Magazine style - all inclusive

[Perki]

Wet / damp day today had a hard frost yesterday so that should see off the last of the leaves and plants.

I am very active so putting weight on is difficult and I am naturally slim, I normally have to go for a 2 - 3mile walk if I haven't done anything all day . Don't know about children not that its a choice I am single so its not really on the radar , I were thinking about something similar the other day since I am on my own I can free up my 30s to do thing I want to do ( Traveling the world is probably top of the list ) instead of following the path most of my friends have done regarding a family life. I read something the other day about millennials leaving it longer to settle down compared to previous generations , which doesn't surprise me with the housing market and jobs and its getting worse they be nout left on the high street soon and house prices keep rising.

I could do with some cyclamen, I do like the indoor ones flower for ages . I've got loads of woodchip I'll send some through the post it may of composted by the time it gets there .

Todays work has been hard work according to my back, one of my previous clients who moved away ( one of my favourite people to work for ) rang up last night, said they got quite a lot of bare root hawthorns that need planting for a hedge . Bare roots need plant asap ideally so went today thought they would be about 200 to 300 plants , nope wayyy more 650 -700 hawthorns to plant a foot apart managed to get them all in as it went dark got absolutely filthy looked like I've been rolling in mud.

Tried to take a picture but its a bit dark , started in the corner to the right ( near the light ) and all the way up the fence line to the top below the trees, across the top along the fence line and all the way back down to where I am stood.

 

[alp]

Those photos are very atmospheric, a bit blurry ghostery and autumnal. A testament to your labour, Perki!

650 hawthorns! How many of people doing it? Oh, That's back breaking. A lot of people damage their back doing their jobs. I had a kitchen fitter who came to work all dishevelled. I wonder if he's on drug. He told me that he had hurt his back and his friend came back from Spain with powerful painkiller and that's sort of explained it. Look after your back, Perki and don't take this "painkiller"! A very slippery path. Doctor G had a patient who had a gun, tons of pills and he died suddenly. She found out that he fiddled with the system, tell docs that he had all sorts of lingering pains and got free painkillers which he SOLD to druggies, and hence a gun! Very interesting foundings in Doctor G! A very intelligent and switched-on coroner!

Glad that you exercise, like Zenj who walks. This will boost your bone density. I would say do yoga. 100% good. Travelling around the world would be good. A friend's son travelled and came home to be trained as landscape gardener. Covid time is not conducive to travelling!

Yes, all very sad, no shops, no jobs, inflated house prices. I'd never understand how if the whole country is losing a lot of jobs can the house prices going up exponentially instead of down. Bound to be a terrible negative equity when the whole crisis calms down. Who is manipulating the market? All defies logic. It's OK when you have a house to buy another one. From scratch is very sad. A teacher and his dance teacher told me that they would never be able to pay for his house £300K. Eye watering!

Those cyclamens were very cheap, bought when Wyevale just changed to British GC. Also bought some violas which were very pretty last year. I also planted some toad lilies there, but they don't seem to be happy.

Boy, I am so tempted by the nerine offer! We were given a lot as the giver said he would give us more as we were courteous! But only one survive and it flowered this year. No seeds though!

I wouldn't go near my favovite gc as the queues were maddening. It maddens more to see guards trying to spot shoplifters. Very depressing that people resort to stealing these stupid items. Low!

I shifted about 400 bricks all my myself for 3 hours yesterday. Wouldn't be enough to pave my front patio which I hope will be at least 3 metres paved. I might incorporate some porous material to look after the earth.

 

[Perki]

Raining again say it might be snowing later . yep my back a bit stiff today I don't normally do lots of digging jobs for that reason I may hurt my back, I do make the exceptions for clients that are nice and look after me . Just me and my dad planting yesterday dad manged about 100-150 and I did the rest, it was his birthday yesterday they even bought him a little birthday cake to take home . Loads of pheasants live in the woods around there they are breed for hunting, all you could hear a times yesterday were banging noises I assume to scare them out of hiding and then a really load bang probably a shotgun.

I've got some nerines I am still waiting for some flowers 2nd year, they are in the garden and like a good baking from the sun. I bought another lot from the GC a few years ago little tiny bulbs and they never did anything either, the last lot I bought from home and bargain the bulbs were huge very good value just now flowers yet but they can take a while to settle in.

 

[alp]

Same here! Rain the whole day and I can't even clean out the coop. I had a plastic bag on my head to shield my hair from the wet. Got 4 eggs today, which is great! Usually, I have only 3. It will rain the WHOLE day. In a way, I'm glad that it has been raining as we have had 2 weeks of dry weather.

I wonder how Zenj and you put up with such glorious English weather! I bet Zenj is planning his next escape to winter wonderland!

Happy birthday to your dad! No wonder you said your dad should thank you for living near him. NIce that they gave him a birthday cake! So sweet!

Pheasants are just so pretty! I don't mind if they cook them after killing them. Sad for the poor pretty bird.

I think I'm going to take the plunge to buy the nerines. They look stunning in Wisley! I must go to Home Bargains to have a look. They don't have as many branches as B&M.

 

[alp]

It rained the whole day and only stopped about 6pm. Liquid cold in all sorts of buckets and tubs and the back garden was already showing up puddles.

Apparently, it is still raining now as at 4.10am.

Due to the incessant rain, I watched 2 Japanese movies on C4. Brilliant films: Shoplifters and Like Father, like son. If you have access to C4 free streaming, they are not to be missed.

I reckon Newcastle is to be covered with snow and we're getting a bit of sub-zero temperature.
Four inches of snow falls on North of England and Scotland as -10C chill sweeps UK – with icy rain forecast as far south as London TODAY

As helper's mum died, we have had no movement on the 2nd greenhouse. I will move the two cold frames into where the bricks were so that the cuttings inside can soak up the warmth from the west facing wall.

I kept losing my secateurs and for the last two days I stumbled on 2 of them. And yet as soon as I put them down, I forgot where they were again. I have since found one and put it inside the kitchen. I think I need a tool belt so I don't lose my sec or have to go back into the house to get labels, pens, scissors, twine.. Life is a constant back and forth to look for these bits and bobs and can be very frustrating.

 

[Perki]

Snowed all night and most of the day. Packed up the dahlias today I didn't have any dry compost to store them in so used woodchip this year should still do the job hopefully . also rapped my begonia up and put them into storage . The only eventful thing I've done in the garden is almost slipping on my ass trying to take the short cut across the lawn

I live with my dad still , I do own a majority of the house so wouldn't be feasible to move out anytime soon . I could really do to learn to drive so I'll look into that early next year.

It a common thing to lose secateurs / trowels etc in the garden , that probably why gardeners have multiple tools . I lost my compost scoop I really missed it and couldn't get hold of one for a while , when I did get one everyone seemed to be selling them then . I did find my old compost scoop about a 6 month later in the house don't remember bring it in the house.

 

[alp]

No snow here, perhaps some in Brentwood where TOWIE was mostly filmed as it is higher than us with more panoramic views and forested areas. There is a famous bluebell fields around there. Here the highest point near us is where Steve Davis' parents used to live- a massive farm on the top of a hill overlooking Hornchuch and Upminster. Essex is mostly flat and I live on the edge of it, but is officially a London borough.

I used tons of freegled 5L mineral water plastic bottles to protect my more fragile plants such as Salvia Patens. Dug up some dahlias. Had the majority still in the ground. Might be a good idea to dig up the Rejman's Firecracker as I have only got the one in the allotment.

I have about 5 to 6 secateurs, but only 2 useful ones. One is a wedding present and still going strong. The ring in the middle was lost, but son repaired it and it is as good as good. One from Asda on sale with a stupid plastic on one side and can't cut anything. 2 from German technology which can't never spring properly. Another one lost in the attempt to remove neighbour's brambles. Spotted another one two days ago, but forgot to take it in and have no idea where it is again. I think I need a belt. Without a secateur, nothing can be done. It's that frustrating. Another thing I REALLY need is a pair of decent finger hugging water proof gloves and I am still looking for one.

I used to hate pumpkins, squashes, but last year's one from Ben had opened my eyes.

To cut them open is pure hell. They were tough and I had to use the hammer to knock at my Sabatier knife; however this one cooked beautifully with creamy texture and a lot of flesh to eat. Half of it went to chicken feed as the cooking gave them nice warm meals and at least I know what they are eating. Pellets have no meaning to me. I tried to sprout some wild bird seeds for them and hopefully in the next few days, I can add flaxseeds which are a source of omega 3. £5 for 12.75kg of seeds. I think it's good value and they had loads for sale in Enfield Wyevale. If you buy anything from them, they will only refund you with voucher or gift cards. What a bummer!

This one is much smaller, but the seed area was small, and I don't think it had seeds. I collected quite a few seeds from the big green one in the first photo and next year, I will grow them on the compost heap which I have just designed an area. It serves as chicken area as well in the future Trouble is these old chickens can fly and always broke free, wreaking havoc everywhere - nearly killed my Aster Monch, and the newly planted Rudbeckia. Come to think of it: to sow in March is far too late! Most of the time, you don't get to see the flowers. I'm lucky if they could overwinter.

 

[alp]

Another cold but sunny day! If the Met Office had done its job properly, I would have done my laundry. But hey, winter is winter and one can't expect clothes to be dried by the sun. But missing the sunshine element really annoyed me. Met Office report is so subbishly.

It's raining and the washing machine is ON! And I

Despite the cold and wet, Penstemons are doing very well. Some even have new buds.

Arabesque F1 is still flowering. My best find this year is this Blackbird - big and long flowering.

Even Chrysanthemum seemed to have lost its vim and vigor!

I think this is the giant Salvia Euphoria. It has become much smaller. Unless this is another salvia with white blooms. I'm pretty sure this is the big and imposing Euphoria and the cold has dwarfed it.

This seems to be a joke. Mellow Yellow. I bought it because it's called Mellow Yellow, but during the summer, all the blooms were white and only yesterday did I seen a yellow Mellow Yellow!

A new Teesbrooke Audrey

Penstemon Volcano series, probably Mt Etna

This is a red Collarette. The first flower for this plant!

Most probably from a cutting!

Yesterday, to my greatest joy, I stumbled on my blue or striking red Salvia and Salvia Leucantha cuttings! Keep my fingers crossed that the cuttings take.

 

[Perki]

Its been fine today and yesterday but a bit chilly.

Planted the rest of the bulbs over the weekend daffs / tulips on Saturday and today was allium planting day . I can't possible fit anymore alliums in the garden it getting crowded well until next autumn . Potted up the fuchsia and pelargoniums I removed from the troughs and took some cutting of the ivy leaf pelargoniums. I dug up Rosa Mary rose today I've had it in the garden for 4-5years but I 've got a bit fed up with it and I am not into soft pinks to much, Going to replace it with another david austin rose Gabriel Oak which has excellent reviews.

 

[alp]

I think Boris Johnson is trying to walk away by bluffing as he's skint being a PM. He earned more as a speaker and columnist. By bluffing the EU, he also leaves himself a chance to leave as PM, which means more money for him. Hope he does, or his partner will be naming her friend, friend's dodgy partner as strategist or tsar.. Watch this space! fireworks coming..

*******************************

A cold, dark and possibly very foggy morning. Last night was rather foggy. Went to the allotment to dig up half of the Rejman's Firecrackers and picked up loads of seeds. Will give them a try to see if they germinate. The allotment was in a mess, but I didn't really want to touch it as it would only be covered with weeds and the dead plants provide more insulation and warmth to plants and bugs alike.

Bought tons of vegs for the birds and my fridge is jam-packed with them. Yesterday morning, foxes were wreaking havoc: polystyrene sheet (an inch thick) had been shredded and the woods holding the chicken wire had been scratched all along two frames. Last night, I literally built a barracade on top of the hen coop and runner. It was hard work and it was worrying. Luckily, I still had my 4 eggs and my friend up the road would take them. I only name 10p as she was a great friend and at least I have someone paying for feeds. (partly, the chickens are forever hungry and they keep looking with me with begging eyes and as it has been cold and they are totally dependent on me, I err on the right side of generosity. It's not nice to starve them when it's so cold! I wouldn't want to go hungry, not especially when I am cold!) I have to build an area for them fast. But with this weather, I can't let them out as the foxes will be hunting
even during day time.

We made a trip to Thorrock on Saturday, but all their tulips were gone. Sad! The nerine offers from T&M had finished before I did my maths and decided to take the plunge. Ah, not to be! I did buy some Fireball lilies from Harts nursery. Hope they look nice. I love them so much and kept thinking of buying them. This represented the best value. I can't wait to see them turn on their magic!

Googled Gabriel Oak rose and he came up.

Far from the madding crowd's Gabriel Oak. One of my favorite films, but I prefer the old one with Alan Bates!

David Austin Roses are quite expensive. I have been gifted one by my friend - Olivia. Helen Dillon had high praise for it. Friend didn't like it at all and bought Desdemona instead and gave me hers. I love all sorts of colours. I have Rhapsody (purple) pink one, Shropshire Lad, Galway Bay. The last 2 are David Austins reduced to £2 or £5.

 

[Perki]

Rained this morning , did a quick job round the corner a laurel hedge and a mixed hedge and back home . I decided to mow the lawn it had grown quite a bit and it saved my going round collecting cutting and leaves . Chomped up some other bits with the lawnmower for the compost bin while I had it out much easier than doing it all by hand with shears.

DA rose are expensive , bare roots are reasonable price around £16 or £20 for a new variety but the pot grown ones are £25 I think now then add P+P . I look at it another way it probably going to last a life time or decades if well looked after.

The lawn already got frost on .

 

[alp]

A bit of sunshine is predicted. We didn't have rain yesterday, but fog prevailed the whole day. This morning, I started the laundry.

Hope it's sunnier than predicted.

Well, my chickens were safe yesterday, but still a call ing card or two on top of the coop which I protected with a dog cage and parts of a cot salvaged from Davidus's skip. I was thinking of selling the cage, but all the potential buyers were cheeky. I asked for £15 and they wanted to pay £10. I think I'd better keep it to keep my babies safe! The foxes had apparently travelled up and down over my raised beds which were covered with mini growth tunnels. Very frustrating. They had dug them up before. Now they ran all over the tunnels. And I thought foxes were problems of townies!

Your lawn must be looking quite nice now, Perki!

I want to get rid of all the lawn as it just mean I need to get up early to mow them and I need to store this lawnmower. Helper tidied up my garage and lots of bags had been removed and the garage is now quite tidy, especially when most of the decking boards and one greenhouse assembled.

I was trying to confirm the location of Rejman's Firecrackers and went through all my SD cards and I realised how many plants I had lost. It's heartbraking, especially the Zagopelatum, some slipper orchids - they were so beautiful.

All these DA roses are works of years of research and that's why they are expenisve. It's like why Hamemelis is expensive as it will take ages to sprout a seed. The old man must be very proud looking at his flowers travelling all over the world, evem marlingardener is a fan. Amazing that he has even benefited his whole family, with his son who looks after his roses and daughter who jas talem over his peonies, irises and they have made a name for themselves.

Am toying with the idea of going to gc, but I'm not so sure. My son is!

Most of the hellebores flowering now are a bit deformed. This is a better one. But still you can see the virus.

Trollius Chinensis is not very pretty.

E A Bowles is trying to say hello!

By the look of it, I need to use the other camera to take snowdrops.

 

[Perki]

Evening wet wet day no work today , not done much today just pop down to the wood merchant and ordered some plywood for a in built wardrobe I am going to make , wood should arrive tomorrow . I may tidy some of the garden up while waiting for the wood to be delivered .

I am thinking of selling my two compact cameras and using the funds to buy a new mobile , the cameras on the new phones are better than my little sony camera and nearly as good / better in some situations than my sony Rx100 V , kind of make my Rx100 camera obsolete . I may dip my fingers in a better mirrorless camera in future but I am no ethicistic photographer more casual , mainly only use it for the garden or when I go out trekking over the hills or out on the bike its a lot easier to carry a phone doing the last two activity's and I always have it on me. .

 

[alp]

I would say go for a good mobile. I've been toying with the idea as I want to use instagram. Before that:

It was frigging freezing! I went out to pour some woodchips in between 2 raised beds. Turned out to be too narrow to walk on. Any way that was done. Fed the birds who always bully one another. It was like 1pm when I went out. At this rate, I need to wear sheepskin boots to do gardening. Came back at 2.40pm to put on another pair of wellies and feeling the terrible cold, I fed the birds again. It's not nice to starve them when it's so cold. By 4pm, my toes were frozen again. I beat a retreat at 4.15pm and am now watching Till Death do we part on discovery.

Talk talk phoned me asking me if I wanted to upgrade. I asked him when my contract would be up for renewal. He said 7th July 2021 and it would be £28 instead of the £22 I'm paying. I said to him that he wouldm't teach his daughter to change contracts midway when the price would be UP! Now, whilst watching programmes on laptop apps and on TV catch ups, I have quite a few loading circles in perpetual motion! Any way, I am not touching this until the tariff expires. Change suppliers is very stressful. A lot of calculations and comparisons involved. You know 100% that these websites are paid by suppliers and they ALWAYS try to flog up the same company. At the moment, EON is pushing hards, followed by Shell. Ah, same tricks. Very tiresome and also only 12 months' contract and then the headache comes back to haunt you again.

Another horrible thing is that Yorkshire Energy has gone bust and we are herded to Scottish Power. Google everywhere for the new tariff and all I had was Exclusive tariff just for Yorkshire customers. Any way, I read that there would be a rise and I had to google for another supplier fast. Got a facebook message that there would be no penalty if I want to leave Yorkshire and I would be able to move to another supplier after I have moved to Scottish Power. I think I will move away from Zog as the standing charge is ludicrously high. I think I will stay away from small suppliers. It was good that Yorkshire would give me instant correct billing after I complained that they shouldn't give me estimated bills when I gave them actual readings. Ever after that, I got an accurate bill every time I submitted my readings. I reckon a lot of companies eat away your money by using estimated bills. More trouble as I have to hunt for new suppliers. Shame, just when I started to like this billing method, they went bust!

To warm myself up, I made a cocoa drink. One sachet of sugar and a bit of milk. It tasted like foul tasteless tea. Never again. Wonder how they make the chocolate drink so silky and sweet. How much sugar is there, I wonder? Can't be healthy! I'm a tea drinker. Bought 2 packs of 240 bags of PG teabags from Farm Shops. They tasted much worse then Lidl's ones. I will pounce when Lidl reduces their teabag price! So many things one need to keep tabs on.

Despite the cold, I am very happy to see buds from hellebores. Because of the greenhouse, a lot of hellebores had been trodden to death and I saw quite a few virus striken leaves. Seeing the buds really has made my day!

If your phone is redundant, sell it asap and make sure you make a bit of money. I practically gave away my mirrorless. Don't go for another mirrorless or D??? as extra lens are costly. When you buy a mobile - Samsung or iphone, you can buy a cheap macro lens to add to your camera and you can upload photos instantly. Good cameras are good for business. One drawback for Samsung is that they are not good at providing updates, but they guarantee they will provide 3 year updates for the latest one which should have 64mpx. 8k rather than 4k or 12mpx. A lot to think about. Some people are still using iphone 5! Updates are important.

 

[alp]

Was wondering why it was so cold this morning and unwillingly got up. Usually, I was woken up by the central heating making noise, but not this morning. I knew Little Emperor came down and fiddled with the thermostat about half an hour trying to sleep. It turned out that the millennial had switched off the control altogether. Any way, rushed to boil several rounds of hot water. Just a tad out of E7.

Onlu Dahpne Blouha is very happy. Another thing that is happy is the Dahlia Collarette but even that is struggling to unfurl its petals. But yesterday was actually a nice sunny day. When the sunshine hit you, you felt embraced except the biting cold in your toes.

This one has been an interesting find.