Lots of Interesting Things

It always amazes me how much is going on in the garden as the nights draw in and get chilly!
I have a passion as you know for the tropical type plants and lo and behold I have quite a few in flower.
I adore white flowers and would have lots more around if allowed. When a white Brugmansia flowers it is an amazing sight



this one has the most beautiful evening scent



The cup and saucer plant is flowering like there is no tomorrow




I hope I can collect some seed from this as its such an amazing plant!

I also found this sweet little fuschia, how its survived I've no idea as it is so neglected, but up it comes year after year. Quite unfair really as my mum faithfully lifts hers in each winter and pots them out again the next year!!!




This is a bizarre pic. I'm trying to show you my 'Zebra Grass' it has grown so much this year and has the most amazing colourings on the leaves!




Should be quite a clump next year!

Due to the large amounts of rain we have had we have a large amount of these!!



T has been embelishing her jeans





I love what she does when she does these bizarre things, I wish I could photograph her everyday to show you what she wears as she has such an individual look about her. She is blossoming and it is so lovely to watch!

Jake has been feeling the cold




so decided to get into bed! It was a sad day yesterday as Jakes 'Mummy and Daddy' moved out. I shall miss them alot as they have been such wonderful neighbours! Prior to them, on both sides, we have had some horrendous neighbours, so I wait in trepidation of what is to come! But shall greet them with a smile and keep an open mind!

The trap was set for the first time last night



thats Sassy you can see the other side! Baited with scrummy pilchards. Alas nothing caught. I shall reset it tonight as he rarely visits during the day!
The good news is I managed to contact the lady at Cats Protection who has arranged for me to get an RSPCA neutering voucher, so I can get the feral cat neutered, then once he is done I think we will re;ease him somewhere far away and if I have to go through the same process next year I will!

plus


Happy Birthday 'ickle' sister!

Whats Going on in the Rain!

This weather is unbelievable! We succumbed yesterday and lit the front fire, our house had a damp feeling about it, but its OK now! The wash basket was overflowing and its never overflowing, but I have nowhere to dry the washing!! So now I have airers spread across the lounge!
Outside the rain is rotting the onions, so I have had to put them and the garlic in trays and pop them in the greenhouse!





I will have to start removing the leaves of the tomato plants to allow the tomatoes to ripen



Around the garden, the plants are lapping up the rain.
I can't remember if I told you about planting this palm



K planted it for me before she started work about 6 weeks ago, since then it has gone ballistic. Whilst it was in its pot for 2 years it only ever had two leaves! Now as you can see it has at least five with a further two coming up, obviously likes where it is!
The Paulownia TomTomentosa has also grown, but to be honest you don't get the real idea of how much



until you add my muddy hand!


The Tetrapanax Rex has also shot off with all the rain we have been having


again, you don't get the true size of it until I add my little hand!



The Red Caster Oil plant (Ricinus something or other) is now taller than me and I'm 5ft 10ins!



A few Eucomis flowers





The Tree ferns as you can see adore this damp weather, I have never had so many fronds on them!



I know I promised you an Indian summer, but sadly I may have been wrong, even my banana leaves are yellowing at the edge, a sure sign of autumn!!

It's a Jungle Out There!

Although I'm well and truly tired of rain, my garden has benefited greatly. It seems to like this monsoon type rain. We've had torrential pouring rain, hot sun, steamy, humid, more rain, more sun even worse humidity and so on....



Everything is growing in leaps and bounds...



at this rate I won't be able to get down the garden soon......



this is looking up the patio from the veg patch.



Some flowers are just beginning to flower....



the Red Tiger banana has really shot up.....



The Paulownia tomentosa (Foxglove Tree) of which I have 4!!!!!!!!!!!! is really growing well, this I pollard every spring and hopefully as it matures it should grow to at least 10ft each year and have leaves which can be 3ft across!!



Isn't this amazing! One whole unshredded leaf!



I'm kneeling taking this last picture which gives you some idea of the size!



Pineapple Lilly, Eucomis something or other (I'm getting there) the flowers have spotted stems!



This last one is amazing I'll have to get Cheryl to tell us its name, it begins Cea??? Anyway the bee's love it and even the leaves have a blueish tinge!



Some tomatoes I picked today, the little cherry ones are Sungold, recommended by Sarah Raven. The taste is unbelievable so sweet and juicy its also one I can eat with out upsetting certain parts of my body. The others will either be eaten by everyone else or made into pasta sauce and frozen!

I Love My Garden!

Trying to do a bit around the garden, but having to be careful as the last 2 weeks has taken a toll on my back. I have to move the chickens eglu and fencing twice a week, which is doing me no favours! So have booked myself an appointment with the physio for next week hopefully she can save me! My GP wants a report from her as he wants to send me for a scan to see how bad my back is, which could mean an op!!! I told him I'd had enough ops to sink a ship and maybe I could survive!!!!

Anyway, another trip down my garden to see how it grows? Do you ever get fed up of the same old, same old?? I reckon if you came to visit you could walk my garden blindfolded! I used to do lots of things, crafts and cooking etc all I seem to do is my garden but I love it so much, I feel so rested and relaxed whilst I'm out there.... I have been planning my Christmas gifts, but then I can't blog about them. I could always stop blogging!!!!!!!!!!


I don't think so...........

So lets start with a problem..... my Maurelli... a few weeks ago a leaf seemed to get stuck then since then all it produces is distorted leaves! I have asked the question on my tropical forum so await there answer.



My Red Tiger banana is growing at a pace now the weather has warmed up!



My original banana, seems to have recovered from it leaf colour problems earlier this year! It is sending pups up left, and right. I am hoping that next year the main banana may flower, we will have to see. But once its flowered it will die which is quite sad.



My tree ferns are going mental this year



especially the little one.
My Indian Bean tree has grown massively, probably a bit too massively!!



we may have to move this come the autumn, but I have just the spot!
Whilst K is home I have 'used' her in the garden, she like me enjoys being outside so we have been digging up and planting in. One of the first plants to go in was a palm I had had in a pot for about 2-3yrs and it was really beginning to suffer



since it has been in the garden which is less than a month, it has produced one complete leaf and you can see the spike of a second on its way!!

I am really glad I decided to plant my bamboos in pots



this one as you can see has gone mental!
My first aubergine!



Do you remember this



well it has grown a bit!





and walking back up my jungle patio



Must dash my sister is coming today!!!