Hobbies and Crafts

We have just been watching Gardeners' World recorded from last night. Really enjoyed the extended programme but it made me think. Seeing Adam starting out with a brand new garden and the new borders at Kew so wide and beautifully packed with plants I was very envious. I said that when we were young and strong enough to cope with the work, we couldn't afford the money for the plants to fill the borders. Now we have a bit more money to spend on plants and the time to devote to the garden, we don't have the energy or strength to do it.

Oh Ann, I quite agree with you. That is exactly how I feel too. I go out into the garden full of enthusiasm but I get tired very easily these days. When I have pushed myself
to carry on, then I end up exhausted and have to lay down on the bed for a while!!

Doesn't Adam look like big brother Luke?? Both of them are growing up fast.

I love looking at your photos Ann. The sculptors are just amazing and so real.

Not good how the badgers have done damage to Shaun's garden. Such a shame.

Haven't had a posting from Vera lately. Hope all is well with her and her OH.

Hi Kandj, Adam is very like his Dad, Luke not so much but yes you can see they are brothers.

You're right we haven't heard from Vera, I can't remember if she said she was going anywhere. Like you I hope they are both ok.

glad you like the photos, the sculptures, which are mostly carved from one tree trunk, are very clever. My favourite is the horse one. Round their hooves are all sorts of small carvings like fish and star fish, so clever.

Hi everyone. I am here - Thank you for your kind thoughts. We have had a difficult week.

A week or so ago on the Sunday OH had a "funny turn" in the middle of the night. I dialled 111 and after talking to two different people there I was told that they would send paramedics out. They arrived about three quarters of an hour later and were here for some while. Next day OH was much better and saw our GP who said he thought what had happened would remain a mystery but sent him for various blood tests. The doctor will ring us if anything shows up in the tests. OH appears to be back to normal now.

Then a couple of days ago I developed various symptoms including horrendous back pains, so it was another call to 111 and a trip to see the out of hours GP on duty. He is based at a hospital 20 miles from us so it was an uncomfortable car journey in the early hours of the morning. This is the third time this has happened in three years and keeps being diagnosed as different problems. This time the doctor said he was puzzled by it so he is writing to my GP and recommending that I see a specialist urologist in case it is a kidney problem. I am seeing the GP tomorrow.

That's my boring tale of woe. Garden wise, I had just started trying to tidy it up a bit but nothing has been done for over a week and it is looking very overgrown but very colourful. I was so pleased with the two mini buddleias I brought that I went and got another one. Two are in half barrels and the other one is in a very large pot. They have grown really well and are looking good. I have a mid blue, a darkish red and a white.

Lots of butterflies next year then Vera, well if any are around, despite our three Buddleias we haven't seen many butterflies. It was not a very good year for Buddleias here, not sure why, probably the weather.

Sorry to hear you and your OH have been unwell, pleased that he is better though. Your problem does seem strange though. Are they sure it is not a kidney stone? Our son had one and the back pain was horrendous. I hope they can get it sorted for you.

It doesn't seem to have been a good year for butterflies. Loads and loads of the cabbage whites but I have only seen one or two commas and a peacock butterfly in the garden this summer. Haven't seen any red admirals or painted ladies. The trouble is we tend to pull up the plants that feed the caterpillars, like nettles. I am as bad as anyone else. As it is a small garden it is difficult to "hide" a patch of nettles or weeds so I pull them up.

Re. My mystery problem: A kidney stone has been mentioned and also a possible narrowing of tubes. The trouble is I keep recovering before any solution is found. I'll see what the GP says tomorrow. My usual doc is not available so I am seeing another doctor from the practice. Perhaps she will have some new thoughts.

EDIT Have just had a look at your photos Ann. Love the sculptures. You have a good eye for a composition. The two little boys are gorgeous and haven't they grown! You have a lovely family

We have a few buddlia here but still not a variety of butterflies we would usually have.

I have been busily raking and reseeding the burnt out patches on the front garden.
They are all done and I have to do the same with the back lawn now. Hey Ho.

I am looking now with a view to move some established plants that are not too big
and even out the front border. Not sure what I will do as yet, still thinking about it.

It is good to know that your OH is on the mend Vera and I hope that you will get some
answers yourself after seeing a new doctor in your practice.

All I have done in the garden today is to take a few photos of the remaining flowers. didn't have the energy to do anything else. My legs ache, we went for a 4.5 mile walk this morning, just a local walk with the U3A, 12 of us walking. was not impressed to have to get through a group of frisky nosy bullocks (I think they were). However it was a good walk, flat but a bit muddy in places and rough walking through a couple of field with public footpath running through them, about 4 or five stiles too and we are all retired so no young ones among us. OH and a couple more gents were available to hoist us over the stiles. And one of the gents was admirable with his stick fending off the cattle. We started and finished at the golf club so ended up with all twelve of us having drinks and in some cases lunch. T and I shared a lovely bowl of hot chunky chips. Thereby undoing all the hard work of walking the calories off this morning.

T seems to have found some more energy and has gone off to play nine holes of golf.

~~~~~~~ .
Vera - sorry to hear that you have been unwell and do hope your OH is fully recovered.

Thought it was time I added to the thread. Since most of my activity in the garden recently has involved a book and a garden swing I thought it was time for some serious stuff. ;-) ;-) ;-)

This morning I did quite a bit of weeding and planted out some verbena bonariensis that I had grown from seed. I also potted up some Penstomen cuttings that had rooted and supervised OH whilst he did some pruning ;-)

I need some advice on what mulch I can use at this time of the year to keep the weeds down. Do you mulch now or wait until the spring?
Take care
Von

I found this on the RHS site Von

Autumn mulching: your garden will love it
Now is the time to apply mulches of leaf mould, garden compost or well-rotted manure. Your soil will love it.

2-3 inches when the soil is wet and after removing weeds, be careful not to smother small plants.

Thank you Ann.
I'll get collecting ;-)
We emptied our compost bins earlier this year but hopefully I will have some in my wormery.
I never seem to have much luck with leaf mould although every year I collect all the leaves and try to compost them.

We once managed to make leaf mould many years ago but never since don't know why. I think it has to be left a long time. Good luck.

Yesterday I went out dead heading and tidying up a few of the smaller shrubs.

In the morning I managed to lose my favourite secateurs but I used another equally good pair in the afternoon and then when I was clearing up afterwards they were nowhere to be seen either??!!!

Hey ho. I have two more pairs but they are not my favourites, yet I have no choice
but to use these until the other two pairs show up.... if they ever do? What am I like!!

I am sure that there are a bunch of fairies somewhere in our garden who have a huge pile of garden tools in their possession. :-D :-D

FOUND!! Both pairs were inside the garage but had fallen from the small table that
I have claimed for the garden tools onto the garage floor. So pleased to have them.

I am off now to do a little more deadheading and tidying up... with my happy head on!!

Pleased you have found your tools - it's so annoying when things go missing. My problem is my little gnome who never puts anything away in the right place. If I complain the response is usually "I meant to do that but you distracted me". That'll be when I took him out some tea and biscuits I expect :-D

You do seem to be working hard in your garden Kandj. You are putting me to shame. I must try and do some tidying up next week. ;-)

I think I did too much yesterday Vera. You could see results for my efforts but
I needed to lay down on the bed and fell asleep afterwards. No gardening today.

Oh dear Kandj, don't overdo it. It's so easy to think "I'll just do a little bit more" and end up exhausted. Do take it gently.

I am hoping to get going on some deadheading and tidying up next week. We are away Saturday and Sunday at our annual family get-together, and busy on 3 other days next week so I am hoping that Tuesday and Wednesday will have some decent weather so I can get in to the garden then.

Aww, how lovely to see Mitzi as your avatar Vera. Well done, enjoy your weekend..
I once was told that when a cat held her tail high in the air that was a sign of
a happy contented cat and Mitzi certainly looked that way. No wonder you miss her.

I do feel much better for no gardening yesterday but now I need to carry on and
sort out the front border before Winter sets in. I am planning to move some of the
small bushes which have outgrown the space, I just hope the roots aren't too long.

On a positive and happy note, the patches that the gardener burnt and I raked and
reseeded are now looking good and healthy with new grass growing nicely.

Yes, our patches are covering over nicely now too Kandj. No gardening for us today as it has been raining all day so far, not heavy but thick drizzle. (what we call Welsh or Cornish rain). So we have been for a mooch around Hobbycraft and Home Bargains (actually bought 4/5 small christmas presents) and then bought a pizza and some sticky ribs for a quick easy meal tonight. We were so tired lasy night that we slept (with a trip to the loo somewhere in the middle) from 11pm to 0915 this morning. We were going to go into town as we have a voucher for a free bottle of wine at Carluccios, but didn't fancy it in the rain.