The zombie army COVID-19 Gardening thread.
Discussion
Aha!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hozelock-Ltd-2150A0000-4-...
Would be excellent in my garden, except the foxes will destroy it like everything else.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hozelock-Ltd-2150A0000-4-...
Would be excellent in my garden, except the foxes will destroy it like everything else.
Gretchen said:
Have a projector in this area and cinema screen up on the back fence which is fun. Also bought a Pizza Oven for £20 which my lads and their mates like to use.
Tell me more about this! I have long wanted to do this and have a spare, North facing wall with outdoor sockets on it which would be perfect!LaurasOtherHalf said:
Harry Flashman said:
Gretchen said:
Have a projector in this area and cinema screen up on the back fence which is fun. Also bought a Pizza Oven for £20 which my lads and their mates like to use.
Tell me more about this! I have long wanted to do this and have a spare, North facing wall with outdoor sockets on it which would be perfect!https://www.avforums.com/threads/garden-cinema-set...
As we live in London, and I have neighbours, my plan was sound via Bluetooth to some decent Bluetooth headphones.
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
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 Flickr20200416_114507 by baconrashers, on FlickrThis thing is rubbish. I gave up and just hand sowed:
20200416_114744 by baconrashers, on FlickrI planted out cheap, small cherry laurel plants (only about 6m needed for my hedge). They cost buttons at that size, and are growing very well in a terrible position - clay soil and sandwiched by a pavement.
They gave beautiful white flower stalks this spring and are spreading nicely, although my foot high plants will take sevaral years to grow to a meaningfully high hedge.
I have yew trees in the back garden and just chopped one down as nothing will grow in it. A neighbour has a very nice yew hedge, and I think it would be easier to trim as Laurel looks a bit ragged it you take a hedge trimmer to it.
House as we bought it:
78 front by baconrashers, on Flickr
Little laurels go in October 2018:
DSC_0722.jpg by baconrashers, on Flickr
This spring (and they are even bigger now a few weeks later, with lots of bushy sprouts)
20200403_133518 by baconrashers, on Flickr
20200403_133413 by baconrashers, on Flickr
20200403_133428 by baconrashers, on Flickr
I'd probably splurge for bigger plants if doing it again, but they are thickening up and thriving in our heavy London clay.
They gave beautiful white flower stalks this spring and are spreading nicely, although my foot high plants will take sevaral years to grow to a meaningfully high hedge.
I have yew trees in the back garden and just chopped one down as nothing will grow in it. A neighbour has a very nice yew hedge, and I think it would be easier to trim as Laurel looks a bit ragged it you take a hedge trimmer to it.
House as we bought it:
78 front by baconrashers, on FlickrLittle laurels go in October 2018:
DSC_0722.jpg by baconrashers, on FlickrThis spring (and they are even bigger now a few weeks later, with lots of bushy sprouts)
20200403_133518 by baconrashers, on Flickr20200403_133413 by baconrashers, on Flickr20200403_133428 by baconrashers, on FlickrI'd probably splurge for bigger plants if doing it again, but they are thickening up and thriving in our heavy London clay.
Keep going. It's the only way.
Stuff I planted last year is beginning to bloom, which is very gratifying. A yellow Magnolia (I'd say tree or bush, but it looks more like a stick, really) in a container at the bottom of the garden started to open buds today, and various bulbs that survived animals digging them up have started too. Below this magnolia, in the same pot, are black lilies, and you can see the buds now.
20200421_174541 by baconrashers, on Flickr
20200421_174535 by baconrashers, on Flickr
Stuff I planted last year is beginning to bloom, which is very gratifying. A yellow Magnolia (I'd say tree or bush, but it looks more like a stick, really) in a container at the bottom of the garden started to open buds today, and various bulbs that survived animals digging them up have started too. Below this magnolia, in the same pot, are black lilies, and you can see the buds now.
20200421_174541 by baconrashers, on Flickr20200421_174535 by baconrashers, on FlickrStuff arrives for planting.
California Lilac, Golden Hornet crabapple, and a Siberian Dogwood. The crabapple looks a bit sad, but I'm sure it will perk up. If not, it'll be firewood in a few years. It has been warned.
20200423_190806 by baconrashers, on Flickr
20200423_191329 by baconrashers, on Flickr
California Lilac, Golden Hornet crabapple, and a Siberian Dogwood. The crabapple looks a bit sad, but I'm sure it will perk up. If not, it'll be firewood in a few years. It has been warned.
20200423_190806 by baconrashers, on Flickr20200423_191329 by baconrashers, on FlickrEdited by Harry Flashman on Thursday 23 April 21:31
)
Today's task was the removal of some tall (8m), straggly (and luckily thin) bay trees. Lacking proper safety equipment and help to do this with the chainsaw (and not needing a trip to A&E in the current situation), I used my trusty tree lopping kit. took off as many branches as I could, and then manually sawed the trunks through so that they would fall fall onto the lawn rather than destroy anything useful.
Needed to do the job as the trees were growing into other things and smothering them, as well as darkening whole borders and large chunks of the lawn throughout the day.
2020-04-26_09-17-54 by baconrashers, on Flickr
20200426_121558 by baconrashers, on Flickr
Trunks left as the they may sprout again to gove me some low trees I could do something with. Tonnes of new light.
20200426_131800 by baconrashers, on Flickr
This was very hard work. Relaxed afterwards by sitting on a bench, drinking a G&T or five, and blowing bubbles for the toddler. This combination of child, electric bubble-blowing gun, gin and exhaustion was both relaxing and hilarious.
20200426_193318 by baconrashers, on Flickr
20200426_193146 by baconrashers, on Flickr
Needed to do the job as the trees were growing into other things and smothering them, as well as darkening whole borders and large chunks of the lawn throughout the day.
2020-04-26_09-17-54 by baconrashers, on Flickr20200426_121558 by baconrashers, on FlickrTrunks left as the they may sprout again to gove me some low trees I could do something with. Tonnes of new light.
20200426_131800 by baconrashers, on FlickrThis was very hard work. Relaxed afterwards by sitting on a bench, drinking a G&T or five, and blowing bubbles for the toddler. This combination of child, electric bubble-blowing gun, gin and exhaustion was both relaxing and hilarious.
20200426_193318 by baconrashers, on Flickr20200426_193146 by baconrashers, on FlickrFound some pics of what our garden looked like after the initial cutting back a couple of years back (and this was just clearing the chest high brambles off what is now the lawn.. Crumbs. We've come a long way.
Brambles!
DSC_1109 by baconrashers, on Flickr
Took these out with a shovel and welding gloves.
DSC_1103 by baconrashers, on Flickr
DSC_1105 by baconrashers, on Flickr
DSC_1102 by baconrashers, on Flickr
DSC_1108 by baconrashers, on Flickr
Brambles!
DSC_1109 by baconrashers, on FlickrTook these out with a shovel and welding gloves.
DSC_1103 by baconrashers, on FlickrDSC_1105 by baconrashers, on FlickrDSC_1102 by baconrashers, on FlickrDSC_1108 by baconrashers, on FlickrThanks chaps. Mental.
This, 2.5 years ago (the holly tree on the left of the first photo was a truly horrible job to remove as well - I really should have paid a professional. Would have involved fewer injuries).
DSC_1105 by baconrashers, on Flickr
To this, at the beginning of this thread:
20200324_092817 by baconrashers, on Flickr
The tall, spindly dark green trees on the left of the bottom photo are what I took down today, manually.
I. Am. Knackered.
This, 2.5 years ago (the holly tree on the left of the first photo was a truly horrible job to remove as well - I really should have paid a professional. Would have involved fewer injuries).
DSC_1105 by baconrashers, on FlickrTo this, at the beginning of this thread:
20200324_092817 by baconrashers, on FlickrThe tall, spindly dark green trees on the left of the bottom photo are what I took down today, manually.
I. Am. Knackered.
Edited by Harry Flashman on Sunday 26th April 23:27
This morning's project was dealing with the front beds.
Last autumn, I sowed wildflower seed. It was a mix with grass seeds in it. Whilst the meadowgrass in it (pictured in the first shots) was very picturesque, it was not really what I wanted - a wildflower meadow to break up the formality of the front, and take advantage of the west facing, sunny aspect. The grass outcompeted everything else in the bed apart from the Laurel hedge and the cypress trees - there are a pair of very sorry looking hibiscus shrubs, and the lavender and ferns are stunted. The ferns, to be fair, as I planted them with a limestone mulch, and they like acidic or neutral soil. Oops.
So at the weekend, I pulled the grass out, and scarified it. This was a lot of work, on top of the bay tree adventures.
This morning, I dug it all over, hopefully reactivating some wildflower seeds. Whilst at it I planted some Ixia, brodiaea and something else bulbs that I had lying around as, well, why not? I watered them all in. Some allium bulbs that I had thought lost seem found: shoots exposed when taking back the grass, have within minutes after watering perked up straight, and I hope I may see a few flowers. At least the plants are there and alive.
Whilst planting bulbs, I noticed giggling - my toddler decided that helping Dad involved picking out said bulbs and chucking them on the gravel. So I planted fewer than I thought, thanks to her.
Found lots of moth chrysalis' etc in the ground, which made me hopeful for a bit of insect attractive planting in these beds.
Who needs a gym, eh?
From this neat and graceful sight:
20200403_133518 by baconrashers, on Flickr
20200403_133459 by baconrashers, on Flickr
To this mess.
2020-04-27_03-34-49 by baconrashers, on Flickr
20200427_153333 by baconrashers, on Flickr
This had better work. I know that some of the grass will come back, but it is meant to as I wanted some grass in there. I may overseed with a bit more wildflower seed I have in the house.
Or have I just totally messed this up?
At least the hedge is doing really well. Tonnes of green shoots and becoming really bushy.
Last autumn, I sowed wildflower seed. It was a mix with grass seeds in it. Whilst the meadowgrass in it (pictured in the first shots) was very picturesque, it was not really what I wanted - a wildflower meadow to break up the formality of the front, and take advantage of the west facing, sunny aspect. The grass outcompeted everything else in the bed apart from the Laurel hedge and the cypress trees - there are a pair of very sorry looking hibiscus shrubs, and the lavender and ferns are stunted. The ferns, to be fair, as I planted them with a limestone mulch, and they like acidic or neutral soil. Oops.
So at the weekend, I pulled the grass out, and scarified it. This was a lot of work, on top of the bay tree adventures.
This morning, I dug it all over, hopefully reactivating some wildflower seeds. Whilst at it I planted some Ixia, brodiaea and something else bulbs that I had lying around as, well, why not? I watered them all in. Some allium bulbs that I had thought lost seem found: shoots exposed when taking back the grass, have within minutes after watering perked up straight, and I hope I may see a few flowers. At least the plants are there and alive.
Whilst planting bulbs, I noticed giggling - my toddler decided that helping Dad involved picking out said bulbs and chucking them on the gravel. So I planted fewer than I thought, thanks to her.
Found lots of moth chrysalis' etc in the ground, which made me hopeful for a bit of insect attractive planting in these beds.
Who needs a gym, eh?
From this neat and graceful sight:
20200403_133518 by baconrashers, on Flickr20200403_133459 by baconrashers, on FlickrTo this mess.
2020-04-27_03-34-49 by baconrashers, on Flickr20200427_153333 by baconrashers, on FlickrThis had better work. I know that some of the grass will come back, but it is meant to as I wanted some grass in there. I may overseed with a bit more wildflower seed I have in the house.
Or have I just totally messed this up?
At least the hedge is doing really well. Tonnes of green shoots and becoming really bushy.
Edited by Harry Flashman on Monday 27th April 15:49
Jimboka said:
My mum is self isolating, 79 with health conditions
Her house is terrace, with a long garden. Only accessible through the house
It’s started to turn into a jungle, also a fence post gone!
She can’t do it herself
I guess she’ll have to wait until the lockdown is over
Unless I can get in via neighbours garden etc
Of a helicopter ..
Feel for you - my mother is the same, and a similar age. She is lucky though as her gardener can get to her garden without entering the house and is continuing to do so. Can your Mum be upstairs while you go very carefully through the house with tools not touching anything, wearing a mask etc? Or is that just too much of a risk?Her house is terrace, with a long garden. Only accessible through the house
It’s started to turn into a jungle, also a fence post gone!
She can’t do it herself
I guess she’ll have to wait until the lockdown is over
Unless I can get in via neighbours garden etc
Of a helicopter ..
Neighbour's garden is a plan if they are co-operative.
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