The zombie army COVID-19 Gardening thread.

[Gretchen]

so called said:

Spent Easter weekend building steps for access to the field at the bottom end of the garden.
Unfortunately I'm nearly out of sand so wont be finished until my B&Q Click and Collect is ready.





Made a Log Store last week with old timber to sit by our summer house.
Enjoyed a couple of days outside making it and cutting up old wood for burning.

Love this. Big fan of make do and mend and resusing bits. I had three free chairs last year for my summerhouse/secret garden but put them away as my Dad got sick/passed away. Started on one of them at the weekend. Going for the olde porch style look. Painting and re-upholstering in different bright colours. Using old paint and curtains so not costing me anything but my time in the lovely weather.

Not that I’m skilled at either but they’re so comfortable they had to be rescued from the landfill.

[so called]

Yes, I like recycling old materials in the garden.
The steps were made from Mill Stones were previously used as a patio base for a dining area.

Seat does look comfy.
I used to have a car that colour.

Edited by so called on Friday 17th April 13:30

[Harry Flashman]

Yesterday's project was clearing a load of junk from an area next to the patio, arranging spare block paving neatly, preparing a bed for wildflower seed, and sowing.

If the wildflowers don't take, will need a plan B. Probably ornamental grasses.

[PositronicRay]

Buying plants online is a bit hit and miss. I've managed well with some random stuff, but now looking for flowering alpines.

Anyone know of a good site?

[Promised Land]

PositronicRay said:

Buying plants online is a bit hit and miss. I've managed well with some random stuff, but now looking for flowering alpines.

Anyone know of a good site?

I've always used J Parkers, never had a bad delivery yet plus they always give you freebies. Always well packaged.

[Gretchen]

Promised Land said:

PositronicRay said:

Buying plants online is a bit hit and miss. I've managed well with some random stuff, but now looking for flowering alpines.

Anyone know of a good site?

I've always used J Parkers, never had a bad delivery yet plus they always give you freebies. Always well packaged.

As posted above I had a donation of plants from the community for work. Some included were from B&Q. Abigail Ahearn posted an article the other day about getting bargains as many garden centres are throwing out their plants... but I’ve yet to find any links or information about who and where these are?

[PositronicRay]

Promised Land said:

PositronicRay said:

Buying plants online is a bit hit and miss. I've managed well with some random stuff, but now looking for flowering alpines.

Anyone know of a good site?

I've always used J Parkers, never had a bad delivery yet plus they always give you freebies. Always well packaged.

Thx, looks ideal.

[sleepezy]

Used these guys recently (pre all current shenanigans so not sure how badly they are impacted at the moment):

https://www.gardenersdream.co.uk/

Never heard of them before but they did well, plants securely packaged and arrived pretty quickly. Better than the other guys who apparently had 800+ in stock but then couldn't find any.

[Harry Flashman]

Today's project. Mowing, aerating, top dressing and topseeding my lawn.

I have low hopes for this project, but it doesn't take very long: as I live in London, the garden is relatively small at 50ft x 100ft (and this includes patio and beds, so actual grass area is probably just two thirds of that).

The turf was badly laid on sand chucked over the London clay soil(!!), so my grass is screwed and has never been healthy. The big oak tree then sucks out whatever moisture is retained and covers it in shade to boot. Will need to be redone one day, but I thought I'd try a cheap, temporary fix first.

20200416_114459 by baconrashers, on Flickr

20200416_114507 by baconrashers, on Flickr

This thing is rubbish. I gave up and just hand sowed:

20200416_114744 by baconrashers, on Flickr

[8-P]

Rain at last, thank goodness.

Lawn will go mental, water butts full again, most welcome.

[so called]

8-P said:

Rain at last, thank goodness.

Lawn will go mental, water butts full again, most welcome.

Rain?
Where?
I want to mow the lawn later.

[PositronicRay]

so called said:

8-P said:

Rain at last, thank goodness.

Lawn will go mental, water butts full again, most welcome.

Rain?
Where?
I want to mow the lawn later.

You've had weeks.

[spikeyhead]

It's due to hit Leicester this evening, I've just cut the lawn, now to throw some seed on it.

[Promised Land]

spikeyhead said:

It's due to hit Leicester this evening, I've just cut the lawn, now to throw some seed on it.

I'm in Leicestershire and no rain on my phone app until tomorrow morning then it's below 50% until 11am, cloudy after.

[spikeyhead]

Promised Land said:

spikeyhead said:

It's due to hit Leicester this evening, I've just cut the lawn, now to throw some seed on it.

I'm in Leicestershire and no rain on my phone app until tomorrow morning then it's below 50% until 11am, cloudy after.

The met office have changed their mind to agree with you.

[spikeyhead]

spikeyhead said:

The met office have changed their mind to agree with you.

and two hours later they've changed their minds again and it's now an 80% chance of rain at 8pm

[Lord Flashheart]

Well it's been relentless gardening for me as the weather has been mainly great in the south east and I'm at home not being paid. Lots of tidying up that didn't happen last year because I simply don't usually have the time. The green house has now been completely emptied, pressure washed inside and out and then seed trays put in place with home brewed compost. Three large rubble bags of ste came out of that green house! Five raised veggie beds that were full of creeping buttercup and other nasties have been turned over and weeded meticulously. Even shoved some spuds in! Seeds for carrots, beetroot, spinach, cucumber, courgettes, leeks and toms on their way.
Paved areas pressure washed and a new gazebo erected with some old Christmas lights thrown in for evening dining...which we've even managed to do already. Messed about with some garden lighting too! Roses treated, front lawn treated and back lawn just waiting for me to get on with it. Think I'll do this the Flashman way by hand as I've a bag of weed and feed but no feeder. Gravelled areas weeded by hand and drainage channel in the farmers field strimmed to keep his sodding brambles and goose grass back.
Large flower beds have painstakingly been weeded as they were literally full of bindweed and ground elder...all of which will be back after I've blinked. We've spent hours and hours on our knees digging individual roots out and my back knows it! I was lucky enough to find a new Miracle Grow tub of assorted flower seeds in the greenhouse so they have been slung around wherever possible. (Note the experienced gardener term 'slung').
Anyway, it's all starting to take shape and hopefully the summer will now see some flowers where there were weeds and veg where there were weeds. If you turn your back for 5 minutes in this garden, it's out of control.
AND LASTLY...I've planted my in-laws ashes in a large tub with an Oleander as their final resting place. They've been sat on a shelf for a few years!!


Gazebo (£120 Argos) and clean stone paving




Garden illumination not too bad. Happened to have a decent moon too!




Veggie beds on their way




Large border full of bind weed and ground elder now looking good (mainly)





In-laws in their final resting place!

[8-P]

8-P said:

Rain at last, thank goodness.

Lawn will go mental, water butts full again, most welcome.

South coast, nearly 2cm this morning

[Lord Flashheart]

ash73 said:

Lord Flashheart said:

In-laws in their final resting place!

Does that refer to the picture above, or below? There appears to be a grave like structure, and an urn of some description, in the border!

On a similar note there's a gravestone with an inscription in my garden, I think it's a previous owner's dog from about 1850; but whenever anyone queries it I say it's the ex-wife.

It's the bottom picture. They're in that big tub (cremation not burial )

I like the thought of your dog headstone. There's a petrol station not far from me that has a pet cemetery from many years ago on site. When the land was sold to the petrol station there was a condition bound by law that whatever happens with the land, the cemetery must remain.

[ChocolateFrog]

Zero rain in South Yorkshire, think it's rained once, briefly, since we've been in lockdown.

Some odd easterly winds though.