Saturday, November 25, 2006

Getting there

Bob has prompted me to let everyone know that I am still in the land of the living and on Monday the cause of my pain and distress over the last two weeks will be removed! After that I hope that all will settle down and be well. Needless to say, the upset has thrown out all my planning and work schedules as I didn't really feel like doing very much and I have not really been near the garden.

On a bright note a friend recently bought me The Unknown Gertrude Jekyll for my birthday. What a lovely book. It is a collection of her articles which has been brought together under one book cover for the first time. Her writing style is rather like a friend talking to you about your garden and filling you with all kinds of ideas and enthusiasms. The garden advice is sensible and straightforward and she maintains your interest. We have many good garden writers today who can enthuse us to go on and do even better things in our gardens but for me writers such as Gertrude Jekyll and the late great Christopher Lloyd will always have my rapt attention and a special place on my bookshelf. The Unknown Gertrude Jekyll is by Martin Wood.

The weather in Cumbria at the moment is very mild and rather pleasant in fact after the recent storms so hopefully after Monday, if it continues, I might feel more like getting down to the weeding which I know wants doing.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

not a happy bunny

Sorry for the lack of blogs recently but out of nowhere I have developed a tooth abscess and now I look as though I have had an argument with a garden spade.

Needless to say I haven't been too busy in the garden as the facial disfigurement is quite serious and I am operating on one eye at the moment. I haven't been out to walk around the garden and the last time I did I felt so rotten that I actually swore at the remains of a Dahlia which looked very sad after the frost and needed cutting down.

The weather has been very wet and windy but the garden seems to be coping well with the conditions which are quite normal for Cumbria at this time of the year. It is also still quite mild which is a boon and if this is global warming then I really do feel that I am not averse to it.

As I wait to regain my normal charming looks I will content myself with using my one open eye to look at my gardening books, always something to cheer me up.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

wallflowers

I have to report that I finally obtained the wallflowers. Still at bit pricey but at least they are now planted. The winter weather is now really settling in and so pot wrapping was completed this week. I have lost lots of good pots due to frost and now don't buy them. There are plenty of pots on the market which look like terracotta and I have found these to be quite good. Spending £25+ on a pot which then cracks in the winter is not common sense and if you live in a frost pocket as I do you would do well to explore alternatives.

The only pot which I have ever been able to leave out without wrapping is one I bought in France several years ago. Now it is clear that that is real terracotta!

The recent wind has brought many of the leaves off the trees now and the garden really is in autumn mode. It has been a fantasic October and many people have made the most of it by getting out into the country and enjoying the air and colours while it lasts.

It really is time to sit by the fire with the catalogues and gardening books and start planning for next year. I have some plans but I am not revealing them just yet as I might change my mind - but that's what gardening is about I think.

In the meantime hope the winter pansies settled in well Bob.

Sunday, November 05, 2006

welcome

Pleased to meet some new friends on the reckless blog. Thanks to all of you who responded to the last blog. Bob is doing a good job PR wise! So hope you all looked at the reckless website and will keep coming back.

After the cold snap in Cumbria the weather once again picks up and we are blessed with some lovely autumn days. Yes I should really try and grow my own wallflowers I think its just being lazy so maybe next year I will give it a go.

I have grown two new holly trees which are still quite small but hopefully I will be able to bring some into the house for Christmas. They really are lovely plants to have as bed fillers and perhaps for an ugly corner you want to hide and its always extra special to have your own holly in the house over the festive season.

Have a good gardening weekend everyone.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

the rain in spain

Well we have had a really good few days of downpours but also interspersed with lovely autumnal days so we can't complain in Cumbria. The ground is quite boggy but rather that than the dryed-out soil of the summer.

I have been touring some of the garden centres looking for wallflowers but without much luck. The cost in a couple of them for a miserable bunch of 10 was over £3.50 in some cases which is insane, did I read the labels wrong? I usually buy from a local nursery or grower if I can find them as they are much better value than at garden centres, but up to now i have had little luck. I think I will have to try harder.

The leaves are now falling with gusto and the autumnal colours are here and there but the leaf drop I think has come before the colour really changed. I suppose this is because of the warmer weather, there hasn't been quite so many cold nights but now things do seem to be changing.

I'm busy planning features for the winter months for Reckless so if anyone has any ideas about what they would like to see featured post a comment to this blog and we will see what we can do.

According to his blog the Gardener to the Big House (Bob) is planting winter pansies - I have found these very good value for money as they make lovely hanging baskets and tubs right through to spring. I have even got some from last year which are still going strong.

Ah well, must get back to the wallflower hunt!