How does your garden grow?

[VladimirIlyich]

10 hours ago, Captain Willard said:

In my experience of political campaigning for Mrs Willard,  front gardens are a pretty reliable guide to voting intentions. A scruffy front garden with a French car on the drive is invariably a Lib Dem. 

I'm surprised they are any different from a Tory voter.

[Captain Willard]

12 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

I'm surprised they are any different from a Tory voter.

There’s definitely a pattern. Tory voters tend to have tidy gardens with an immaculate but old Honda accord on the drive, Lib Dems don’t prune their roses and drive Citroens. 

[Champ]

16 minutes ago, Captain Willard said:

There’s definitely a pattern. Tory voters tend to have tidy gardens with an immaculate but old Honda accord on the drive, Lib Dems don’t prune their roses and drive Citroens. 

Neat lawn, regimented flowers beds, Brexiteers?

[Captain Willard]

7 minutes ago, Champ said:

Neat lawn, regimented flowers beds, Brexiteers?

Yes I think that’s a reasonable assumption. The yearning for control over things that are fundamentally uncontrollable maybe. Obviously you get exceptions but generally the state of the front garden is a pretty reliable distinguisher between Tory and Lib Dems voters. It’s less clear re Labour voters. 

[Champ]

40 minutes ago, Captain Willard said:

Yes I think that’s a reasonable assumption. The yearning for control over things that are fundamentally uncontrollable maybe. Obviously you get exceptions but generally the state of the front garden is a pretty reliable distinguisher between Tory and Lib Dems voters. It’s less clear re Labour voters. 

I’d agree with all of that 

[VladimirIlyich]

1 hour ago, Captain Willard said:

Yes I think that’s a reasonable assumption. The yearning for control over things that are fundamentally uncontrollable maybe. Obviously you get exceptions but generally the state of the front garden is a pretty reliable distinguisher between Tory and Lib Dems voters. It’s less clear re Labour voters. 

I would think a Lib Dem's lawn would be indistinguishable from a Tory's. A lot smaller but desperate for the light that the Tory lawn has.

[A Red]

What about ones football pitch?

[Chip Butty]

Been out today putting in the Allium sets: rows of Picardy White garlic, red and white onions and new this year elephant garlic. Doesn’t look much now, though hoping in about 3-4 weeks it should well be sprouting shoots.

Chillis and tomatoes have been moved from the heated propagator, to their own individual pots. Spuds are chitting and sowing parsnips, Pak-Choi and cucumber next week. 

Good for the soul to get out and do a bit. 

[Jennings]

Anyone used this? 

https://www.gardenonaroll.com/products/sunny-border

 

I have some really wide borders that have big trees/shrubs in them. Every year they are full of weeds. I'd love a really colourful, densely packed summer border but have no idea what to put where.

 

And I definitely fancy a hosta garden in my north facing fenced border.

 

Anyone got any thoughts or ideas?

 

 

[bossy]

Was it someone on this thread who recommended the Merlin Bird app? Step forward if so, I’d like to rep. We see the same species on the bird feeders but can hear loads we haven’t spotted, singing, warbling and quarking away, and this app is great for identifying them. 

[TheHowieLama]

[TheHowieLama]

On 24/03/2024 at 09:54, Jennings said:

And I definitely fancy a hosta garden in my north facing fenced border.

 

Anyone got any thoughts or ideas?

 

 

 

Do it - we are using them in little "islands" along a path. they nice.

 

 

 

[Champ]

On 30/03/2024 at 07:13, bossy said:

Was it someone on this thread who recommended the Merlin Bird app? Step forward if so, I’d like to rep. We see the same species on the bird feeders but can hear loads we haven’t spotted, singing, warbling and quarking away, and this app is great for identifying them. 

*steps forward

[Champ]

On 24/03/2024 at 13:54, Jennings said:

Anyone used this? 

https://www.gardenonaroll.com/products/sunny-border

 

I have some really wide borders that have big trees/shrubs in them. Every year they are full of weeds. I'd love a really colourful, densely packed summer border but have no idea what to put where.

 

And I definitely fancy a hosta garden in my north facing fenced border.

 

Anyone got any thoughts or ideas?

 

 

I think we garden differently, Jennings, but have you ever used Pinterest to look for ideas?

 

I love it and am using it to show my son and his gf the possibilities for their large and undeveloped garden.

 

On the hostas question, how are the slugs and snails in your garden?

The population of both have increased noticeably over the time I’ve had my current garden to the point I’ve all but abandoned trying to grow them. Similarly delphiniums.

That said, I visited a garden less than a mile from here and they had fabulous hostas so it’s very localised.

If you haven’t grown them before don’t spend too much or get cuttings from a friend and see what happens. You’ll find out very quickly 

[Jennings]

12 minutes ago, Champ said:

I think we garden differently, Jennings

 

Yeas, probably. I think in horticultural circles, my way is known "The wrong way."

I am very amateurish - and flip-flop between 'highly enthusiastic' and 'grossly indifferent'.

[Champ]

And as if by magic this was in my emails this morning. I’ve bought quite a bit of stuff from them and would definitely recommend. Crocus.co.uk is another one I’d definitely recommend https://www.rootsplants.co.uk/products/the-cottage-garden-collection

[Champ]

2 minutes ago, Jennings said:

 

Yeas, probably. I think in horticultural circles, my way is known "The wrong way."

I am very amateurish - and flip-flop between 'highly enthusiastic' and 'grossly indifferent'.

There is no ‘wrong way’ as long as you’re getting something out of it

[Jennings]

4 minutes ago, Champ said:

There is no ‘wrong way’ as long as you’re getting something out of it

 

...a bad back and on first name terms with the blokes at the tip.

[bossy]

40 minutes ago, Champ said:

*steps forward

Duly repped, thanks!

[Champ]

2 minutes ago, bossy said:

Duly repped, thanks!

Re my reference to my son’s garden, it’s fascinating the variety of birds they get compared to the more limited range we get. Their garden is surrounded by a lot of tall mature trees

[bossy]

59 minutes ago, Champ said:

Re my reference to my son’s garden, it’s fascinating the variety of birds they get compared to the more limited range we get. Their garden is surrounded by a lot of tall mature trees

We’ve now identified, rooks, crows, jackdaws, song thrush, a variety of finches, dunnocks, sparrows, wrens, robins, wagtails, doves and pigeons, blackbirds, starlings, all variety of tits, magpies, geese, nothing extraordinary but half of them we rarely see. 

[VladimirIlyich]

Slugs and Snails are the threat for a fair amount of showy garden plants. In my experience both Marigolds and Busy Lizzies are high on their list of snacks. I abandoned using anything but small trees and shrubs many years ago. They would now only go in planters and large garden pots if planted again. Our garden is swamped by Honeysuckle and large Fuschia bushes. Hydrangeas were there in the past alongside a Clematis on the back fence. My garden is a mess though.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Really pleased with this little Acer I planted.

 

[Champ]

17 minutes ago, Babb'sBurstNad said:

Really pleased with this little Acer I planted.

 

It looks fabulous against the brickwork 

[Champ]

47 minutes ago, Babb'sBurstNad said:

Really pleased with this little Acer I planted.

 

And is that a hydrangea in full leaf to the right?