Spritzhenry's Outbox

I planted this one this autumn - hope it looks like yours one day!

I think it's Salix integro 'Hakuro-nishikii'. Round here, our local Nursery sells them as standards, grafted onto a stem. People cut them back in the spring and they soon grow out again with fresh coloured leaves. They have pinkish, cream and light green leaves. Does that make sense?. I'd have one if I could find the right space for it!!!

Hallo - another orchid lover! Is it easy to grow Phalaenopsis in Indonesia? you have quite a collection there! Are they indoors or out?

Hi Ankie - I feel bad at letting you down. I really have tried to identify you plant via ref. books, but can't find anything like it. So sorry.

Do you know the name of your beautiful rose please?

Hi both - sorry to hear about your bad experiences with ebay. There are reputable dealers out there, but I agree it's hard to tell one from t'other. May I suggest to Longlad that he joins his local Freecycle group and posts a request for a rotovator and a trailer. People on there are generally decent and generous. . You may well be lucky. Go to 'Freecycle.org' and find your local group to join. It's worth it! People offer all sorts of things no longer wanted from baby toys to computers! (they ask for all sorts too!) Last month I was given 2 tubs and 2 troughs and have today given a lady a bootful of plants I hadn't space for. Try it - it's a good system.

One of my favourite gardens. I haven't any digital pictures because we went before I had the camera. The views are different at every turn. At Rhododendron and Azalea time it's just as spectacular with lots of 'Wow' factor!

It's looking good, Holly! Must have been lots of work to create. Can't wait to see the tulips in the spring. What else have you planted in there? The plants/shrubs look pretty established.

Hi Holly - thanks for your kind comment on my filing system- journal. Hope you find it as useful as I do. I've also been clearing leaves this week. I've composted some, put others to rot down and (whisper) burnt the rest! We have the vines on the house and pergolas, 3 Lombardy Poplars, 3 others with large variegated leaves, the 2 Weeping Ash, a Silver Birch, a Beech and a Horse Chestnut as well as the trees in the farm field next door, the leaves always seem to come our way! So there are SOOO many leaves. Then I pruned the two very tall standard rose trees (on a stepladder) this afternoon. Unfortunately, brambles from the farm were well over the fence and entangled in the roses. I decided to hack my way back to the fence, and found that they'd pushed it of its post. Husband not too pleased - his job to sort out! By then, I could only just see due to the time, and was called in - reluctantly - snipping a few too-tall shoots off the Eleagnus as I came. Busy, busy, while the weather stays dry! Who needs to go to a Gym when they've got a garden?

Another thought - since I joined and started taking photos of my garden and flowers, it has made me set up a proper filing system on my laptop (by months, subdivided into 'plants and flowers', 'tubs' and 'borders'). I've also got a 'Projects' file with before, during and after pictures. This system is now a good record that I can refer to next year in order to see what worked and what I should change. A great help to me! I wouldn't have been so organised without this site, I am quite sure.

My husband is allergic to Ivy - if he only brushes against it, he comes out in an itchy rash - like hives, sometimes worse. You could indeed have an allergy as vounteer says.

Hallo Gemma - I first heard about GOY in an article in the Amateur Gardening magazine - I know other members joined this way, too. As soon as I read the blogs and questions and looked at the photos I knew it was a friendly site and soon became completely at home here. I have found friends and like-minded gardeners. Any question posted finds an answer - people go to some trouble finding answers, I know I try to help when I can! The more you give, the more you get on this site. Encouragement, interest, help and friendship are what GOY is all about. A big thank you to Ajay and Peter for setting it up!

Well, Peter, You must have been writing your message while I was! You just beat me to it...Might try again sometime.

So sorry Ajay and Peter - I can't get to grips with Facebook at all. I tried and tried to find the 'add product' button, with no success. To be honest - I do not want to spend any more time on it! So I have disconnected myself from the site. Another techie failure :-(

My problem is that I went into Facebook blind, having never even heard of it before you added the blue link button. So I don't even know HOW to log in - there's not a lot on my account, either, 'cos I can't drive it - let alone find a link. Sorry to be so useless.

Hallo Ajay - I have tried via the link above, I have been through the joining bit and I can't find the 'Add product' link. It says 'product' but it isn't a link. What am I doing wrong?????

Do they keep coming in to look after their gardens, or do other children make new gardens in the sites?

Hallo - nil desperandum - something will come up! Meanwhile,glad you found us!

Thanks for the warning, Ajay - at least I won't be worrying if it's my laptop playing up this time!!

Thanks Tussie - very useful, I've added it to my Favourites list. What a long, long address! It comes up on my laptop as 'Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System', so maybe there's a quicker way to get there? - not being a techie, I don't know.