David's Outbox

Helloe Hoya, the "YelloeBrick road" is in fact a timber "boardwalk" which I built three years ago from leftover timber, for use by the kids as a cycle/skate track, linking the various parts of the garden. This was painted with three coats of yellow exterior paint, and my Dad marked out the brickwork in black. If this track had not already been here, i doubt whether the Wizard of Oz theme would ever have happened. PS. When is your Radio garden quiz?

Have just got round to reading this. Many thanx for this tip. Will try this. best Wishes!

Y4es, it really would be a lovely learning experience but, unfortunately, vandalism in areas such as school grounds (especially during holiday periods) is a major consideration - and deterrent -for many schools planning outdoor projects.

Reminds me of when I was a kid. I also had a pet tortoise who often escaped out onto the dirt road beyond our garden and was run over often - with no damage done.

Amazingly deceptive pic - I thought iwas a grass verge in a park!

Amazing closeup of one of my favourite flowers!

Amazing results! I have read about this method, but always veered towards filling large spaces with one crop. this year, i tried growing veg such as courgettes amongst the flower beds, but have found it more work. When giving the plants in the greenhouse and main veg beds a weekly liquid feed, i have either forgotten the flower beds veg, or had to search to find them, and the whole feeding process takes up to an hour longer with a lot more filling and walking. will have to rethink the ornamental flower'veg plots, perhaps. Well done!

Hi, of course a garden can never be "finished". Plants, like us, have a lifespan, and need replacing, veg need rotation, therefore, the garden can never look the same twice, also, plants grow and outgro their positions. We also gain inspirationd, and develop our gardens. i must admit that I move myplants and garden furniture around probably as many times as my wife re-arranges the lounge and bedroom (and am lucky enough so far to get away with it).

Congratulations to you, after so much hard work. You have shown so much commitment to your specialised field.

My daughter has been making fat balls at her Nursery for the last 2 years. Simply, melt lard or fat in a pan, add wild bird seed, small cunks of fruit, etc and stir, pour into yoghurt pots already with a hole in bottom and string put through, leave to set and voila! Homemade bird feeders. You can also form them into balls and, when set, place in saved net bags from mandarins, onions, etc (recycling) and hang. We have also taken some short log cuts, drilled indents with a 5cm router bit to a short depth, hammered heavy u-shaped staples into one end and strung, filled with a fat/seed/nut mix and, when set, simply hung up on tree branches. We do, however, only feed the birds in the winter months, stopping in march or Ap[ril, depending on the weather, to encourage them to forage for garden pests.

Hi, am looking forward to seeing the developments, and to your newsletter, Joey. Well done!

Hi, amd glad to read all the advice here. I always get gifts of amaryllis for christmas and hated disposing of theme coz I did not know what to do with them. By now I could have had a forest! Will try all your tips now. many thanx

Hi, well you may have made up my mind for me, too. I have 2 cucumber plants which are doing really well in the greenhouse, but the tomatoes are useless. I think I will at least get rid of those, but i still hold out hope for the peppers and aubergines. The best things outdoors here have been the courgettes and beetroots, but the sweetcorn is been truly amazing!. Best wishes - david

Hi maple, none of these I'm afraid. Was back where I got it from but they had none. I am determined to find out! It is definitely "something Sunset", not "Sunset something", LOL

Great example of how much can be fitted in a small area!

We really like this pic. This is the first time we have tried gardening to a theme, and have really enjoyed it. The Oz theme will, however, be continuing into next year because there are still a few things we'd like to experiment with, and many plants with appropriate variety names to find and include. Some things may change, because we have begun reading more of the Oz series (14 books were written by the original author!) and they all have a great deal to offer in a garden. best wishes - david

I really enjoy garden wildlife pics, and yours are breathtaking!

I used to detest lillies, but they are brilliant for our wizard of oz garden. Will be using them more next year. Lovely pic!

I would like to include the Emerald fern in my Wizard of Oz Garden plantlist, but have just read elsewhere that it is poisonous to domestic cats. therefore, unfortunaely, i cannot have it.

I love it, for the colour flow and ease of maintenance!

We are suckers for hostas!

great to see that our corn looks like the real thing (yours). You have an edible paradise,it seems, looking at your photos.

I agree, Weemamabell. You have just put another (dangerous?) thought into my mind. Perhaps I could ask our local Council to donate a bin or 2 to put alongside their recycling wagons, but for the community members who don't home compost to put stuff into, for use by the local village in bloom comittee.

Le Jardin d'Eden, in my opinion. Love it!

Hi Maple, yes it is. I have had it for 4 years and, initl a few months ago, it was in a mid-green galzed pot, and I lifted it into the cold greenhouse to overwinter. Last year i forgot to do so, but it was ok, so it has been planted out to fend for itself. I forget its name for the mo, but it is "Sometging Sunset". I must find out exactly what, for my records. Best wishes.

Is this your patio? I love it, and could see me sitting by this scene all day (if only I had the chance). Glad you like our Wizard of Oz pics - best wishes - david

I got my first bin lat year from the local council, and followed their instructions. I placed it on bare earth in half shade (provided by a tall conifer. then I put in a 6" layer of twigs (prunings) to act as an air filter and to allow minibeasts access. After that I didn't worry too much about how much of what I put in - lots of deadheading, spent gift bouquets, some (but not a lot) of grass clippings, teabags, crushed eggshell (which doesn't disappear but, when spread, makes people know the compost is home-grown). The worst thing I found was potato peelings (have got a whole crop of potatoes (are they edible?), but best thing was shredded till receipts, utility bills etc with personal details. All my details and expenditure have fed the garden (but do not shred and compost personal paperwork with a lot of colour, the ink dyes are not desirable). Our first bin was entirely free as a pilot project. Our household refuse has for 2 yrs now only been uplifted fortnightly and, with 2 young kids, it was not working b4. Now, and especially since I purchased a second garden dalek with free kitchen caddy from our council for only £8!, I have never been so successful with compost-making. It really does turn out as dark crumbly sweet-smelling nectar, enough to feed the entire garden, and so repeat the cycle. We always have room to spare in our household bin at the end of the fortnight!

Love it! Of course I'd have to call this one "Toto and the Cowardly Lion". All your photos are amazing! - david

MMMmmmmm- yes, it is all so lovely and inspiring, and I do think we need inspiration now and again, but I still worry about the cost in carbon footprints of the staging of such shows. I have in the past done all the great RHS shows and, while I would probably still get a severe thrill from going to, especially, Chelsea (I still love the plants I bought there 4 yrs ago from Carol Klein, etc She took the time to instruct me how to take root cuttings) I have instructed my family never again to give me tickets for shows as christmas presents, for I can see all of it on TV or the 'Net, and get ideas from there or elsewhere. My Wizard of Oz theme has really shown me that there is really is No Place like Home for learning (not always successfully) how to grow plants, which ones, location, environment, gauging weather, etc. In our present climate, I find that I can be re-arranging the garden in July, while my wife is re-arranging the furniture in the lounge - and we both get away with it! In this year of rain, etc., my best plants - to my amazement= have been the sweetcorn - and w should be tossing these on the barbie straight from plant at end of next month!

Hi, some of the Monty Don articles (written by himself or interviews) were in gardening mags and the press, but can't remember where or when. perhaps of you Google you may find some. Tues mornings in my theatre is like a gardening club, because the surgeon, anaesthetist, the gardening nurse aforementuioned and myself are all present. i keep all my copies of gardening mags in a blue bin in the anaesthetic room and we xchange plants. A couple of weeks ago i went in to find some chilli and bell pepper plants in the sink, in xhange for tumbling ted tomato plants I had left for the anaesthetist. he had grown all his greenhouse plants in his office to take advantage of the free heat! It is wierd that you mentioned Chelsea, bacause I kept thinking - how can people survive the stress of it all ,ensuring that the plants are in bloom at the correct time, etc. I have found it bad enough trying to get everything looking right for this coming week, coz I entered the garden into our local competition in the kids' names (mine and school class), in order to, hopefully, see that they can be rewarded for their efforts. the judges should be round any day now, and, although not everything is in bloom yet, coz of the lousy weather, most are almost in their prime, and it is such a relief. Hope you enjoyed Tatton Park, I saw it on TV. best wishes - David