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satisfying afternoon in the greenhouse

18 comments


Just spent a glorious couple of hours potting on cuttings taken in the autumn.
Penstemons, Phygelius, Dianthus, Salvia caradona S. Newby Hall and Osteospermum. All now in a slightly cooler propagator as it has been getting below zero very night recently. I used to have a heater for the green house but now take advantage of economy 7 electricity.

Have also had a look at the bottom of the garden and I have my first crocus of the year showing colour. The snowdrops are doing their thing and my Helibores are putting their swollen flower buds above the foliage and the snow.

Had to go out and get some more compost and at the little garden centre nearest to home I came across a beautiful bronze/orange flowering witch hazel. No where to put it but I bought it anyway, at £5 it was too good to miss. Are all gardeners like this is or is it a disease that hubby says I have?

After tea tonight I am going to sort out which seeds I am going to set off for the summer. Hope tomorrow dawns bright and dry then hubby will go out for the day on his bike and leave me at home.

When I get a digital camera I will post pictures. Still a bit of a Ludite with this new fangled computer lark.

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Comments

 

Lots of work achieved :o)
Which Penstemons are you growing ?

14 Feb, 2009

 

What a busy day. It's so good to get out isn't it ? You did very well with the witch hazel . Sounds like the one I've just bought - for £20 !!!!

14 Feb, 2009

 

I have several, 'Eveline' narrow leaved small candy pink flowers. George V a more robust leaf and deep pinky/red, Snowflake which is white, no surprises there, then i have several that i dont know what they are. A deep pink with a white throat, deep burundy with a white throat and a burgundy one that might be 'Raven' but these were given to me by a friend. I am waiting to get hold of 'laura' and another 2/3 from another friend. Hopefully she will know which variety.
I lost 'Stapleford gem' last year due to the neighbours moggies 'hugging' each other. only 2 kittens joined the neighbourhood. There are now 5 cats between two families with my garden [their toilet] in the middle. Could do with a loan of your terrier. is it a welsh or airedale? childhood pet was a lakeland. lovely animals.

14 Feb, 2009

 

do you know the variety name Hilly? I will have to trawl all my books to try to identify it. Mine is about 4 ft tall and pot bound.

14 Feb, 2009

 

Hamamelis "Jelena". But it was a toss up with a similar one which I'm sure was called "Diane". Beautiful coloured flowers. Worth every penny.

14 Feb, 2009

 

I think we all buy plants like that , i know icertainly do and not just plants anything related to gardens ,books tools bulbs etc etc. I was out and about buying compost today as well seaburn, bursting to get started.

14 Feb, 2009

 

Answering your question, Seaburn, about the dogs on my photos ~ the veteran dog which died last year was a Welsh Terrier ~ lovely breed.
I still have the Sheltie who will bark on command and stop barking on command, and chases cats and pigeons from the garden. But he would not hurt any creature and allows all the smaller birds to stay !

I've just got the new puppy, on my latest photo ~
Smooth Fox Terrier.

You have a good mix of Penstemons. Some seem to be certainly far more robust than others. !

14 Feb, 2009

 

Re the impulse buy Seaburn girl, I think we're most of us like that. I know I am. Buy it now , find somewhere to put it later!
Fantastic feeling, potting on the Autumn cuttings, knowing they've made it through the winter. Hope they reward your patience with lots of great flowers ion the coming months( or maybe next year for some of them)

14 Feb, 2009

 

I was after 'Jelena' last year, but got 'Rubin' instead, which is red. You definitely got a bargain there!

Yes, I'm afraid this buying of plants etc is a disease with no cure. It may well be catching, too - just look at what's happening on GOY - everyone seems to have caught it! LOL.

14 Feb, 2009

 

You have been busy, he who wants to be obeyed (you had to say it when we were married) does the sowing bit, and I do the buying bit, just ordered from Parkers, and won some plants on Ebay fingers crossed they will be ok.

14 Feb, 2009

 

Hello Seaburngirl. Welcome to GOY. It sounds like you had a great day in the greenhouse. I have a bunch of Palmer's penstemon that just sprouted from seed and I have to get my Huskers Red started this weekend. I've never grown them before so wish me luck.

15 Feb, 2009

 

Glad that you had a good day in the greenhouse, Seaburngirl, I have lots of catching up to do.
One of our best 'impusle buys' was an un-named Rhododendron, potbound, on a reduced price stand at a nursery because it needed a lot of tlc. We have identified it as, probably, R. Queen Ann and it is a lovely deep red and now doing very well. I will try to remember to put up a picture later in the season.

15 Feb, 2009

 

Hi. Welcome to GOY. I have the same disease as you've got but I don't intend to be cured of it.

15 Feb, 2009

 

Nor me Hywel....long may it continue!!

15 Feb, 2009

 

hi Gilli,
I have 2 huskers red but I have been disappointed with them. They have flowered but they dont 'float my boat' as much as my other penstemons.

15 Feb, 2009

 

I must have been ahead of the times Dottydaisy2 coz I promised to cherish not obey! Well if he wasnt going to obey me he had to accept the same rules of engagement! Its worked well for the last 25yrs.

Hubby cuts the grass and weilds the chain saw when needs be. all propagating etc done to me.

15 Feb, 2009

 

I love plant buying too as you can see from my many trips to the local GC this half-term! Got my eye on a bargain Contorted Hazel but really don't have anywhere for it but boy do I pine for it! Will go back for those primroses I saw too though!
Welcome to GOY - get posting those photos soon.

23 Feb, 2009

 

would love to sort photos but i am still a wet film girl, sounds rude but i still use prints. i even have a 2 1/4 square format camera as well as a 3d camera. now that is fantastic for flowers. I am hoping that my daughter will ask for a camera for her birthday and then she will teach me how to import pictures. I have identified the witch hazel as jelena. back at work today so apart from sorting propagators this am/pm and put a tray of plants out and then back no gardening :o( .

23 Feb, 2009

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