Greenhouse

I finished sorting my greenhouse on Monday, I wanted this staging along the sunny side of the greenhouse, in hope as the warmer weather comes I can start my seedlings in trays with clear lids here. The geranium's have not stopped flowering yet, we can now see these from the house.  

I put my potting table just inside the door, handy to get at, I have a bougainvillea wrapped in hope it's warm enough in the coming months, it did not do very well last year in the greenhouse. Nestled close to the back fence, this side is sheltered from the harsh winds. 

It was a pleasant surprise to find my 3 metal shelves from Ikea, fitted along the back perfectly, they look tidy here, it's the staged area, with my vintage clay pots, which I do use, and loads of bits along with my much reduced cacti and succulents. 

My sister gave me the table many years ago, it's handy to have stools at this end of the garden. There are loads of pots in here for the winter months, and bottom right in photo is my sphagnum moss, which through the summer I pop cuttings into, they root well. 

I put a few things outside the greenhouse and then closed the door and worked in the tight space, I did not wash the glass, that's a summer job, everywhere has been swept and washed down, it got quite warm inside, it was cold outside, it did try and snow twice, but it turned to icy rain. On a positive note, I did not see one spider, which I hate, I have thrown away loads of bit's I had been keeping just in case. 

My next task is the raised veg beds, I will add another higher level of string, the broad bean plants are getting tall, I will remove the netting on the second bed, and add more top soil to raise the level, and then I will cover with plastic, hoping they help the ground to warm up quicker. 

It does feel good to be outside, I believe every job you do at this time of year will be repaid in full later, plus it stops me wanting to sow seeds as it's far to early. My side of the garage needs a good sort, but the wooden bench is in the way and we don't want it back outside until the drier weather returns. 

It is great to wake up to dry days, a couple times sunny but cold, which I don't mind as you can always wrap up warm, as Billy Connelly said it's never the wrong weather just you're wearing the wrong clothes. Tuesday morning the roofs had a dusting of snow, the ground was clear. 

New growth

This alpine plant is beautiful,  it was the most expensive plant I got, it's called Weldenia Candida, it's native in Mexico, it's central spot in the display is to highlight the flowers when they grow, I should get atleast six flowers this year.

The third bloom has faded from my Amaryllis  so I popped it once again in the greenhouse,  this lovely bulb just keeps giving, I have never seen a side shoot on these bulbs before, and have no idea what is growing, it's a case of wait and see. 

I have loads of cutting in my sphagnum moss, some grow others don't, I have planted a rose and honeysuckle rooted this way. I pop all cutting in, in the hope some will grow. This large plant saucer is full of rainwater and sits in a shady part of my greenhouse. I have had this system for over two years, the moss rejuvenates itself, I gave a huge lump to a friend, who is using it in the same way. I hope to pot on buzzy lizzies soon, they root easily. 

Hubby walked to the village, popped to the pet shop and saw white lavender, lovely huge plants and only £5.40 each, he decided to get two, so the tubs have been changed. We passed the eucalyptus plants to a lady who wants them to feature in her wedding next year, so pleased to pass them on. I purchase almost all my plants from our local pet shop, the quality is always good and with prices I love. I have added the cost to my monthly list, the other new smaller plant will stay where it is until the garden work next spring.

Another unwanted digout, I noticed the new pretty dahlia was missing from the centre front of this garden, cursing our squirrel,  I looked for it and found rat holes and no plant. This bed has an open bottom, so I had to dig it out, found their entrance and a couple of hyacinth bulbs, hubby has lined the bed with chicken wire and some big stones  I refilled it and replanted my shrubs and bulbs. All I can do now is hope the shrubs survive,  this is the reason for the new garden next year, we can't control what is under the decking.

Daughter and the three little ones came over on Saturday, daddy is working away, we had a day outside and a mid afternoon BBQ, so much laughter, they all play well and daughter had a restful day. George at three and a half has been given hearing aids, which he will not wear, we have tried everything, he only has partial hearing loss, I think he hears most things, any tips on how we get past this barrier, as soon as he sees their boxes he is gone, we have tried bribery with chocolate, a treat he loves, nothing works. George fell over at home and bit his top lip, loads of blood, but he was a brave boy.

Sunday another day at home, we work, rest and play well together, having time in the day to sit, enjoy coffee and a chat is wonderful, sitting in the sun even with the cool breeze is good, we enjoy watching the small birds on our feeders, which we fill all year around, I refresh their water every morning as well. At this stage of our lives time is on our side, jobs can be manana, instead of get it done now as we have work tomorrow. 

Today is the start of a busy week, I have a short list of things I want sorting, and then we plan some fun time. 

Garden dreams

The garden is untidy, we had a delivery of fence panels and post on Friday, we moved the bench, hubby propped the panels along the garage wall and painted them, 3 times. Pots are all popped up by my greenhouse, it's messy up there. Nothing much on the metal table, it's too wet for my summer pots to come out of the greenhouse.

The bench will stay here, to stop me from tripping over the post and kick panels, everything will be fitted on Tuesday. All the bulb leaves are going over in the side bed, soon I can get some plants in, I just want to see colour.

I just love this tiny section of the garden,

it makes me smile every time I pass. 

New strawberry tower is much better, I have stronger healthy plants with loads of flowers, 5 levels, a total of 16 plants, I have not put strawberries in the bottom layer, I have a few rockery plants there. 

All these were cutting, which I popped into my Sphagnum moss, which I keep very wet with rain water, it's in a big plant pot saucer in a corner of the greenhouse, and is thriving and roots the cuttings quickly and strongly. I got just one packet of moss from a licenced supplier in Northumberland a couple years ago, it is going to last me years, 

We spent Friday morning in the garden, I planted some bedding plants in the old herb garden, I also potted on a few plants, my new Azealia was pot bound, so I was pleased to get it sorted, the plant has loads of buds on. It looked like rain,  so we rested inside all afternoon, me sewing hubby reading, no rain it just got really cool.

I have mentioned before I dream of my perfect garden, which would mean the garage knocked down and a new building which incorporated a greenhouse and potting shed, along the back fence, it's never going to happen, but I can dream. One job hubby wants done next year is to remove all the decking and have paving, which is making us think, sadly we rarely use the wooden table and chairs on the decking the flies and smell from next door is bad in the sunny hot weather. 

So being me I threw a completely new idea to hubby, which moves the patio to infront of the garage, on the other side of the garden, just have a wide walk, in paving outside the patio doors, and move the lawn down closer to the house and make it wider, with a flower bed at the back. That would give me more space at the back of the garden, room for a couple of small raised veg beds. 

Hubby is still talking to me, we have paced it out, it could work, we could reuse the decking boards to make raised beds, use some of the fake grass for paths in the veg section, lots of the work we could do ourselves. Just new paving and grass, all costing a bomb, so we would have to save like mad. If it went ahead I would want it done next spring, so I can move plants before they are in full growth, hubby is still talking to me, I can see him working out how much work it would take. 

October blooms

 There is so much colour in my greenhouse, my tender plants are still blooming, the bright colours can be seen from every part of the garden. These are on the top shelf and will stay there all winter.

This coleus is full of flower, there are 3 plants in this tub, it will get very straggly over winter, I hope it survives enough to take cuttings in the spring. I have managed to keep them alive before, it's another plant hubby loves.

These cuttings are mixed results, a few have died but loads are thriving, roses are doing well as is a white lavender. I think sphagnum moss is a great medium for growth, it's in a huge deep plant pot saucer,  I only use rainwater and I have a plastic cover over it to keep it moist, it sits raised off the floor in a shady spot, I think next spring I will get another pack and double my capacity.

Another huge success is this Albuca Spiralis Frizzle Sizzie, its a bulb and after thinking I was loosing the plant, I read up about its care, they do die off, but with good conditions they regrow. Hopefully I can bring it into my office so and enjoy it every day, it does love the sunny warm spot on my desk.

I ordered a storage box for behind the garage, it will help keep the space clean, I got it from Wowcher, but was cross at the delivery charge, you purchase the voucher and then redeem with the seller, there was no delivery charge in original selling details, OK that's not an issue, extra few pounds still makes it cheap, but I had to pay £14.99 for delivery, which I think is way too much. Note to self delete Wowcher, not such good value. The storage box will be my junk area, I can store bigger pots and other stuff I don't want all around the garden, everyone needs a space for useful junk. 

I did plant my pansies in the garden and a couple of violas and cyclamen in pots, I won't add anymore, my garden is too small to have space for too much winter colour, I do leave the plants not cut back, hoping there is food there for the birds and bugs, I do like to see the spines and branches bare in the cold months, I think it give the garden interest. I have not sorted the greenhouse yet, maybe next week, I'm still aware of my back and don't want to do anything stupid. 

Busy crafting and reading, my second sock is almost finished, I have plans for another pair for SIL, he loves previous pairs I have made him. My cross stitch is growing, I'm thinking of the next design,  photo's next post.

I went to sign group yesterday, which was fun, I've not missed much as they are revisiting previous class topics. Today we have Molly on her own, Will is at school and George at nursery,  should be fun, loads of books and games, Molly loves books. We are trying to choose nursery photos, we both love different photos.

Growing

 I said in my last post I had taken cuttings for plants along the soon to be exposed back fence panels, I'm trying something different, I got sphagnum moss last year, I have kept it in a huge plant saucer, keeping it wet with rain water. I have popped all my cuttings in it, in hope they grow sturdy roots, I don't expect success with everything,  but hope some will grow, I have a plastic cover for when it gets cooler. They have been here a few days and still look good.

I have repotted our rosemary plant into a bigger pot, the pot was from the front garden, the heather's had died and hubby did not want it. This section is looking nice, we moved another big pot to stand by the gate, without the motorbike, I can spread out in this space. When digging out the heather's 2 had new growth, I have potted them and left them in front of the Olive.

Hubby did clear the first space in the garage for my shed things, I love this wooden unit, it's very useful, I emptied it before moving it, gave it a good clean using linseed oil, and then sorted everything before filling it. Loads have been thrown and a few other things have found a home here. Hubby has to sort a couple of his shelves, he is sourcing some longer planks, so I can have both shelves above. We have had this unit since the late 80's, and I'm pleased it's still in use, now all our gardening items are together in one place. I still have loads to bring out of the shed.

My shed was purchased back in 2014, so 8 years old, it fits into the space behind the garage, but as it's such a tight fit, we can't get to do outside maintenance, since Pauline built her summer house with a rubber roof covering, the rain water blows directly onto the back of my shed. Hubby will help me clear the rest of the stuff. 

It's much darker earlier each evening, my lights around the garden are on much longer, now the mornings and evenings are cooler, any warmth in the daytime quickly disappears. We still have our summer quilt on the bed, but it is defiantly cooler, the season is changing. Shh! we have not had rain for a couple of days, managed to get all the laundry day. 

I have lost my way with lowspend-nospend September, with my sister here we spent more on food, and this weekend we have husbands son and daughter here for lunch, 8 adults and 8 children plus us, again expensive, hubby is hoping we can have a simple BBQ, with the children playing in the garden. I also purchased the christmas fabric, and I will need some pansies for the garden as I sort the rose bed. 

Today my youngest daughter is 40 years old, how did that happen, both daughters have their own families and lives, we see our youngest 3 grandchildren most weeks, our oldest 2 grandsons are busy with their lives, so we don't get to see them, but they prosper and are happy. As a mum all you want is for you children and their children to be happy. 

Slow start

Book 38 read this year, where do I start, difficult plot terminally ill child, parents disagree on care, is it strange to say I loved this story, she always delivers a great book, she writes well and keeps you interested until the end, which did not disappoint, and was not what you think. 

My greenhouse is full, the top shelf has all my bedding plants in induvial pots, hopefully to go out in a couple of weeks, I don't think we should have any more frost, I'm just being careful. Middle shelf has bigger plants, which don't need the bright sunshine, they will be moved to the top once I have the space. It's tidy in here after my sort out a couple weeks ago. 

I am growing more salads this year, here I have 3 pots of green leaves, I have 2 different tomatoes in one huge pot, one is already flowering, in the other huge pot my cucumber, which has put on loads of growth. I will start growing spring onion and radishes soon, I do hope to grow all our salads stuff this summer. 

Bottom 2 photo's are my carnivorous plants, I have taken roots from the pitcher plant and popped them into this big mug. Top left is my spiral houseplant I purchase last year, it's a bulb, I've had it in my greenhouse resting, but it's throwing up a flower bud, can't wait to see what it looks like. The final top right photo is my sphagnum moss again purchased last year, it had loads of brown bits in the package, so I put it all in this huge pot saucer and kept it wet in a shady part of the greenhouse, it's looking very healthy, I hope to keep it through the year and let it grow. 

I am pleased not to have too much to do this week, the greenhouse it's just a case of watering and turning pots to keep plant straight, we have cut some salad leaves. When I was at our neighbours BBQ on Sunday, I asked to pop behind his large garden building and check the shared back fence on his side, it's an area they don't use, I saw some ivy growing up the fence by my shed where I would not be able to get at it from our side, so I pulled at it to remove it, and bugger I have twisted my back again, so I have been hobbling around again. Hubby is cross with me, he would have sorted it, but again it was just a few seconds simple task, Darren would have cleared it for me, if I had asked, oh well time to rest. I am feeling much better, just being very careful. 

Again I have plans forming, changes in the garden, I'm focusing on the herb garden, it always looks good, but never produced huge returns, hubby and I agree the herb bed needs changing, we have chatted and agreed on a new flower bed, it will take a good week to sort. I have enough plants to fill the area, well maybe I might purchase a couple, hubby asked for another rose, photo's once done. I am also planning to spring clean our small kitchen, the cabinet tops and the tiles are due for a deep clean. Both task are for after my back is better so starting in a couple of weeks.