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.

GARDEN CATCH UP

Yet again serious flooding has threatened not only properties but lives as well. Parts of Gloucestshire and Oxfordshire are seriously affected at the moment. Many people have no drinking water some are being told to boil their water. Much of Southern England is under a severe weather warning ........I have been lucky (so far) in my small part of East Anglia and the weather has just been something to have a good moan about......my heart goes out to all those whose lives have been devastated.

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Another week's passed since my last "catch up" post and still no sign of a bud on the Cannas and Brugmansias....the mixed up seasons this year are doing strange things to the garden. These Cyclamen don't usually flower until the Autumn...........and there's already autumnal colour starting on some of the Sorbus leaves...............
at least the Hibiscus is flowering bang on schedule....it always starts when the children break up for the summer holidays. When I think of how much I chop it back each year to keep it to a manageable size it's a wonder it doesn't sulk. At least my Japanese Painted ferns haven't minded the low light levels this year...the are right against our Northfacing wall and are twice the size they were last year......
I love the colouring on the leaves.....................
I'm really pleased I took cuttings of the double busy lizzys last year; I cursed trying to overwinter them in the back bedroom but it was all worth it. This is one of my favourite....

The Coleus cuttings have bulked out too...when I think how weedy they looked after the winter....I use them to fill in gaps when early flowers have gone over......this one plant has filled this space in a trough in no time..............

Another cutting doing really well is this Pelargonium...........I had problems with white fly on it during the winter but it seems fine now. I'd love to take more cuttings each year but space is limited......the garden itself is 24 feet by 20 feet (7 and a bit metres X 6 and a bit metres) and as practically every part of it is planted up (except for the path way and and one small bench area) there's just no room for a proper greenhouse.

The basket I planted up of "left overs" to cover the bare area where nothing would grow......is filling out really well.................
and I think I'd better start picking these runner beans.....the dwarf ones are new to me so looking forward to seeing what they taste like......
This lily has started bloming now...it's the same markings as the Turks Cap but faces upwards....being one of the Asiatics it doesn't have a scent........
I'm pleased this Hydrangea is doing well; it's a cutting taken a couple of years ago...purely by accident...I was making up a floral arrangement with some Hydrangea flowers in Oasis and the stems rooted!Libby sent me some Rincinus seed which unfortunately I never managed to get them to germinate. I was lucky a few months ago to find 4 seedlings for sale at a local nursery....they are growing quite well now and I think this may be a flower bud starting.......I've already posted photos of the red Lucifer crocosmia (monbretia) flowering but now the orange one has started to bloom....just the yellow to wait for now....I think the Whisky Mac Rose by the front door is trying to block the doorway....maybe it's aiming to stop the postman dropping off the bills.......LOLBet you thought "Oh no insects today!"....well I'll just slip in one butterfly photo before I go.........

Dependant on what today's weather brings we are hoping to have a "Family Walkabout". Looking pretty dismal at the moment but the day is still young...off to do my "sun dance" now.

Sorry I'm not getting to all of your blogs at the moment; I'll catch up as soon as I can.

GREEN THUMB SUNDAY

I'm using my Green Thumb Sunday post as an excuse to show a few photos of a few "happenings" in the garden this week that never made it to my previous posts.

First of all the self seeded Nigella have started to bloom

and so has the Ajuga

these tulips are in a vase indoors...I love the pure white

the Rincinus seed that Libby sent me AGES ago is finally doing something....I'm not sure what yet though. It's taken so long....you should see how big Libby's is now.
Look Talj, at last my Peace plant has opened it's flower!
This is the first of our Aquilegia in bloom
can you see the caterpillar?


Finally...a beautiful sunset

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GREEN THUMB SUNDAY BLOGROLL

JUST THE ONE!

Now I'm sure you all remember my vow that I made last Friday ......not to keep taking photos of every little plant that starts to nudge itself upwards into the air.............

well I'm finding it quite hard to stick to it so I've decided I'm allowed to print just ONE photo of newly emerging shoots. That said; here's today's photo.

Last week I noticed on Scarecrow's blog a plant called Strawberry Spinach. It was a new plant to me and I really fancied trying to grow it.....(I will find space somehow!)...I did a search and found a company that sold seed....the packet arrived yesterday so I'm looking forward to giving it a try. Libby of Woodlands World had sent me some Rincinus seed a little while ago and as she also seemed interested in Scarecrow's plant I've sent her some of the seed through the post. Both the leaves and fruit are edible so it's a good plant to grow for people with limited space. While I was looking for plant labels (have run out of lolly sticks) I came across a packet of very old Sweet Pea seeds. I'm going to see if these will germinate as they are a variety with no tendrils, which will be handy in hanging baskets.Speaking of Libby ; she has in fact found fame!; she did a 5 minute talk about blogging on Radio Wiltshire. Sadly I didn't read her blog until it was all over so missed the actual programme. Good for you though Libby; spread the glory of blogging far and wide!

Before I leave you for today....a quick update on the rubbish situation;

IT'S STILL THERE!!!

THINGS ARE STARTING TO MOVE!

Now I realise that as Spring approaches we are all going to be ultra busy in the garden and with our Spring Cleaning (ha ha). These long leisurely cuppas are going to have to be put on hold for a while. It's going to be a case of a quick flit in and out and maybe a comment if you've time....it's OK I understand...I'm a gardener too remember! I have also got to curb my desire to photograph every single plant that starts shooting up.............everything's on the move now and we would be here all night! So I will TRY to only publish photos of plants; only as they come into flower; anything that's new to me or anything I think is unusual or particularly interesting. Now remember I did say "TRY" so forgive me if the odd little "shooting" photo turns up now and again.

I'd already taken a photo of this Toad Lily coming through so this doesn't count
and neither does this Wild Garlic. OK I know some people think of it as a weed but we seem to have it under control and it's great to cook with besides having very pretty flowers.
I do so love crocus when they open their flowers to the sun
and who could resist Anemone Blanda in flower
This is a job I must do; the Epymidium leaves need cutting off. If I leave them too long I'll risk cutting off the flower stems too; and these old leaves will start to look tatty soon.Look you can see the flower buds are starting to emerge!
The Fritillaria Persica buds are already stating to form!!!....since yesterday!

And just spotted the white Dicentra is coming through at last.

See!....now wasn't I good. I didn't photograph the phlox, the dog's tooth violets, the aconitum, the delphiniums, the...............

Oh... just one more thing; the Rincinus seeds, that Libby sent me, are now in soak.
Oh and there's more...this evening I read for the first time a blog by a lady called Olive......she is 107 years old! What an inspiraion to us all. To see for yourself click HERE.