Magazine style - all inclusive

[Perki]

Big clean up in the GHouse it takes ages to brush all the shelves staging and the floor , spent a good couple of hours in there while it rained, Just need to wash the glass next. Chopped up the rest of the grapevine up that took a while untying it all.

 

[alp]

Well done! I'm dithering whether to give away the two greenhouses.

I sowed notholirion bulbiferum seeds, soaked the wedding cake seeds, washed a few pots. The rain was just too dense. Not heavy. Whilst I was preparing dinner, it was pouring down.

Sometimes, I think Labour can't be that bad. Capitalism is not working. Democracy breeds teflon politicians.. Look at this country, it's who you know, not what you know. It's a very closed crop at the top. All these fat cats are never being held accountable for their failings and they still get to have their bonus. Better stop the rant!

 

[alp]

It's raining and central heating was not on. No wonder I didn't want to get up. A cup of restorative tea is getting me on track.

Well, I hope no 10 incumbent is going to cut to the chase and sort out Brexit quickly. All these talks have diverted effort, money and energy on one single issue. With this cabinet, I am not so sure. The ilk of Grant Sharp does not inspire me.

Electrics have been tripped up again in the lean up because of the heavy condensation. Serious action needs to be taken.

Going to be another soggy week! Been eyeing up the garden to see where to put new raised bed. Want to put in 2 cut flower corners.

 

[alp]

There is still a lump high up at the back of my throat. I still have a bit of a cough, but every time I swallow my saliva, it hurts the muscle a bit. I have never experienced such a vicious cold. Be careful, you all. Get your grand kids or nieces or nephews to have the flu nose spray. Some flu or cold can be very damaging. I wouldn't say I am weak in constitution, but this lump and cold have been difficult to shift.

Got my delivery from Peter N and the Guinea Gold Lily bulbs x 3 were mushy and with some rotten mushy scales, like brown dust. Not very happy with those. But I couldn't be bothered to complain as they were reduced and and I put some inside a bag of vermiculite and hopefully, they are not entirely dead. I should have cleaned the dust. I looked into a brown paper sac and saw a "belt" it piqued me why they sent me such a weird thing. Turned out to be a spider like root - eremurus Romance! I was thinking of buy 3 of the Cleopatra £5 after reduction, but decided against it as I had already bought one from C. Then I realised that I couldn't have got this item from C as I had never seen a bulb like this. I checked my order only to find that I did order a Cleopatra! I emailed C, but it is far too late as I had another order from them in between.

I planted the bulbs out. Propagated 2 bits from Fritillaria Persica the black one by mixing them with vermiculite. Hard to scale the tight bulb, but I must get some babies rather than buying them next year, again!

Had been kept on the phone for 50 minutes and still didn't get a chance to talk to the engineer from car insurance. I was on hold for 25 minutes, then when I finally got through, the man said that the file was with his colleague and he would prioritise my call or it would take me another hour to talk to another human. Another 8 minutes, another man said he would arrange a courtesy car for me and TRANSFER me to THE engineer. Needless to say, my battery sent out alarm signal - battery low and I ran out of money on my pre-paid phone! ! Did I get to talk to the engineer? No. They must be hiring one at the mo!

Incidentally, watched Garden Rescue and I know that Charlie is a big fan of hellebores. She incorporated some lovely ones in yesterday's episode. I think I saw a double white picotee. She really had some lovely interesting choices. Another good show is Secrets of the zoo! Love it.

 

[alp]

Incidentally, what pen do you use on labelling. I was horrified to see some labels totally white/blank .. Pentals permanent ink is no longer on sales in shops.

 

[alp]

Apologies to all called Grant Sharp.

It's very, very windy! Very bright though. Saw 2 long tail tits feeding on the feeder.

 

[alp]

A lot of my cuttings were sitting in trays of water. For once in my life living here, I have more water than I know what to do with. Yesterday, I saw a faint hint of spring

Winter jasmine

Daphne Bholua in pink buds!

Watched Wild Canada or a Year in Canada and was thrilled to see trilliums grow out of dirt to a pristine white. Hope mine do the same ... Great expectation.

Finally, might be able to a Eigo tiny little courtesy car. Better than nothing. At least, it saves on petrol.

I hope it will be windy enough to dry my clothes outside. Nothing beats drying them outside

Yesterday, it poured and pelted down between 10 to midnight. I was watching Son of Sam. Very nasty people in this world.

My labelling failed me miserably again. I had labels tied to my hellebores the leaves of which I had to cut. Some labels got blown away. Then I had to remove the dahlias in between the hellebores and the earth disturbance also displaced the labels. Lastly, some ink left no trace! Now, I have labels lying all around my garden. .

 

[Perki]

Evening not much done in the garden with the weather being so poor but planted out some left over pansys and shredded the last of the garden waste with one of the mowers.

Went to the Manchester Christmas markets yesterday evening it were very busy, not may sort of thing to do really but tagged along with some friends to have a nosy never been before. I don't think I'll bother again expensive and not much choice especially the bars they all seem to sell the same drinks/beer. Its not like it cheap anyway Manchester to go out.

I've tried to grow eremurus before fussy plants , Full sun extremely good drainage which can retain moister as well, they like dry winters but moist summer which isn't the easiest especially in my wet heavy / clay soil . I do have one in the garden which I kept in a pot but it never flowerred in the pot so planted out I'll see if it comes back next year ( unlikely )

 

[alp]

Yes, nice to go out even though it was expensive - nice to see and be seen. I am now with severe withdrawal symptom - the thought that all my possible bargains having been snapped up by other bargain hunters is just unbearable.

Eremurus: Next time I ordered anything, I will do a head count when the items arrive. I had never seen a spider bulb until that came from PN.

Yesterday morning, I discovered this moral: Men propose, foxes dispose! I found my "planted" bulb lying next to the 4" hole that I dug yesterday for my Fritillaria Persica. It was dug up by some critter which could be none other than foxes. The bulb looked new as if never having been planted. I planted it again and used something to surround the bulb and a strong metal stick to make sure the bulb wouldn't be disturbed.

But the only photo that I took was corrupted: alp 0 camera 1 :

Finally, I dug up the Franz Kafka from the front. Too pretty to be left to rot. Now in the living room, my dahlia - Myrtle's Folly or Rajman Firecracker!!?? (I am sooo hopeless) has sprouted new shoots

3 photos, all blurred. Never mind! Camera 1 alp 0 again!

I'm going to take in Franz and let it do the same thing. I don't mind as nobody is here to clamp my style.

At midnight, heavens opened again. But yesterday's weather was absolutely fabulous. Sunny and not windy. All to live for!

I'm amazed you folks don't move! This incessant run of rains totally has ruined my pottering days. And I am worried about the roots of my plants.

Going to get the car today. Tomorrow we're going to have the mother of all bargain hunting, talking of which, I bought some daffs yesterday, all reduced to 50p in diy gc! Only one tulip left which I didn't buy.

Enkianthus Campanulata arrived yesterday morning. One thing I do know is try not to buy plants in deep winter. They all look dodgy! Now I have to site it properly. I know it's hardy, but I want to give it the best possible start. I definitely will replant it as it looked as if it had just been dug up before being posted. My Thalictrum double Hewitt looked dead yesterday. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr! 2nd one I bought in as many years!

Wrap up warm and keep away from cold. The following do sound bleak and apocalyptic! But this is a long country. Keep warm and keep safe!

It's the bleak midwinter: Britain wakes up to temperatures of -5C this morning with more snow set to fall across the north of the country, 122 flood alerts and freezing fog on the way in the final week before Christmas

 

[alp]

Talking about eremurus, I wasn't very keen as they reminded me of Veronicas given to me by the elderly neighbour's wife who kept their garden tiptop and beautiful. Sad, since her passing, he'd never been the same. Yet, he came back and vowed to be healthy and lapsed. After 2 lapses, he's no more!

She gave me the Veronicas and I found out that there was a lot to compost. It's like Oriental Poppies - just too much to tidy up and compost. But we went to Wightwick Manor where they put up a good show, so I bought them for memories.

Well, Foxes 2 and me 0:

The metal stick fell sideway and the bulb played with. A bit of white flesh could be seen near by.

Now the blessed bulb is in a deep pot surrounded by pots. I really don't like planting it in pot, but I don't want to see it torn to pieces. So it's planted with some tall single fragrant daffs and some irises. Hopefully, it will flower happily.

Got the car - a Citroen and I hope our car can be repaired soon. It was a choice between a Toyota Aigo or this manual Citroen. In the end, we wanted this as it is a much newer model and a bigger car.

Yesterday, we had a roasted chicken with a butternut squash from another allotmenteer, Jenny. It was soooo sweet. I had said to myself I would never grow this butternut/squash as just opening it nearly killed me. The knife couldn't go through the dense flesh and it flicked back towards me. In the end, I suffered a tiny prick by the knife tip. But boy, it's downright dangerous just cutting open this piece of rock. But it was so delicious!

Finally, Mikel Arteta has got a mention for Arsenal job! The quicker the better!

And finally, I've got my tulip tree, foxglove tree - Paulownia tomentosa , and Clerodendrum Bungei delivered. The Paulownia looked a bit sad. Others are OK. I must stop buying until February.

Apparently, I have bought another stink bomb -
Clerodendrum can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs, trees or climbers, with simple, often unpleasantly scented, leaves and panicles of usually fragrant salver-shaped flowers with prominent stamens, followed by small berries ...

And a huge tree! I really need to move!

source: rhs

 

[alp]

First outing in a car for 2 weeks. The way my son stalked the car and the frequency he fiddled with the gear and parking position just made me very nervous. I heard that the Australians all drive automatic and there was no difference in the prices and wish it was the same here. Glad that our own car is repairable and of course, as the Brits do, IS IN A QUEUE! People are so patient and quiet here. On Sunday, a young woman was angry that the bus didn't stop or open the door for her. I think the bus driver was a new one as he parked his bus a bit out, as if he wasn't going to stop at that stop, but it was a very popular stop as it was next to Asda, McDonald and actually was outside a big shopping mall. A woman banged the door and argued that he should open the door. Her son tried to open the emergency door. After that, she got in and shouted that he should have parked the bus nearer to the bus stop and let her in. She walked past us and it was about 2 pm. The stench of alcohol emanating from this woman, very young at that, was shocking.

Bought one pot of snowdrops and the peach tree was still there. Scared of buying it as it was very tall and it might scratch the car. Any scratches might result in a whack in our pockets.

Much colder today! Going to the doctor today. After that, we will go to Morrison to get a Salmon and others. Can't believe that the promotions mentioned earlier this month have all disappeared. Ninja Foodie now up £50! Ferrero Rocha £4.50! And I have already finished the whole box of 16. Oh, dear! Need to get more snacks to nibble at whilst watching repeats on Christmas day!

 

[Zenj]

Morning all very cold and heavy frost this morning ,we are just about ready for Xmas just food shopping to do ,will have to get more nibbles too alp,television looks a bit boring over Xmas.

 

[alp]

Yes, on the hit list

Pringle sour cream
More KP nuts
another Ferrero Rocha £3.50 only or else after Christmas
Short biscuits
Not keen on mince pies, but need to buy some, to join in the fun with Perki
More werthers' original
Crisps

more food for birds

More snowdrops ... bloodletting .. dam busting, but heirlooms for my son.

 

[Zenj]

Chocolate ginger,Chocolate dates,Lindt lindore white chocolate ,
pringles nuts, to name just a few.

 

[alp]

Lindt is a good one. Must buy one or 2. Will go to Aldi down the road to get some half price beef ribeye and start vacating the freezer. LOL! Last year, they were reduced to £14. Must go there early to get their vegs as they sold out very quickly as if there were food shortages before a storm! LOL!

Might dig up my Sherlock Holmes - the one with Jeremy Brett - music, scenery .. perfection!