How Does our Garden Grow?

Teigr

We had a bloke pestering us last year about trimming some of our trees @Sandy_123,we asked him to trim the one next to our drive and he charged us £100.

We won't be bothering again.

Ada

He was probably in need of money in winter @Sandy_123 And now starting to get busy. I come and help you sis. 

Sandy_123

That was a rip off @teigr always use someone you know or who can be vouched for 

@ada we'd spend the time drinking tea 

Ada

Lol @Sandy_123 That’s very true. X

Teigr

He admitted he'd overcharged us @Sandy_123,he said it was because he'd been overcharged for something (an ad in the local paper I think) earlier that day.

He knocked on the door last summer to ask me if I'd like him to trim the tree again and I said no.

My cousin's been using him for years,he must have money to burn.

Sandy_123

Forget that, that's his fault for using an ad it's free on face book.

JW77

Albus_Scope said:

Don't worry @Teigr once a passionflower takes off, it turns into a weed!  We were forever pulling chunks of it out in our old house haha. Beautiful magnolias there, have you seen the 'meganolias' they're selling now? The flowers are as big as a childs head! 

Beautiful colour choices there @JW77, the bees will thank you for the buddleia for sure.  

I have a small collection of around 12 Buddlia,  mostly the dwarf variety. Non of the 'common' feral types. 

Teigr

Anyway,here's what the rockery looks like at the moment.It's not finished but I wanted to make a start before we go away.There didn't used to be a line post stuck in the middle of it,we had to 'relocate' it when the deck was built.

Jimm_Scope

It's been a while since I looked through this discussion and I had to hand out a whole load of Awesome reactions!

So many wonderful pictures! 

I'm really looking forward to how everyone's garden does over this year

@WelshBlue I know you can get your garden back to the beauty it was! You still have that green thumb. 

@bookrabbit I love rabbits, I hope you get to do your garden up so it's a lovely bunny paradise. But that you still get to grow a few things too! Albus' raised planter idea might work perhaps?


I'll need to ask my partner what she does for her gardening. She has EDS so can struggle with the physicality of it sometimes. She tends to have a little stool she sits on, so she isn't kneeling in the dirt or having to bend over too much.

Here are some more pictures of what she grew last year I've spoilered it so they don't take up too much space! Just click or tap below to see them 

Ada

Been winging it for years. 
So not bad for a “ hedgewytch.” Am I. Only x3 days old  

Albus_Scope

Wow, you've definitely got some green thumbs there @Ada Demeter is obviously watching over you.

I just ordered some veg seeds for the veg patch. I'll be growing purple peas, climbing strawberries and garlic this year.  Alongside the usual chillies and raspberries.

Ada

Thank you. I’m sure your right. Not a bad battered little greenhouse considering how cold it’s been. 
I think it’s my little secret flat no sugar or other sugar substitutes lemonade in the water. Once a week.  My plants love it. 
I’m hoping on growing various salad and little veg. I have done it before all in pots. Inc  Tomatoes n green beans. 

Why lemonade. Well back in the day. They use to give toddlers boiled lemonade if they had tummy upsets. So I figure what’s gentle enough for toddlers is good enough for my seeds. They love it. 

Teigr

Our next door neighbours grew strawberries last year @Albus_Scope,they had a decent crop but their four year old ate them before they had time to ripen.

Sandy_123

Took me ages to get rid of strawberries  they kept trying to spread around the garden, only the birds had them, as they were too quick to peck them once grown.

bloominthedark

You all got an abundant flower

onedayatatime

I'd usually have started off lots of plants indoors by now and would use those clear plastic storage boxes with lids, stacked up on the sunny windowsill as propagators. Being strict this year though! I'm going more wildlife garden 👍 but will still do the staple beans and tomatoes. But am growing the mange tout because the sparrows and the dog are keen to help themselves to them 😂. Such a shame about Wilko! I used to get lots of flower bulbs from them. Where does everyone get there's from now? 

Rosie_Scope

I feel the same about Wilko @onedayatatime! So sad it shut down as it was my main stop for gardening bits and pieces and it was much cheaper than the garden centre. I found some bulbs in places like Poundstretcher or Home Bargains, but I'm not sure how good they are in comparison to Wilko. RIP Wilko!

I've had to build a chicken wire cage around my sugar snap pea seedlings so that my housemate's dog doesn't help herself to them. She loves a fresh pea pod!

rubin16

I would love a garden so much, only bad thing about living in a flat with no actual garden or grass. However I live on the ground floor with my own front door so when it gets abit warmer going to get some raised planters/flower pots and get some flowers to put outside my door and windows.

onedayatatime

Thanks for that tip Rosie, I'll definitely remember that! I'm pretty sure Lidl do some plant events at some point, maybe even now!
Rubin 16, some lovely plants outside your front door sounds fab! Container gardening is a thing! I've grown veg in buckets before!😂 But space is definitely an issue. Have you heard of the veg growing system you do indoor? Hydroponics? I'm not sure how expensive it is to set up, but a sunny windowsill can harvest lots of fresh herbs! Look out for those reduced pots in the supermarket 👍 and it makes your kitchen look fancy 😂

Albus_Scope

Lidl can be quite good for cheap plants @onedayatatime especially when they've not been taken care of and get put in the clearance section.  I've picked up some big bargains that way.

I used to run a hydroponics system that was fed by my fishtank, it grew things wonderfully and even kept the fish tank looking sparkling clean.  

I've got my mums bf coming over on Monday to help me make the rest of the fruit cage that the previous owners never finished building. It's only taken me 3 years.  Then I can get planting the peas and onions.  We're now setting out an area for pumpkins and courgettes too!  It was a very busy and painful weekend haha.