Warmed up!

Its amazing what a few days of warmth can do to a garden. No its not been cracking the flags but it has been a steady even temp with no rain or horrendous wind for a few while.

Just look at the improvement to the 'Surfinas' out the front!



At long last the Alocasia 'Burgundy Stem' looks like it 'wants' to grow which I am really thrilled about.......



can you see the start of the new leaf?



I also have Colocasia 'Black Magic' which has also struggled over the last month or so



but is definately alot happier now!!!

My BIG Elephants ears has had to be moved as it was getting 'squished' up against the coal bunker



I have 3 very big leaves now!!!!!





The Alocasia which we belive is a 'Portadora' has also sprouted a new leaf, this doesn't like being as wet as the Colocasia's but I'm still not convinced I have it growing in the right situation.

The flowers on the Eucomis bicolor Pineapple Flower which by the way is supposed to be one of the 'least' attractive of the species. (I disagree!!!!!!) Has just begun to open the little flowerlet thingys!!!!!




I must apologise for the amount of pics I take of my Brugmansia! I just love it, as you walk past you are hit by a wall of scent which makes you stop dead,



then you look closer and see the magnificent bell shaped flower



closer still and look tiny little hairs cover the flower, I wonder why?

Another 'troll' down the garden!

When you get sunshine, doesn't it make your heart sing. Well it does mine. So the first thing you do after hanging out the washing is have an amble and see whats been going on.......

there goes the tree fern again, another 2 fronds, even with all the wet weather I still stick the hose over it most days


Do you remember the post earlier in the year showing this stem well as you can see it is slowly blossoming


Good job my favourite colour is pink, I just love these and I hope to get the really big white ones for next year! To be honest these where very badly treated, I had totally forgotten about them so I shoved them in some compost, they had 2 chances, so I am surprised they have grown at all.There are another couple of clumps around the garden.



These leaves amaze me just look at the colour and the texture (Red Caster Oil Plant)



Another neglected plant (Elephant Ears)I chuck chicken pellets on it every once in a while and it seems quite happy at the bottom of the garden, I should put it in a bigger pot, but I've run out of compost!!!!!!!!



My Ensete 'Montbeliardii' currently in the greenhouse but producing a new leaf.



Do you remember me moaning about this plant back in June well after some research I found I was killing the little mite!!!! So brought it inside the greenhouse and lo and behold look how its repaid me!! I am hard on my plants!!!! lol!!!



Some of my Brugmansia cuttings that have already taken....




and finally the Elephants Ear I put in the pond at the weekend!!!

Tagged Again!

Another '8 Random Facts about me' Ruth has tagged me from one of her blogs 'A Bee's Eye View'



This is the current view out of my patio doors, I have to clear the greenhouse pieces before the 8th August when the coal will be delivered!!!!!!!

1. I am scared of heights, I can stand on a ladder in the house, but don't do ladders outside although I have been on the 'London Eye' and the cable car up 'Table Mountain'! I just didn't look down, I looked out.



From the arch looking through the veg patch, which is not doing well,the onions and potatoes are doing fine and I have had plenty of lettuce, but no beetroot or spring onions. I have lost all but 1 plant of butternut squash. The french beans are not doing well either. Not sure where I have gone wrong or whether it is the weather!!!!

2. If ever I come for a visit please don't offer me anything with swede or turnip in, I can't stand them!!!!!!!!!



The chickens home, they are definately better here and currently we are getting 3 eggs a day.

3, My sister is my bestest friend and I love her to pieces.



I managed to mow the lawn yesterday but did not do a great job. Our motor mower packed up a while back and we got a push one, which to be honest is great, provided you keep the lawn short, let it get long and it can't cope!!!!

4. I was sewing clothes for myself by the age of 13.



The brugmansia has been kept in the shelter of my 'BayTree/Bush' seems to be surviving the awful winds we have been having!

5. I had some really awful boyfriends, and I mean really horrible. When I think back I shudder to think what I put up with. But it turned out alright in the end and we will have been married 20 years this August!!!



This globe thistle is at the bottom of the garden, my plants down here are really struggling with the shade from the 3 silver birch trees. I get no sun here at all until gone 12 o'clock. So most of my plants are now leaning for the light dreadfully. I may have to lose the flower beds and do something else down here!!!

6. I take a size 9 shoe and have done since I was 13. I was photographed and a piece written about my feet and the trouble I had buying shoes,in the Daily Express in 1978ish.



This is the windowbox (at the front of my cottage) my Dad had made on board ship, its teak! It must be 40+ years old by now I love it. I planted surfinas in here this year and they are not happy usually they are overflowing everywhere, its just not been warm enough for them! When I took this pic, I noticed you could see your own breath, when you breathed out!! Now is that the type of weather we should be having in July!!!!

7. I love the Simon & Garfunkle Album, 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'.



Some of my marbled nasturtiums.

8. I have more friends in 'Blog Land' than I do in real life!!!

If you wish to have a go at the 8 random facts about you then please do!!!