffic lights during a taxi ride last year I remarked on a fabulous acer in a nearby garden. The driver casually replied "Acer palmatum dissectum atropurpureum, nice example."

I was delighted and asked if he was a keen gardener, but he denied that he was. He knew nothing about gardening except he disliked it, though his wife was very keen. When they got their first house he bought her this pretty shrub and always remembered the name. :lv
Smile! It confuses people
User avatar
Grandad
Egyptian Pharaoh
Egyptian Pharaoh
Posts: 6924
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: South East UK
Has thanked: 797 times
Been thanked: 2254 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Grandad »

Mrs G has gone to a small shopping complex at Westwood and I feel a Blog coming on. :lol:
Horus wrote:Oh dear Grandad! What a shame the weather being crap at your end Grandad, it gorgeous up here, ah well what a pity never mind. :lol:
We are very generous down here H and happy for you to borrow our high pressure for a couple of days so the boys can wash the cars and the girls can get the washing dry. BUT we will have our high pressure back tomorrow please. ;)

To develop further my introduction, I do find that if you live in a house for a long time and look beck, you will find that little changes over the years other than major construction jobs like conservatories and extensions. 25 years ago our back yard looked like this early in the year. I made the paving slabs myself.
9231
About 20 years ago I levelled the whole area and re-layed it with slabs from the garden centre. At that time we had far more by way of pots and baskets.
9229

In levelling I had surplus soil that I put on the bank. That is now giving me a problem because the bank has moved slightly and broken the wall.
9216
I think I shall have to enlist help from sons or grandson to dig a trench to relieve the pressure or very soon the wall will fall. :(

I have used that cordiline that is reaching to the skys, as an image for a greetings card some time ago.
9227

That'll do for today. Don't forget to return the weather H ;) :lol:
:gg:
User avatar
Horus
Egypt4u God
Egypt4u God
Posts: 12363
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: UK
Has thanked: 1658 times
Been thanked: 2213 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Horus »

I think we may just hang onto it for a while longer Grandad ;)
Image
User avatar
Grandad
Egyptian Pharaoh
Egyptian Pharaoh
Posts: 6924
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: South East UK
Has thanked: 797 times
Been thanked: 2254 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Grandad »

@Horus Forgot to mention H, your plants are looking very good. I find that if you don't cut back ferns they seem to grow just as well next year. I suppose that is how they survive in the wild.
Your hostas appear to be free of slugs, like mine. Seems only MD is suffering with the pests.

Spoilsport.....send it back, it was only on loan :lol: :lol:
:gg:
Mad Dilys
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2271
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: Luxor
Has thanked: 3044 times
Been thanked: 676 times
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Mad Dilys »

Have you got Weep Holes in the wall Grandad? :tk
Smile! It confuses people
User avatar
Grandad
Egyptian Pharaoh
Egyptian Pharaoh
Posts: 6924
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: South East UK
Has thanked: 797 times
Been thanked: 2254 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Grandad »

Mad Dilys wrote:Have you got Weep Holes in the wall Grandad? :tk
I have not heard of those MD but the answer is No.

It was a big ask for a single brick wall to hold back the bank but I thought that as most of the backfill was not compacted it would hold. I think if I dig a trench about a foot back and fill it with something like polystyrene it might relieve the pressure.
:gg:
User avatar
Horus
Egypt4u God
Egypt4u God
Posts: 12363
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: UK
Has thanked: 1658 times
Been thanked: 2213 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Horus »

You can put some weep holes in by putting something like a 16mm masory drill through the cement course quite low down, maybe every 1 metre or so.
Grandad what often puts pressure on the walls is all the extra roots that start to grow in the soil, especially from trees and shrubs. It may also help if you can gouge out some of the cement course across the breaks and then re-cement in some wire brick ties across the breaks.
Image
Mad Dilys
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2271
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: Luxor
Has thanked: 3044 times
Been thanked: 676 times
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Mad Dilys »

This page on Wiki gives a good insight into Weep Holes.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=garde ... AyTIbaXbtM:

Now your attention has been drawn to them you will see them everywhere, but they are very discrete.

I wouldn't worry about single brick for the wall, but I would buttress it as normal, either behind or in front of the wall whichever you prefer. Even for a retaining wall of about 4 courses I would I would put holes right at the base at regular intervals. Higher walls need more holes higher up. I push crumpled chicken wire into the first few inches - stops rats and other small animals making it home.


Even if there is no rain. condensation accumulates behind the wall and though you may never see water coming out it provides ventilation and helps to keep the soil dry and keep the weight down.
Smile! It confuses people
User avatar
Grandad
Egyptian Pharaoh
Egyptian Pharaoh
Posts: 6924
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: South East UK
Has thanked: 797 times
Been thanked: 2254 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Grandad »

Thank you both for your sound advice. Maybe I can prevent any further movement by adding weep holes and adding some ties.

I must say that I thought Horus would have words of wisdom on the subject but MD? Obviously your knowledge and experiences are far broader than we would have imagined. ;) :a4:
:gg:
User avatar
LovelyLadyLux
Egypt4u God
Egypt4u God
Posts: 11596
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2009 9:12 pm
Location: Canada
Has thanked: 417 times
Been thanked: 2714 times
Canada

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

@Grandad - your yard and definitely evolved and changed over the years. All the hanging baskets were lovely but baskets are work (I avoid them) and can understand why none now.

I think what you've got now is equally pleasant in that you've got leafy colour & contrast to look at outside. Looking lovely!
Mad Dilys
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2271
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: Luxor
Has thanked: 3044 times
Been thanked: 676 times
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Mad Dilys »

Thank you Grandad, :oops: I am a mine of useless misinformation according to my family. :snig:

When I first went out into the commercial world I was an assistant to a Landscape Architect as they were called then. After some training it was my job to design the smaller gardens while "Basil" was designing Eastbourne Crematorium at that time.

Part of my job was to prepare an estimate for the so called hard landscaping. I would prepare an analysis for the boss as to the amounts required then it was his job to price it, pass it back to me to order the goods and transport seeing that everything was ready when the team arrived and that there was no waste.

We went out on surveys and I prepared the basic plans. Blue Printing was done on an amazing ancient machine where a magnesium lamp travelled along a track to expose the photographic paper I loved it. :lol:
Smile! It confuses people
User avatar
Horus
Egypt4u God
Egypt4u God
Posts: 12363
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: UK
Has thanked: 1658 times
Been thanked: 2213 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Horus »

Blue Printing was done on an amazing ancient machine where a magnesium lamp travelled along a track to expose the photographic paper I loved it. :lol:
I bet that the paper was yellow before it was subjected to the arc lamp and it also stank of Ammonia ;)
I say arc lamp because that is what they used to be in my day and not magnesium, two carbon rods that could be adjusted to keep the correct gap for the arc to leap across inside of a clear glass globe as it travelled along exposing the finished blue print from a tracing that was placed on the top as it was fed through the rollers. They were usually heated so that the ammonia was a gas and boy did it make your cloths stink and your eyes water. Too much heat and it was almost black, too little and you could not read the print, just right and you had your lovely 'blue' print. :up
Image
Mad Dilys
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2271
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: Luxor
Has thanked: 3044 times
Been thanked: 676 times
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Mad Dilys »

That makes sense Horus. I was told it was magnesium and never gave it a thought. There were indeed two rods but the machine I used wasn't as modern as the one you describe!
Smile! It confuses people
User avatar
Horus
Egypt4u God
Egypt4u God
Posts: 12363
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:15 am
Location: UK
Has thanked: 1658 times
Been thanked: 2213 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Horus »

Oh believe me MD that machine was far from modern :lol: I had to use it as a lad of 15 and the machine was ancient them. It was in a British Railways drawing office and was probably Victorian in origin.
Image
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post