Benny 0 Posted November 5, 2011 Well, I know gardening is supposed to be boring but it is something I have come to later in life and finding very theraputic and rewarding. Started with a small greenhouse last year and now branching out with another larger one. (no pun intended) Got hundreds of seeds from an auction so my front garden should be a candidate for Britain in Bloom next year, I suppose it should be red, white and blue for the Olympics. Started today with strawberry seeds, thank goodness I bought a job lot as thery were £3 a packet, I didnt pay anything like that and you couldnt see the seeds inside so it is pot luck if anything grows. So would enjoy gardening tips if anyone would contribute as to their growing expertise which would help a new but enthusiastic gardener. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hexem 0 Posted November 5, 2011 First of all don''t nick anything from rambles round other peoples''s gardens!.I took a little bit of Euphorbia from a pub garden 15 years ago, it looked nice with a yellow flower. It is worse than ground elder.It does accept being dug up but appears again. in wider areas.Interesting you mentioned the Olympics. A village Parish Council is up in arms Mickleham near Dorking.A week before the story broke I had lunch there. They have been asked , and given suggestions for plantingto enhance the Olympic cycling which will pass through the village about 10 times. It is a darn pretty village anyway.If you have borders plant odd looking veg such as chard or tavolo nero in the gaps. Keeps the weeds down!hex Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herman 9,774 Posted November 5, 2011 Watch out for Euphorbia.Quite nasty if you have soft skin. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hexem 0 Posted November 5, 2011 Can remove warts said the old witch.hex Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Benny 0 Posted November 5, 2011 hex, you crack me upHad to look it up, didnt recognise the name but will take your advice so not to cause problems. We have a large plot with very few plants when we moved here, grew some perennials which were lost when a new fence was erected recently. As plants are expensive in garden centres I went to a plant auction and now have to decide what and where to plant. We have a veggie plot, spuds and beetroot were great, rhubarb prolific so next year growing salad veg and herbs as well. The wife says it will keep me occupied but just as long as the back will stand it. She says if Alan Titchmarsh can do it, why cant I? I detest Alan Titchmarsh, Monty bloomin Don and all the rest. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SHRIMPER 328 Posted November 5, 2011 Euphorbia can be very dangerous for any type of skin, the sap can cause very bad blisters. I have some in my garden now, but never planted it in days gone by when the kids were small. If you have some on your fingers and then rub your eyes it can cause blindness. I will post some pictures of my garden if you do not mind Benny? Re the seeds. Some seeds that are sold in job lots can be very very old and you may not get a good germination number, but give them a go and see what comes up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hexem 0 Posted November 5, 2011 At least the madcap, no not, Syd.has had a haircut.Things that will gently spread are good fun, such as lupins.go for yellow or pink.As in the picture of Nell. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Benny 0 Posted November 5, 2011 More pics about gardens the better. I will admire with only just a hint of jealousy. More than a hint if the truth be known. My only regret is that I have no mature shrubs as yet and have to start from scratch. These TV programmes are just so ridiculous when they stock a new garden with grown plants which cost a fortune and run into thousands of pounds. The one plus side is the soil is very fertile although it is heavy clay, nice neighbour lets me borrow the rotovator and I cut his lawn for him. Village life at its best. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SHRIMPER 328 Posted November 5, 2011 Just a few of my garden over the last few seasons. If you like them I will post a few more.[IMG]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f121/EWW1/CHANGED%20NAME/fount1.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f121/EWW1/CHANGED%20NAME/ga11.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f121/EWW1/CHANGED%20NAME/gar2-11.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f121/EWW1/CHANGED%20NAME/gar33.jpg[/IMG] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pete Raven 276 Posted November 5, 2011 Just moved into our new house and haven''t a clue what anything growing in the back garden is. Will post some pics if there''s any keen gardeners out there who can shed any light... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SHRIMPER 328 Posted November 6, 2011 [IMG]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f121/EWW1/CHANGED%20NAME/try22.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f121/EWW1/CHANGED%20NAME/try33.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f121/EWW1/CHANGED%20NAME/try11.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f121/EWW1/CHANGED%20NAME/rose11.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f121/EWW1/CHANGED%20NAME/HOUG1414.jpg[/IMG] This is a picture of a light in my garden behind a Yukka, I have always liked this one as people think it''s the moon. [IMG]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f121/EWW1/CHANGED%20NAME/jjjj01212.jpg[/IMG] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hexem 0 Posted November 6, 2011 Well Shrimper you do take a good photo. I like the Nigella type blue one, It is amazing how some plants change.I planted a bag in some gravel ( well chucked it really) years ago Since then they have morphed,from double to single, blue to white So it is quite an interesting patch to see what comes up.I am fast running out of my 6 lines. Benny a handy plant against a fence is "Firethorn" .Fairly easy to keep in shape. Gloves are sensible.Once the berries start to appear you will have no end of blackbirds. It is also a Police suggestion to deter over the fenceburglars. As was proved some years ago. A neighbours house (in a terrace) was entered. People were there and the chap fled with just a handful of objects.Went over my garden and got caught in the said bushand dropped his gear. There are red or yellow berried ones.hex Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Benny 0 Posted November 6, 2011 Beautiful pictures, thanks ShrimperWhat pleasure you must get from your garden, didn''t feel that way in my younger days, no time nor patience but it has grabbed me recently and has become quite a large part of my life. I notice you have stepped areas which have beautiful plantings, I have a very flat plot so have to envisage a series of trellis and plantings not to encroach on the field views.Pete, the best thing I did was to buy a book from a book stall on at a market for £1, it was the Readers Digest Book of Perennials and has photos and descriptions and cultivation instuctions and is fast becoming my bible. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hexem 0 Posted November 6, 2011 What is amusing to find are the plants you didn''t plant. Airdropped poppies are the best.Birds are the planters that is, again I started with a yellow one, then a few years on, they have turned orange as well.Easy to remove if in the wrong place, unlike elder. I tend to leave the bindweed, it has a nice flower.You do have to stay in a place a long time to see the changes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Benny 0 Posted November 6, 2011 One of my sucesses last year was a huge packet of Annual seeds from Poundland. Had some pots which I scattered the seeds in and had a glorious show of poppies of all colours, cornflowers, gypsophilia, daisies and many more, a riot of colour and it pleased my pocket as well. My neighbours commented on them and was amazed at where they came from. Only used half a packet as well. I think it is where I caught the gardening bug. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SHRIMPER 328 Posted November 6, 2011 The "Readers Digest Year Book" is all you need for any garden. What to plant, where to plant and a calender to tell you what to do month by month. I am no great gardener, bung um in and if they grow fine by me. Colour and Scent and Shape is all I require in a garden. I will post a few more from my garden and from gardens in the surrounding area if I may. (looks like we have SDP on board)[:D] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SHRIMPER 328 Posted November 6, 2011 The blue one''s common name is "Love in the Mist" one of my mrs favorites. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Benny 0 Posted November 6, 2011 Readers Digest Year Book is now on my Christmas wish list, are you listening Santa? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hexem 0 Posted November 6, 2011 "looks like we have SPD on board" thanks ShrimperSo he is a human bean after all.hex Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Benny 0 Posted November 8, 2011 Just a question for Shrimper and others if they can help. I saw Shrimper has Hostas in his garden, now I moved some Hostas into large planters this year from the garden, they were the best they had ever been but have now died back. Would it be best to leave them where they are or to replant them back into the garden over winter. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hexem 0 Posted November 8, 2011 Hostas will die off from now... (like we all do)..... They do spread so why not take a few young ones,from the planters and stick them in soil to overwinter.? Just in case.hex Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SHRIMPER 328 Posted November 8, 2011 I have pot hostas and soil planted hostas and they do equally well. I like variegated ones the most. Remember that shade is what they like. No special treatment required for either. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SHRIMPER 328 Posted November 8, 2011 Just looked at the pictures I posted benny because you had me puzzled, there are no Hostas in the pictures. If you mean the White ones outside my kitchen window? they are Arum Lillies! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Benny 0 Posted November 8, 2011 Right, they are the lillies, my mistake. I know to cut them in half in the spring to get extra plants but of course they are the same variety. What I need is to go to a Gardening group to swop some but think I will wait until next year. Thanks for the info about the pots, we had huge plants this year, in the shade of the house so we now know where they like the best. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pete Raven 276 Posted November 11, 2011 If anyone can identify any of the following (and whether they''re worth keeping or not) please let me know. Apologies for any that have decided to die for the winter... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herman 9,774 Posted November 11, 2011 1. Trachaelospernum Jasminoides.Lovely plant with strong smelling,jasmine like flowers.2.Bamboo of some sort,looks like Arundinaria which is a good one to have as it doesn''t spread like a lunatic.3.Looks like a Paeony.Cracking plant.Massive flowers.4.Looks like a Cistus of some sort.Great flowers.Keep trimmed lightly or it will turn into a woody lump.5.Kniphofia or red-hot poker,which describes the flower.Nice.Will die back over winter.6.Can''t quite see it properly.7 Same as above,but it could be a hypericum or St.Johns Wort.Nice.8 and 9 Sambucus Purpurea.Elderberry.Nice plant,good for birds,but you will get purple bird-s*** on things.It will go mad if you don''t chop it back.10 and 11 Grasses of some sort.Good plants that you don''t have to do much with. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SHRIMPER 328 Posted November 11, 2011 Yer red hot poker looks more like one of the alliums to me Pete! The bamboo as herman says can get out of hand in a smallish garden if left to its own devises. You can check easy enough to see if it is a bulb, or a Rhizome, for the poker, bulb = allium, Rhizome=........ Looks like a nice mixture to me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herman 9,774 Posted November 11, 2011 You could be right ther Shrimper.Better plant if it is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Benny 0 Posted November 11, 2011 No 3 looks like Dicentra, (Bleeding Heart) a pretty early flowering shrub, look it up, it is documented.I agree on the Bamboo, looks like it need pruning back quite severlyLast one, ornamental grass, had some in our previous gravel garden, quite expensive to buy and will get its colour back next season., Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SHRIMPER 328 Posted November 11, 2011 I have two Dicentra in my garden. Dicentra Spectabilis and Dicentra Alba. Funny thing to say, but the Alba (=white) is the whitest white you could wish to see. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
