April in Your Garden - Page 13

"in Autumn my garden fills up like a box of cornflakes"--love that image, figrat!

Mine fills up with the leaves of broadleaf maple---I'm surrounded by huge ones, as they grow like weeds. I have a tiny forest of them growing in the gutters.

I also have many Arbutus trees, which are evergreen but shed their leaves in summer. These leaves can't be composted, as they contain a growth inhibitor. They are beautiful, unique trees, but all my decks need sweeping daily in summer, as they are very slippery underfoot.

I also love the box of cornflakes!  I read somewhere that oak leaves make the best leafmould.  There is a an oak tree across the road from me and every year I wish I could gather its fallen leaves.  Every year the wind blows a gale and whisks them all off in the opposite direction.  Last autumn I was lucky and the wind blew in my direction and they ended up in my garden.  I raked them all up and have several sacks of them gently rotting down behind the patio. 

Just thought I'd drop in and share this with you all, it's so cute:

http://es.blurb.com/books/3157856

(you have to wait a couple of seconds for it to load the book)

Last night a cat triggered our security lights and I could then see the largest snail on the patio, so I had to pop outside and deal with him and a few of his friends. I am still finding cutworms as well they are feisty guys.

Still raining here but neighbour is having his car valeted as per schedule.

I think I've made it! Phew!

Lottie

That was a hell of a journey-there is a welcome thread here where your passport is checked

http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/talkback/bbc-gardening-arrivals---meeting-point/2508-12.html

Good to see you Lottie.

I managed a good hour in the garden, plenty of weeding to do. I then decided to pop to shops to buy some bread and just as I was returning the skies opened. I am drenched.

I did do my good deed of the day and moved some recycling boxes that had blown in the road, As they emptied them 2 hours ago I did wonder how many people had walked by them.

Afternoon All,

Hope everyone is well.

Another yuky day.  Heavy rain and blowing a gale here.  One arm of my climbling rose has been ripped off in the wind.  I have tied the tickest part into the trellis, as the previous string had snapped, but it needs more serious tying when this wind and rain dies down.  This rose as the biggest, thickest thorns, and is a nightmare to tie in.  Ii may collar 'Vic' for that job.  Not sure how much more, my lovely carpet of tulips, can take of this weather.  There are loads of them now, and they're being battered about a lot.  The fire pit circle is full of water, the ditches are full, nearly 5ft, and I've had to fashion a run-off stream in the gravel drive to try and direct the ditch overflow down into the woodland beyond our fence. The 8 meter deep well water is higher than I have ever seen it.  Hosepipe ban, my eye!

Yvie 

Ooh, mean to say HELLO LOTTIE!  Good to see you hear.

Yvie

Yvie sounds really bad there. I am just bored of this now. Can we not have some different weather.

I feel the same Kate, I know it's good for everything, but you can't get out for any length of time to do anything.  And I've got seedlings to pot on and more to sow.  When I looked at the weather online yesterday, it was like this all the way until Monday.  Boring.

Yvie

Is that you on your next sunshine holiday, in a few weeks Geoff?

Yvie

One would hope so.-this is the latest

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2514256

I am camping this weekend! If it was me I'd cancel it but its a district event so not up to me! I can see we might have to resort to some wet weather activities in the buildings on the site.

I went to the plot at lunchtime and nearly got blown away. The sun was shining however so I guess the rain Yvie is having is on its way here!

Lottie -you missed this yesterday-it was from freecycle wants-he needs some help

"Hi all
I am away camping in the Purbecks next week and I am short of some gear:
a tent ( a sturdy one as the weather forecast is horrendous); waterproof clothing incl hat, a torch, a blanket.
I would appreciate if you could help me by lending/donating the stuff.
Huge thanks in advance!"

Did manage to get out for a wee bit (not a bit of a wee).

It's very blustery here, soil is sopping wet, just did some pottering around, moving my cuttings up to the top garden where I can keep an eye on them and treat for Vine weevil which reminds me, one pot of sedum gone to grub. I will be emptying it out tomorrow and killing said critters. I lifted the stalks of what remained and found a nice sandy patch in my middle garden where I stuck the stalks in the soil. Sedum is a prolific spreader and should root. I don't mind plants that need taming so long as I invited them in the first place. I think I'll transfer all my Sedums to the ground in the next month and save the pots for Sempervivums in future as those Vine Weevil just love them too much.

Also took a peek around the base of my sickly Phormium. I've feed it and watched for slugs but its leaves are definitely dying and any new growth seems inhibited.

I dug around it with experimental optimism of moving it to a sandier location because I think the soil is a bit rich in that spot but I was stumped. The beast wouldn't move and what roots I did unearth look damn happy, so I have scratched out the soil from its base and mulched the area in the hope that its happy where it is, but just wants more crown exposed. DOn't worry, I haven't left the thing bare, but I do have a tendency to plant things in huge lush holes and bury them under ten tonnes of soil.

It is too windy to be outside-the bird table and the bench are now laying down-so Wintersong you have done well.

The hot news is 6 more tomato plants have gone- down to the final 3  !!!

That freecycle poster definitely needs help - you should at least have a tent before you plan a camping trip! I have the choice of 2 tents - maybe I should pitch one inside the the other to keep off the worst of the weather!

Oh Lottie, I can't think of anything worse than camping, whatever the weather.  I'm not going anywhere unless there's an ensuite!

You did well getting so much done in this weather Winter.  I lost 2 huge Phormiums in the snow and frosts of 2009/10.  Shame as they were pretty impresive where they were (inherited in this garden).

Am still battling with useless Waverley Council to get this weeks recycling collected.  They keep telling me I'm a 'priority'.  Yeah, right.

Yvie