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Spending for the future with added snowdrops!

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The last couple of days I`ve been buying compost for planting seeds, multi-purpose for, well all sorts of things….and John Innes no3 for any top dressing and planting roses and shrubs. I bought some iris bulbs and a climbing white rose from Poundland. I wanted to give the rose a try to see if it could join the Arthur Bell rose and the honeysuckle to climb over the arch we installed last Summer. If it grows I will certainly have had my monies worth. Yesterday I ordered a rose, `Madame Plantier` from David Austin to plant in my north facing border. I came across an article by Monty Don that was all about planting in the shade. I`ve read articles about it before and I have a book about it but apart from the odd helpful tip I`ve not found anything of substance that appealed to me. Monty recommended this alba rose which is a tall shrub or short climber, I think I`ll keep it as the former. I really need something that will stand out in the darkest part of the garden and this rose fits the bill. There is a flush of cream/white flowers in Jun and July which last about six weeks or so. I can`t wait for it to arrive so I can plant it.
This Spring and Summer I will really work on this border as it never seems to look as nice as it should whatever I do. One end of it is a bit waterlogged and the other well drained. I`m determined to get it right one way or another.

Yesterday afternoon I potted up the dahlia corms in multi-purpose compost and left them in the greenhouse. I still have a few dahlias, cannas and begonias to pot up but I`ll leave that to the weekend when its meant to be drier than the last couple of days. This afternoon I brought in the propagater, dusted off the cobwebs and turned it on to see if it was working, luckily all seems ok with it but a friend of mine told me that the cable on hers had been chewed by mice. Why they would want to eat electric cable beats me, it must taste nice I suppose but surely they could find something a bit cheaper to gnaw on.

I was really pleased the other day to see that the snowdrops have come up for the first time. For the last couple of years I have tried to grow them but each time they came to nothing. Last year I bought some already potted up but in the sale as the flowers had all but finished. I planted them under the magnolia among the hardy cyclamen and other assorted bulbs. They could do one of two things live or die. I was convinced they had done the latter when much to my surprise I saw them poking their little white heads through the cyclamen leaves…Oh joy, I have my very own snowdrops at last! It all but made my day. :o)

Sandra x

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Comments

 

happy you have your snoedrops sandra, sounds like you have been busy to, any pics for us :o))

16 Feb, 2010

 

Sandra, we not only have the same name,but we have been doing similar jobs too.Lol.Russell got my propagator out of the loft,have potted my Dahlias up.and
I have planted some snowdrops my friend gave me yesterday,to replace the ones I had,which never appeared either.Your rose sounds nice.I have 2 "Cliff Richard" roses in my north facing border,and they do really well,and flower repeatedly all summer.they get very tall,about 6 ft.I didn't know floribundas got so big,but I love them...Enjoy the rest of your planting,....Sandra x

16 Feb, 2010

 

You`re right Sandra, we do seem to be thinking along the same lines. I hope we both get fantastic results from our gardens this year. I think it must be the name you know! happy gardening. :o) ....Sandra x

16 Feb, 2010

 

that will be 3 sandras then with sanbaz ,wonder what you could call that ,a gaggle maybe lol glad your snowdrops came up for you lab...:o)

16 Feb, 2010

 

lol joanella :o))

16 Feb, 2010

 

:o))

16 Feb, 2010

 

I'm glad you snowdrops have come through. Thsy help to cheer up the winter.

I don't know why mice eat electric cables. Blodyn chews the telephone cable. I had to get a new extention last week because it didn't work any more lol

17 Feb, 2010

 

All my snowdrops are in flower now.

17 Feb, 2010

 

Of course, they ARE three Sandra`s. A gaggle of Sandra`s? Now theres an idea....lolol! ;o)

17 Feb, 2010

 

And Pembrokeshire Sandra - that's 4 lol

17 Feb, 2010

 

arent we common,, hahah so many of us, must have been a popular name as we are around the same ages i think

17 Feb, 2010

 

You have been a busy bee,it took quite a few years for my snowdrops to establish and now I`m pleased to say they are popping up in quite a number of places.
I` ve been doing jobs in the greenhouses and I`m spitting feathers because I have lost all my summer flowering bulbs and I think they`ve been eaten by mice, never thought about them chewing on cables, although hubby has had his fishing net destroyed in the past,...

17 Feb, 2010

 

I dont understand snowdrops - the ones in my garden multiplied so fast that I was constantly having to give them away yet my mum can't keep them and we both garden on clay. Perhaps they like it really REALLY boggy?

27 Feb, 2010

 

normally will grow in most soils sara just bad luck i think unless they are getting eaten,, the bulbs that is,best time to move is when in flower to,

27 Feb, 2010

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