Ring out the old, ring in the new !

2005 is drawing to a close - less than three hours to go. Sitting here listening to the omnibus edition of 'The Archers'. I have only just realised that it is almost Sunday morning and I would have to get up extra early to listen before the next omnibus is broadcast.

I had not realised how long it was since my last blog entry and have vowed to be kinder to my blog in 2006. It has been ages since I have been to the lottie so no news to relate of growings/goings on. Will have to get there soon to take the grapevine down to floor level. In the garden today I was heartened to see snowdrops well through and plump hellebore buds - what joys to come. Now with January on the horizon time to study the seed catalogues and dream of next year's veggies and blossoms.

'July - she will fly'

In the words of the song 'July, she will fly'! Another month gone - garden and lottie both in need of much work. July has been warm and very dry until the last week of the month. Have eaten first courgettes, tomatoes still to ripen and cucumbers sadly seem to be yellowing and withering on the plants.

I have some new plants - went to Morreys and made several purchases including a phlox by the name of 'Omega' which is beautifully scented.

Off now to take a few cuttings of the osteospernum that my colleague S. gave me many moons ago as the original plant is looking somewhat straggly.

'June - she'll change her tune'

The last day of June and summer is moving on at a rapid pace. Hope to get to the allotment tomorrow where hopefully there will be more strawberries to pick. I want to plant some climbing French beans and no doubt there will be some more weeds lying in wait for me !

' Summer time and the living is easy '

Mmmmmmmm - our first strawberries from the lottie and just in time for Wimbledon.
I am not sure where the last three weeks have gone. June started cool and damp but we have had beautiful summer weather for the last week or so. The mercury has been rising and rising !

Where is summer ?

Summer slowly seems to be arriving and some time has been spent working on the allotment. Tomatoes and lettuce planted. I have cheated on both ! Lettuce purchased from the nursery near the Dorothy Clive Gardens and tomatoes from R. at the WI market. Have a couple of home grown 'Black from Tulsa' grown from last year's seeds. The strawberry plants are smothered with fruits and I have temporarily netted them. I nipped into the pet shop today and they hope to have some straw in on Friday. We have another plant sale at the lottie on Saturday.

The day after the plant sale

The weather is slowly perking up and the last couple of days have seen it become slightly warmer. The first part of May though has been decidedly cool and windy. The wind dries everything out and I think that I have lost a thalictrum that was in the cold frame. Yesterday was the garden club plant sale and for the first time I remember my chives were not in flower. As usual everything I took that was in flower sold i.e. astrantias,tiarellas, polemonium and hardy geraniums. Plants I bought home were 'Solomon's Seal', hesperis and a day lily 'Little Wine Cup'. Several of my favourites are now in full bloom including various geranium phaeums, polemonium 'Lambrook Mauve',aquilegias including a new one 'Ruby Port' and astrantias. The lovely iris that I bought from the Spiegel garden several years ago opened yesterday after the plant sale ! Went to take a photo before but camera batteries need charging.

Have been busy in the greenhouse - sowing a few more seeds and pricking out. Having guilty pangs about the allotment - have spent a negligible amount of time there and really need to get down to some serious work. There's always next weekend !

Snail hunting

A warm amd muggy evening. It rained in the night and for most of the evening but it has been warm. Great growing weather. Went to the lottie yesterday and got quite a bit of weeding done. Forgot to take red onion sets with me - grrrrrrrrrr !

Tonight I have been snail hunting in the garden by torchlight - many molluscs large and small. About to go out on one last trip.

Tulip 'Mount Tacoma'

First post

My first blog entry

"Oh give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year"

- Robert Frost 'A Prayer For Spring '

A beautiful spring day of the like that gives rise to such poems being penned. The temperature in the greenhouse crept up and was nudging 70 degrees but not enough for the automatic vent to open. I always get really excited when that happens as apart from demonstrating that it is still working it means that spring has really and finally sprung. I sowed climbing French beans 'Blauhilde', chard and zinnia elegans 'Envy' all of which are destined for the lottie. We went there after lunch. Just a quick visit to open greenhouse door and to give the grapevine a drink. I picked the third lot of rhubarb. Back home potted up some astrantia divisions. Took some photos in the garden including one of the 'Mount Tacoma' tulip which is just showing its first bloom. Will post a photo soon once I have mastered how to do so. I have just come to grips with links and what a challenge that was to the old grey matter. One thing at a time !