Winter Setting In!

Since my last post not so long ago!!! 

Not much seem to have happened to the Prunus Padus Grandiflora aka Grandmother's tree.

The tree seems to be just sitting there watching people, students and the local council gardening team come and go...

But secretly Grandmothers tree is slowly going into sleep mode.

Will update very soon!

Letting nature takeover!

This year I have not really done much in the garden.  I seem to of just let nature take over. Okay I did kind of tidying up, started to paint the place and adding new plants to my little heaven.


Sad thing is I haven't had much of a chance to spend time out doors to enjoy.


This is how my garden looks at the moment..

I like too say 'not for long, that's for sure'. But really at the moment I'm not sure when I will get outdoors.... 

Slowing down

I only realised yesterday on my way home from work that I had not written my #TreeFollowing post for the month......

So as I walked past yesterday on my way home.. I noticed not a lot as changed, maybe the weather is at play again - with confusing all the plants what time of year it is...

I noticed the trees in the gardens where slowly going into sleep mode for the winter.  Apart from the Roses they are still flowering, also the Osteospermum are still flowering around the gardens. The only tree that is taking its time over things is my grandmother's tree.  Which still has leaves on, the only thing I couldn't see was the fruit...

Autumn tidy!

My local council gardening team have been in and tidyed up the whole garden.....

13/10/14

Looks rather nice I have to say...

The Prunus Padus Grandiflora aka Grandmother's tree has also had a tidy up....

Its another wet day here. 13/10/14

I have also worked out what some of the plants were, that was growing around the base and taking over.

The tall green leaf plant was Bindweed Calystegia Sepium.  The bindweed was also growing in the hedge of the garden.

I also noticed the hedge across the road too. Had the bindweed growing in amongst the hedge.

The other plant was the orange little flowers plant.. 

After a bit of studying I believe that orange flowered plant was African Daisy Osteospermum.

By the gate! 13/10/14

I have noticed one of the African Daisy's have survived the local gardening team. Which I am so glad one has!

I see there is a weed growing as well! 13/10/14

This little one is showing 'No Matter What life flows at us. . . We should NEVER give up'

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Somethink else I noticed around the end of August  and I thought I had mention it as well. Grandmother's tree had fruit on. (Please note not edible) 

Not the best picture in the world I know..

It will be interesting to say the lease, what will happen the coming months.. Only time will tell!

#TreeFollowing

Found You

I think for the first time in a while. I have made the deadline for 'Looseandleafy' #treefollowing . .

Last month I was in the middle of writing this post. When I and the rest of my family received some bad news..  Don't worry I won't keep on about it! 

On a happier note I have so exciting news... Yay!!

Believe I have found out what my grandmothers tree is. With help from The One Show gardener Christine Walkden and Chris Beardshaw. You can find Chris presenting on Beechgrove Garden.. But for me and rest of you will best know Christina and Chris for appearing in our favourite gardening magazines or being at RHS Shows the list goes on!

So I sent some pictures of the tree to them. Both Christina and Chris reply back to say the tree look's like..

Prunus Padus Grandiflora

I am a bit old school, as I always try and look in my gardening reference's books before I go online..  But I think this time I was over looking as I couldn't at the time find what I was looking.... 

In the end I ended up on the internet....  I looked at the pictures on google and I then I went on to the RHS website.  Grandmothers defo looks like a Prunus Padus Grandiflora

Sorry there isn't any pictures this month! 

Winding Down!

It is that time of year again.... Time to tidy up, clear out and reflected on the year so far!!!

Where has this year gone too?

Well so far this year I have not done so well in growing fruit and Vegetables....

I got a small harvest of carrots and salad (spring) onions and tomato's also salad! I am still waiting on the spouts and cucamelons.. But everythink else was a disaster... Please do not ask!!!

The picture above was my first tiny harvest this year!

But now I have cleared everything away. It is time to start sorting the garden out for next year!

I know between now and till the spring I have to repaint the walls and move things round....  Also I need to work on what I am growing and defo not growing again!

Time will tell...

Sad times..

I was yesterday on target for being within the 

deadline for 'Looseandleafy' #treefollowing . .  

Then My family received some sad news. 

That a relative - one of my aunts had passed away!
Totally out of the blue...

So this is why I have not wrote a post for July..

I hope you can all understand?

I am glad she knew about my #treefollowing of her mothers tree... Also I am glad I told her I had learnt what it was.

I will tell you all very soon! 

Going Wild!!

Oh my - the plant's at the base of grand mothers tree as gone totally crazy on growth! 

Not a very good picture I know.

I must try and find out what plant's they are! Or if you know, please leave a comment below... It will be very much appreciated!

Some think esle I have noticed is there is lichen growing on the trunk.

I have been trying to find out what sort it is.... But no luck so far....


Oh dear I see a trend forming of failing to find out and hitting the deadline... 

Goodbye!

Over the past year I have been thinking should I keep the New Zealand Flax. Or should I get rid of it! 


I decided to in the end get rid. It was a hard choice to make. But now I'm glad I decided to get rid! Has the flax got to big.. 

When I say get rid I wanted to give the NZ Flax away! A friend wanted the flax and then another was interested in having it.  But no one got back to me.. 


So today I cut the flax down. Now I have cut down the New Zealand Flax down..  Oddly enough I have new ideas and plan's the garden?

Watch this space!!! 

The picture below is how the flax look's now.... 

The cat in the picture is Maple.

Has you can see I have left a bit for me to remove at a later date!

But for now I am going to leave the flax stump (can I call it that?) and plant the pot up!

The Mystery

This year I was a lil late at sowing any tomatoes.....

I know I said I won't be growing them again.. But having to go through winter and spring on supermarket bought tomatoes. I decided I wanted to grow some.  Gosh I bought some that tasted awfully!

Anyway......

I was going to scrap the idea of growing them all together this year.. Until a friend of mine gave me six plants, that her gran has grown...

You may have noticed I am experimenting this year too.. I normally put one plant to one black pot...... But this year I have decided to put two in a pot. . . Also instead of six I'm now down to four..

It is still a mystery what happen to the other two!

Anyhow these are just taking their time , to grow. I think maybe the roots are anchoring themselves down first!

Only time will tell...

Home grown

Back in March I wrote about sowing a load of seeds..

Well this is how I got on.

Firstly I'm going to have to confess, I did a little (what I call) top up shop........

Here's my small list.

Petunia mix's x100
Stocks x8
Dahlias x6 (I'm in love with dahlias since seeing     them on Chelsea one year)
Verbena x8 (I know I'm growing some, these are just in case)
Salvia x6
And a Yellow winter Jasmine

Just a tiny shop of plants I'm a shamed to say! I only got them to fill in the blank spaces..... (You'll see what I mean in a moment)

From the list that I sowed only these grew..

Mesembryanthemum
Nasturtium
Sunflowers - moonshine and Velvet shine
Cornflower
Verbena
Malva
Portulaca (these are tiny so they are still in the greenhouse)
Lavatura
Coreppsis
Cosmos

Has you can see not a lot grew so that's my reason to go shopping..

This is how my flower boxes and garden look now..

In the next few weeks I'll be sowing the next phase..

What are you?

While I wonder past nearly every day I wonder - 

What you are? 

You should be like the last one or 

the other's in the park.

You should be a Cherry Blossom - but your not!!

So as your still blooming. . . 

I shall do some digging (research) of what you are?

Wilf and Alice

I have just got back from Galton Garden Centre. Which is part of the Gardening Club! I went with my mum just to have a look. To get some ideas and that.... But it is lethal I always end up leaving with more than I wanted! 

This is what I ended up leaving with...

I bought two strawberry plants called Alice!

Since planting my Alpine strawberries up in a window box on the wall, that I have grown from seed!  I decided I wanted some normal size Strawberry's.
Plus I don't really want to rely on the supermarkets

This is how they look now. 

Then I went into the shop part of the centre. The place as a cafe, kids area and the Edinburgh Woollen Mill

Anyway while I was in the garden shop I met a guy called Wilf, I fell head over heels in love... He is know as Woodland Wilf to his friends. . . . laugh out loud! 

Wilf as heaps of hobbies and REALLY knows how to charm the lady's!

I have also seen a few more thing's I want to get.  But I will have to wait til pay day! 

Blooming

April was another slow month, every time I wonder past my Grandmothers tree. All it seem to be doing was sitting there minding its own business!!!

Then all of a sudden, boom..... Leave's appeared!!!!
I tried a few times to get picture's of the tree with leaves. I had the weather against me. Every time I tried to get pix's it started off nice and then started to rain or it was nice and I was at work! So I failed terribly... :-( 

So I went yesterday to see my grandmothers tree as it was my day off and outside was beautiful okay a bit blowny as well. Got to the little park, to find Grandmothers tree was in Bloom! 

I even notice how the little plants from around the basic of the tree have perked up nicely!!

I just love how the council gardeners have lefted them where they are.... I know some would be class as weeds. But to me a weed is just a plant in the wrong place.. As you might guess I believe they are pretty where they are!

Before I forget I got a picture of the blossom, if that's what you can call it!

Now I have the task of trying to find out what my Grandmother's tree is!

If you may know please leave a comment at the bottom of the page. Or via Facebook and twitter, link is on the side of the page!

Bud's

Last month I wrote about joining 'Loose and Leafy' quest of a Tree Follow.

If you haven't read my own little quest please find the tab at the top of the page called ' Grandmother's Tree'...

Not a lot as happen to grandmother's tree during mid March. . . . 

All the other tree's in the park came into blossom. The sight is a beautiful one to say the lease. The different shades of pinks. . .

Last of the flowering cherry blossom!

But grandmother's tree was just sat waiting!!  I know grandmothers tree is a little late flowering. So I don't mind as long as the tree comes into life at some point!


Until the last week of March when I noticed while walking past, there is buds forming!!!

Has you can see the tree is coming into life!!
Which I am very excited about, sad I know...

I would love to know what you think? Or if you know 
what my tree is? 

Bye bye March!

Can you believe tomorrow is the first of April? Nope either can I!

Today my new green house cover finally came, which mean I could finally get sowing! I spent part of the day outside sowing. The first part of the day I was sorting seeds out!

Here is the list of seeds I have sowed

Cosmos 

Coreopsis

Lavatura

Portulaca

Malva  (Grew this last year, Bee's love this plant)

Verbena

Cornflowers

Sunflower (Velvet Queen and Moonshine)

Nasturtium

Mesembryanthemum

Dahlia - Mignon Mixed. 

Golden Berry 

Kale

Carrots - Autumn King 2

Parsnips - Duchess F1

Pepper - Hot patio

Spring Onions

Lettuce

Brussels Sprouts

Cat Grass - for my cats

As you can imagine my little greenhouse is choco block with trays, tubs and pots! 

I haven't started on sowing

Tomato - Sweet Baby

Cucumber - Market more

Poppies

Cucamelons

Mattock Beans 

Peas

I'm sure I'll add to this list lol I normally do! 

I'm really hoping to grow everythink, I really do not want to buy any plants in... 

                         

Spring Is Here!!!

I do not normally do this, but I thought for a change I'll do a post with just pictures.. Okay not just pictures I'll end up writing stuff, I know what I'm like! Lol..

Pelargonium 

This little flower as been flowering on and off since I planted it last year.

Camellia Sinensis

I have had this little tea yep its a tea plant a few years now. Got him/her for my birthday one year! 

I'm yet to work out were to plant him.

Isn't it just beautiful when the daffodil's come out,

spring is here! 

Has you can in the front of the picture my hydrangea is coming back to life. With the Saint John's Wort, just behind.

I'm not sure if you can truly see but

 the Sea Pink is just coming out in flower.

I'm so glad my only surviving Rhodendron, is starting to bloom. 

Winter tidy up

Normally at the end of October I start sorting the garden out, just before winter kicks in! Well last year I just couldn't do that due to the fact EVERY was still flowering, I'm not complaining. It was due to the fact that I am so use to doing my thing at certain times of the year. So for the very first time everythink was still flowering and fruit was still being products!

So I just kepted to my other thing I do. To let the garden do what it wants, let nature taking its course kind of thing. Everythink was still flowering November, I was still get tomallios and cucamelons. Then December came and January everythink was still going. Apart from the Oca, tomallios and cucamelons which had long gone.

I was and friends of mine couldn't believe how all my flowers were still going, I think they were secretly jealous.

Anyway, if you have been following the UK weather just lately you will know how crazy its been, the last storm finally kick started the shut down mode for every think in the garden.

Finally on the 16th February was the first day in weeks I have had chance to get outdoors and the sun was finally out, it was more like an OMG the sun is out! 

Anyway I started with sorting out my famous black buckets and other pots. I have saved half of the soil I used from last year. The rest I had to bag up as it had some little things that looks a bit like some kind of larvae!

I'm not sure if I have wrote about the trouble I have had with one of my rhododendron.. The leaves had gone weird and they were being eaten.. So after having a long think I decided it had to go.