David's Outbox

LOL, Bern!! Tt asked me to post this as a pic from a series of blogs am doing re a gardening diary I kept from 1998 - 2001. Yes, I suppose, I went colour mad. Surprised at just how many people like this (including yourself, Di :-)), but it did blend in well with the finished garden, and I liked it, too. :-))

Oops! We just posted comments at the same time there, Di ! :-D

Imagine, Uma, if I had the whole series of those books!! I'd never be heard from again. :-D

Hi Amy! Yes, the cultivation instructions in here are fascinating, and so detailed. Not sure that the month-by-month "to do" guide would work nowadays. I'd like to share parts of this book as blogs in the future, but not sure about copyright. Perhaps a few pics, short quotes, and providing a reference point (as there is in the "Questions" section) may be enough to make it permissible? :-))

Sue. - Grenville decided to "move on", but has "re-planted" himself on another gardening website/forum, which, in my humble opinion, is altogether greatly inferior and , therefore, Madam, I beg leave of you not to put a gentleman, such as myself, in an awkward situation, and ask of me to divulge the merest detail. Hurrah for this marvellous new invention, known, I believe, as the telegraph, and - God Save the King!! :-D

Yes, Tt, LOL! That garden belonged to a house of the perfect period for this book, and "The Victorian Stumpery" et al, fitted in perfectly! Have posted the shed as a pic, as you suggested! :-))

lol, Tt! I don't have the hair for that! :-D

This is fantastic!! :-))

Lucky Jenny! Gr8 idea, Andrea!

Superb! :-))

It is a fabulous pic, Jacque. Now, it has that wonderful story to go with it. Thanks, Amano. :-))

Great. I'd never have spotted him without the clues above, though. :-))

The rain's back on again here, Sandra :-(

Haha Tt!!! It is a lot like his avatar pic, isn't it?

Hi Sue! They sure did! And, Mrs Beeton did write a gardening book, herself, too. But she was long gone by 1890, she died at the young age of 28 (not the image I had of her as a plump, elderly lady - a bit like Mrs Bridges in "Upstairs Downstairs" - Lol!! :-))

Not sure about the hot beds myself . Grenville is no longer a member here, but was a very regular contributor. I miss his fantastic blogs, but he removed everything :- (

The best 10p I've ever spent, Uma. This could keep me entertained for years :-)

Hi Sandra! Yes, heavy rain solid for 2 days, many roads closed. My neighbour's back garden is underwater, but our "chocolate" garden hasn't become a "chocolate river", Thank Goodness!! Normal sunshine today, though. :-)).

Lol, Tt! Would have really liked one of the green/glasshouses advertised, though, or even space for hot beds, melon pits, etc. :-))

Thanks, Dan! I've scanned it all onto disc now, so the original will go back into the box for another 10 years or so. :-))

I had some of that in my last garden, Marie and, yes, the birds took that, too!!

It's a pity you didn't get a better view of it, Hywel. :-(

No, don't have it now, Arlene. I changed its colour, too - to blue and silver, lol!

I was going to go to the Gateshead festival, Alice, but never got. :-(

Indy, yes, it's given us a good laugh here. :-))

Tt - I don't have any middle names Vic or Edward, lol!! :-D

This pic is for Terratoonie, who will know why, LOL!

Recently found this again in a box of things in the loft. Currently going through all the advertisements, finding out about the companies, products, people, plants, places, exhibitions, etc., mentioned in this book. A fascinating social history! This book was one of a series of "Shilling" gardening guides written and published by Samuel Orchard(T) Beeton, husband of the famous "domestic goddess" of that time, Mrs (Isabella Mary) Beeton.

Far from it, Drc. Am in my third garden since then! :-))

You shall have your cake, Marie........................:-D

That's interesting, Balcony, because same happened here one year. I had similar baskets and the lining got pulled to shreds, too!

Thanks, Seaburn and Dee (more coming) :-))

Oh Tt, my very first camera was an old Brownie given to me by a family friend, LOL! Have now reached the Millenium! :-D

Thanks, Balcony! Did you escape the awful weather I've been reading about and seeing pics of here on GOY?

Indeed,DottyD.! I ended up with over 100ft of trellis to paint in that garden :-( (as I'll show, eventually).

:-)) Hywel!

Arlene, not sure what size the urn in the pic would have been. Mine was just over 2ft tall, ribbed just like the one in the pic, but had handles. No, didn't have Thalia. And, the urn idea was to be short-lived, as will be explained. Have also corrected my spelloing mistake - it wasn't Athernian (in case you thought I meant Arthurian! :-)).

Lol, Tt!! I'm sure it was! "Watch the Birdie" would have been a good catchphrase to have at the time, but all my "coverage" of the Blue Tits and the nest box was caught only through the lens of a camcorder. I should get the films put onto DVD. :-))

Ah, Spritz - but it did get painted - just NOT "Iris Blue"!! And, this piece of trellis work "multiplied" by at least 4 times to surround most of the main part of the garden (as will be seen). Yes, Andrew, it was like painting the Forth Bridge when it came to it - Haha!! :-)) The last time I put up trellis I let the children paint it instead - and got into trouble for the ruined clothes, lol!!

The next lot of pages have been scanned now, so am up to the Millenium - that's 2000, not 1900, Tt!!! :-D

Yes, my fave, too, at this time of year. :-)

Eerie, but really like it! :-)

Hope the storms have gone for good by now, without further damage. Not even a breeze here, so felt quite guilty that I was able to complete my bulb-planting and get some tidying up done in the garden, then read on GOY about the awful weather elsewhere. :-((

Many Thanks for this Indy!! Have managed to "squeeze" this into 2 pages of the GOYpedia!!!! :-))

Hope all goes well henceforth, and the Garrya can soon do without its "crutches". Lovely pics, I especially like the irises. :-)

Neither have I - didn't even know this existed!!

You might at least have had a Danish pastry to go with the Lego brainwave!!!
Good thinking, Batman! Lovely pics, too!! :-)

Well, you never know, Hywel...... :-)

Bb - Just a pity I don't have photos of the birds and the nest box, but I did get it all on video. I should really try to dig those out and transfer onto DVD. :-)

Many Thanks, Bornagain. :-)

Ouch!!!! Who did that?????? :-))

Many Thanks, Uma! Not really so tasty in real life, though! :-))

I like "disorganised" Grammazoo, lol! Never get fed up going through it all then! :-D

Thanks, Hywel and Holly! :-))

Many Thanks, Milky, Morgana and Holly!! :-)

Hi Hywel! I think that I might try this again, myself, next Spring. I always kept articles, etc., for garden DIY projects in a folder, too, and I still have it, although I'll never get round to actually doing most of them. :-)