In the Garden

Just had the absolute pleasure of shredding stuff after pruning (probably the wrong time but it was necessary) and then emptying one of the compost bins to work into the new veg area. Finally the shredded stuff into the now empty compost bin along with some dried out bits taken out of the pond.

So satisfying getting something for nothing, and an enjoyable afternoon in the garden.
I shall need to do more Pilates tomorrow!!
 
Drummer said:
The accordion player at practice last night showed me a photo of her 'new pet' a huge bumble bee.
She found it outside in the cold and brought it inside to defrost. It seems to be happily visiting her flowers in the conservatory now, and hopefully will survive until the warmer weather comes - a few hours of warmth must have woken it from hibernation, but the cold night almost finished it off.
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I love bumblebees and usually let them climb on my hands to warm up and give them sugared water to revive. I have a small bee house and am awaiting the leaf cutter bees to hatch out. Watching an adult “cut” rose leaves into semi circles and then carry them off, to lay their eggs and secure it with many cut leaves, is fascinating to watch.
 
Myself and another motorhoming member of this forum are also both on a Moho one, where a certain member jeeps 3,000 bees in hives at home where they have a large flat roofed extension at the back, and his hives are normally kept up there.

I love a big fat furry bee, one flew in the open back door the other day and then couldn't work out where the open bit of the patio at the rear of the living room was, I'd just asked OH to usher him/her safely out please, when they discovered the way! - always relieved when they do.
 
grovesy said:
I am in the South East, and have been growing them and overwinter them in the garden for a few years. I originally grew them from seed.
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Talking about Dahlias, I’ve just committed a grave error, we always lift our dahlias because we can get a lot of frost and low temperatures, but I just went to hang the washing out, saw something thuggish looking at the back of the border and gave it a yank...turned out to be half a dahlia, by the look of the attached tuber! It was mild this winter, and it was in a sheltered spot. I’ve quickly potted up the bit that broke off, and hopefully it will take as a cutting.
 
Robin said:
Talking about Dahlias, I’ve just committed a grave error, we always lift our dahlias because we can get a lot of frost and low temperatures, but I just went to hang the washing out, saw something thuggish looking at the back of the border and gave it a yank...turned out to be half a dahlia, by the look of the attached tuber! It was mild this winter, and it was in a sheltered spot. I’ve quickly potted up the bit that broke off, and hopefully it will take as a cutting.
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I still look I have not given up on mine yet. I have a couple that are more sheltered spot that are under stuff that is romping away at the moment.
 
Eggy that's a 'proper' garden. 🙂

Mum's Ornamental Cherry is gorgeous every year.
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Northerner said:
Here's a better picture of one of my daffodils 🙂

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I’ve seen quite a few of these this year just in hedgerows on our country side walks. Today though, we saw some creamy/ white ones. I thought they looked amazing. I like the frilly ones, February Gold are so last year! 😉
 
Ditto said:
Eggy that's a 'proper' garden. 🙂

Mum's Ornamental Cherry is gorgeous every year.
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Thanks. When we moved in 34 years ago, we were absolutely clueless about gardening. I still am TBF! When the kids were young it was mostly lawn, easy to maintain and room for various outdoor toys! We did dabble in veg a few times but not very successful and then life got in the way. When we retired three years ago Mr Eggy was determined to start a veg patch again. Last year it came to fruition. He jokes he did the raised beds so he can still garden if he ever needs a wheelchair! He really enjoys it. I just pull weeds out and chop dead stuff down!
 
February Gold are so last year!
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:D heh!

Does anybody know what this flower is? Not a great pic of it but it's looking gorgeous this year. I have some in Mum's garden too. Never had a clue what it is. I used to do that garden but my sister swapped with my son and she's chopped down the 'dwarf conifer' that was in a tiddy pot and grew to 50foot! They're going to be doing a lot of gardening this year. 😉

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Another plant question. I know these are snakes head fritillary, were here when we moved in in 1986 along with a lone purple one elsewhere in the garden. That just disappeared one year. From what I’ve read they are wild flowers and in decline. What I want to know is has anyone split the bulbs successfully? Can’t find hardly any advice at all, when you google them you just get adverts for buying them. We don’t want to loose them but honestly don’t have a clue how old they are and would like them to survive. We may just have to buy some but apparently they aren’t easy to grow.
 

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Eggyg, try changing your default browser from google to something like duckduckgo. The interesting stuff then appears top of the pile rather than on page 21 after all the paid-for adds. In this case, the RHS website turns up top on a search for snakes head fritillary.
 
Ditto said:
:D heh!

Does anybody know what this flower is? Not a great pic of it but it's looking gorgeous this year. I have some in Mum's garden too. Never had a clue what it is. I used to do that garden but my sister swapped with my son and she's chopped down the 'dwarf conifer' that was in a tiddy pot and grew to 50foot! They're going to be doing a lot of gardening this year. 😉

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I’d go with periwinkle too or Vinca Major if you’re being posh or buying it from a garden centre. It creeps, and layers itself down. Ours comes under the fence from next door.
 
Hi @eggyg

Re your snakes head fritillaries, mine seem to self seed. I give them a little shake once they’ve “gone over” and ruffle the soil a bit. Although, I guess, we are at different ends of the country. The trick is to remember what they are when the new leaves appear in the spring and not pull them out 🙂.
 
Lisa66 said:
Hi @eggyg

Re your snakes head fritillaries, mine seem to self seed. I give them a little shake once they’ve “gone over” and ruffle the soil a bit. Although, I guess, we are at different ends of the country. The trick is to remember what they are when the new leaves appear in the spring and not pull them out 🙂.
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Unfortunately they grow in a small patch of soil at the edge of the garden path! But I will take your advice and see if I can get the seeds to fly over the path to a proper border! Looking at where they naturally grow, meadows and marshes, where mine grow, is dry and very un meadow like!
 
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