Magazine style - all inclusive

[alp]

Anything from sharing your photos of plants, wildlife, nature, holiday plant snaps ... or any news that grabs your attention... more like a magazine.. Share your life stories, daily incidents ...

The only bud of all my Amaryllis

Hellebore - Lily

My latest camellia

EG Waterhouse

 

[alp]

What an absolutely horrid day - the winds howled so much and now all the plants, especially the bamboos are being buffeted by the strong gusts of wind. Was thinking of going out, but no! Just sown some stipa gigantean seeds collected by myself. Some cucumber seeds. Will sow 10 trays (my target) today. The sun is very generous and it's lovely and bright, but the winds are quite something else!

 

[alp]

A most successful day, in the midst of the gale force winds and the rain beat me to retreat when I thought it was sunny and barely 15 feet to the lawn, I had to turn back.

I have sown
Pansy Black Moon, Swiss Giant Mixed, Crystal Clear
Brachycombe
Lobelia
Aubretia

The above for my basket collection

Sweet peas
Old fashioned mixed
Very High scent
Wavy Mixed (scented)

Black Beauty courgette
Yellow Scallop (squash)

Asparagus Connover Colossal

Cucumber Telepathy F1
Basial Trial AGM
Watercress
Pak Choi

2 great surprises - Streptocarpus - Larissa's delights

These poor things have been locked up in this box nearly one whole year. The only way not to kill them in the moistureless summer air in East London Streptocarpus - I am amazed that they are still alive! What a terrible mother I have been! They were more or less left to their own device in this box, with small spiders and their egg pouches for companions!

And in the gale force wind, I had this lovely surprise. I have never seen a snowdrop looking at. To enjoy snowdrops, I always had to lift up the petals, sometimes bending one or twisted and turned its flower! This is such a beautiful and stunning exception. The petal span is BIG! IMPRESSIVE!

Another hightlight is Garden Rescue - Loved it. Wish I could fiddle with one of those tools! Cercis is beautiful - £200 Wow!

 

[johnny canoe]

Spring has arrived here on the Great Plains alp!! A lot of snow is going to melt and melt fast this week. My snapdragons have germinated and moved off the heat mat, petunias seeds to do this week or next.

I'm determined to get back my body of eight years ago.lol I'm doing 15mile bird feeding walks every day and an hour of a fast walk on the treadmill, only 13 more pound to shed and I'm back eight years, well except for the greying hair.

 

[alp]

Good for you! Yes, walking (slow and fast) and plenty of fruit and vegs. Don't know if you have heard of Jamie Oliver, Johnny? But the guy can talk and charm the bird to let go of his cheese, as the story goes. He cooks like a cowboy and yet re-invents his cooking recipes time and time again and supermarkets have made him very rich. He's talking about 15-minute cooking time recipes which appeal even to me. Well, he cheats a bit, but hey, when I whistled up a spaghetti when my ex was here within 15 minutes, I was well pleased. Now, Jamie is talking about superfood cooking. Black beans and plenty of herbs and greens. I will certainly give them a go.

Was very busy this morning. So pleased I was the first person in the post office as after me, a guy came with 4 bags of big boxes and after me, there was a queue of 5 building up.

Johnny, you should rejoice that you actually have hair, never mind greying. Prince William is only young and he's bald. Lol! You must have turned head with your long hair, John!

Spring is here, but the gale yesterday blew my fence down and snapped a metal pole. Just what I don't need. Inside the sunlounge, it's pure bliss. I'm doing petunia seeds as well - petunia pirouette, (purple) delicate pink double and veined purple. I will also do some cuttings. Wish I had bought some hanging basket flowers. Missed the boat now. After last year's no seed sowing, I now feel so liberated. I don't care if I sell the house or not. Nowhere else can I find such a long garden.

It's very bright, but it is very, very chilly.

Johnny, what else are you sowing?

 

[alp]

Think Johnny must have gone bird feeding!

Britain braces for 1,000-mile wide 'weather bomb': Storm Gareth set to lash UK with 80mph winds tomorrow as huge storm dumps two inches of rain

• Gusts of up to 80mph are on the way for Britain tomorrow with conditions worsening as the week goes on
• Met Office yellow severe weather warnings for wind are in place from 3pm tomorrow until 3pm Wednesday
• Forecasters say Britain is about to be battered by worst period of weather since 2018's Beast from the East
• Up to 2.4in (60mm) of rain possible in Cumbria and gusts of 80mph on northern coasts as Storm Gareth hits

Oh, dear! No more storm. Another cheap skate fence at the back collapsed, exposing a strong fat bramble climber. Then the weather has brought out the vine weed - morning glory sort of horror!

Just when I was happily laying out 10 trays or more,

another phone call from the estate agent confirmed another viewing. I wish I could say no. Son has set his heart on moving.
Planted some parsley and found this posh seed belt

Tons of seeds and I only paid 50p when it was reduced. How posh is that? Lol!

Also sowed pirouette seeds, Broccoli, cabbage,
Tango Celery AGM, Sweet Sultan, some aster looking like flower, Hot and spicy salad.

 

[Zenj]

Hi all very cold wind but the frogs in our pond are busy,about 3 weeks early this year.

 

[alp]

Oh, dear! Too graphic! I am laughing my head off! Secret life of the pond? We need one such series!

Boy, they must have been starved of s**! I wish my son took a page and procreated asap! LOL!

Yes. It's icy this morning. Three times I had to come in in the morning as it was sooooo cold. Just a chill to the bones. Must be worse your way, Zenj!

I have to say I really like The secret life of the zoo. One of the best series. And the seafood in James Martin's Great Britain Adventure really has opened my eyes. Tomorrow, I might source some mussels or seafood somewhere or sometimes this week. I am enjoying the Asparagus from Tesco. Ex said some lady bought up tons of glasses as some Romanians were going to hers to pick Asparague. I asked him to find out where the farm was. There is nothing better than sourcing fresh food locally! He also told me that a mobile seafood van go to his town every weekend. I have asked him to look out for some seafood for me. Yummy!

 

[alp]

Good morning to another grey, but drier, and less windy day! Oh, hang on! It's going to be horrific gale again. I hope none of our properties are damaged tomorrow evening. We are reportedly in for another windy assault!

It's a tad warmer today. The sunlounge is a tad warmer 14 c - with 3 candles burning away.

Watched Grand Design last night and I was very impressed. When I saw land with a streams on sale in Wales, I was so tempted. What's the point of living in a bungalow with no view, but looking at a big shed and a tiny garden? Windows on both sides looking at neighbour's walls? That eco home was on a prime site with a premium sight, south facing, with rolling landscape opposite, verdant and open. Saw Phil Spencer's 100 homes and saw this house which was a terraced but enjoyed windows on all 4 sides. Imagine your neighbours are blowing their chemical cosh residual airs with industrial fans .. That's what hell is made of .. So taken with a plot in Lampeter in Wales, but it's the middle of nowhere! Life is full of compromises.

Got to hoover the house. Hope all your houses and outbuildings are safe and sound. When I hear the howling winds, I will pray for all of us ..

 

[alp]

Apparently, I am a bit late with the news. The house on Grand Designs last night was burnt to the ground

Before

Source

The Welsh initiative
This allows people to use acres of land and if they can't meet the target of 75% sustainability, they will be kicked out of the project. I'd love to do something like this. I wouldn't build on such a fantasy budget and invest in an all wood structure though.

Then on Countryfile, there was a couple who let out their land and mentor newcomers to catch fish, smoke them, rear chickens, lamb and they are specialise in one field. Like the idea but would love to have my own land. Another man James Martin's Great Britain Adventure runs an organic farm, much like the one in The Beechgrove Garden, and provides neighbouring area with fruit and veg boxes. As, Martin says, these neighbours are very lucky!

Just love this British ethical and ecological way of life.

 

[johnny canoe]

I did take off to do some bird feeding. lol Yes I do have the hair, my Cree blood saved me from any baldness. And yes, I am eating more fruits even though I'm not a big fan of fruits.
Other seeds to sow, petunia, four-o-clocks, castor bean, tomato, rudbeckia, zinnia, cucumber, squash, more probably.

 

[Perki]

Afternoon all very wet day wind died down a bit now but supposed to be worse latter northwest wind so should be more sheltered.

Did a bit of pottering yesterday finished pruning the last 2 roses and a bit of weeding, cut back penstemon garnet and the viticella clematis and shredded them.

Sent another email off this morning in my pursuit of more plants , I've lost count now how many nurserys I've asked for certain plants. I've got a wishlist of about 10 plants but each nursery only seems to have 2 or 3 at the most, their is a nursery in cumbria called Larch cottage which has about 5 but its so expensive cost me nearly £100 including p+p for 5 plants . I bought a astantia off them before 2litre pot tipped it out to plant and its roots were still in the shape of a litre pot .

I have ordered some plants my dahlias and bulbs which should be here this week. And I've just ordered 2 rambling roses from DAustin Ghislaine de feligonde and malvern hills . I think monty don got Mhills on one of his sheds speaking of MDon I watched GWorld last night he been busy and that winter garden were gorgeous probably rather dull the rest of the year though.

Need to get motivated and go and do some preparing for the roses, I've got a clematis montana to move while I am at it.

 

[alp]

Good evening to all: I just love soft and long hair and yet my son's hair is like a straight brush! Very disappointed. Sadly, it's my genes and I bet he will be bald because of bad genes from both parents (from my observation of my eldest brother's shiny skull. Love wavy, thin, long black hair. Grey doesn't matter unless it's short and like a brush.

To reach my sustainability goal, er hm, learn it from the Grand Designs Welsh initiative, I hunted up and down for my spinach seeds. I knew I had it (them). Turned the seeds basket upside down, no luck. Went to Lidl, and saw the packet. Didn't that name sound familiar - metador. Because of watching TV chefs, I got a packet of chard, aubergine (now who wants to move?). Came home and couldn't find that packet. 2 hours of pottering in the lean to, found it in another shopping bag. Seeded one tray. Going to sow these tomorrow

50p for those carrots - can't complain. In fact, I am very smug now. Paid £7.50 for 3 x 125L of compost. It could have cost me just under £24! Panic for not enough compost is over. Shame son went with his brand new Superwet and had to lug the 3 bags into the car boot. Thank you, dear boy!

Bought a tin of butter beans - squeezed half a half into the pan. Think I'm going to acquire some chef-y flair!

Talking about seeds, you saw the seed belt and there are 4 of them. Some seed packets came very some dust and there are about 10 specks of them. The seed packet says 20 seeds and some are probably lost when I open the seed packet. No way of knowing how many seeds there are and the big packet just makes me feel so stupid.

What did you buy, @Perki ? That's sooooo expensive. I remember one place charged £10 for p&p.

Today's hard work:
Broad beans
Petunia Pink Orchid Mixed
Verbena About 15 seeds from Lidl Torch assortment
Watermelon (lidl)
Luttuce Lollo Blonda and Rossu Mixed (Frenchi)
Courgette Early summertime.

What kind of Astrantia was that, @Perki ? That was so badly pot bound. £20 for a plant. It's like my spending money on Snowdrops. Won't buy from flea again as I was conned last time. I paid £15.99 for a Lily Hellebore. Two weeks ago, I ordered 3 x of this lily and send them to Grey Parrot for garden warming as she had just moved. That only cost me £9.99. No complaint. Last time, I sent her £5 inside a Christmas envelope. Some cretin fished it out and left the envelope devoided of any content and she thought I was too busy to remember to put something in it. So pleased as this time round, I don't even have to hunt for a box and queue in the post office.

I really enjoyed the first episode of GW and especially the man with screamy T-shirt and his very exotic flowers. Can't wait to see Monty's Italian garden.

I so wanted to have Johnny's Clematis Macropelata - the pink Markham. I bought one and promptly killed it. It's just too hot and I tried to grow too many things in pots. I think I bought a tiny Cersis last year. I hunted for it yesterday, only to find strange plants in pots with no labels and several of them.

 

[alp]

Incredible drone footage shows a perfectly intact house surrounded by total devastation following the deadly Alabama tornado that killed 23 people

• Drone video shows a Georgia home that miraculously survived being flattened by a deadly tornado
• The footage of the Ellersie, Georgia, home was captured by photographer Matt Gillespie over the weekend
• Home is seen surrounded by uprooted trees and other homes that suffered severe damage or were leveled
• The home narrowly missed being destroyed the by the tornado that killed 23 people in Alabama and Georgia
• Twister was classified as an F4, reaching wind speeds of up to 170mph and is deadliest to hit US since 2013

@DirtMechanic Are you OK?

We also have an earthquake here: Brexit is no more! The UK is plunged into uncertainty by all these I-know-best incompetents who are ripping the whole country apart!

 

[Perki]

Well I been out and done a bit , ended up moving a ligularia and a foxglove around not sure how that come about wasn't planned but I did it anyway .

Moved the clematis montana to prepare the site for the rambling rose malvern hills and all I can say is it been a disaster , after digging down hit concrete got my big iron bar to go on the attack manged to break some of it off so had to get the big guns out SDS drill, got so far but the hole kept filling up with water which is another bad sign, couldn't see what I were drilling and then it snatched my drill bit off me , I come in now caked in mud and not happy I'll look at it again another day when the conditions are better, I am hoping its just filling up cause it lashed it down last night and its been very wet recently otherwise it could all be in vein .

Its got very windy now thought I were going to get blown away at football , some clumsy sod done my toe in as well its been a bad day .

The astrantia was hadspen blood very nice long flowering with deep red flowers , its wasn't pot bound it just hadn't grown into its pot like it had just been potted up then slapped a bigger price on it. I haven't bought any plants from larch cottage to much , £10 not bad for postage lots of place are £15 +. Got quite a few dahlias more than what I should have - spiderwomen - Rajanmans firecracker - American dream - sylvia - wittamens best - yellow one forgot name and possiblely some more , got some Lily Henyri and polianthes .

I have wavy hair not long though used to have curly /wavy hair when I was younger used to hate it . wish I could find somewhere cheap for compost lidl looks the best bet at the moment .