Day off

I’ve had a day of visiting friends and little gardening today other than swept my path.

I’m going to leave you with this simple picture.

Cool plants!

Yesterday was a busy day. I visited Bud Garden Centre in Burnage.

I bought the lovely little cacti that I posted yesterday and my favourite compost – Sylvagrow. It’s a peat free compost but it’s the best I’ve found that you can buy!

What’s even better I buy it in a bag for life so in effect I am not using plastic.

After here we had a quick stop to Wicks for some top soil.

Have you ever been to Aqualife in Poynton? They are an amazing plant nursery that stock everything to do with aquatic plants from water lilies to day lilies and hostas. As long as the plants thrive in water, bogs and marshes they will have them!

Not only that, the service is amazing and David, the guy that helped us, really knows his stuff and is passionate about what he does!

I picked up this beauty that I have been after for a while – Thalia dealbata. A tropical aquatic plant with stunning leaves and a small (in comparison to the leaves) dark purple / maroon flower.

I love how the rain sits on the leaves. Sadly I knocked them off when taking pictures so watch this space and wait for better pics.

I also picked up some oxygenating plants. Here are water violet – Hottonia palustris and ivy leaved crowfoot – ranunculus hederacious.

I’m also really happy about this impatiens cutting it took. I put it water about a week ago!! Look at those roots!

Whilst shopping in Aldi today I was surprised to see the following plants …

The rain has been non stop all day and I have had a day in catching up with housework.

I hope I get chance to do a bit outside tomorrow as I have lots to do!

Precious plants

I have spent a bit of time in the yarden today.

If you’ve been following my posts of late, you’ll know I grow the more unusual and where possible rarer type of plants and flowers.

I was really happy that these petunias survived the winter and have started to re flower.

I don’t normally grow petunias, but when I saw these silky black flowers I couldn’t resist and bought a couple of plants.

These pictures do not do these flowers justice.

I have grown black violas before but sadly they were no longer. I found these at weekend, I must try and propagate these to ensure I don’t lose them again. They maybe small but aren’t they stunning?

Viola ‘Molly Sanderson’.

Another plant I’ve grown before but sadly not been able to keep alive are these dark leaved ipomoea. sadly they have never flowered for me but still. How delicate are the leaves?

Another amazing plant that is a must in my yarden is Aeonium Swartzkopf

This year I also have these stunning but highly poisonous Ricinus New Zealand Purple. I’m hoping that those leaves will grow huge!

Another amazing plant that is showing itself is this Arisaema ciliatum var liubaense. I can’t wait until it’s flower comes out more.

Since we moved here I have tried to encourage wildlife by adding plants, water, food and different habitats. I am pleased to say we have regular visitors, bees and birds mainly however today I saw this stunning black and red moth – The Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae).

Whilst pottering about I tidied up some areas and also decided it is about time I made a ‘feature’ out of my lovely piece of art that I bought off eBay some years ago.

Let me know what you think of it.

It reminds me of my travels around Asia and how they have such ornate pieces of art. Also how water is often placed at the front door – I believe that this is meant to ward of evil spirits but I may be wrong.

What do you grow? I’d love the hear back from you.

I have to give special thanks to my friend David who has given me many unusual plants and who is teaching me more about the rarities out there. He actually gifted the aeonium, Arisaema, Hedychium and ricinus in these pictures.

Wind, wind, wind…

It was actually a sunny day and fairly warm when the wind slowed but when it sped up … breezy and not really a great conditions to work in.

Some more blue hostas I grow. This one I’m not quite sure as the label has disappeared. It’s possibly Blue Cadet.

This is a lovely bigger variety. Hosta Krossa Regal.

This water lily is already at the surface along with frog bit.

Another lovely plant I grow, this is Oxalis triangularis.

I bought this cacti from a NGS, I have no idea what it is. I think it needed more light, so I am hoping this spot suits it more.

Let’s hope I am able to get out and do more 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 …

Fenced off!

Here is a simple drawing of a water feature I’d like to attempt to make for our yarden.

Looks at the lovely leaves on this ipomoea quamoclit, looking forward to this being planted out and towering over me with its beautiful leaves and red flowers.

I have never grown this before, it is related to the more familiar Morning Glory (blue flowering climber) plant. Both being poisonous, however they are also related to the sweet potato!

I have nearly finished painted the fences and basically just chilling out before heading to bed.

Wondering what to do this year for World Naked Gardening Day tomorrow (2nd May 2020). What will you be doing?!