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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2021 15:28:06 GMT
Franklin's suggestion of a cherry tree is a good one. I've found this link to a Gardener's World article on 20 trees for small gardens - I don't know how much space you want to give a tree so I've gone small rather than too large, although your garden sounds a good size. GW also do an article on trees for a medium size garden www.gardenersworld.com/plants/20-trees-for-small-gardens/
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Post by bigjohnritchie on Jul 5, 2021 15:53:01 GMT
Like you Dee, we are into roses, here's our rhapsody in blue linksharing.samsungcloud.com/jxvtmDdX7p6sI particularly like climbers and Ramblers. We tried to create a cottage and/ wild garden.....unfortunately in the last year there has been more of an emphasis on wild.....I've learnt a lesson....the two are not the same. I'll post some photos when I get chance. Edit....I still have not got the hang of the easiest way to postings from your phone, despite your help Franklin Your Rhapsody in blue in a lovely rose Big John - beautiful flowers ! I'm a bit if a roseaholic (or so my wife says !). We've got several climbers, Iceberg (white), Golden Showers (yellow), Handel (white but has pink edges), and Etoile de Hollande (red). We've also got a lethal pinky/red rambler with millions of thorns, but it's always very mildewy no matter what we do so it's coming out this autumn and will be replaced with Zepherine Drouhin which is a thornless (yes !) darkish pink climber. We've got about 8 bush/shrub roses, Rhapsody In Blue obviously, Golden Celebration, Golden Wedding, two white David Austin roses (names escape me for the moment), Ena Harkness (red), and two others I can't recall right now, and also two red standard roses. The Iceberg has been magnificent this year. I'll try to use Franklin's method to post some pics. The grass/gravel garden has gone berserk as well, the Stipa gigantea is well iver 7 feet tall. The sunflowers though, well that's a different story. Last year they reached 10 feet (honestly) and were prolific but so far this year they're around 5 feet and not a bud or bloom in sight. We've done our usual veg , this year...possibly gone over the top on tomatoes! But doing well , as are Onions, potatoes, cucumber, courgettes, , strawberries, runner beans, spring onion, beetroot and leeks. We try to pick varieties for taste, that are not easily available in shops. We've got some of those roses Dee, I'll post when I can. I think the dry spell didn't do the ramblers/ climbers any good. My sunflowers are in pots.....only about two foot!.....so you seem to be doing well. linksharing.samsungcloud.com/sSpRR6rWfetu
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Post by franklin on Jul 5, 2021 16:01:17 GMT
I forgot to mention my one big lemon dropped on Saturday just before the England match so I cut it up and used it in my numerous G&T's I had watching. I'm now hoping another drops on Wednesday 😁
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Post by bigjohnritchie on Jul 5, 2021 17:27:32 GMT
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Post by franklin on Jul 5, 2021 17:55:55 GMT
Thats not a garden it's more like Kew 😁
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Post by bigjohnritchie on Jul 5, 2021 18:06:06 GMT
Thats not a garden it's more like Kew 😁 It's a jungle at the moment Franklin. I agree with what you said earlier in the post about the love of gardening.....we spend most of our time doingit..this year we have " acquired" ( had dumped on us) my son's Boston Terrier.......my wife does most of the daily dogwalking, and she did most of the gardening...and we are not getting any younger!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2021 19:25:01 GMT
Very nice garden Big John - it certainly looks rather large. Some very nice plants, lovely roses, and some very nice different areas of the garden. My tomatoes look similar to yours at the moment, they're doing quite well this year. I don't grow cucumbers as neither me nor the wife can eat it. I've got a dozen pepper plants growing in the greenhouse and they've all got baby peppers growing. I've also grown loads of lettuce and salad crops this year. The courgettes and carrots are growing well and I sowed some parsnip seeds which seem to be doing really well but we won't know just how well until we dig the first one up towards the end of the year. I'll try and post a few more of mine when I get chance.
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Post by chuffedstokie on Jul 5, 2021 20:45:28 GMT
Fantastic garden BJR, inspiration for me and my pots for next year.
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Post by murphthesurf on Jul 6, 2021 8:44:00 GMT
Fantastic garden BJR, inspiration for me and my pots for next year. I agree with Chuff, François and Dees - what a stunning garden, BJ, and the roses are especially spectacular. Do you have much trouble from greenfly, and if so, how do you deal with them? I haven't grown lupins for YEARS because they always used to get caked in aphids - far more caked than the roses, which are bad enough. Incidentally, wasps often get a bad press, but they love to eat aphids and similar other pests, so in reality wasps are quite a friend to gardeners.
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Post by franklin on Jul 6, 2021 11:01:16 GMT
Fantastic garden BJR, inspiration for me and my pots for next year. I agree with Chuff, François and Dees - what a stunning garden, BJ, and the roses are especially spectacular. Do you have much trouble from greenfly, and if so, how do you deal with them? I haven't grown lupins for YEARS because they always used to get caked in aphids - far more caked than the roses, which are bad enough. Incidentally, wasps often get a bad press, but they love to eat aphids and similar other pests, so in reality wasps are quite a friend to gardeners. I think other than pesticides the only way to keep on top of them is to squash them every morning. Each morning I go out and nosey about looking for them and before they get hold and multiply I kill them with my fingers. It defo works catch them early and keep killing them each day.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2021 12:09:59 GMT
I either use washing up liquid and water to spray on the aphids, or just squash them. If there is an occasional infestation on the lupins (very rare) I will use a pesticide but I try not to do this as far as possible. I also grow chives near by and the aroma tends to deter aphids, I find chives are particularly good for keeping aphids away from the roses.
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Post by murphthesurf on Jul 6, 2021 19:16:13 GMT
Thanks Fran & Dees - yes, I squish aphids, too. They make a sort-of raspberry noise when you squish them, don't they??!! Sort-of ' tthhhhhhppppp'!!!
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Post by murphthesurf on Jul 6, 2021 19:24:35 GMT
Hardy ice plant delosperma cooperi 🙂 100% I have several. That's definitely it. Certainly hardy and once it got even a little established it took off, the flowers were a bonus. Well done to all concerned on the ID for Chuff's purple plant. Excellent work! Another one for a future addition!
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Post by bigjohnritchie on Jul 9, 2021 9:22:08 GMT
Thanks Fran & Dees - yes, I squish aphids, too. They make a sort-of raspberry noise when you squish them, don't they??!! Sort-of ' tthhhhhhppppp'!!! Yes, Murphy a constant battle. We use the squish method, used to use chemicals but don't anymore. I think every year is different , depending upon the weather. Not so bad at the moment, but must admit I have not looked closely. The runner beans have got a bad attack. I guess the theory is....encourage the birds and strong plants and perhaps a balance will happen.....perhaps it eorks. I must admit over the years we have encouraged more and more birds ....and the snail population seems to have decreased.
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Post by murphthesurf on Jul 11, 2021 11:36:57 GMT
Thanks Fran & Dees - yes, I squish aphids, too. They make a sort-of raspberry noise when you squish them, don't they??!! Sort-of ' tthhhhhhppppp'!!! Yes, Murphy a constant battle. We use the squish method, used to use chemicals but don't anymore. I think every year is different , depending upon the weather. Not so bad at the moment, but must admit I have not looked closely. The runner beans have got a bad attack. I guess the theory is....encourage the birds and strong plants and perhaps a balance will happen.....perhaps it eorks. I must admit over the years we have encouraged more and more birds ....and the snail population seems to have decreased. Good on ya, BJ. Spray-on pesticides can cause loads of damage, including the microscopic droplets carrying on the breeze and landing in fishponds and causing problems. Love your snail story - thrushes are supposed to love snails..... we have the snail and slug capital of the world here, but rarely see a thrush, and this despite spending a pile on birdfeeds, so we always have plenty of smaller birds, mainly, and occasional mobs of noisy jackdaws or starlings dropping in to hoover everything up from the tables - it's a good job they can't get at the tubular hanging feeders, but I wish a few of them would develop a taste for night visits and slugs!
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Post by franklin on Jul 15, 2021 12:14:53 GMT
My lemon has shot up put about 2 feet of new growth and loads of new buds showing I just hope they take and fruit. I will attempt pollination myself with a cotton bud to give then a better chance of taking.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2021 9:48:21 GMT
Boredom time again folks ! Here's a few pics I took of the garden last night after the sun and heat had dissipated a little. I went into the greenhouse yesterday afternoon and it was 50.1 degrees C ! This rose is Pensioners Voice and it's flowered it's socks off and still has loads of new buds. Attachments:
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2021 9:49:56 GMT
Part of the garden heading towards the greenhouse and "engine room" Attachments:
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2021 9:54:16 GMT
Some of the new plants, cuttings etc I've got - 2 trays of wallflowers seedlings that I've grown are doing really well ready to be planted later in the year. I've got loads of penstemon cuttings, 4 hydrangea cuttings, 4 rose cuttings, several grasses, verbena. On the right are two cold frames I made out of old pallets. I've lined them with polystyrene sheets and when I measured the temperature in January it was 2 degrees C outside, and 15 degrees C inside. On sunny days even in winter I have to open the tops.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2021 9:56:24 GMT
One of the numerous agapanthus that I've grown from seeds taken from my own plants. Really pleased with them. I've just got some white ones and I'll be taking seeds from them this autumn, fingers crossed they grow. Attachments:
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2021 9:58:10 GMT
The apples are growing nicely as well - these are James Grieve Attachments:
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Post by franklin on Jul 19, 2021 10:02:43 GMT
The apples are growing nicely as well - these are James Grieve They're brilliant mate I'm thinking I'm going to have to get an apple tree, I have a crab apple but I want one I can eat. We bought the MIL a golden delicious for her 83rd birthday and it's doing well I might have to do away with a hydrangea to make room but I think it'll be worth it.
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Post by chuffedstokie on Jul 19, 2021 11:31:13 GMT
This is the area at the back of the property with all the new re growth of the Buddleia. The chain link is the old boundary fence of the primary school that used to sit on the site. Back in March there wasn't even a leaf, the builders hacked everything back, saving grace is the butterflies love it. Attachment Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2021 11:34:27 GMT
This is the area at the back of the property with all the new re growth of the Buddleia. The chain link is the old boundary fence of the primary school that used to sit on the site. Back in March there wasn't even a leaf, the builders hacked everything back, saving grace is the butterflies love it. View AttachmentBuddleia will grow absolutely anywhere won't they.
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Post by chuffedstokie on Jul 19, 2021 11:36:54 GMT
Part of the garden heading towards the greenhouse and "engine room" Fantastic. I'm trying to recreate something similar in the pots at the front but even with a nice South facing aspect everything is getting a good cooking at the moment so topping up with water is a three times a day job. Tomatoes are doing well though outside, my dad sent me them wrapped as seedlings in the fingers of a petrol station plastic glove!.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2021 12:26:11 GMT
Part of the garden heading towards the greenhouse and "engine room" Fantastic. I'm trying to recreate something similar in the pots at the front but even with a nice South facing aspect everything is getting a good cooking at the moment so topping up with water is a three times a day job. Tomatoes are doing well though outside, my dad sent me them wrapped as seedlings in the fingers of a petrol station plastic glove!.That's brilliant ! I'll have to try that when I'm out and about as I often "take cuttings" from plants at garden centres ( really I just break a bit off and nick 'em) and then plant them up when I get home. I've got a small pair of secateurs which I use quite regularly if I see a plant I like the look of.
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Post by franklin on Jul 19, 2021 12:34:36 GMT
Fantastic. I'm trying to recreate something similar in the pots at the front but even with a nice South facing aspect everything is getting a good cooking at the moment so topping up with water is a three times a day job. Tomatoes are doing well though outside, my dad sent me them wrapped as seedlings in the fingers of a petrol station plastic glove!.That's brilliant ! I'll have to try that when I'm out and about as I often "take cuttings" from plants at garden centres ( really I just break a bit off and nick 'em) and then plant them up when I get home. I've got a small pair of secateurs which I use quite regularly if I see a plant I like the look of. 😂 genuinely something I've never done I should start "pilfering" might save me a few quid 👍
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Post by franklin on Jul 19, 2021 14:37:55 GMT
This is the area at the back of the property with all the new re growth of the Buddleia. The chain link is the old boundary fence of the primary school that used to sit on the site. Back in March there wasn't even a leaf, the builders hacked everything back, saving grace is the butterflies love it. View AttachmentBuddleia will grow absolutely anywhere won't they. Mine became a thug so it had to go it became massive and took up too much room but the butterflies loved it.
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Post by chuffedstokie on Jul 19, 2021 16:52:33 GMT
Buddleia will grow absolutely anywhere won't they. Mine became a thug so it had to go it became massive and took up too much room but the butterflies loved it. I suspect this is going to get the same treatment on a regular basis as well. It's very well established so damaging it isn't an issue.
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Post by franklin on Jul 19, 2021 20:22:37 GMT
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