lilysilly

Compost bin/cold frame

We've just turned our old slimline waterbutt that was used for collecting water off our shed into a compost bin. The bottom of it cracked last month so rather than throw it out I sawed off the base and have tucked it away next to our new butt, Its already a quarter full , i've put a stout cane inside so I can give it a good old stir.My gardens not large but my compost bin will soon be disguised by a buddlea shrub,

The Return of Gardeners World-8th March

I''ve just recently discovered some gardeners shows on youtube thanks to something DiscoDave wrote somewhere on the forum. I 've watched How to be a gardener with my fav GW presenter Alan Titchmarsh,Bees, Butterflies and Blooms with Sarah Raven,Christines Garden , a bit of Geoff Hamilton with his Paradise Gardens and Montys there also with his Italian Gardens . I also love proud gardeners giving us a guided tour of their own gardens, always have been nosy!

Slugs

Im a snipper too I used to collect them using a pair of silicone tongs from the pound shop and then bung them in a bucket of water but i'd feel bad when they took so long to drown! So I took advice from my elderly cheeky chappie neighbour and now "cut there flipping heads off ,they won't know nothing its so quick, maid don't be a wuss" Its gotta be a better way to go then being covered in salt or bleach  or poisoned.

At last

Gosh Alan you have had a busy day. After a chilly foggy start to my day the sun finally got going about 10.00 am. After gazing out the window at work longingly wishing I was at home in the garden I  finally got home at 3.00pm I was determined to get gardening. I had a good old time deviding a big clump of daylily and then finding new homes for all the new offsets [some are going to mates gardens] .After that went well I had a go at splitting a hugh pot of agapanthus , tricky or what? I am now in need of a new breadknife and a new pot I guess thats mothers day pressie sorted.It was good to feel the sun on my back  though roll on spring!

Suggestions please

On my shady border I have a climbing rose Compassion with a yellow and cream honeysuckle growing along my fence. When I first moved in my home and began to start a garden money was tight. That first sping I dug new beds improved the soil with grit,sharp sand and well rotted horse poop.Then I sowed annuals on my kitchen windowsill cosmos,sweetpeas, and a beautiful sunflower called Moulin Rouge.  The sunflowers went in my shadier border and were amazing all up the garden they were multi-headed and grew high to find the sun. If you are able to go to any summer fetes church,school,village fayres or car boot sales these are a great way to fill those borders you can get some really healthy rare perrenials for a pound or two.

Suggestions please

What a lucky lady you are with all that space to fill ! Are the beds wide enough to consider a tree or two or some shrubs to give you structure and height to your borders? because you'll want something to look at in winter when the perennials go to ground.How about an apple tree I'd love to have space for one. I have a lilac shrub which I keep pruned to about 7ft so we can enjoy the scented blossom then through it I grow clematis to give it added interest.As for perennials I would agree with Lizzie hardy geraniums are real troupers and flower for months some are evergreen too Wargrave Pink and Buxtons Blue for example. I would also add some low growing perennials ,Prunella Lovely Lilac is great for the bees all these can be devided easily after a couple of years .

Aldi plants

My local Aldi are selling them now and they are selling fast. I picked up some bearded iris [ iris germanica] mixed colours but all my favourites plums,yellows.creams and purples are on the picture. The quality is great three plump ready to sprout rizones for 99p. There is a great selection of bagged bareroots echinacea. hostas,daylillies, lily of the valley all looked good and fresh I just wish I had a bigger garden 

new years resolution

Welcome Tracysshed this is a great forum theres always something to make you smile or help you out with a gardening issue you may have. I cannot wait to start sowing next february ,so for now im keeping busy making cushion covers for my old patio chair cushions dreaming of the sun its been so long since we have seen it in rainy soggy Devon!  HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

Why did you all start gardening?

l used to earn a comic (Bunty if l remember right] if l helped my dad with the weeding and hoeing. Then when l was five l was given my own small patch next to the greenhouse where l would grow radishes,lettuce,a few peas l would always eat raw,candytuff flowers l would grow for the faeries to pick! My jobs when l was older was to open the greenhouse vents and door water dads tomatoes and cucumbers ,without an outside tap this meant many trips to and fro from the kitchen with a heavy bucket and watering can.Oh how l hated that greenhouse through my teenage years but l do love homegrown tomatoes! 

Then when you finally get your own home and garden you have to keep it nice to fit in with the neighbours then when you really get the gardening bug you wish to outdo the neighbours(or is this just me?)then you have children and you want to show them the magic of nature and where fruit/veg and flowers come from.

Ooh I love a bargain!

Artjak , it is easy to adore alliums they really earn their space in my garden. l also have allium Purple Sensation and some deep plum alliums [altropurpleum maybe]  but for 50p a pack l couldn't resist six more, greedy l know but the bulbs were massive and l guess they will flower later than all my others.

Gardengirl, l love bargains for my garden.l've had some great buys before roses for a pound from the tlc section that are now splendid specimans one called Valentine Heart that is a pretty scented pink.l have some fab plants l have got from school/church/village fetes that l've been able to devide and dot about my garden.l grow much from seed starting them off on my kitchen windowsill, sweetpeas you will get free in GW magazine are always wonderful,l save seed from year to year,and once you've had nigella,forget me nots,foxgloves.honesty and poppies in your garden they're there for life.

Ooh I love a bargain!

What are your favourite plants from gc bargain section?

When do I plant Dutch Iris bulbs?