Magazine style - all inclusive

[alp]

My chicks had a fright this afternoon. A magpie flew down and nearly made away with one of the chicks. They had been very cautious and the gang of five had been roaming altogether. Luckily, the chick was safe and a pesky black and white one even chased after the magpie. Don't you just love it! A friend in need indeed! Because of that, I had to put them back into the cage. and soon after that the magpie made another sortie! Sad that I can't free-range them until they are a bit bigger! All because of the nasty magpie!

Houdinia has been very ill and has kept closing her eyes and dozed off with her head sloping to one side and when it went too low, it sort of woke up. I couldn't even crow! I have to quarantine it in the warm lean to and it's a bit better.

The winds have damaged quite a few cistus flowers.

Going to watch Line of Duty after sorting out the car insurance ..

Gladiator says hello to me! Welcome, Gladiator!

Salad with nematodeslug treatment!

 

[Perki]

Hi did end up going to Harrogate flower show the weather been fine today but wet this morning. Picked up a few thing - seeds - dahlia art deco and a Cardiocrinum Giganteum, will have to see how the C.Giganteum does it may take a few years for it to flower if it ever does. took some pics while I were there lots of Bonsai .

 

[alp]

Whoa! What lovely pictures and flowers. The Gloriosas are just spectacular. I thought you didn't think much of the Cardiocrinum Giganteum; but I know the attraction. Indeed, I bought some seeds. Alas, they are still in the packets. I also bought Cat's Whiskas, and the Giant echium seeds, but all in packets.

Amazing how the growers force their plants. Imagine Alstroemerias flowering at this time of the year! Such a lot of dedication and effort to put up such a spectacular marquee! All sorts flowering at the same time, screaming for attention! All the tears, fear sand stresses and strains that go with the plants! Well done to all the exhibitors and I hope they do well.

I must hurry up as life passes me by! I have been researching of moving further away and lowering the price of the house. But it is hard to find house with land and a stream or brook. Keep thinking of using Escape to the country. Joking! But they do pull out the boat to find something wonderful for the participants.

No time for nonesense. Now that I have promised to take up an allotment plot, I need to be serious or I will be kicked out before the probation period is out! Yikes!

Initially, I was shown a different plot to the one a lady I talked to on Saturday told me. I was very excited as asparagus though young but were ready to be harvested. But then another allotmentee told the man that it was the next plot, then my heart sank a bit as the shed wasn't that big. But hey, don't sulk it as it IS a shed, better than just a plot of land. A shed is useful to put tools in, but it can only house one person even though there were 2 chairs inside. When he told me the loo was saw dust type, my heart sank again. I hate dodgy smell even though I like the idea of organic composting. In the news, there are theft and break ins in the allotment in the borough. A lady in the committee told me that some young person came in a shopping list and started checking the items in until he was confronted. I am sure he will try again and my plot is quite near the entrance. Another horrible thing is that you can contact a hose to the water source, you need to take a watering can there and after that the water will refill itself. What a tedious process!

Going to sow more seeds ready for the allotment and take as many dahlia cuttings as possible. Ah, the Lobelia Tupla seedlings have grown and I just hope that you know who sold me the real McCoy as they sent me the wrong Cosmos Cupcake seeds. It was only I went to Hyde Hall and saw the CUP then I realised I was trying to convince myself that the SAUCER was the CUP! Very angry as great expectation had been wasted on something banal!

 

[Perki]

I have a lobelia tupa, when you pot them up take a pic and I'll see if they match my plant.

Might be easier not to sell the house now alp ? with the neighbours moving and that unless you've got your heart set on moving .

 

[alp]

My Tupa seedlings are tiny! LOL! But you know, it is a giant step for me as last time, I had no germination. One thing funny is that I have found I have repeat bought so many of the same packets of seeds. Oh, dear! Madness and dementia at play here!

I have just watched a couple uprooting from New Zealand and the husband asked his wife to get him a house with a view. They chose Malvern and the house had to be built on a steep hill. It was heart-breaking that it cost them so much money to excavate the foundation. The worst was that even though they had neighbours, the utilities had to be dug as new. It was like Somme was in front of their house. That cost him £40,000. Even though the house was finished beautifully, the man was still in tears over the cost and the his hard work. I so want to have a house with a view. But my pocket is not deep enough. Saw a Code 6 house built and so want to have one built like that.

Another couple borrowed tons of money to have a house built on Isle of Wight. The pain-staking work of using stone work to front the house cost them an arm and a leg. These couple fed on each other's vanity and the borrowing mounted up and now, as I had predicted, they have to sell to recoup the loss. So sad! They could have a lovely house for their children, but recklessness knows no danger and that's such a sad end to Grand Design!

Do you have a short video of That that singing my favorite song, Perki? So look forward to seeing it here! Off to bed now and need to work out the dimensions of the hen coop and where to source the wood and grill! Good night to all who care to drop by! Sweet Dreams as life is too short!

 

[alp]

Not exactly freezing, but not very nice as I don't really want to turn on the radiators after having several very warm days.

My first salvia Cherry red - Night moth

Deep red - a screaming red - Mirage Cherry Red

Hardy slipper orchid

Hand pollinated my Iris Germanica June Rose yesterday and hope there are seeds.

Latest image

 

[Zenj]

It’s a cracking day weather wise here’s a few from our garden today still cold nights though.

 

[alp]

Just love the Trilium! Gorgeous! And the Daphne! Whoa! Mine has no flowers probably because it is potted.

Want to stick a pin to the lovely pin cushion of the Anemone! Lovely pics and I need them because my Snowy died a very sudden death and Houdinia never wants to feed or open her eyes. An air of death looms above and overwhelms me!

I need to focus my love on your trilium and the cream double daffs!

 

[Perki]

I sorry to hear about the chickens alp

 

[alp]

I sorry to hear about the chickens alp

Thank you, Perki!

And it was one of the cutest!

RIP, Snowy! I wonder if the magpie had injured it.

Today, the hen, Baldie, actually chased after the magpie! This greedy character obviously has been tormenting my hen and chicks.

Not a good day as Houdinia is still no better! And I forgot to bid for the hen coop!
​

 

[alp]

An hour of watering and I am down to my last 3 butts. Another reason to be sad! And tomorrow will bring promise, but no relief! Will have to use metered water.

After numerous watering rounds, most of my irises have now got a flower spike! Need to do another round of watering before the sun is roasting the garden again.

Might get another 2 chicks. ..

 

[Zenj]

Keeping Chickens - Where to site your Chicken Coop in the Garden | Down the Lane

Exploring the best place in your Garden to keep Chickens safe and happy

www.downthelane.net

Morning all alp sorry to hear about your chicks I was going to keep hens once found a lot of info on above site ,keep a good eye on that magpie nasty characters and will seek out the weaker one hope things improve

 

[alp]

Thank you for the link, @Zenj ! I had never come across this one and it looked very useful. The reason I didn't want to buy a hen coop straight away was because there are foxes at the back of the garden and there is no fence or wall between me and the elderly neighbour and I don't want to fork out too much and he won't be sharing it with me.

Also, I want to make one that I can move with. 3 sections which are detachable. Snowy was very still when it first arrived and stood glued to one spot. It was attacked by one of the hens as soon as I put them together. I saw all the little chicks sparring and even fighting with one another and it reflects real life. It could also be that the polystyrene box fell as most of the other chicks sat on it (I want them to be able to fly up and down and so put the box there for that and keep it warm as well. Any way, very sad as Snowy was so distinctive.

Yesterday 1.45 went to the allotment and boy I had found out that the goodies added to the soil was rubbish. No soil to speak of, but a lot of sand and even stones. I made friends with Jenny from Guyana, another Agnes, and Peter and a Mr Wong who had to think about his surname. Jenny was the gem as she asked me, "Is that how you plant your potatoes?" And she then proceeded to take her own 2 tools and help us dig the area for the spud. I was so ashamed. I just dug the ditch/trench and she turned the soil upside down and boy, she was FAST! Such a nice person. Agnes stood there and told me about the goodies added to the soil being building sand or even ballast. I had hit so many stones so many times and I thought my plot was near the pathway reinforced by shingle. In the end, I had only touched 1/8 of the plot and there was a red patch in my palm. Peter the tattoo man loaded me his long fork which was about 6 foot tall and a wheelbarrow for transporting the rubbish. I sowed King Edward, colourful carrots, some asparagus, and some organic sweetcorn. When I washed my face, I thought the water was from the sea and it turned out that I had sweated tooooo much, which turned the water salty!

Will upload the photos later.

Another thing is that I will get a free greenhouse tomorrow. Hurrah!

 

[alp]

Before

Could you believe it? Did the weeding and the bottom right hand corner was dug by Jenny who was on her way home! So nice to meet nice people like that! We came home 6pm. Hard work and I had removed all the fluffy seedheads before we came home.

That's the bag transporting the goodies - stones and industrial sand and rubbish to the site. Next plot with well dug up rich clay material, and I had nothing with sand, stones, even bricks and glass.

@Zenj It's worth keeping those polish chicks - I bought them £5 each. They have brought me enormous joy!

 

[alp]

Right after breakfast, we will go and dismantle the greenhouse. Yesterday, we had about 20 minutes of rain and then after that just plain drizzle. Very sad and I think I will need to use metered water very soon and to crown it all, it's going to be cold. At midnight, I will have to use sticks to keep my eyes open as I'm going to bid for a hen coop.

So much to do.