THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

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Grandad
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THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by Grandad »

MD has mentioned the flora in her new abode and both LLL and me have told of upcoming visits to garden centres. Horus has reminded us that it is bluebell time again SO, is it time once again to start a thread for the new season of our garden activity? I think it probably is.

You will all know that I have nothing more than a small patio backyard (to use LLL's term) ;) . That is in need of pressure washing but I have already enlisted the help of #2 son. He has also volunteered to mow the bank, otherwise I was planning to get a mountain goat. :lol:

We normally fill about a dozen pots with annual flowering plants. This year we will add a few perennial shrubs and plants. We will visit the garden centre this Wednesday to see what we can find but in advance of that we have ordered online, a 'Wisteria Amethyst' that we will grow in a pot to contain its size.
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My seven successful geranium cuttings will be added to by about a half dozen more plants on Wednesday plus some colourful flowering bedding annuals.
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I think I mentioned two 'Hydrangea Runaway Bride' that we bought as small plants online about 6 weeks ago. These are doing well and should be good in a month or two.
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I have also mentioned that some Hostas are already showing signs of being eaten. I may still split them when we get busy next weekend. They are so hardy you can chop them up almost any time of year.
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Finally, my tomato plants from seed. They are doing well but I planted the seed too late so we will probably have a good harvest of 'Cherry Red' tomatoes at Christmas..... :lol:
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What are you other folks up to in your gardens, patios, or window boxes? :?:
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

I got my gardens going as well. In the veggie garden I've got a dozen Romaine lettuce going, half dozen marigolds around 3 tomato plants (Sweet 100, Moneymaker and Early Girl), peas were planted about two weeks ago. Sometime this week I'll be planting seeds: carrots and beans. I also bought a package of dwarf mixed sunflowers so they'll be the last to start.

I have 2 empty big pottery pots and I've been looking for something interesting to put into them. Am rather favouring a yellow cypress for one. They get huge in time but they tend to come in here in 4" pots.

I transplanted and moved around a couple of plants (sedums) and can report all are doing well.
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by Grandad »

LLL, the three tomato plants we had last year were also Moneymaker. They yielded big trusses and were nice medium size toms.

I have Red Cherry this year which. as the name suggests. us a small cherry tomato ideal for salads. Just need to get the plants to get a wiggle on. :lol:
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

I checked the garden briefly today and tomorrow I'll have to water but will be planting the seeds before I do that. I've grown Moneymaker before and recall them to be good producers. We don't have a long grow season so early producers and smaller tomatoes are usually best.
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by Grandad »

We had an enjoyable morning and afternoon today. Weather was inclement in the morning with light rain. #1 son who has a day off on Wednesdays offered to do the transport. #3 grand daughter was also not working today so we went en masse to the garden centre. Quite successful and I bought:
1 Acer, Skeeters Broom that goes from Purple red in summer to strong red in the autumn.
2 Fern Polystrichem Braunii that are fairly ordinary ferns but very hardy.
6 Calibrachoa Can Can, double yellow.
6 Bacopa Scopa, Great Regal Blue.
6 Geranium Scarlet.
A large bag of potting mix
6 Green plastic pots for 6 tomato plants when they are large enough to pot up.

So with my 7 geranium plants, we will be busy at the weekend getting the patio sorted
. :up
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

Actually had to run outside this morning and turn the sprinkler onto the front garden. Everything out front was pretty dry.

Hand watered the veggie garden yesterday when I planted the rest of the seeds (carrots, beans and ornamental sun flowers) and saw the peas have now broken through and are about 1/2" high.

On another note a friend of a friends friend is/was moving away for downsizing all the houseplants and had a Clivia that was up for grabs and I grabbed it. Picked it up last night. Didn't get a chance to talk to the owner however when I emailed her to say I'd take it she said she got it from somebody else and didn't have a clue about it otherwise.

I've always wanted one and love the flowers but have never seen on in a garden shop here. This one has 5 plants in one pot. Will have to read up today on their care as I don't really have a clue about how to grow them. Any suggestions, ideas, insights would be appreciated.
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by Grandad »

The Wisteria Amethyst Falls arrived this morning from Hayloft Plants in Worcestershire.
Nice plant and already trained on a bamboo lattice. It comes with instructions for pruning to contain its growth and promote flowering for growing in a pot. It has a couple of flowers that smell very nice so when it matures a bit there should be 'Perfume on the Patio' :lol:
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I watered and potted it in the pot that was reserved for it. Just got to get those two Canary Islands Palms now.
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by Grandad »

This very pretty bush is on the railway embankment of my neighbours garden. Anyone know what it is?
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

As to the identity of the bush on the bank I think it is a "ceanothus" aka (here) as California Lilac. If it is that plant it is interesting in that it can grow here by the ocean and take salt spray.

@Grandad - you're a brave man to buy a Wisteria! :o :o I planted one probably 30 years ago in my wee little house. First year it was cute and pretty and produced a lovely flower bract. Next year it grew to the eaves and produced a ton of flowers and was gorgeous. The next year it was reaching the top of the house and poking under shingles. I bought a machete when it extended over to the neighbours on each side of me and started hacking at it before it got a stranglehold. Up the wall, along the clothesline over to the fence and circling the shed x3 didn't even slow when I cut off major branches. Finally got it hacked down and transplanted to the back of the yard. It came back with a vengence. Hacked it down again and moved it north to my other house and planted it way out back on the fence. Over time the fence sagged and boards broke out and all that saved it from falling over entirely was the wisteria. I finally opted to get rid of it totally and for 3 solid years I cut it off at ground level only to have it send up shoots I cut off with the lawn mower. It was the plant that would never die. When I was preparing the house to sell I saw one lone shoot again appearing by the garden gate. I left it for the new owner ;) ;)

BE WARNED!!! :P :P :P

I have to get a few more plants to fill in the odd plant pot here and there and I have to fill in the spot the gf and I dug the climbing hydreangea out of. Now that Mother's Day is done in about 2 more week all the plant clearance sales will start and that is when I'll pick up a few more plants. I want 1 more mini hosta for the one planter but am not too sure what I'll get for the garden spot where the climbing hydranea was. I have a monster hosta there that does get really large but I don't want anything too big competing with it. Will have to see what I can find.

Nice misting rain today so the gardens will be well watered in however the nice misting rain also means I won't get out to any of the garden centers to see what is there.
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by Grandad »

@LovelyLadyLux
Not to worry LLL, it is in a pot to contain it and the instructions are very clear on how to restrict growth by twice yearly pruning.
The garden show season has started here with the Chelsea Flower Show. A big event with show gardens, smaller gardens, Pavilions with displays of plants and flowers. The Queen went this evening and the show opens to the public tomorrow.
The only show garden that I have seen so far is the Welcome to Yorkshire garden. It is based on a miniature canal with lock and lock keepers hut. I think it is lovely....
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

Here the Horticultural Society asks members if they want to open their gardens and if they do they'll advertise specific dates and times and people can go and have a look see however we don't really have formalized large Gardens here.
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by Horus »

Many years ago I built a pergola very much in the area of Poo Corner behind my workshop. I really wanted a Wisteria to grow over it with those lovely perfumed racines drooping down, so I planted a Wisteria in one corner, a Russian Vine in another and a Virginia Creeper in another and a Honeysuckle to make up the four corners. The Russian Vine went mental and grew everywhere and had to be hacked down, the Virginia Creeper grew quite nicely and could be controlled. I still have the Honeysuckle, but I never had a single solitary flower from the Wisteria in all the time it was growing over my pergola. :cry:
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

@H - You must've got the one poor backward wisteria of the bunch if you never got a flower. The one had is "living forever" and nothing could make it die (and believe me I tried).


Wisteria flowers are lovely but if you get plant that 'likes' where it is growing it can take over the street.

I do love to see roses growing along and through fences or clematis twining up and about a trellis. Honeysuckle grew rampant on the far side of my parent's house - can all be lovely.

Quite like the contrast of a flower bloom with old greyed off split rail.
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by Horus »

The second image looks lovely, I have always liked that typical American 'ranch' style fencing, we do not see that style much here.
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by Grandad »

@LovelyLadyLux
LovelyLadyLux wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 6:09 pm As to the identity of the bush on the bank I think it is a "ceanothus" aka (here) as California Lilac. If it is that plant it is interesting in that it can grow here by the ocean and take salt spray.
I think you are correct LLL. I find that at nurseries here it is also known as California Lilac. Some nurseries have them grown as a single trunk with a lolipop top. Very attractive for each side of a doorway.....
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by Grandad »

I think we all like Hostas, many shades of green and varigation, and nice flower stems. Watching the Chelsea Flower Show program this afternoon I learned something new about Hostas.
Apparently if you cut the flower shoots when small you can eat them as you would asparagus. The presenter said they can taste even better........as a lover of asparagus, I doubt that statement but must try when flower shoots appear. ;) :lol:
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by Horus »

Interesting that Grandad as I have always noticed the similarity, but I was fairly sure they were poisonous? I am also an Asparagus fan although the local grown stuff has been a bit 'woody' this year compared to the imported Mexican stuff.
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by Grandad »

Thought this site might be of interest. It was certainly news to me but from this article it seems that all are edible. I would want to check that out before trying hosta as a vegetable.
https://blog.hostasdirect.com/hostas-are-edible/
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by Horus »

Well according to that they certainly do look to be edible, but like picking wild mushrooms I think I will avoid them, with my luck I will eat a rare poisonous variety :lol: :lol:
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Re: THE NEW SEASON IN THE GARDEN - 2019

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

I can eat anything IF I must but I really do not like the taste of asparagus at all. One of the few veggies that I take a pass on when I'm out shopping and have no desire to grow it. As a child we 'had' to eat the wild asparagus growing in the ditches. Usually it never got picked until it was high and tall and hence tough, stringy, bitter. Am sure cultivated asparagus is better and tender but I just have never fancied it.

Asparagus roots are sold here and this time of year are readily available for anybody wanting them. They come in tall rectangular boxes - same as strawberry plant roots. Rhubarb I do grow and I must get out and snap off a few stalks so I can freeze it for future use (and/or if only for boiling away and cleaning my pots!)

The drizzle has now turn to outright downpour so any garden hunting is definitely not going to happen today. I'm on the hunt for 1 small bush to put into a medium sized plant pot but it must be able to take full hot sun as the pot will be on a corner of the deck. So far have been having no luck finding anything miniaturized that will do well in a smallish pot.

Carrots have germinated, beans are up a couple inches, tomatoes are doing well and the two kale plants are likewise growing. Soon as I finish the head of lettuce I have in the fridge I'll be eating my own lettuce for the rest of the summer :up
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