Scorcher of a day!

I’ve really enjoyed the scorching day! All my plants appear to be growing so well. I did have to water many this afternoon.

Yes – apologies for the caladium update. You’ll be pleased to know that these are two of sixteen varieties!!

A friend gave me a water lily last week. Here it is potted up and moved to it’s forever home. I hope it’s going to be happy.

I was pleased to see that the oxalis are all popping through the ground now. I grow four varieties in total, I’d love to grow more.

Please remember our little friends that visit our green spaces. A simple drinking ‘bar’ for bees and other visitors can me made from very little. Here is an old container and some pebbles topped up with water.

I CANNOT wait until May ends.

Don’t cast a clout until May is out.

This is an ‘old wives tale’ but is one us gardeners live by. With the risk of frost still possible it’s always best to check the weather and be able to protect those babies.

Here are all the plants I am growing from seed in our flat! This is our spare room and bed.

And the lounge. Let’s face it – all the window sills are filled!!

A friend and I often order plants together. These beauties arrived today from Jurassic plants.

Here we have two types of fig, a medlar, a Szechuan pepper, an aronia bush and two edible fruiting elaeagnus. Hoping to enjoy the fruit in the future.

I am also very lucky and grateful that David gave me this little intrigue – an Arisaema, ciliatum var. Liubaense. Can’t wait for this to flower!

Whilst visiting David and of course social distancing, I saw this extraordinary flower on his Passion flower.

I am also extremely happy with the growth and progress of this recent purchase from AJ Plants. This is the tropaeolum tuberosum, a lovely leaved nasturtium.

Another friend, also called David, gave me this plant. It is a climbing abuliton. You may be able to see the bud.

It is called Abuliton megapotamicum. It is slow to start but if this warm weather continues I’m sure it’ll be right at home.

I haven’t mentioned hostas for some time, here is an amazing plant. Hosta halcyon. It is one of the many blue forms and a popular favourite.

Hosta la vista

Plants, more plants? YES!

Always exciting when your morning starts off with this!

So my order from AJ Plants arrived and I am pleased to see everything arrived in good condition.

https://ajplants.co.uk/

Here are two types of Zantedeschia – Flamingo and Green Goddess. Tropaelum tuberosa, globba bulbifera, lysichiton camstcharcensis and Aechmea cylindrata (the latter two are for my friend, David – he is so knowledgable!).

Also appearing in our yarden is this sole iris.

This is one of the … solanum I have grown from seed. Sadly it has no label. But pleased to see it in bud.

Clearly they are also delicious to slugs and snails.

Happy to see that I have a mountain papaya growing nicely. Vasconcellea pubescens.

Another Solanum, this is S. betaceum orange.

I love the foliage on these ipomoea quamoclit. I can’t wait to see them flower!

I helped these two little bees out of my house. They were both trying to get out of the window. I noticed they had spiders web caught on them, I helped them rid of this. The first flew off immediately. The second was hoot on my glove for far too long.

It’s so special to see these little bees so close.

I couldn’t find any crocks?!?!!! I added some plastic (old compost bag) to the bottom of the post to stop the compost falling out. Also helps retain some moisture for certain plants.

It is possibly a bit controversial, I add plastic to the bottom of many pots. I don’t have to water as much and the majority of my plants prefer their roots to remain moist.

I am pleased to see my caladiums open more! Here is Carolyn Whorton.

And this beauty is C.White Queen.

Until tomorrow.

Full day in the sun!

Another great sunny day!

Every morning I check seedlings and water houseplants. I am pleased to see the caladiums are finally growing well!!

A wander round the Tiny Tropical Yarden and look at the flower on this Zantedeschia Hercules along with my Ensete maurelii also known as the Abysinian Banana. Both are very tropical looking, though the ensete needs winter protection.

Here is another lily, same family as Hercules, Zantedeschia aeothiopica. Another hardy tropical looking plant.

I popped to my parents to drop off a few bits. I was pleased to see the Geranium palmatum in flower.

As soon as I returned home David and I had breakfast al fresco.

Then I got to work pottering about in our yarden. The first job was to decant the nettle tea into bottles, it was starting to smell badly as I had no cover for my bucket.

The blue skies and my bamboo!!

I repotted my Tetrapanex and Aspidistra saxoca, even have it some height by mounting on top of some breeze blocks. Fingers crossed it survives the ordeal.

I have recently started watching Beechgrove Garden and they had this great idea for house leeks and similar plants.

David helped me in the garden and we put this little bird house up. We do get lots of birds visiting the yarden and we thought we’d give them to option to stay over.

We also mounted some wine boxes on the walls.

It was great to see that this lovely bee was able to rest on the leaves in my little pond and take a well needed break and drink!

I am pleased to say that today was the first day we picked salad fresh from our yarden. This was a tasty herb salad of mixed salad leaves, dill, mint, oca and oregano.

More tomorrow I am sure …

Colourful day

A simple gardening day today.

Went for a lovely walk (exercise time) around Didsbury. Some stunning plants.

The wisteria is stunning on this house!

A mixtures of pinks and reds …

Subtler shades …

Back in our yarden, I have hung these small glass bottles. I intend to use them for cuttings and any accidental flower chops – like this marsh marigold.

I’m excited to see my Cautleya is poking out of soil amongst the black mondo grass.

Tonight I have been pricking out these seedlings. They are an interesting tropical plant. Lobelia fistulosa – I have never grown these before and am hoping that I can get them to grow big!

Made some more plant labels out of the milk bottles my parents are saving for me.

Night night!

What in the ‘hail’ is this?!

So a mixed day regarding the weather. Still fairly cool hitting about 6/7 in the night.

Felt chilly when I went in the the yarden, I even had a choob around my neck.

I’m not sure if you watch Gardener’s World, Monty Don was talking about taking Dahlia cuttings. I have done this with Dahlia Honka Black, I don’t grow many ‘normal’ plants buy as this dahlia has black flowers and is single, it fits my unusual theme and hopefully the bees with enjoy it too!

I have painted these wooden wine boxes with a preservative for a future yarden project. The stuff smells bad but keeps enhances the natural colour of the wood.

I can’t believe that the Geranium palmatum are already in bud!!! Soon these will be adorned with huge cerise / pink flowers.

I’m sure you know I am painting the fences, having to move many of my pots, I am going lots of insects. It’s grway to see what once was a concrete jungle is now a haven for wildlife.

My little pond is aiming back to life. These miniature water lily like plants pop back up from the depths every spring. It’s great to see all the wildlife this little amount of water attracts. From birds and bees drinking from it to the snails and bugs that live in there, not forgetting the plants!

I always prepare to garden with a cup of tea, love this mug with a lid!!

This Japanese reed grass gives continuity in the yarden and gives a flow almost like water.

I am pleased to have sown many edibles this year, here is a mix of salads that are ready for the picking.

I try and encourage wildlife in to the yarden, especially the birds. Their song and visits give me so much joy.

I bought this ‘window’ feeder about two years ago and the birds didn’t really bother with it. I decided to make it into a bird bath come drinking station. I know I need to hide the ‘soft cheese’ but I’m hoping it will get more use.

Other than that it’s been a wet day and even had hail!!! Let’s see if I can paint another fence panel tomorrow.

Thanks for reading. Please do let me know what you are doing in your green space.