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Your gardening photos

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Comments

  • #1142
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,427 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    Lavendar needs to be trimmed back hard this winter, otherwise gets leggy and is beyond recovery after 2 years.



  • #1143
    Hippodrome Song Owl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 1,651 ✭✭✭Hippodrome Song Owl


    Thanks @New Home and @10-10-20

    I think I will just chance planting them all out. Because I don't drive getting heavy pots or other equipment is difficult. The geraniums survived sitting out last winter and I was also surprised that geranium bedding plants planted out last year have flourished too (they were only intended to fill a gap temporarily until a few other plants grew bigger). I'll risk it.

    I will cut the lavendar back.



  • #1144
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 79,158 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123709475#Comment_123709475

    Unlike sage, only the green parts of the lavender don't go as far as the woody part.

    Edited: I meat to say sage but I wrote rosemary by mistake, sorry.

    Post edited by New Home on


  • #1145
    dmcdona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 4,284 ✭✭✭dmcdona


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123709515#Comment_123709515

    we just planted out potted lavender (140 of them). There are different varieties but we got a drought tolerant and hardy variety. They're not keen on a rich soil apparently. We just did as we told - dig a hole, add a small handful of compost and plant. We've been told to trim them in March (a third to a half) - but these are young plants with no visible wood yet. We were certainly warned not to cut into any woody bits in future.

    What you propose to do seems a good plan to me…



  • #1146
    dmcdona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 4,284 ✭✭✭dmcdona


    IMG_9097.jpeg

    Percolation area - will eventually be a herb garden. Still recovering from doing this much…



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  • #1147
    Cody montana
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,639 ✭✭✭Cody montana


    Another beauty.

    IMG_6310.jpeg


  • #1148
    looksee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 30,248 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    I would not plant lavender in compost at all, dig some grit into ordinary soil (one of those little bags of small gravel you can get in garden centres will be loads) in a sunny spot. They like to be free-drained, I think they would be better in the ground than in a pot.



  • #1149
    standardg60
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,910 ✭✭✭standardg60


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123709577#Comment_123709577

    Lavender should be trimmed after the flowers fade, which is around now. Correct not to trim past existing leaves, always keep some.



  • #1150
    Thargor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,252 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    Im filling up my beds for the last few weeks by forcing myself to bring something like those 6 packs of lavender or salvia home from Lidl or Aldi every time Im there hoping it will outcompete the weeds, seems to be working anyway if it wasnt for the fecking bindweed wrapping itself around everything. Im in Limerick though so it pretty much rains every day.



  • #1151
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,427 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123709640#Comment_123709640

    It's like a mini version of Versailles!



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  • #1152
    dmcdona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 4,284 ✭✭✭dmcdona


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123709786#Comment_123709786

    A lot of our flowers are still in full bloom. I'd hate to deprive the bees and butterflies while their still harvesting away…

    The landscaper was pretty adamant - March for trimming. But I'll check out the RHS website too. I do find that, in general, there seems to be a fair bit of latitude on trimming/pruning. We're on the coast too so I know that can make a difference.

    But thanks for the tip - I'll check it out.



  • #1153
    dmcdona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 4,284 ✭✭✭dmcdona


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123710162#Comment_123710162

    It just worked out that way - as a percolation area, so needs to do something to it - it's nearly 100m2 and I've raked every bloody inch of it. Took out about 10 wheelbarrows of stone too. Needs to be levelled yet - cover crop going on over winter then herbs next spring. Fountain was on sale - tho I was only looking for a bird bath. TBH, anything smaller would look daft - but the herbs will soften the look.

    But if anyone knows of any statues, obelisks and the like going cheap, I'd consider them (not!)



  • #1154
    Mr.Wemmick
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,266 ✭✭✭Mr.Wemmick


    @dmcdona Agree with your landscaper. I’ve never trimmed lavender until early Spring. Just my preference to do it then. It always looks good year on year, as long as you don’t cut too deep or into old wood.

    I’ve decided to grow more Nepeta this year. I’ve still got full-on purple flowers, while my lavender is almost finished.

    “Female is real, and it's sex, and femininity is unreal, and it's gender.

    For that to become the given identity of women is a profoundly disabling notion."

    — Germaine Greer



  • #1155
    looksee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 30,248 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    My lavender has been finished for nearly a month, which I was really surprised about, it usually lasts longer.



  • #1156
    Mr.Wemmick
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,266 ✭✭✭Mr.Wemmick


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123710482#Comment_123710482

    A very strange and unusual growing season this year. Some plants have not done well at all.

    “Female is real, and it's sex, and femininity is unreal, and it's gender.

    For that to become the given identity of women is a profoundly disabling notion."

    — Germaine Greer



  • #1157
    dmcdona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 4,284 ✭✭✭dmcdona


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123709786#Comment_123709786

    RHS agrees! But I'm conflicted… landscaper says March… I'll stick with that - if it all goes pear shaped, I'll blame him and get a huge discount on new plants. Possibly….



  • #1158
    looksee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 30,248 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    I don't think it matters. Once the flowers have died off that's pretty much it for the winter and when you get round to cutting off the dead flowers and into a little bit of green doesn't really matter, provided you do it before it starts growing again. I tend to do it when I remember, sometimes end of summer, sometimes late winter.

    If you have a formal garden you will probably want it to look tidy even in the winter, I have a marginally out of control garden that I chase to keep up, and stuff gets cut back when I get round it it.



  • #1159
    standardg60
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,910 ✭✭✭standardg60


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123710519#Comment_123710519

    Totally up to you but it makes no sense to leave them til then. All they'll do is waste energy setting seed whereas if the faded flowers are trimmed off they'll go back to growing and be nice and bushy for the winter. They'll then have a head start for growing and flowering the following year.



  • #1160
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 79,158 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123710519#Comment_123710519

    Do half and half and see which ones fare better.



  • #1161
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,427 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    The landscaper might be 'offsetting the job' from experience - perhaps he knows that he has more time to trim lavender in March when it's quiet than in August/Sept when he still has grass to mow and hedges to trim. Just a thought.



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  • #1162
    dmcdona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 4,284 ✭✭✭dmcdona


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123711643#Comment_123711643

    Good point - seems that trimming lavender is not as time sensitive as other plants. The suggestion of doing half in the next month or so and the rest in March is a good one. I think that's what I'll do. By the way, the "landscaper" only provided the plants and advice - I do all the work myself!



  • #1163
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,427 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    I got these Calla from the Dutch while at Bloom in early June.

    20250810_200610.jpg 20250602_110329.jpg

    Very nice, a good show for what was a pretty penny.



  • #1164
    dmcdona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 4,284 ✭✭✭dmcdona


    IMG_9157.JPEG

    Just planted 6 Sylvestris pinus (certified from The Burren).

    Had a bit of ash die-back so hopefully they'll fill in the gaps in the years to come.



  • #1165
    wildwillow
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 1,315 ✭✭✭wildwillow


    Re Lavender I find munstead lavender is wonderful for our conditions. It is easy to grow from seed and you can cut it hard back into the woody part and it regrows perfectly. I have plants for over ten years and cut them almost to the ground every year. If you are observant you will find lots self seed very easily.



  • #1166
    Thargor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,252 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    This sunflower is turning into a monster, 3-4 bumblebees always feeding on it:

    https://i.imgur.com/vakzw3E_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high https://i.imgur.com/ZaV6lsB_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high


  • #1167
    paddylonglegs
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,636 ✭✭✭paddylonglegs


    IMG_1934.jpeg

    Both hellebore and cyclamen flowering. Strange time of year for them?



  • #1168
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 79,158 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123726747#Comment_123726747

    The hellebore, especially!



  • #1169
    OscarMIlde
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 1,669 ✭✭✭OscarMIlde


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123726747#Comment_123726747

    I noticed some of my cyclamen have flowers starting to form only yesterday, but to be fair I've seen a few stay flowering throughout summer if in a very shady spot.

    “Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.”


  • #1170
    looksee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 30,248 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Yes I have cyclamen flowering all summer. I did see a huge display of them in full flower in the garden centre recently.



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  • #1171
    DayInTheBog
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 1,105 ✭✭✭DayInTheBog


    Tunnel getting covered tomorrow

    1000024159.jpg


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