IN PRAISE OF....CLEMATIS (and cost cutting)
I spent so long yesterday hanging on to the phone sorting out money saving ideas I hardly saw the garden! Still I have managed to save £14 per month on my phone bill and £18 per month on my mobile (may be able to reduce this further when my contract expires) which added together is more than half of one week's income so I think it was worth it! I've also enquired about a water meter; the guy I spoke to said there's every chance that the £40.22 I pay a month could be reduced if it was metered. Just a case of waiting for the literature and then getting permission from my landlord for one to be installed. I'd then also be able to go on a "Solo persons" tariff which as long as I'm careful and keep within the allowable water usage will work out a lot cheaper.
I also had the "joy" of being informed by Blogger that I am a SPAM blog. Whether it is some automated robot or a fellow blogger that has made this report I don't know...very strange that it should happen when I decided to do Pay Per Post....many thanks to Claire who (despite limited Internet time of her own) kept in constant email contact with me and stopped me from throwing the towel in and ceasing blogging completely! I've been onto google help and filled out Bloggers verification form and I'm hoping that it will soon be sorted out....I've heard of some bloggers being unable to blog for weeks when it's happened to them! I'm also having to verify every time I want to save or publish!
Anyway there's nothing like some lovely flowers to calm oneself down.....so here's a slideshow of this years Clematis to date.......
Clematis is regarded as the 'Queen of Climbers' ...not sure what the King is.
There are types of clematis to suit most gardens and situations no matter how large or small they maybe. They work well on walls, fences, pergolas, arches and trellis and look great in herbaceous borders and containers. I've even seen smaller varieties used in hanging baskets though haven't tried that myself.
Provide them with a sunny site and well-drained soil, and choose neutral to alkaline soil rather than acid. It is often said they should be planted "Roots in the shade, heads in the sun" and this method of growing them works for me. It's also one of the few plants that is planted DEEPER than in it's original container as this is said to prevent Clematis wilt. This doesn't seem to be quite such a problem with the Viticellas though.
In the language of flowers clematis can stand for beauty of the mind and ingenuity; though the evergreen varieties stand for poverty.
8 comments:
Just a big thankyou to Claire and an even bigger well done to you Ruth, thats an amazing saving already,it been far from easy and your one incredible woman.
Beauty of the mind and ingenuity seems so fitting xxx Auds
Good for you Ruth, it's hard work trying to phone people these days with the automated systems which put you on hold for ever.
Clematis are one of my favourite plants but I am not always successful with them. I have the best luck with the type I which you cut back severely at the beginning of th e season. I have two in large containers and they have done well for some years now.
Anyway I enjoyed your slide show and am amazed that you have so many things in your relatively small garden space.
regards
jmb
Your clematis are beautiful! We have a few around the garden but they are all poor specimens :-) Perhaps our conditions aren't quite right for them and the slugs don't help. You have a wonderful garden, you obviously have the touch :-)
Ruth, thank you so much for all the support you have given me this past few weeks, you're a real Diamond of a Lady x x x
As for being a Spam Blogger . . . is there anything we can do to support you. Like mailing all the nice comments you make on other peole's blogs to the "Big Brother" at Blogger-ville? Please let me know how you get on. I don't want you to go away for weeks.
Have you been on money.com? They have heaps of money saving ideas & compare company prices/charges etc.
take care & have a relaxing weekend x x x
Hi Ruth,
I've had tha spam thing, it was really annoying but only lasted a few days after it was vericated.
On your water, that is so expensive i pay half that and their is 3 of us,i think a meter is the way to go.
Cheers mark
Hi Ruth,
I hope you don’t mind but I’ve tagged you for the Seven Random (Gardening) Facts About Me, Meme. I really wanted to learn more about your garden.I hope that you haven't been tagged before. Visit http://www.farmingfriends.com/seven-random-garden-facts/ for the rules.
Sara from farmingfriends
Ruth, congratulations on persuing and obtaining some savings! Mark is always very diligent about keping track of such matters. We pay so much in taxes....every penny counts here!
I have NO idea why yours would be a spam blog? Sheesh! You know, I have no idea HOW, but I had all kinds of stupid drug ads in my comments recently. In fact, I sorted through them and hopefully deleted them all this morning. Gads, I don't even take ANY meds!
You are correct...flowers can soothe the soul just like music!
I do so enjoy looking at all your beautiful flowers!
Ruth it was more than a pleasure :)
Post a Comment