Joy's Outbox

Post script...... my husband has change dhis mind! typical. Insteda of a pergola over the top of the decking he would rather have a 'hedge'..ie, big plant pots with evergreen shrubs in such as hebe and lavendar. Now that is much simpler, and cheaper to do. Thank you for all the tips,have written them down and will use some of the suggetsions anyway as a climber in a tub up the back wall instead of over a pergola.

the back garden is east facing so will be too chilly then for the jasmin..to flower in summer I think would be best, something fragrant as we sit out under it...lol

Thanks for the suggestions, the jasminoides sounds rather nice, will investigate that one and the armandii clematis. will pass on the passion flower though...lol Had one at last house and it turned out to be such a thug, couldn't get rid of it, kept coming up under the shed, the decking ...everywhere

Have a ph kit left over from the lottie so will do that...hadn't thought of that, know that it had been used by cats as a toilet...which is anotherr eason i decided not to keep it.

ah, is that what i should do, each topic/question I start a new blog??

Have planted my first crop....broad bean seeds in a alarge planter. My mini greenhous eis up too ready and waiting for next years chilli plants. Been to the allotment today for the last time. took my husband as it is quite a trek. We cleaed the last of the crops, lots of leeks, fennel and the last of the 'spring onions'...and a baby squash. Found a happy home for my huge new water butt and the last of the compost bins. Everything else has been cleared out, the shed is empty apart from the spiders. Had a big cry but am now looking forward to planting up lots of tubs in the back garden. Have dug over the front garden but have decided not to really fill it with plants until the double glazing has been put in and the roof mended..they will only trample over everything.

There is a big un neutered ginger tom next door who has been bullying poor Walter. Not much I can do about that,they are bound to have a scarp sooner or later.

Has any one any idea on how to get rid of the smell of cat and dog pee from laminate flooring? The small bedroom seems to be the worst affected and there is a large stain in one spot which we presume is where all the soiling has occured. Have a feeling that the flooring will need to come up and the lining replaced. We have scrubbed all the walls and rest of floors with some industrial strength cleaner and sanitised but the smell still remains...so any suggetsions??

Hooray...we have moved house...what a trauma.. finally got the internet 'activated' again after hours of phone calls to India at 25p a minute...husband reckons we have spent hundred pound on getting the telvisiona nd internet sorted out...all thanks to a virginmedia technician who messed up the reconnection. we are not pleased.

We also learned yesterday that previous owner neglected to pay his council tax, his water bill, his gas and electricity which may explain why we had two debt collectors round last week. Husband manged to get the gas and electric sorted by faxing through a letter from solicitors. Council tax OK, now working on the water company.

The cat gets let out tomorrow. Son in law is coming to fit the cat flap in the back door. Don't know what he will make of a totally concrete back garden.

Front garden is workable with and with a friends help i am collecting my compost bins and tools from the allotment tomorrow. However, can't find all my seeds, they have been put some where safe...haha What should i be setting round about now?

Apologies in advance for not replying to any more comments....Virgin Media cannot reconnect us untill Thursday 11th October so will have withdrawl symptoms by then as husband is disconnecting and packinga way all the techie stuff tonight.

Walter ...lol

Back garden is totally enclosed with high fences and solid gate. Am thinking about putting a cat flap in the fence as we have at this house...Only three more days to go till moving day...Last chance to look at the alottment. Rent is paid till January so will enlist a friends help to collect all the reusable stuff like compost bins, water butts, wheelbarrow and dig up the Jerusalem artichokes. Am very sad at having to live my big pond as it has given me endless hours of 'pond watching' fun and water for the foxes to drink.

That's what I thought he would do...lol as I have never seen him use our garden as a loo yet..... now isn't this the major complaint of the 'cat hating brigade' ?

Have found that Italian seeds do green lentils for a fiver a 100gm box...but don't want a whole field full. All the info i have found so far tends to refer to commercial growing not in a back yard.

Has any one grown chick peas?