Today I did something in my Garden

Graces7

CelticRambler wrote: »

Have you got/thought of heartsease violet/wild pansies?



Years ago, one of my dancing buddies gave me six plants for my courtyard (no soil other than what's in the cracks between the cobbles) ... this is about one tenth of what's in flower at the moment. Remarkably resilient, prolific self-seeders (everything in the lower half of the photo was self seeded last year from what was in the planter above) but very shallow roots so very easy to strip out of any area they ought not to be.

Oh how lovely! Where would I get them please?

Graces7

Today is for seeding. The huge bag of potting compost arrived yesterday so no holds barred!

Top of the list, as soil is very shallow here, is a deep container for roots. Seaweed at the bottom of course. Add a little kale at the top. It will be interesting to see how well eg turnips do. In Orkney tasty. They grew fields of them for winter cattle feed and when they thinned them we ate the tops.

CelticRambler

Graces7 wrote: »

Oh how lovely! Where would I get them please?

They're classed as a wildflower (in Ireland as well as here in France) so I suppose any of the "usual" wildflower seed suppliers ...?

It feels wrong, though, to think of suggesting anyone buy them, when I literally pull them out of the ground by the handful and re-pot them to make a new display - and, again literally, swept up a dustpan full of seed from the concrete path last year to re-distribute it into other planters. :cool:

GreeBo

fryup wrote: »

any hope for my venus flytrap?? had it in a bag for winter

Unless you get a zombie version I think that's toast.

Why the bag approach,? Seems like it just rotted...

fryup

GreeBo wrote: »

Unless you get a zombie version I think that's toast.

Why the bag approach,? Seems like it just rotted...

read it somewhere on the web, "during winter months place it in a plastic bag and leave it indoors in a cool dry place"

New Home

To form a mini greenhouse. But I doubt it would have helped if "indoors" was a shed. All that water it's sitting on wouldn't have been any good, either.

Graces7

CelticRambler wrote: »

They're classed as a wildflower (in Ireland as well as here in France) so I suppose any of the "usual" wildflower seed suppliers ...?

It feels wrong, though, to think of suggesting anyone buy them, when I literally pull them out of the ground by the handful and re-pot them to make a new display - and, again literally, swept up a dustpan full of seed from the concrete path last year to re-distribute it into other planters. :cool:

Ah OK. Buying wildflowers is an oxymoron.. It may be too harsh out here although I could fix up a sheltered spot for those utter beauties. Flowers with sweet faces....ENJOY!

Graces7

Alas too wild and wet for gardening so just organised my seeds...

GreeBo

https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/chiwonlee/plsc211/student%20papers/articles02/dhodgson/dhodgson.html

It might not be totally dead, but I'd remove anything that clearly rotting/moudly and see what happens.

Assuming you are in Ireland, our climate isnt really harsh enough to need to over winter them in that manner I reckon.

CelticRambler

Graces7 wrote: »

Buying wildflowers is an oxymoron.. It may be too harsh out here although I could fix up a sheltered spot for those utter beauties. Flowers with sweet faces.

I had a quick look online earlier and one wildflower archivist said they'd found them on Abbey Island in Kerry, so possibly not that different to your Mayo Island. Mine put up with all kinds of abuse. These last few weeks, they've been baked to 50°C in the midday sun for a week, lashed with 70kmh winds, frozen to -1°C seven nights in a row, and left ten days will less than adequate water. As you can see, they're still smiling!

I did notice that the varieties sold online are often only two-colour (yellow and purple). The species name is Viola tricolor - if there's no white in it, I'd argue that it's not real! The detail in the flower is considerably more interesting that its fancy regular pansy cousin.

Graces7

CelticRambler wrote: »

I had a quick look online earlier and one wildflower archivist said they'd found them on Abbey Island in Kerry, so possibly not that different to your Mayo Island. Mine put up with all kinds of abuse. These last few weeks, they've been baked to 50°C in the midday sun for a week, lashed with 70kmh winds, frozen to -1°C seven nights in a row, and left ten days will less than adequate water. As you can see, they're still smiling!

I did notice that the varieties sold online are often only two-colour (yellow and purple). The species name is Viola tricolor - if there's no white in it, I'd argue that it's not real! The detail in the flower is considerably more interesting that its fancy regular pansy cousin.

Ah Abbey Island is very sheltered; barely an island in many ways. You walk across the sand to get there. Local graveyard in the abbey ruins and the custom remains of carrying the coffins over the sands on their shoulders. l It has trees too! Lots of trees... I used to go there often when I lived in Kerry

We are Atlantic , ocean on every side open coastal and very exposed and treeless. A few stalwart ancient wild fuchsias . It limits what will grow. Blasted by gales. I find wild violets on my drive and dandelions etc. But never seen pansy faces.

New Home

Agreed, violas are tough little yokes.

Graces7

New Home wrote: »

Agreed, violas are tough little yokes.

Would love to try some but way over budget already this year...

Graces7

Five of the six sunflower seeds I planted in pots indoors have germinated. I chose " Cong" for dramatic effect! The one sunflower I grew last year attracted awed looks so Cong will wow folk!

Having a quiet morning and maybe a quiet day... Planning is everything

Cal04

looksee wrote: »

I am currently planting heathers both summer and winter, whenever a site is prepared. I have a good few and will continue on until they are all done. Keep them watered in dry spells (like now) until they are established. If there is a pot shaped mat of roots when you take them out of the pot, scrape at it till they are a bit separated, you will not damage the plant. I usually pick up a sharp bit of stone, or whatever bit of metal/trowel etc comes to hand and cut through the mat.

Do you mix both summer and winter together? How many would you plant together? I love the pink ones

Rows Grower

Graces7 wrote: »

Ah Abbey Island is very sheltered; barely an island in many ways. You walk across the sand to get there. Local graveyard in the abbey ruins and the custom remains of carrying the coffins over the sands on their shoulders. l It has trees too! Lots of trees... I used to go there often when I lived in Kerry

We are Atlantic , ocean on every side open coastal and very exposed and treeless. A few stalwart ancient wild fuchsias . It limits what will grow. Blasted by gales. I find wild violets on my drive and dandelions etc. But never seen pansy faces.

Never noticed one there.

Graces7

Rows Grower wrote: »

Never noticed one there.

Ah that is interesting ! I spent the best part of a day out there, on and around Abbey Island on foot and I spent a while up a tree overlooking the ruins. I just checked online! It was about 15 years ago and my ageing memory.. actually I went here a few times.. Loved the place and would have moved nearby had there been anywhere to rent.

And I remember trees... nearby if not on the island. And on the lanes as I drove there and away.

I would dearly love to go there again but not able now. So I will keep my sweet memory intact!.
The point I am making is valid; that the grassy place and proximity to the main land gives for greater protection to tender wee pansies than this gale-scoured terrain. Where the main growth is rushes and gorse and brambles

And next year I will try to budget for some of those delightful wee faces to smile at me. I know just where they will thrive here..

Gove my love to Abbey Island please? All the prayers I prayed in those ruins, curled up in the east window embrasure, were answered wondrously. It is a very special holy place.

Rows Grower

Graces7 wrote: »

Ah that is interesting ! I spent the best part of a day out there, on and around Abbey Island on foot and I spent a while up a tree overlooking the ruins. I just checked online! It was about 15 years ago and my ageing memory.. actually I went here a few times.. Loved the place and would have moved nearby had there been anywhere to rent.

And I remember trees... nearby if not on the island. And on the lanes as I drove there and away.

I would dearly love to go there again but not able now. So I will keep my sweet memory intact!.
The point I am making is valid; that the grassy place and proximity to the main land gives for greater protection to tender wee pansies than this gale-scoured terrain. Where the main growth is rushes and gorse and brambles

And next year I will try to budget for some of those delightful wee faces to smile at me. I know just where they will thrive here..

Gove my love to Abbey Island please? All the prayers I prayed in those ruins, curled up in the east window embrasure, were answered wondrously. It is a very special holy place.

I fish from the island now and again, I'd guess the viola's that were spotted there were probably introduced by someone decorating one of the graves.

I'll say a short prayer for you the next time I'm there, it's one of the most peaceful, refreshing places to spend a bit of time.

This is a great time of year for the gorse petals, they are full of goodness and perfect for picking to make a lightly sparkling wine. I've got two gallons on the go and another two gallons will be ready to be strained and put under the airlocks in a few days. Makes a beautiful wine.

Graces7

Rows Grower wrote: »

I fish from the island now and again, I'd guess the viola's that were spotted there were probably introduced by someone decorating one of the graves.

I'll say a short prayer for you the next time I'm there, it's one of the most peaceful, refreshing places to spend a bit of time.

This is a great time of year for the gorse petals, they are full of goodness and perfect for picking to make a lightly sparkling wine. I've got two gallons on the go and another two gallons will be ready to be strained and put under the airlocks in a few days. Makes a beautiful wine.

Ah yes; that makes sense re the violas. That is how I came by limanthus, on an overgrown grave in Drumshanbo.

And thank you re the prayer. That means a lot.

Do you know Caldey Island in Wales? They make a perfume called Island Gorse

Graces7

In spite of the buffeting wind out here; filled and seeded the big container.. carrots and room left for a few other small sowings of root crops. A good job well done.

The container is well-covered as it looks like a giant cat litter tray!!!

looksee

Cal04 wrote: »

Do you mix both summer and winter together? How many would you plant together? I love the pink ones

Yes winter and summer together, though mostly winter as you get the most value from them at a time of year when there is not much. Even without flowers they are a nice patch of green. How many depends on the space. I avoid formal planting like the plague, so plants go in as I feel are appropriate, maybe two or three or more together, maybe the odd single one.

Edit, I only thought later, if your ground is limey then I wouldn't bother with either, winter might cope but summer heather will not. My ground is acid to neutral so they both seem happy enough.

Jim_Hodge

Rows Grower wrote: »

Never noticed one there.

I was there two years ago and there are very few trees.


Today was spent edging lawns and around trees. Weeding under the trees has left the entire garden looking very neat.

Ideal weather for getting a start on sprouting weeds.

Cal04

looksee wrote: »

Yes winter and summer together, though mostly winter as you get the most value from them at a time of year when there is not much. Even without flowers they are a nice patch of green. How many depends on the space. I avoid formal planting like the plague, so plants go in as I feel are appropriate, maybe two or three or more together, maybe the odd single one.

Edit, I only thought later, if your ground is limey then I wouldn't bother with either, winter might cope but summer heather will not. My ground is acid to neutral so they both seem happy enough.

Thank you. No lime thank goodness

SouthWesterly

Busy day.

Transplanted broadbeans and peas today in peat pots.

Also put in cabbage, broccoli, sprouts, kale. Spinach and mashua tubers.

beggars_bush

Delighted to get some rain last night
Planted onion sets, seeds and covered with netting
Plan for afternoon:
Put up a bamboo teepee for runner beans and dig in manure around it. Plant some lettuce seedlings into polytunnel

SnowyMuckish

Delighted to see the rain too! Couldn’t have come at a better time. I finally got to transplant last year’s young perennials to their final spots it in the boarders, a few more showers on the way today and tomorrow.

looksee

Yes, the ground is very dry. Glad I got the weeding finished yesterday - well the current weeding. There is an optimal point where the ground is just damp enough to make weeding easy, but not so damp that it compresses and attaches to your boots. Failing that, dry is better.

Cal04

My hydrangea got burnt in the frost, is there anything at all I can do with it now?

paddylonglegs

Kango hammer rented for the weekend, goodbye concrete paving slabs

looksee

Cal04 wrote: »

My hydrangea got burnt in the frost, is there anything at all I can do with it now?

Not much you can actually do, but it will probably sort itself out, just leave it alone and see what happens.