(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to David Austin, Lady Emma Hamilton Rose, cold frame, seedling, weather on 2008-03-17, 16:08:00

The David Austin rose Lady Emma Hamilton from Harlow Carr last year.I was woken up on Monday morning by the door being brayed loudly. I stumbled out of bed after my last night shift to find a Royal Mail delivery of a large David Austin marked brown bag, about three foot tall.
Inside was a gorgeous bare root Lady Emma Hamilton rose bush. Ready to be planted in the garden when I work out where to put it.
A late birthday present from Cat, that had taken a few weeks to be delivered.It was supplied with a muddy recipt, and muddy roots.I can imagine the Guys digging out bare root roses from the ground, brushing the soil off the roots, ready to be packaged.They describe the rose as being the colour of Apricot and Copper. The scent was divine when I sniffed the Harlow Carr roses.
Its freezing outside now, down to minus four degrees centigrade. March is an odd month where the warmth and sunshine gives way to pouring rain and howling winds.The weathermen have predicted a late winter chill.
I refilled my cold frames paraffin heater, and took two tealight lanterns. One is in the greenhouse heating the air up, and one is in the cold frame on the opposite side from the paraffin heater. My strawberry plants and cabbages are looking healthy in the coldframe. The baby carrots and parsley have grown on.
The beetroot seedlings have darkened their stem colour after being exposed to light. I replanted my Bletilla Striata, the surviving bulb from last years failed attempt. The chilli plants have developed flower buds now, small but perfectly formed. They have overwintered well and should produce Chillies earlier than any plants started from seed now.
In the morning I will go upto the Allotment to try and dig two more beds. I want to buy a bin though for depositing weeds and grasses. I have no where to store them at the moment. I need to find a compost bin, or make one from wood when the weather improves. I think turning the cleared plants, weeds, and grasses back into rich organic compost is a good idea. It will all go back into the ground once it has been transformed into black gold.
I have two days off now, since I slept through Monday..Zzzz.I will need my muscles and energys in the morning to take on the wild side of Nature.

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to chilli pepper, seedling, spider plant on 2007-11-09, 16:57:00

A funny day. No news on the house yet, am waiting for the new landlord to give the estate agent a contract. I over slept today for some reason. Maybe the grey clouds, strong wind, and cold kept me under the quilt!

I am blogging late (it will say about 1am).I have been trying to propogate plants. Pictured is the spider plant with the stolon pinned to the little pot.Im hoping the 3 baby plants will root in the pot.They are just sat on top of the soil with a paper clip holding the runner down.

I took some leaves from the Christmas cactus as UK Bob suggested and put them in the small pot. Six cuttings to try to make one healthy plant. If that works I will do that every so often to make plants for next years plant sale in Walton.

The media officer from Send A Cow sent me an email saying she liked the blog post about keyhole gardens. I want to order the Bag garden kit for when I move. I will see what I can grow over the winter in it. I think you can get Winter onion sets, and grow Kale...

I moved the new Chilli seedlings from the round pot with the fuschia cutting into their own little pots. I have five chilli plants growing now. Jalapeno, Friars Hat, and some unknown varieties from work. The store bought chillis are called Serenade. I have five seedlings from the seeds I scooped out.

I need to look up chilli recipies to use all my chillis if these plants grow! I hope to have positive news soon about house (with the small garden that needs my TLC and green fingers).