CATCHING UP WITH THE GARDEN AND BLOGPALS

Time for a garden catch up today.........the weather's been pretty awful and the garden looks a sodden snail heaven with few opportunites for taking photos without a waterproof camera!

The Schizostylis coccinea Major has now come into flower...(it does have a common name which is not very politically correct)......one of the reasons I love this plant is because it's a late bloomer and gives me something to look forward to ..............
Fuchsias don't seem to mind at all that the weather is gloomy and wet......my Fuchsia Thalia is loving it!

The Rincinus flowers are so unusual I just had to post another photo of one,,,,,,,,
The Pieris are really brightening up the garden and seem to be putting on a fresh batch of growth...............
Normally the Clematis Purpurea "Plena Elegans" would have flowered long before this but I moved it in the Spring and it's taken a while to settle down in it's new home.....
Both the white and pink Cyclamen are in flower now......both earlier than usual..
Another pot of lilies has started to flower now......there's been a lily of some kind in bloom for many months now................
The Cannas are really making up for lost time......unfortunately my neighbours Russian Vine is trying to strangle it. I'm going to have to rethink the bed along this fence next year to make it easier for me to get to the Russian Vine and keep cutting it back without stomping all over my own plants.
Despite the lack of sun the Rudbekia are bringing their own sunshine into the garden and always raise a smile.................

I also had to smile (and laugh) when I recieved an email from Elsie.....she sent me this brilliant joke....being a Grandma to teenage girls I can really relate to it......

A doctor that had been seeing an 80-year-old woman for most of her life finally retired. At her next checkup, the new doctor told her to bring a list of all the medicines that had been prescribed for her. As the young doctor was looking through these, his eyes grew wide as he realized she had a prescription for birth control pills. "Mrs Smith, do you realize these are BIRTH CONTROL pills?" "Yes, they help me sleep at night." "Mrs. Smith, I assure you there is absolutely NOTHING in these that could possibly help you sleep!" She reached out and patted the young Doctor's knee. "Yes, dear, I know that. But every morning, I grind one up and mix it in the glass of orange juice that my 16 year old granddaughter drinks... And believe me, it helps me sleep at night."

During my Blogarounds I saw this post on David's blog..................

"Here's some weekend fun for us to share. Every weekend, starting today, I'm going to ask you one simple question. Answer the question on your own blog, any time until Friday. Please link to this blog (or to this post) just so I can follow the progress of the notion. And the question is:What would you like to say to the girlfriend or boyfriend who first dumped you?"

and thought I'd play along....after racking my brains for hours trying to remember a boyfriend who'd dumped me...................I mean surely I DUMPED THEM!!!!!

Seriously though....yes I have been dumped...in fact my first husband dumped me for a younger model! I was distraught at the time but now I'm so grateful...if he hadn't I may never had met Mick! So to T. I would just say a heartfelt

"THANKS! To think I almost wasted the best years of my life on you!"

I remember, when I was about 15, my boyfriend E.; he was football crazy and I spent weeks knitting him a scarf in black and yellow for him to wear at away matches for his team (Chelsea)......the day before I intended to ceremoniously present it to him he DUMPED me.....I'd like to report that I said something brilliantly scathing or witty...but what did I say was ....

"But you can't I've knitted you a scarf!"

how pathetic!

I hope that if I met him again I'd say something more meaningful like......

"Hello, I'm sure we've met before. Didn't we go on a date once or twice? It must have been once. I never make the same mistake twice."

and old 'un but a good 'un.......LOL

If you'd like to join in with this pop over to David's blog and let him know.

I must mention another blogpal today as it's the Birthday of Jeanette; it's been a difficult time for her recently yet she's still had me hooting with laughter at all the fabulous jokes on her blog.

BLOOMING BRILLIANT!

Having had some fun days out I've not caught up with last week's newly bloomed flowers....it still surprises me that there's something new to see each week!

It's also time to do another "changes" photo...these are photos taken from approximately the same position at different times of the year. The first of these two is a "NOW" photo, the other a photo from February.


and FINALLY!!!!!!...one of the Cannas in the front garden is starting to flower...this is the latest they've ever started flowering and I'd almost given up on seeing a bloom this year.....

Before I go (Manda, Nicole and I are off to Colchester to see Leanne & co)...a quick plug for Gledwoods new blog........ANIMAL CRACKERS lots of funny and cutesy animal videos...the EPISODE OF 24 ACTED BY A RABBIT is so funny!!!

and a another quickie under the label of "That's new to me".....I've eaten Okra but never grown it...not even sure if we could in England. When I dropped by Dot's blog STROLLING THROUGH GEORGIA this morning she has posted a photo of an Okra bloom......if you've never seen one please take a look...it's stunning.

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.

GOING BANANAS

I had a lovely stroll round the market yesterday but I had to hold back...with the prices being so much cheaper than the supermarket it's easy to buy more than you need....or at least more than you can EAT! I mean look at all these bananas I got for just £1........ it's not as though they were cheap because the were past their best...some are still ripening. Unless I'm going on a "banana only" diet I know I won't eat them all but luckily Manda & co took some off my hands and if any get over ripe.....well I do make a smashing Banana Bread! You may wonder....why didn't I just buy fewer bananas...well therein lies the rub....it's CHEAPER to buy MORE!!!!

Shopping for one is really expensive........and now I don't have regular weekend visitors to feed I'm having to look at my shopping habits differently. But I'm finding that LESS is costing MORE! Let me explain with a few examples I found at a local supermarket;

Warburtons Medium Sliced Loaf

800g loaf....cost £1

400g loaf....cost 68p

Own brand tinned Baked beans

420g....25p

220g....20p

Nescafe Original Coffee

300g....£5.37

100g....£1.94

Chicken Breasts

pack of 2 Chicken breasts.......equates to £9.64 per kg

bulk pack chicken breasts.......equates to £5.00 per kg

WHOLE chicken.......................equates to £1.79 per kg

Well it doesn't take a degree in higher mathematics to work out that the BIGGER the pack of anything I buy the LESS per kilogram I'm paying; something that worked in my favour when there were more mouths to feed. ....................
but when you're on a limited income every penny counts. Now don't get me wrong, there are bargains to be had and own brand products are often cheaper...and I've got a freezer so it's no hassle to buy a whole chicken, joint it and freeze some...but wouldn't it be nice if sometimes instead of the "BOGOF" (buy one get one free) offers they could have some BUY HALF AND PAY HALF instead!.....after all have you ever tried to freeze a fresh banana...it's not the same when it's defrosted.....LOL

While we're on the subject of food...do you any vanilla pods or essence?.......quickly go and fetch it and while you're looking at the next photo and have a sniff .......................

Clematis Rubromarginata...........hundreds of tiny flowers and the most heavenly scent.

I love this time of year as hardly a day goes by without something coming into flower or bud. The Turks Cap Lily buds are really starting to turn yellow; won't be long before they're in flower.

My Rose of the moment....Rose Nostalgie.....I just love the colouring........................

the gladioli are starting to flower.......................... and so is the Echinacea...................

and my Blue Penstemon is coming to it's peak........................
Now what shall I have for breakfast?...................I think maybe I'll have a banana................

A BIT OF SUN HELPS

The first bloom of the Polish Spirit Clematis.
Although we've still had plenty of heavy rain it's been nice to see a little sun on the garden..this area which holds the largest of the Cannas really needed some sunshine.
and although it copes with the shade the wheelbarrow has looked perkier with the improved light levels
The Buddleia in the far corner is starting to flower well now;

so I can look forward to some more butterflies in the garden; this poor little thing seems to have a damaged wing but still managed to fly around quite happily...

this poor grasshopper seems to have lost one of his antenna...I wonder if it's the extremely strong wind we've had during the bad weather that has caused all these injuries..... The pink bedding Begonia is now smothered in huge bloomsand the red one has now started to bud.This pink Lily is so pretty and smells delicious................ This Yucca Mick brought home from a job he was on about 6 years ago...one of his workmates was throwing it out.....this is the first year it's ever flowered.........My camera has a video facility; not the greatest picture quality but good enough for a quick tour around the garden........as it's a movie I've laid on some popcorn.......



The sun's peeking through again now.......see you later!

GREEN THUMB SUNDAY

Today is not only Canada Day it is also the day on which Smoking becomes outlawed in England in all enclosed places...because of both these events I was torn between posting a photo of Nicotiana or a Maple Leaf...I couldn't decide so opted to post a photo of my all time favourite Clematis; it started flowering on Monday and I know I've weeks of fabulous blooms to look ahead to.

Clematis florida 'Sieboldii'

Also known as c. ‘Sieboldiana’, this plant was introduced by Dr Philipp von Siebold to the Leiden Botanical Garden in Holland and then to the British Isles in 1835. The flower is reminiscent of that of the Passion Flower. Sadly we lost our Passion Flower a few years ago and we never replaced it and to be honest I probably now don't have the room as other plants have filled it's space. There is some fascinating folklore about the Passion Flower..................according to Brewer's Phrase and Fable, "the leaf symbolizes the spear; the five anthers, the five wounds; the tendrils, the cords or whips; the column of the ovary, the pillar of the cross; the stamens, the hammers; the three styles, the three nails; the fleshy threads within the flowers, the crown of thorns; the calyx, the glory or nimbus; the white tint, purity; and the blue tint, heaven." The blooms supposedly stay open three days also, and so could indicate either the time between the crucifixion and resurrection or the three years of Christ's ministry.

Some say that the petals represent the apostles; as there are only 10 petals you have to discount the two who supposedly weren't present at Calvary (Judas and Peter). So, in the Language of Flowers, the plant came to stand for "religious superstition."

THE LOST PETAL

GREEN THUMB SUNDAY

I couldn't decide which of these flowers to post as my Green Thumb Sunday entry this week; they have both started to flower this weekend............... so I'm posting them both.

STAR OF INDIA - CLEMATIS

INCARVILLIA

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GREEN THUMB SUNDAY BLOGROLL

SNAP HAPPY

There are times in the garden when I wish so much that I had a better camera or a proper camcorder. Today was one of those times.....I almost caught one of the ladybird larva as it changed from larva to adult ...apologies for the quality but I had to TRY to get it on film..there are a lot of greenfly about and I'm going to need these garden friends to help me through the year.
LADYBIRD LARVA

and there was the cutest little spider's nest nestled in the crevice of one of the garden ornaments; more friends!!!

BABY SPIDERS

I was quite surprised to see that our pink Hydrangea is already trying to bloom
and really pleased to see that Mick's favourite Clematis, Star Of India, is starting to unfurl its petals. So much is happening in the garden I'm going to have to start carrying my camera with me every moment of the day!

POTS AND TANS

The weather today has been superb; more like Summer than Spring and I had the most wonderful peaceful, pottering day. It was beautifully warm and I know I've caught the sun...quite a nice tan building up! The top end of the garden is starting to look like a garden centre...and of course some plants have yet to germinate!!!So much is waiting to be planted out once I feel the risk of frost is past...I really have more plants than space so I'm hoping that Talj and Lynn will take some of the extras off my hands. I must admit that a few I have already put into the soil...I just needed to find more space and the soil was where the space was. The baskets and troughs I'll keep an eye on and whisk them in depending on the forecast....no problems tonight though! The one thing we do need is rain...many pots are really dry and I've had to water them a few times. Sometimes it can be hard to water a really dry pot as the water just pours through...you'll find a tip about that on my Ruth's Shoots blog.

I'm really happy with the Aquilegia so far...the seed themselves about and you never know quite what will pop up.

The caterpillar from yesterday has now made his way onto the Iris
and I spotted quite a few of the dreaded Lily Beetle; this one posed quite nicely before he was DIS-posed

On the subject of pests; I've also found a couple of Vine Weevils in the house so be alert!!!

At one point a lovely Damselfly came to sit next to me; typically I'd just take my camera indoors and it was gone again before I could take a photograph. This butterfly did wait around for a while. I've never seen one like this before in our garden.......does anyone know what it is?????

The flowers of the Pixie Clematis are so "ickle" and very pretty. I understand it's not reliably hardy so I must remember to take care of it during the winter.
When I was pinching out the Fuchsias I decided to pop a few of the pinchings into a pot.....if they strike I'll have a few to give away.

They say we may have some rain in the next couple of days; the garden will love that!....and it did cloud over a little at the very end of the afternoon but not enough to prevent me seeing this beautiful sunset.