Potting hot

Had a busy day in the gardening world.

Started early to try and avoid the heat.

I painted the new wooden plinths I screwed up yesterday.

I potted on my Zantedeschia Aeothopica ‘Green Goddess’. As you can see I position the original pot inside and then slowly tip it into the hole.

Is this plant telling me that it wants to come out of the propagator. Here we have another avocado growing.

I did some more work in my parents today but thought I’d share my banana plants that I grow in my parents garden with cannas and gingers.

My mum had the fright of her life today when she was getting some tomato food ready to water the plants.

There was a frog in her watering can. Sadly the frog was literally frightened to death.

I moved it to a shaded and damp space but sadly the poor thing didn’t make it.

I was so happy to know that there was a frog in their garden too.

I have since put plenty of water pockets in hope that there are more frogs seeking cooler and wetter conditions. I am also going to be adding a log pile.

I’d always encourage people to garden organically and to attract wildlife into their gardens / green space.

It really saddened me to have to move this beautiful creatures little body.

I am sorry for today sad news.

As mentioned previously please add some water to your green spaces however small they can be life lines for many.

Please also remember to take care of yourselves, the weather is so hot at the moment. I have been wearing a hat and trying to keep topped up with fluids.

Watering plants is becoming an issue. I have tried to lay saucers under each pot to retain the water as it is dissolving so quickly.

I have enjoyed potting on plants that appear to be growing more in this heat.

I’ll be doing more tomorrow so watch this green space.

Gardening frenzy

Today I have been fairly busy with gardening things.

I found that the wood is used to make a frame for my climbers had rotted in a section and fell off landing on hostas and veg. Thankfully the climbers seem to have had little harm.

I went to a fire salvage company and was surprised to see they had named hostas, healthy and cheap! Needless to say I bought a few.

I also managed to get some gold dust – aka Compost.

My friend and I headed to a garden centre that I haven’t been to in years. I can happily say it will be many years until I return … if ever.

I popped to my parents and drilled a hole to add the newly bought tap to convert a bin into a water butt.

I’m happy to see my yucca flowering so well.

Back home I took a look at my indoor plant nursery. Here are some pilea that I am growing. Roots are coming in nicely. I want to see if any additional grow. Last time I did this nothing happened.

Here is my Alocasia macrorrhiza ‘Borneo Giant’, it’s growing slowly and as with many of my plants this year has an attack of aphids! Let’s hope it grows stronger.

Here is my luffa. I grew this from seed but doesn’t seem to be doing much.

I also potted on the grape and bomarea that arrived recently as they both had roots growing out of their pots.

A quick water of some plants and then time for a shower!

Lazy day

I’ve had a fairly lazy day and not done much in the garden or yarden today.

Just going to leave this here

From last year and hope this comes soon.

Canna do any more …

Had a busy day in the sun working in my parents garden.

Pruned lots more ivy and sadly broke two panels in the greenhouse. Well they were already cracked but now they definitely replacing. Glad that the weather is warm enough that it won’t cause any problems.

There were bees and other insects flying in and out of the greenhouse all day.

Here is one of my seed sown canna from last year. Canna brasiliensis.

I also connected a water butt to the down pipe and connected it with an overflow pipe to a second water butt.

My parents are on a water metre so this will help them and the planet at the same time. Also the water butt was from freecycle and the second is a recycled container. Win win!

Plants and more flowers

Here is one of my figs – Ficus carica ‘Ice Crystal’ – look at those leaves!!

So pleased to see the hedychiums growing, behind the cannas.

Here is a recent purchase – Zantedeschia aethiopica ‘Flamingo’ looking great!

This is the plain Zantedeschia, I’m sure you’ll agree there is nothing plain about her!

Potted on the Mirabilis Jalapa.

Look at the beautiful flower on this Tinantia pringlei.

Do you recognise these cuttings? These plants were such a popular house plant when I was growing up. It’s nickname is the piggy back plant- Tolmeiea menziesii.

Flowers …

It is getting closer to the end of May, and it’s great to see more exotics coming to life.

Here is a lovely variegated abuliton.

I enjoyed lunch al fresco.

I have strung up some pots so the climbers can use these to attach themselves to them.

Below I have ipomoea quamoclit (actually not in shot), blue sweet pea (Lathyrus azeurus), hops (Humulis lupulus) and finally Tropaeolum tuberosum.

A friend gave me this lovely pot of sweet peas, I have made a wig wam out of bamboo and twine. I look forward to it brightening the entrance to our yarden and giving a beautiful scent.

Ahhh what is doing this?!?! I think it could have been a leaf miner…

I am loving the flowers on the hardy geraniums at the moment. Here is a lovely pink bud that opens to white.

This lovely little geranium, many would class as a weed as it self seeds readily and the flower is tiny. Yet I allow it to self seed in the passage along with other geraniums. Geranium lucidum.

This is another lovely mound forming geranium with small white flowers. It does self seed but not like lucidum.

I hope to catch you up with more tomorrow.

Not really a gardening day …

Nothing to say really.

David was off so we caught up with things we have been meaning to do for a while.

Did see an oxalis appear that I’d thought I’d lost which is great news.

I am sure I’ll have more to share tomorrow.

Wild wild wild

I’ve had a busy day today. Not in my yarden or my parents but in my old next door neighbour.

I used to look after this when I lived next door but haven’t had the time in the last few years.

As much as it was great to see the fig thriving and with figs!!! (I will be taking cuttings from it one day) I wasn’t happy to see how overgrown and how much work I had to get it back to former glory.

After a couple of hours work …

Obviously more to do but pleased with my progress and happy to see some frogs too!!

Friends …

With today being the main Eurovision day, I haven’t done lots in the yarden.

If you’d like to know more about what I’ve been up to today read it here:

https://greenombe.wordpress.com/2020/05/16/euro-packed/

I found these labels the other day. It reminded me how I love to share my hobby and love of gardening with those close to me.

Here are three important people in my life. Lesley, Sara and David (in no particular order) and how we have grown seeds together.

I have enjoyed watching some garden programmes earlier today and was happy to see some more exotic plants shown on Gardeners World.

Hopefully will have more to share tomorrow.

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.