Pottering

The other day after hanging the washing out I decided to take a few pics. The rain has certainly helped my garden this year and had we had a bit more sunshine I think I may have needed a machete to get through the jungle plot!

The Red Tiger, banana at the back has grwn immensly, so much so I think I may have to move it as I think its a bit close to the fence!



Can you see why I love the Maurelli so much, isn't this leaf lovely!



The sedums are all a beautiful colour at the moment.



My Queen Elizabeth rose still flowering madly.



Further down the garden I have a few bananas still in




the problem being is I can't find the labels so don't know which is what?? Do you lose labels, I seem to be brilliant at it and that is not good!

In the greenhouse is one of my Alocasia's



I have always loved this one because of the markings and the shiny leaves. I moved it in as we have had quite a few cool nights!

In my other greenhouse is my very special Manihot Grahamii



I will over winter this in the greenhouse as it is so small but I need it to lose its leaves so it will have to be placed in a cooler part of the heated greenhouse!

Behind my small greenhouse my neighbour grows this



it is now invading behind the small greenhouse but my side of the fence



and I expect it to arrive in the greenhouse next year, as you can see I have quite a problem as the space is not big enough to fit a spade down let alone my bum!!!!!!

Do you remember the size of my Tetrapanax Rex when I planted it, no? Well look here to remind yourself! Now look at it.




Imagine how big it will get next year!

This corner will need sorting as yet again I have to much in a small space...



I'm glad I potted the bamboos into these pots they have really taken off



and I couldn't really complain to my neighbour about her invading grass if I had let the bamboo run free!!!

My cup and sauce plant (Cobaea Scandens) I have never grown it before and I highly recommend it if you have something that needs to be covered, fast! It is an annual, so if you don't like it you just dig it up at the end of the season. I like it



the flowers first bloom and they are a pale colour getting



darker as they age.



and the bees love the pollen




and finally the second meeting has occured, Jake has spent a fair bit of time in the cage whilst Tango & Sassy where around. Having had a very busy week trolling back and forth between home the college and the hospital. When Hubby came back from hospital yesterday he said how skinny Tango has got, and he's right, I hadn't noticed how much weight he has lost. So we decided that currently the biggest scent in the house was Jakes, as basically Tango only comes in to sleep then goes out in the morning till the following day. So we decided to push things along and T very kindly came in at about 5pm yesterday, so I locked the cat flap, Jake was in the cage and we shut the kitchen door. So Tango had to deal with it. Everything went so well we opened the cage and.................



nothing happened??? You can see Tango in the distance by the cat flap. They walked around, skirting one another, I expected Tango to take at least one swipe at Jake and nothing happened, no growling, spitting or swiping??? So we opened the kitchen door and they both wandered around, very wary of one another but it was so fine we left them to it, but kept our ears peeled. Jake stalked Tango where ever he was about 10 inches behind was Jake! He is so desperate to have a mate to play with and my two don't want to play at all! Maybe I will have to get a kitten lol! Shhhh don't tell hubby!!!!!!!!!!!!!
More to follow...............

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!!

Busy & Beautiful

Well it has certainly been a busy weekend, phew! I'm plum tuckered out!

Having had a lovely day on Saturday at Akamba and spent just a little bit of money!! Oh by the way I used my garden vouchers at last!!

Sunday was so warm that we decided to plant one or two plants!
The Trachycarpus Fortunei, that has been in a pot for quite a few years and has now got to the stage where we struggle to lift it, so it had to be planted. Here is hubby in his stripes (he does like his stripes!)digging a big hole and next to him is Trachy!


Trachy, now planted, I took of a few palms and will feed it with Palmbooster

I am pleased how this looks as the far side has room for me to plant a couple of my brugmansias. I have decided to plant alot of them this year as this should hopefully reduce the need to water so often, then late autumn I will dig them up and over winter in the greenhouse!

My Tetrapanax Papyrifera 'Rex' which has been overwintering in the greenhouse has speeded up its growth rate, so for the last week I have had it sat outside to harden off. At long last after much deliberation and tea drinking I have decided where it should be planted.



I have taken a pic of it with a standard unit of measurement you will all recognise and we can all watch it grow!I hope to do this about once a month, as I believe these can shift!!!!!

Sassy was exhausted with all this going on and found somewhere cool to lie down!



The Borneo Giant unfurling another leaf! I hope we get some good weather soon as I want to move this up onto the patio where its nice and hot, or should be if we get a good summer!!


Sparmannia africana,(House Lime or African Hemp) probably not the most sensible buy, but these leaves are soft and fluffy! Another one that will need to be lifted in for the winter, maybe a bit tender but should be ok on my south facing patio!



You will like these......did you know there was such a thing as Hardy Impatiens? (Busy Lizzies) not that they look like your standard Busy Lizzie

on the left we have Impatiens omeiana and on the right Impatiens tinctoria now aren't you jealous!!!! I have always loved busy lizzies and often have them planted in my window boxes.
I was so impressed by these I bought a book about them.
Off for a cuppa and a read!!!!!

No Rain Today!

The first day for ages we havn't had rain, and we actually saw the sun and blue sky!
So we went out for a walk!



It was bitterley cold, but very enjoyable!

Then I thought a quick trot down the garden and round the greenhouses would be in order, ready?
My baby Tetrapanex Rex has been plodding along slowly but surely in the greenhouse.


The stupid gingers have not died back as I expected they would?


The right side of the big greenhouse


The left


and the large brug in the middle


the rest of the garden is soaking wet, oh! did I tell you we think we solved the lack of eggs problem?

Rats!!!!! Ugh horrible things, they had made a nest at the bottom of a compost right opposite the chickens and it was full of egg shells!!!!!
They have now been dealt with!!!