Tina5

Poppy seed

I leave the heads on mine and let them self seed. i also cut a good few heads and save the seed for my homenade bread.If I want them elsewhere in th garden, i just cut the whole plant when it is dry, and shake it in the general area where I want them to grow. You can always transplant any that seed in the 'wrong' place.

Tree sparrows & house sparrows.

Beware of Parkers Bulbs. .

I tried Parkers wholsale when we ran our own business. I bought mainly young plants to grow on for our customers. many were D.O.A., a lot were sickly and died anyway. It took me months and months to get a refund. I wouldn't use them again.

I buy everything from our local GC now. The plants are fabulous, and they will deliver locally for just a fiver.

Tree sparrows & house sparrows.

Jean, I've started planting a new hedge on my boundary.....escallonia, hawthorn, buddleia, holly, anything I can get my hands on, actually. I will rebuild it! I'm even pondering the odd ..dare I say it?...leylandii. It's a good 80 feet from the nearest building...but something is staying my hand. Maybe I'll just plant a dozen russian vines and let it tumble over their side...

Tree sparrows & house sparrows.

We've had an invasion of sparrows this year. Some new people have moved into a property behind us, and the first thing they did was cut all the trees and bushes down! My guess is that a lot of our new birds are refugees from there. I'm truly annoyed, as it was a beautiful hegde, gave loads of cover for the wildlife, and cut out a lot of the noise from the road. Now it's a desert..except for the trampoline.....

Coverage of Hampton Court Flower Show

I missed it. But..I got fed up with The Chelsea Flower Show coverage. It seemed more about the ubiquitous Clare Balding than the flowers or gardens. I'd have like more garden and flower shots and less boring chit chat! (maybe I'm just grumpy ...)

I like a bit of grass...but mine is full of clover for the bees, so it doesn't get cut too often, I' don't mind it a bit wild and wooly. I couldn't grace it with the term 'lawn' though. It more 'managed wildflower meadow' That's my story, anyway.....

Talk about stating the obvious

"If only they'd given me their research grant, I'm sure I could have told them exactly the same."

Hi Tim..I share your pain! The times some 'expert' comes up with research that the average person with a modicum of intelligence could have told them......where was I when they were handing out the grant money?

Floppy Rose

I have a few D Austin roses, and yes, some do 'flop' a bit. One that was especially lazy last year is doing better this year though, still a bit floppy, but as the bush is older and bigger, the blooms are staying clear of the ground. I have Ferdinand Picard which always behaves impeccably though, and is a beauty!

They are at it again - more flipping bird food....

We have some youing blackbirds that are hanging arounnd the garden like teenagers looking for trouble. I throw the sluggy strawberries on the lawn for them, and they look so funny when they rush up to one, take a quick look over their shoulder, then stab the fruit and scuttle off into the flower beds with it.

We also have a collared dove nesting in one of the apple trees. her nest is so flimsy, but it seems to have weathered the terrific high winds we've had recently. She looks very serene sitting there!

Garden Gallery

That is a lovely plant! I bought a Doctor Ruppel, as I liked the colouring, but I think that solid pink is nicer. I'm sure I can find a spot somewhere...probably in next doors garden! LOL!