Author Topic: Trish & Rog's garden in Yorkshire (Read 15147 times)

trishs · « **Reply #25 on:** July 02, 2013, 01:39:43 AM »

Quote from: Eric Hardy on July 01, 2013, 07:21:44 AM

How about a goat or two, Trish?

Eric H

We did have a half share in one briefly a long time ago. It's a long and very funny story, but with a sad ending - the goat died after dogs got in the field

Goat keeping is very demanding, and not for the faint hearted.

trishs · « **Reply #26 on:** July 02, 2013, 02:23:22 AM »

Quote from: ideasguy on July 01, 2013, 10:39:49 AM

Or a herd of cows
What do you do with all the grass Trish?

Another long story, the end currently being that we now have four elderly sheep, but we can't graze them on the SSSI because it has become invaded by Dog's Mercury. A few years ago we lost sheep to mystery deaths and I finally figured out that they must have eaten the damn stuff. I was researching on and off for ages before I realised what was poisoning the poor creatures, it tends not to crop up on many poisonous plant lists and websites, or it certainly didn't several years ago. We have been totally unable to eradicate this pernicious creeping weedand we no longer get any help from Natural England or English Nature as it used to be called. They have been less than useless for the past several years. So the quick answer to what we did with all the grass last year is piled it up in a couple of large heaps just outside the SSSI. It was an enormous heap but it has dropped down a bit by now. It's such a shame but it's just too risky to feed it to the sheep, unless we can find an area that is reliably free of the Dogs Mercury. Personally I think this could be the case eventually, once we have got the Hay Rattle working again and the grass growth isn't so prolific as to give cover to the Dog's Mercury.

Rog strimmed some better paths and he went up there with me earlier this evening so I could look at what is growing. It's very tricky walking for meand I only had time and energy to go part way on the side path to where he had seen some Hay Rattle from. I should have taken my distance glasses but even so I could spot the few Rattle flower spikes and better still close by a couple of orchids, I'm pretty sure. Rog didn't want to go walking into the centre just now as it can cause damage but he'll go back with a camera and investigate a bit more when he doesn't have me to worry about

There were a couple of other species I'm not sure about namewise. A lot of what I think is some kind of Bedstraw and a curious patch of weird things that look like a type of allium that I need to google about to identify as I've never seen them before! Different species seem to congregate in different parts of the hillside so there's quite a large area to explore. There used to be several wild herbs and twayblades down the bottom end but I doubt I shall ever be able to get down the steep parts again so I shall have to rely on Rog's eyesight and the camera.

Here's some pictures from early spring. William is not at all sure about the sheep whilst Jessica is fearless where most things are concerned.

ideasguy · « **Reply #27 on:** July 02, 2013, 09:55:15 AM »

Nice photos of William and Jessica

You've reminded me of one I took of Tara when we first moved here and grew hens

Ive never heard of Dogs Mercury, but it must have been very mysterious to lose your livestock, Trish.

On the Foxgloves, I love that pale pink variety

Mine are usually the bog standard colour

Last year I BOUGHT some different coloured varieties, just to get a white one.
As if by magic, a white one appeared in the garden. As for the ones I bought, some died (I didn't think that was possible!) and to date, that white (bought) one has not materialised

However, the self seeded one (if that's what it was) is showing colour. Its a bit later than the regular Digitalis purpurea just beside it - its now in flower.

trishs · « **Reply #28 on:** July 02, 2013, 11:43:19 AM »

I've had the occasional white one pop up over the years. No matter how one tries to encourage the unusual shades it seems to be pot luck what you get. I lashed out on some of these this year
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/digitalis-chelsea-flower-show-plant-of-the-year-2012 but none have opened up their flower buds yet. It looks a bit gaudy but otherwise its described credentials seem too good to be true. I'll see how they do in the various inhospitable locations I've allocated them and let you know.

ideasguy · « **Reply #29 on:** July 02, 2013, 02:00:54 PM »

Thanks for THAT link Trish - very interesting!
Please take some photos when those flower buds open. I'd love to see them and your assessment of the plants in general when you've seen them for a full season.

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #30 on:** July 18, 2014, 10:29:44 AM »

Hello Trish,
I was just doing some dipping into the forum and saw your posting (a long time ago) about your sheep. I hope they are thriving and the Dogs Mercury eliminated. We kept horses for years and we had to pull up the Ragwort.
Best
Eric H

trishs · « **Reply #31 on:** October 08, 2014, 01:41:56 AM »

Hi Eric,

good to see this reply

I finally found time to pay a quick visit to the forum. Hope you and Anthea are keeping well and enjoying your lovely garden.

We are gradually getting on top of the Dogs Mercury (we think/hope!) but now we are down to three sheep as one died a while ago. It was the oldest, around 13 iirc so not bad for a sheep

I hope to write a proper update soon....

trishs · « **Reply #32 on:** October 28, 2014, 02:08:45 AM »

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.704400166319833.1073741869.100002495692422&type=1&l=4d0d6c71f2

trishs · « **Reply #33 on:** October 28, 2014, 02:12:30 AM »

I appear to have successfully provided a link above to my facebook current garden album which I have made 'public' so that I can share pics with friends on this forum

When time permits I will make other relevant albums public also as this seems the easiest / least time consuming way for me to share.

NightHawk · « **Reply #34 on:** October 28, 2014, 05:51:01 AM »

It's great to have you back on the Forum again Trish

Time can be one of our greatest enemies, there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything accomplished

Anyway, the links you provided to your garden are brilliant. I'm especially pleased you have included some of my favourite wildlife photos of butterflies.

ideasguy · « **Reply #35 on:** October 28, 2014, 08:25:01 AM »

Welcome back indeed Trish. Garden and wildlife looking good

Look at the lovely crop of pears you have

I'm having great difficulty getting fruit from mine. Its mature enough to produce, but crops seem to fail.
We had one good year, but this and last year was poor.
Ive noticed snails on the tree at time of setting fruit, so I'm suspicious. (How do they ever get away up there

)
Do you have any tips on growing them? Do you spray them?

trishs · « **Reply #36 on:** October 29, 2014, 01:33:37 PM »

Thanks George

Yes, our pear harvest has been excellent this year. It's hard work making sure we don't waste them! We're onto the last few now, but their skins are a bit unsightly so these fruits need to be peeled unlike the earlier ones. It's a family tree with three different varieties, and they all set and cropped equally well this year. Our apple trees on the other hand seem to be having a year off after last years bounty. We don't do anything other than feed and prune the pear but we put bands or grease around the apple tree trunks at the appropriate time of year (when we remember!)

I've updated the album after the past two days work. We've completed most of the renovation on the shade border and have high hopes for spring colour. I'm also planning to improve autumn colour at the lighter (right hand) end of the border once the remaining weeding has been completed. It's difficult planting there because of the tree roots which is why the geranium phaum has taken over over the past few years but I'm hoping to squeeze some bergenias in before winter arrives.

The main news about our garden is that several months ago an acquaintance began his own gardening business and has now become a friend and regular visitor/worker. He comes once a week and works either with Rog or on his own which means that we are at last making good progress at getting the garden into better shape. We have already done a lot of tree pruning with much work ahead to see us through winter. The field has been cut and raked and is looking good. I will add links for those albums. Rob is not very experienced at gardening but he is very enthusiastic and enjoying learning from us as he develops his business. I am so pleased we found him. It cost us a fair bit each month but the result are worth every penny and it's helping him get his business underway so everyone's a winner

trishs · « **Reply #37 on:** October 30, 2014, 02:05:19 AM »

More links to this year's albums, a record of what we have flowering , where and when:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.601468849946299.1073741846.100002495692422&type=1&l=66e62fcb24

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.636219576471226.1073741852.100002495692422&type=1&l=c6ef649b86

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.657761107650406.1073741855.100002495692422&type=1&l=b4ed91f327

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.609890772437440.1073741848.100002495692422&type=1&l=4d3973f0cd

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #38 on:** November 02, 2014, 11:13:09 AM »

Thanks for the links to your Facebook photos, Trish. It is a great way to display them. I particularly liked your helibores - one of my favourite flowers.
It is good to have help in your garden. At our age we couldn't manage without help.
Eric H

trishs · « **Reply #39 on:** November 14, 2014, 01:51:59 AM »

Thanks Eric, yes, I just received some new plants today in the post

I now have five baby Stinking Hellebores 'Miss Jekyll's Scented' which are supposed to smell nice! Hoping the weather will allow me to pop them into the recently weeded and tidied shade border tomorrow in their allotted positions. There are three Autumn Treasure raspberry canes for Rog to plant too.

We were lucky with the weather again this Monday and Rob helped me by digging up and boxing the dahlias and then planting trays of narcissus in their place. We finished the space off today with two different types of blue pansies, so the patio border is now ready for spring

The dahlias are drying upside down under the carport until next Monday when we will have to try and pack them the right way up and get them into the greenhouse for winter. The worst thing is keeping the m correctly labelled!

I've bought a few Christmassy looking plants with berries on from a local garden centre the other day (where we got the pansies). I was VERY impressed by the range and quality of plants, and the prices were fair too. It transpires that a HUGE Dutch artic wagon sleeps over at the garden centre in their car park every Monday and the guy who owns the garden centre is a very keen plantsman and regularly buys a few new and interesting cultivars that perhaps aren't so generally available. Unfortunately he wasn't there in person when we bought a few plants so I'm unsure exactly what some of my purchases are! The saleslady, his sister, apologised about the ones which weren't labelled. I shall photo them and call back, or ask on here if anyone can help.

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #40 on:** November 14, 2014, 12:13:51 PM »

Another flower that I noticed among your photos, Trish, was a nice pink single Astrantia, another favourite of mine. I had a root of one which looked just like that from my late father, in Barnard Castle, many years ago. it bloomed very well every year but this year it has mysteriously vanished. I suspect the help of weeding the border too zealously and "weeding" it out. His knowledge of plants is not good but he is excellent at cutting hedges and mowing grass.

Eric H

ideasguy · « **Reply #41 on:** November 14, 2014, 12:34:50 PM »

Glad to read about your enthusiasm for buying and planting new cultivars Trish.

I'd be very interested to hear from anyone who grows autumn fruit producing Raspberries - are they a good selection?
Mine are harvested over a few weeks in early summer. Hard to get volunteers to do the plucking, but everyone loves the jam

Its good to have that help in the garden Eric, but when it comes to weeding it sure does need a good knowledge of what is a weed and what is a plant. Its more difficult in that some perennials are VERY slow to awake from their "winter hibernation". Things like Cosmos atrosanguineus (the beautiful Chocolate plant) and Delphiniums are VERY late to start growth in my garden. Their spot needs to be either well marked or well memorised

Worse still, they need to be weeded around and slug pellets applied. Have you noticed that slugs favour our favourites?
I have long since concluded that if slugs like them, they are good plants!
I'm sure you have noticed that Dahlias are included in that category Trish!

trishs · « **Reply #42 on:** November 15, 2014, 12:46:08 PM »

Here's some info about one of the new plants I just bought....

http://www.plantify.co.uk/Leucothoe-axillaris-Curly-Red/plant-9573

nasuli · « **Reply #43 on:** December 07, 2014, 03:09:04 AM »

Hi Trish,
I'm not sure if anyone ever responded about your question as to what the conifer was in one of your earlier postings. Do you have Grand Firs there? My husband thinks that may be what it is, as it looks similar to ours. I've been enjoying your lovely photos. What qualifies land to be SSSI?

trishs · « **Reply #44 on:** March 30, 2015, 12:52:42 AM »

So sorry about not seeing and replying to your post, nasuli! I've been so busy I just haven't had time to spend here! I'm not familiar with 'Grand Firs' but I tend to like fir trees in general

Here are a couple of links to what SSSIs are https://www.gov.uk/sites-of-special-scientific-interest-and-historical-monuments and http://naturenet.net/status/sssi.html

trishs · « **Reply #45 on:** March 30, 2015, 01:02:42 AM »

Just paying a flying visit for now, folks! Hope everyone is keeping well and busy, especially in their gardens

We've been doing masses of work in ours, with the added advantage of having some regular (paid) help with the hard graft (lots of tree pruning, hedge cutting, ground clearing etc) . There's still lots more on the 'to do' list but we're having a short break over Easter and attending a music festival in Belgium. Assuming I survive the adventure I'll be back when we return. I've been reading the recent posts and enjoying all the pictures of plants, gardens and people

So I can share something easily and quickly I've just made one of my recent fb albums public so you can see our garden in the snow.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.778087408951108.1073741875.100002495692422&type=1&l=88acac5f80

trishs · « **Reply #46 on:** May 05, 2020, 01:43:13 AM »

Still here! Gosh what a long time has passed. Glad to see a few names I recognise. Will try and catch up over the next few days and read as many recent posts as I can. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2941435859282908&set=a.2941435749282919&type=3&theater

ideasguy · « **Reply #47 on:** May 05, 2020, 10:00:22 AM »

Yes stay safe Trish. Good to hear your are well.

trishs · « **Reply #48 on:** May 14, 2020, 01:34:48 AM »

I seem to have lost touch with this forum and only just found your reply. Hoping others are also keeping well. When time permits I'll have to try and catch up but just now I can't face a big learning curve. So much has happened since 2015! Our son's marriage unexpectedly fell apart and we have needed to spend time and money helping him with keeping his home and proper shared access to kids. because of this we have actually spent a lot more time with the grandchildren which has been a pleasure and a privilege. Also I notice in my last post from 2015 I mentioned we were getting help with the work in the garden. Well that friend now runs his own landscaping/garden business but spends the best part of every Monday working with us in the garden. We have done masses of tree pruning and lots of work on our SSSI and adjoining meadow. I'm still managing to get around on two sticks and raising stuff from seed, cuttings etc for others to plant out Yesterday we received a bench I had specially made and adapted (heightwise) from a chap on Ebay which is one of several I can use to rest on when I'm taking a trip round the garden. I have continuing problems in working out a way to post pics here so I've made a public facebook album in which I can add any relevant pics related to what I write about. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2962567040503123&set=a.2941435749282919&type=3&theater Currently we have a sharp frost tonight again but hopefully this will be the last one until the autumn and I can remove all the protective fleece and covers I've had to rig up this past week to keep tender stuff alive. It's been another weird spring as far as weather is concerned. After the awful floods several months ago we now are very much in need of rain in Yorkshire and everything is ahead on account of all the recent extra warm weather.

Author Topic: Trish & Rog's garden in Yorkshire (Read 15147 times)

NightHawk