Author Topic: Eric & Anthea's garden at different times of year. (Read 113468 times)

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #350 on:** March 03, 2015, 06:19:32 PM »

Quote from: ideasguy on March 03, 2015, 12:25:07 AM

Daffodils are spreading OK though. Some of the Tete-a-tete's are out and the other taller varieties are promising.

I think you are a bit further ahead than us, George. being at an altitude of 600 feet slows things up a bit. Our Tete-a-tetes are nowhere near out yet. As I think I have said before, they always seem to be two or three weeks ahead of us in the valley. A bitter north wind isn't encouraging things much either.
Eric H.

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #351 on:** March 29, 2015, 05:45:39 PM »

After some very sunny weather it has been raining for the last day or two, quite heavily at times.The sun came out for a brief moment this afternoon so we went for a little ride in the car. There were daffodils in bloom on the verges in gardens, everywhere we looked there were daffodils. Anthea suggested the reason our daffodils are still so tightly shut is that they must be a different variety. They aren't anything exotic, they look like common-or-garden daffs to me.

We also enjoyed the sunlight a short time ago in the shelter of a brick wall at Rousham, Oxfordshire

. We're looking a bit older than our icon

Eric H

ideasguy · « **Reply #352 on:** March 29, 2015, 08:02:35 PM »

Many thanks for posting this lovely photo.
You are both looking great Eric! Relaxed and happy

I can see you were enjoying your day out.

Good discussion point on daff flowering times!
Yes, different varieties do come in and out of flower at different times, so if you have different varieties it helps to prolong the show.
The small tete-a-tetes are my favourite (well only one I suppose!) as they are so small neat and tidy and are first to appear here.
The taller varieties are a few weeks later here. Only a few of ours are in bloom (one or two per clump).

Its also due to microclimates. People at the bottom of our hill have flowers a week and more sooner than us.
Ive observed over the years how flowers are much earlier again in urban Belfast.

I have to say - daffodil are much under-rated. They are SO easy to grow, and when cut in bud, open up in a day or two indoors. Marvellous flowers. The downside of course are those clumps of leaves which need 6 weeks or so to die down and look a bit untidy.
When they do, its time for the summer bedding to be planted out in the same areas, and the cycle goes on

Palustris · « **Reply #353 on:** March 29, 2015, 08:55:29 PM »

And then there is the problem of Narcissus root fly. We have lost hundreds of bulbs over the last few years, so what was once a good yellow scene is now very sparse indeed.

ideasguy · « **Reply #354 on:** March 29, 2015, 09:06:31 PM »

Gosh

I thought they were pretty much indestructible!

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #355 on:** April 06, 2015, 05:34:30 PM »

I hope you all have been enjoying your Easter weekend and have been able to put it to good use (preferably in the garden)

.

On Thursday we went to our favourite garden centre, a small family run concern which is more like a nursery than the Wyvales and Nottcuts of this world. We like it there, they don't stock all that extraneous tat for one thing. We have used it for years. In the early days we were served by the husband and wife but now it is the son and daughter who are usually there. We now have a little collection of pots of plants waiting to be fill the gaps. Paul, our great occasional help is coming tomorrow and will do the necessary.

Today we have been enjoying sitting in the sun doing nothing. No, that's not quite true, Anthea potted on her tomato plants so deserved the sit down more than me.

Enjoy what's left of the day.

Eric H

ideasguy · « **Reply #356 on:** April 06, 2015, 07:45:04 PM »

Enjoy the weather Eric and Anthea and all here. Its was beautiful here today - more like a summers day.
The good weather is to continue for a few days

NightHawk · « **Reply #357 on:** April 07, 2015, 01:30:34 PM »

That's a lovely photo of Anthea and yourself Eric

You could almost put a funny caption to that one, taking note of your left hand and the thumb pointed towards Anthea, now what could you have been saying to the cameraman... $:-\$

Beautiful weather here today too. Our garden is in much need of tidying so we're going to have to work that into our 'busy' schedule

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #358 on:** April 11, 2015, 10:05:44 AM »

Quote from: Kathy & Laurie on April 07, 2015, 01:30:34 PM

You could almost put a funny caption to that one, taking note of your left hand and the thumb pointed towards Anthea, now what could you have been saying to the cameraman... $:-\$

Yes indeed, Laurie

. The funny thing is that I didn't notice myself doing it and only saw it when I looked at the photo.
Eric H

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #359 on:** April 11, 2015, 10:10:06 AM »

Some welcome rain during the night and this morning. Started watering yesterday too.
Brightening up now, and a bit of blue sky visible. Benji cut the lawn yesterday which was helpful.

Our neighbour has an enormous old magnolia in bloom and I can see it out of the window as I type.
Eric H

NightHawk · « **Reply #360 on:** April 11, 2015, 04:37:39 PM »

Your mention of a magnolia Eric has prompted us to look again at the one we have in our front garden.

It's right next to our front wall and is about 15 feet tall at the moment. We know they can get REALLY big so we're looking to take it down and replace with something else. We don't want the foundations of the wall getting undermined by its root system. It's in bloom right now but dropping petals everywhere. I have to say I'm not a great fan of magnolias.

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #361 on:** April 21, 2015, 12:18:42 PM »

Like you, Laurie, we planted a magnolia in the front garden too near the house. This was years ago so every year I have kept knocking it back so it has become quite like an attractive bonsai with quite a thick trunk.

This amazing weather just keeps on and on. The downside is that it is a matter of a lot of watering every evening.

Eric H.

ideasguy · « **Reply #362 on:** April 21, 2015, 11:11:29 PM »

I like Magnolias.
Some can grow very large. I'm pleased to read they can be pruned Eric.
Was it quite a severe pruning when you first cut it back?

I have two specimens of M. x soulangeana. Bought one quite small. It was a duo on close inspection so I split it.
Both grew well.
A M. stellata bought at the same time did very well for a number of years, then died.
It had the most beautiful and quite delicate scent.
I replaced it with M. stellata 'Royal Star' (I have two of them now).
They don't have the same scent

but they sure look good.
Very slow growing Laurie, and I doubt if would ever cause problems with foundations.

A few years later I bought M. x soulangeana 'Susan'.
Susan grew faster and now needs pruned. Its quite a bit from the house

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #363 on:** April 22, 2015, 08:01:40 AM »

Quote from: ideasguy on April 21, 2015, 11:11:29 PM

I'm pleased to read they can be pruned Eric.
Was it quite a severe pruning when you first cut it back?

Yes, George,pretty severe. it was a matter of taking some woody stems down to an outward growing bud with a clean sloping cut immediately after flowering. Now that it is the right size it is just a matter of cutting the new growth down to an outward facing bud every year immediately after flowering. Luckily our lovely stellata (given to us years ago by our son Adam) must be a small variety because, although quite old, it maintains a reasonable size.
ERic H.

ideasguy · « **Reply #364 on:** April 22, 2015, 07:32:41 PM »

Take a few photos if they are still in bloom Eric.
I'd like to use them in a project I'm doing

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #365 on:** April 23, 2015, 11:24:14 AM »

Quote from: ideasguy on April 22, 2015, 07:32:41 PM

Take a few photos if they are still in bloom Eric.
I'd like to use them in a project I'm doing

As you know, George, i couldn't connect to the forum to reply earlier so we have been in touch by email. I will post the link that I gave you to my Flickr site here too in case other members are interested in seeing my magnolia photos https://www.flickr.com/search/?w=91901945@N00&q=magnolia%20
Eric H

ideasguy · « **Reply #366 on:** April 23, 2015, 01:43:37 PM »

Highly recommended folk - they are brilliant photos!
Many thanks for sharing Eric

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #367 on:** April 30, 2015, 07:06:05 AM »

Eric (Palustris) has inspired me to upload a Google Earth shot of our garden too. I have put an X in each corner of the plot. It must have been taken a long time ago because I can see our previous car outside on the common.
Eric H

Palustris · « **Reply #368 on:** April 30, 2015, 10:26:17 AM »

Fabulous view. Wish they would update their images though.

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #369 on:** May 03, 2015, 09:03:43 AM »

It's raining quite hard this morning which is good for the garden but why has it always to be on a Bank Holiday weekend? To oldies like us one day is much the same as another but I am always sorry for people in work for whom it is a rare chance to enjoy being outdoors.
Eric H

Palustris · « **Reply #370 on:** May 03, 2015, 09:51:24 AM »

There is a Plant Hunter Fair on near to us and we have decided not to go as the rain is forecast to be on for the day. Feel sorry for the Plant sellers who have to be outside in the wet.

NightHawk · « **Reply #371 on:** May 03, 2015, 10:51:41 AM »

Similar weather here too. Heavy rain during the night but stopped at around 10am - quite windy too.

Fortunately we had nothing planned for going out anywhere.

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #372 on:** May 12, 2015, 06:54:32 AM »

After I had photographed the pheasant which I posted yesterday I directed my camera at this profusion of blossom hanging over the end of the summerhouse roof. Clematis Montana, apple blossom and dark purple lilac all mingling together.

Eric H.

ideasguy · « **Reply #373 on:** May 12, 2015, 02:29:00 PM »

That's a coincidence! My wife commented this morning that the Lilac should be in flower soon. You are probably at least one week ahead of us having yours in bloom. Something to do with the nice climate you have down south of the UK

.

That's a very nice combination Eric. It would be hard to plan something like that! Managing three plants to flower at the same time needs the expertise of experienced gardeners

barryl · « **Reply #374 on:** May 12, 2015, 08:57:29 PM »

Lilacs in full bloom in the E of England.

Author Topic: Eric & Anthea's garden at different times of year. (Read 113468 times)

NightHawk

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NightHawk