Muddy_boots' Blog

Busy Day

Hey! Once again it’s been a great day, but looks like we are in for a soaking over the weekend here in the Fens.

First thing, I went up to the Thursday Market this afternoon and couldn’t keep my hands in my pocket. Ended up buying some more plants as below. While I was at the stall, I discovered that the Lollo Rosso plants I bought on Saturday were labeled incorrectly.

They were actually Dark Lollo Rosso, or, Lattuga Red Salad Bowl.

‘Red Salad Bowl’ produce tight rosettes of oak-shaped leaves that turn a deep burgundy as they mature. It can be picked over a long period, and it is extremely decorative in the veggie garden.

Now, I have been bird watching in my garden for wild birds, not them damned pigeons, and discovered yesterday that one of my boxes has been inhabited by a robin family. I saw a couple of little heads looking out and thought that I’d take some photos, but, I am too late. This morning there was a real old racket going on outside the patio doors where I had just thrown some mealworms. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the racket was coming from a couple of fledgling robins, demanding to be fed by the parents. I don’t know where they have gone, but I haven’t seen them all day.

A little later, a blackbird was kicking up a row. I thought the big black moggie was about, but the blackbird was perched on top of the water feature and looking straight into my room. I got some bread and threw it out and he went straight to the bread before I had finished breaking up the bread. He seems to have got really tame.

Last of the birds for today. One of my tit boxes has definitely been taken over by a pair of coal tits. I have seen them taking in nesting material. It was blue tits last year, so hopefully, before long we’ll have little ‘uns around.

As for other things in the garden. Well, I had a couple of friends call around this morning and, as I have lost my sense of smell at the moment, I asked Lesley to see if the Bridal Crown daffs have any fragrence and she said they have. Quite strong too.

There are daffs others coming out too.

I’ve also sown some carrot seed today into one of the larger pots. I’ve made a sort of tent of a fleece draped over a tripod to try and stave off the dreaded carrot fly.

One of the next and important jobs I’ve got to do tomorrow, is get that Slug Cloear diluted and sprayed. I have tost noticed the blue tips of the Hostas poking through and some shells distrbuted around them.



Lollo Rosso

There is a bewildering diversity of lettuce types, with more appearing all the time. Butterheads are soft loose-hearted varieties, crispheads or icebergs are large dense and crunchy, cos types have upright, crisp leaves, and loose-leaf do not make hearts but are gathered as dense leafy heads or individual leaves are picked over a long period. ‘Lollo Rosso’ has very pretty frilly reddish-pink leaves. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).



Tomato – Shirley

I grew these last year in large pots and, despite the weather, had a good crop and I am still using the green chutney I made at the end of the season

Tomato – Gardener’s Delight.

I have grown these before too and are also a good cropper

Cherry Tomato – Tumbler x 2.

Now, I love to have these in tubs, two to a tub with a basil plant in too, next to me on the patio so that I can pick them while I’m sat out there. This year, I am thinking of growing at least one plant in a hanging basket.

AllI need is plum toms, though I still have some in the freezer, along with some puree I made up at the end of last season.



Saxifragax arendsii – Highlander Rose Shades – Alpine

Cushion of soft green rosettes spreading to a dense green mat. Needs good light but protection from the hottest afternoon summer sun. Single flowers on 3” stems April-June. 4 in. Sun to part shade.

ERODIUM – Bishops Form – Alpine
This Erodium has the best rose-red flowers. Lovely dark green foliage and striking flowers with good compact habit, flowering throughout the summer. A must for any rock garden, border or container. It looks particularly good with other Erodiums, Sedums, Alpine Phlox and Armeria’s. A very choice plant. 8×25 cms.

WoW! That was an epic!

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Tags: Alpines salad_leaves tomatoes