LIZARD ROCKIN'

Despite the predictions yesterday was not as wet as expected; (though some parts of the country have been badly flooded; condolences to families who have lost loved ones).

Here there was even a glimmer of sun between the showers (and downpours)...it gave me a chance to get outside and do some deadheading....even in our small garden there was lots to do. The Strawberry Spinach has started fruiting now.....the fruits are quite pippy but very colourful...and I've had some great salad leaves off the plants.

Now I must show you this.................... for the last couple of years over at the school Manda works at a family of lizards have been basking during the Summer on one of the windowsills.....Manda has so much wanted to get a photo but camera and lizards were never in the same place at the same time. Yesterday she had taken my camera to work with her so she could copy some of the photos I took on the school outing last week.....at one point when the sun was shining she went and checked the windowsill .....and the lizards were there!!!!!!It was so lovely at dusk time....as it was dry I was able to have a twilight sit in the garden.......I really like the solar lamps..........they throw out a soft glow...I don't want the garden lit as though it's in floodlights.....

as I love the magical feel of the garden as darkness comes.....................

I've also received another Rockin' Girl Blogger Award ....thanks Anna (if you've never seen her fabulous photos you've missed a treat).......I have on on my Million Stories Blog and am so happy to have one here too. Anna was so kind when she said: Ruth has a wonderful blog full of wise words and a great photo every day to accompany them. She is also a VERY gifted gardener, and her garden blog is a joy to see!..............
now time for me to do some nominating......if you already have one I hope you'll accept another or if you prefer just pass it on to another deserving blog ......

Analia....I know you've been offline for a while but I know you'll be back soon....through all the trials that life has thrown at you you've always found time for your blogfriends. Your writing is poetry and I'll always be grateful for the special words you wrote for Mick.

Suzi-K.....your photos and tours are so full of fascinating information....and help me to learn about a part of the world (South Africa) I know so little about. Your art work is beautiful and has a quality of its own....wishing you luck in you new venture.

Elsie...(another South African friend) for all your inspiring ezi-blogs......so many gift ideas and wonderful recipes...and your ezi-kids-stuff-galore should be bedside reading for every Parent and School teacher.

Crafty Gardener...a beautiful garden, wonderful information and such inventive ideas that would grace any garden. The tower of tea-pots is beautiful and the tipsy pots!...inspirational.

LilyMarlene....who works so hard on her wonderfully productive allotment and still found time to post all her fabulous photos from Chelsea....plus (just in case I ever get to the Isle Of Wight) she is filling a Rumtopf!!!!!

GOOD NEW(t)S!

I've really got a glut of lettuces at the moment; the Little Gems are starting to heart up beautifully and although the slugs have had a few nibbles there is plenty left for me. I'm a big green salad fan and have been adding some Strawberry Spinach leaves to my salads...
I've heeded the WARNING on the link sent to me by Scarecrow and only added a few leaves at a time; I'm pleased to say I've suffered no ill effects.
I've had a pleasant morning tidying out the shed and putting the plastic greenhouse away...the forecast is that the weather is going to warm up again and I need the greenhouse space for pots now. During my numerous coffee breaks I sat on the bench by the pond and was pleased to see the Newts are playing the mating game.


And guess what!!!!!!!...................Drum Roll....Fanfare of trumpets...................

THE RUBBISH HAS GONE!

A STROLL ROUND THE GARDEN

Well it seems ages since I asked you to pop by and have a drink with me. So as a bit of a belated birthday celebration why don't you stop and raise a glass and take a look around the garden.

Wasn't it a chilly night here in Suffolk last night. I'm glad I'd tucked all the tender plants away in the shed and greenhouse.It was a real herringbone sky this morning..click and take a closer look at that cloud just above the treeIsn't this Iris a beauty...just perfect......

and the first of the Senetti flowers is out. I love the colour of this one.

Oops...just realised I've had the Morning Glory seeds soaking for two days; you can see their little roots starting to emerge...pour yourself a drink while I get them potted up.......

These black tulips are living up to their name...Queen of the Night

and the little Leopard's Bane we bought at Roys is flowering..........

I'm so glad the slight frosts haven't affected the Camellia flowers too much..........

and the two tone colour of the variegated perennial Wallflower is really unusual.

Don't you just adore the new red shoots of the Pieris

I'm so thrilled that my experiment of overwintering some Canna in the ground has worked; there are quite a few of these shoots coming through.

Ukbob has just recently bought a Lady Boothby climbing Fuchsia. We've had ours a few years now and it's just starting to shoot.
This is a relative of the Gunnera; but this is an "ickle" one; the leaves only grow to 4 inches at the most in our pond.

I'm so glad this fern is coming through; it's Ursula's Red ................

The begonia baskets are doing well.................
the first sign of a flower bud already!!!

I must plant these Anemone De Caan corms.....I just poke my finger in the soil down a couple of cms and pop them in.
Gosh we've even got some buds on the Acer dissectum...never had those before!

These are the Strawberry Spinach seedlings I've got to plant out. Scarecrow has given me a link to some great information (which includes a warning!)....click HERE to read it. Oh and you must visit her hubby's The Frugal World of Doc blog when you have a moment.....I'd highly recommend it...there are recipes, toys to make and lots more
Ruby is looking so much better than last Autumn...her move to the front garden has suited her.

I know it was in a photo recently but I just love this Cerinthe.........just look at the colour of it's "flowers"........
Hack's Red is still flowering well....it's in a pot...no room in the soil and is getting a bit leggy...I'll give it a prune when the flowers are over.....

Oh I didn't realise how late it's getting...the sun's going down

think we'll call that it for today. See you next time and HAPPY GARDENING!

YESTERDAY IN OUR GARDEN

A quick run through of the latest photos; I didn't have much time to get outside today...such a shame as it was a lovely day......when I did pop out though I made sure I had my camera with me.....I don't want to miss anything!

I know these are indoors and not in the garden but just had to photograph this huge Amaryllis bloom

The (almost) black Tulips are stunning

The first Pond Skater of the year

I love the way Fern leaves unfurl

Aeroplane trails make for an interesting photo; I wonder where this plane's going

I'm really impressed with these red Tulips

The Strawberry Spinach seedlings look ready to move on
The lettuces (Little gem) are growing
The self seeded Cerinthe should have been thinned but it's making a lovely show
The first pond grass in flower
That's all folks!

TIME FOR A LINGER?

It's been a little while since I had the time to invite you in for a sit down and a beverage and as the weather is so pleasant we may as well make the most of it and sit in the garden;

That's it...make yourself comfy.... and I'll tell you what's been going on in the seedling department.

The "Poor Man's Orchids" (Schizanthus) are really doing well
and so are the Alpine Strawberries.And talking of strawberries; the Strawberry Spinach seeds are already germinating....I only sowed them on 8th March.
The Great Pip Challenge pots are doing quite well

the Lychee has now sent up a shoot
all the orange pips have germinated
and the Avocado looks like it's going to be an attractive plant.
I'm not sure about the ginger though....Libby's is really shooting well but mine just seems to be sitting there and not moving at all.
I've got to repot the Bishop of Llandaff and Fascination Dahlias so while I'm doing that help yourself to an ice-cream

The Bishop hasn't been repotted for two years now; I've just been top dressing it so I reckon it deserves some fresh compost.

As my hands are dirty anyway I'm lifting these Carnations that have got quite woody. I could take cuttings but I think I'll just "drop" them; I'll dig a deeper hole and plant them deeper so that all those woody stems are beneath the soil; the stems will start to send out shoots and the whole plant will look far bushier...I've done this before with heathers too and it always seems to work.

If you look very closely this frog is eating a worm; would rather he had eaten a slug!
Some poor frog must have "missed" and has laid its spawn on top of this rock; I'll quickly turn it on its side so that the spawn is underwater.

I love the way that this daffodil holds it's petals so far back.

The hanging basket begonias are shooting well; I'll start topping the compost up soon.
Even the bedding Begonias are starting to shoot.
The freebie grasses I found in the paving cracks are looking happy
and quite a few of that VERY OLD packet of Sweet Peas have grown...they were well past their sow by date.
I'm glad I cut the Epymidium leaves off as the flowers have started to open. They are like miniature Daffodils.The Senetti are growing on well; I'll start sorting out some proper large pots for them next week. I don't want them becoming root bound in these modules.
Well I bet you're all itching to get back to your own gardens; see you again soon!