The zombie army COVID-19 Gardening thread.
Discussion
I'm currently on holiday in Egypt and really like what they've done with these arches. Would something similar be possible in more seasonal climates and stay evergreen?
What plants might one use? Would privet work? Ideally it would need to have foliage very close to the ground I guess.
What plants might one use? Would privet work? Ideally it would need to have foliage very close to the ground I guess.
CharlesdeGaulle said:
I'm currently on holiday in Egypt and really like what they've done with these arches. Would something similar be possible in more seasonal climates and stay evergreen?
What plants might one use? Would privet work? Ideally it would need to have foliage very close to the ground I guess.
I think privet would be ideal, take a while to establish. What plants might one use? Would privet work? Ideally it would need to have foliage very close to the ground I guess.
I like the idea of golden privet that way you'll end up with 'golden arches'
How u doing said:
On another note, problems in paradise.
Variegated laurel doing well, sheltered spot still living in a pot (42l builders trug actually)
This one planted early 2020 didn't come through winter well, plus April frosts didn't do it too many favours. Sits in full sun.
Looks sad, l've already cut off some dead looking bits, tempted to just leave it be and hope it sorts itself out but advice appreciated.
I'd be inclined to put it in a large-ish container and semi shade. What's the soil like? Mine do well on clay. I just bought another one and the garden centre told me they're not called veregated. No idea. This, before I trimmed it, gets morning sun, no added water, bought@ 2014/5.Variegated laurel doing well, sheltered spot still living in a pot (42l builders trug actually)
This one planted early 2020 didn't come through winter well, plus April frosts didn't do it too many favours. Sits in full sun.
Looks sad, l've already cut off some dead looking bits, tempted to just leave it be and hope it sorts itself out but advice appreciated.
Did nothing for these this year, other than a little weeding.
Cucumbers coming along well enough:
I never seem to get time to do anything with this, but it looks quite happy. Maybe telling me something.
I'm loving people's projects. Some great ideas there.
Swervin_Mervin said:
After some advice here all - although from reading a month or so ago Harry might be best placed.
We have a rambling rose in the back garden. It was running throughout the hedge that was between us and next door but that hedge was ripped out last autumn when next door started renovation works. In its place is now a simple post and panel fence.
We didn't really know what would be best to do with the rose so we trimmed it back a bit (the longest spurs were c10ft long), propped up what was left and left it. Due to our own renovations starting in March we weren't able to get back into our garden for a couple of months and now we're wondering what to do with it!
It's Rambling Rector and currently in bloom. All and any ideas are welcome and greatly appreciated.
Lovely! Have a look on the David Austin site at their instructions for pruning and training - very good. We have a rambling rose in the back garden. It was running throughout the hedge that was between us and next door but that hedge was ripped out last autumn when next door started renovation works. In its place is now a simple post and panel fence.
We didn't really know what would be best to do with the rose so we trimmed it back a bit (the longest spurs were c10ft long), propped up what was left and left it. Due to our own renovations starting in March we weren't able to get back into our garden for a couple of months and now we're wondering what to do with it!
It's Rambling Rector and currently in bloom. All and any ideas are welcome and greatly appreciated.
My advice is that as a rambler, it flowers on old wood so don't prune too hard. Instead train main canes up into sunshine and then horizontally (say along that fence), feed it well and trim this years flowered shoots if you need to for neatness after flowers are done. Then leave it alone. Next year, flowering should be profuse!
Cheers Harry. Pruning on this was easy. Wait until it's done flowering and then I could cut the hedge, which took all the flowering shoots off and then it was ready for next year! After 2 years I even just resorted to using the hedge trimmers rather than pruning back the rose and then hedge trimming.
I wasn't sure about training on the fence - it's only a 5ft fence so isn't going to offer much height. You mentioned something in your posts about helping a neighbour (IIRC?) about training up into a pillar shape did you not? I had wondered whether that would be possible with this.
Really it seems like those are the two most viable options. If we had a wall to grow it up I'd move it, but sadly we don't have one that would give it the room, without obstructing windows or doors.
I wasn't sure about training on the fence - it's only a 5ft fence so isn't going to offer much height. You mentioned something in your posts about helping a neighbour (IIRC?) about training up into a pillar shape did you not? I had wondered whether that would be possible with this.
Really it seems like those are the two most viable options. If we had a wall to grow it up I'd move it, but sadly we don't have one that would give it the room, without obstructing windows or doors.
No problem! I love a rose.
You could absolutely train it up into a pillar, but you would need a framework,pillar. Also, training main canes horizontally encourages heavy flowering in all roses. So you could even train a couple of canes along the fence, and a few up into a pillar.
For the fence, think about adding a trellis above it - allows light through to leaves, and gives you a bit of extra height. Train the rose canes along and along the top of the trellis.
For the pillar, I would take pliable growing newer canes or two and spiral them around the pillar/obelisk, again to encourage flowering as the cane is in reality horizontal-ish.
You could absolutely train it up into a pillar, but you would need a framework,pillar. Also, training main canes horizontally encourages heavy flowering in all roses. So you could even train a couple of canes along the fence, and a few up into a pillar.
For the fence, think about adding a trellis above it - allows light through to leaves, and gives you a bit of extra height. Train the rose canes along and along the top of the trellis.
For the pillar, I would take pliable growing newer canes or two and spiral them around the pillar/obelisk, again to encourage flowering as the cane is in reality horizontal-ish.
What a great thread! If I’d seen this last year I might’ve had the inspiration to keep up the maintenance on ours. Needless to say the weeds are now having a ball. Anyway, this little chap hit one of our windows late last year. Thankfully he was only dazed and was well enough to fly again that day.
That's our raised planters almost finished, just some tidying up to do with the posts on the wee one then come up with something to cap off the tops of them. First plants are in - some roses that are looking sorry for themselves and some neglected lavendar. Really need to do some reading on what flowers/veg to plant etc.
The garden pretty much at moving in date, only work done so far was to dig out the base of the shed and get it built again.
Soil scraped back to create two levels to get rid of an 800mm rise to the back of the garden. 15 or so tonne of type 1 laid also.
Planters built.
Planters filled and steps built.
Next step is to hire a skip to get rid of the excess soil then work begins on the decking area.
The garden pretty much at moving in date, only work done so far was to dig out the base of the shed and get it built again.
Soil scraped back to create two levels to get rid of an 800mm rise to the back of the garden. 15 or so tonne of type 1 laid also.
Planters built.
Planters filled and steps built.
Next step is to hire a skip to get rid of the excess soil then work begins on the decking area.
Radish talk
Yes because I have nothing else to talk about this year I think if you're starting out or maybe something easy and healthy for kids who are learning then radishes are useful.
They're curious things in that instead of burying themselves deeper as they grow (like a carrot) they push themselves upwards and out of the ground. On a recent mini break we had some strange radishes in a salad, on asking what they were the chef said they were pickled (they didn't taste strongly of vinegar).
O/H found a recipe online so we now have a jar of pickled radish on the go.
Proud radish farmer picture:
And the house move gets ever closer.
Yes because I have nothing else to talk about this year
I think if you're starting out or maybe something easy and healthy for kids who are learning then radishes are useful.On 30th May Evoluzione said:
I'm trying to move house as per usual, so have had to resort to short term plans, the greenhouse has been repaired (some glass blew out over Winter as usual) and is full of different types of radish. In about half of it i've gone for a bit of a rushed 'No diggedy', the rest is just normal.
Right on cue the radish came through as soon as I turned my back.
Two weeks on and the first of the radish were ready. In terms of speed normal red round ones are the quickest, long red/white are in second place. The white ones are just slender roots, but the weird thing is they're trying to flower, I don't know what that's all about so will need to find out.Right on cue the radish came through as soon as I turned my back.
They're curious things in that instead of burying themselves deeper as they grow (like a carrot) they push themselves upwards and out of the ground. On a recent mini break we had some strange radishes in a salad, on asking what they were the chef said they were pickled (they didn't taste strongly of vinegar).
O/H found a recipe online so we now have a jar of pickled radish on the go.
Proud radish farmer picture:
And the house move gets ever closer.
Edited by Evoluzione on Monday 21st June 11:53
MrHappy said:
What a great thread! If I’d seen this last year I might’ve had the inspiration to keep up the maintenance on ours. Needless to say the weeds are now having a ball. Anyway, this little chap hit one of our windows late last year. Thankfully he was only dazed and was well enough to fly again that day.
Wow!
I bought this Acer a couple of months ago. It’s an Osakazuki, one that I promised myself I’d buy about 10 years ago and never got around to. I once saw a mature specimen at the National Arboretum, utterly beautiful, stunning scarlet leaves in the autumn, grows to about 12’ or so. This one is currently 5’ tall. It’s planted in a part of the garden that we haven’t cleared yet - an incentive for me to get on with it this year!
And here’s one I did buy 10 years ago, an Acer Bloodgood dissectum, planted at the front of the house. This photo was taken in November 2017. It’s about 9’ tall.
And here’s one I did buy 10 years ago, an Acer Bloodgood dissectum, planted at the front of the house. This photo was taken in November 2017. It’s about 9’ tall.
Did a bit of weeding between the rocks today, amongst the usual tidying and later took this pic, just because it was there to take.
That's the bench I sit on fairly regularly.
I'm living with a cloud over me just now but I don't even converse with the neighbours behind (nothing bad, they're rarely about and I just never see them).
I think the psychotherapists /analysts could have a field day.
That's the bench I sit on fairly regularly.
I'm living with a cloud over me just now but I don't even converse with the neighbours behind (nothing bad, they're rarely about and I just never see them).
I think the psychotherapists /analysts could have a field day.
If I can do anything Lemansky, just shout...
Always happy to have a natter.
Have neglected the allotment a tad over the last fortnight - combo of weather, work and poorly Mrs Sway.
Both got down there today - apart from weeds, we got our first harvest!
No pic, but there's tonnes of garlic currently making my whole house stink, plus these:
That's one row of four - I've chopped all the surface growth on the others, and will harvest in a fortnight once the skins have set.
Dead chuffed!
Always happy to have a natter.
Have neglected the allotment a tad over the last fortnight - combo of weather, work and poorly Mrs Sway.
Both got down there today - apart from weeds, we got our first harvest!
No pic, but there's tonnes of garlic currently making my whole house stink, plus these:
That's one row of four - I've chopped all the surface growth on the others, and will harvest in a fortnight once the skins have set.
Dead chuffed!
Going to dig them all and store them but it's a bit of a blow.
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