Gardening Fever

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Astrantia, shopping on 2008-03-05, 15:03:00


The photo is from Junes trip to Harlow Carr.A ruby red coloured Astrantia Major, like the one I planted yesterday.
I bought two lots of seed potatoes (King Edward, and Nadine) , two onion sets (Stuttgarter and Red Karmen), and some seeds for carrots, brussel sprouts, and Parsnips.
Also bought today three Coneflowers, three Cornflowers, a Blueberry bush, some Blue bulbs (Iris, Gladiolus, and Anemone De Caen). Fran gave me the Freesia Bulbs too.
I found a Frog ornament for £1 and some French Marigold seeds...
The excitement of a new challenge up at the Forgotten Plot made me buy the gardening stuff first, then food shopping afterwards. Cat is better and might go home tomorrow too from the hospital. A good end to my Birthday.

Boston and Birds

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Boston fern, Garden birds, bird table, garden, shopping on 2007-12-16, 10:36:00


I went Xmas shopping, bought presents for everyone, then went to Homebase to look for a bird table and honeysuckle.

Alas there were none, but instead I came out with a Nephrolepis.The Boston Fern I read years ago in the Doctor Hessayan book the complete house plant guide...

After years of searching homebase were selling them for £8.

Its now sat in front room, with a bowl of water underneath it, and daily misting of the leaves. It smells like an ancient forest floor, the rich earth smell that ferns have!
I went to B&Q and bought a stand up bird table, and bird seed. One of the key ideas for the garden is to attract wildlife, especially garden birds, and bee's.
Its sat in the garden now loaded with some tasty morsels for the birds to feed.I saw three today in the Garden.
One sat on the fence chilling out, one quickly eating from the ground feeder who flew off as i spotted him, and a small one flying upto the fatball.
The ground feeder has seed scattered around it so I know they have found that.Maybe word is spreading that a new food source has appeared in the alley gardens.
Most of the gardens are back yards with concrete, gravel, and perennial weeds as the only thing growing.
This house will turn into an Oasis where the wildlife comes I hope.
Pictured are Viburnum flowers with icy crystals formed on the petals. Hope to have some garden bird photos soon, as something to do untill the ground warms up for more planting!
Some Spring Bulbs are already peeking their heads above the frozen parapet.I have all my bulbs to look forward to if they flower.

Spring Shopping on a Sunday

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to hyacinths, shopping, spring bulbs on 2007-11-18, 05:22:00










I finally bought some spring bulbs, at half price from Home Base.There are fourty Muscari Armeniacum, ten dwarf Toronto Tulips, ten dwarf Minnow Daffodils, fifteen Anemone Blanda Blue shades, and twenty five Chionodoxo Lucillae.



It was Half price, a bargain for five pounds. I got some Hyacinths for growing on indoors too. Every year I think I will try to grow some from bulbs. These were reduced to £2 each for 3 bulbs.



There are three Lavender coloured Hyacinth Ostara, and three Hyacinth Pink Pearl. These have been planted in two plastic boxes, the only thing I had shallow enough for the bulbs. There are special shallow pots you can buy for growing Hyacinths on. These plastic boxes are sat in the dark now waiting for some leaf growth.


I also bought a small potted plant in a silver pot. After being inspired by my earlier post about plants that remind you of Xmas. My friend in Scotland used to buy her Granny one of these plants every year. Its a Mexican native, and has a lovely legend attached to it!