General Chat

well it looks like the daffs and tulips have survived the snow
cant wait to cut the grass

but the grounds still to wet from the snow yet

Pots are also good if large for carrots spring onions and potatoes .Dont forget lupin as a bee attractant also monkshood is a populer number with bees . I like to put florence fennel and carrots in a few odd places in flower beds as the ferny leaves blend in well .cant wait for spring ...............

We have decided to have pots outside the apartment and of course herbs as usual (I use masses in cooking). We are sheltered from the wind although only 300 yds from the sea. We may put a solar powered water feature by our door so we can hear it when the windows are open..lol

The house garden will be mostly gravelled and everything will be grown in pots, including the miniature fruit trees, can't be doing with grass that needs cutting. Hoping to divide it into seasonal sections so we can enjoy it all year round.

I can manage raised beds so that's a consideration for veg as well as plants. I have a programme which plans a garden and you can view it planted up so that will take the guesswork out of choosing plants.

All our planters are with Pickfords but will get extra for here, they are so cheap now.

well ive won a polytunnel for 42.00 very big, so that will house some plants till jack frost has gone, can you think of any plants that would thrive in shaded orchard like garden.

ive planted some seeded spuds, i always do this when ever they have seeded and get a nice crop, i may try sweet corn 4 yrs ago i had about 8 that had beautiful corn, we moved in this house 3 yrs ago 2 yrs ago the corn did nothing but rot/

I am getting better at researching. but some times its hard and i prefer listening to experience. :-D

Wend! ROFL...I have to have one now lolol, ;-)

Rose, you may like to have a re-think after you've googled 'Pampas Grass Swingers'

I'm sure there's something much nicer you could have anyway, but that's just my opinion.

Ann, we used to have several in Wales, mentioning no names but someone decided it might be quicker to get rid of all the dry bits of the oldest one by burning....never again! ...maybe I'll rethink that one given that some of the neighbours smoke and park close lol, one cigarette end and...as you say "whoosh"!

Just don't try burning it when you cut it down Rose. Whoosh those fronds are very flammable (and sharp). Hate the things myself but we inherited one in one house. Got rid of it though. Can see why you want it though.

Jan my friend has a mini buddliea in a pot, very pretty :-)

I've been looking at plants online, and must remember to get some forget me nots, and I saw some sidalcea at the 99p shop, not had those before but think they would do well here.

I have a little patch outside the front window and all I can see is cars :( so, though it's not everyone's choice, I'm thinking a Pampas slap bang in the middle would be quite nice, and give something to look out on without being too 'static'.

Did you know that you can get mini buddlieas , they are great I have four in my garden. Also I make a policy of not weeding in the spring until I can make out whether or not they are baby aquilegias, or hellebores or whatever. Then you can transplant to where you want them. We successfully grew very good carrots in troughs last year, I only slightly weeded them out, as the smaller ones were very sweet.

Jan in norfolk UK ....1 mile from the sea

thanks Ann nice thread, ive lost so many plants that died in the winter, mainly as i use pots, but i am bidding on a walk in polytunnel so i can put things in there , my hellebores have died and my rememberance plant i got for dad, but he would find that funny, so im off to see how the bidding is going, there selling for around 40.00 300cm by200cm by 200 cm should be big enough xx :-D

Just nudging because the wildflower programme has just started on BBC2 :-)

I too like heuchera even when not flowering the variation in leave colour still gives you a good show, and so easy to look after

I never prune my penstemon until at least April so the old wood can give some protection from the frost, my first was bought about 10 years ago

Dianthus (pinks) are another of my favourites I love them for the perfume

Aquilegia are great for giving height and colour, but boy don't they self seed

Love Heuchera, got about 6 different ones. Can't seem to keep Penstemon though Lesley.

OH loves Aquilegia and has got a lot in the garden. He gave a lot to Daff too so hopefully R will still have those, and she gave us some of hers. Plants are wonderful if you pass them around, a living memorial. :-)

Bees - around here theythrive on my Chive flowers! Dunno wot it does to taste of honey tho.

I shall look out for that one Lesley, funny I had forgotten about heuchera though we used to have some.

Hi hope you don't mind me popping in

A lot of lavenders thrive in poor soil, Vera is one.

I didn't lose any aquilegia in the severe weather we had last winter.

Others I've found the insects like are penstomon (some are not hardy) and the good old heuchera especially green finch

Lesley

The aquilegia are really hardy aren't they Ann, the seed has travelled with us for many years, house to house and not failed yet.

As long as the soil drains well lavender should be fine Rose, and the Aquilegia should survive the frost.

I took some cuttings from my Lavender earlier this year and hopefully if they haven't died a death this week I shall plant them out later this year.
I'm determined to keep them in trim this time.Fingers crossed.
Von