tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18777543149484132252024-03-14T06:15:12.227+00:00Brambles, Rambles & ShamblesTales of an evolving garden (and other life observations)Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-79999897561094350252012-04-14T08:33:00.000+01:002012-04-14T08:33:07.003+01:00Today's the day!Just a quick post this morning. I'm full of excitement and anxiety today. It's the official opening of the garden. Not my garden but the one we've been creating at the care home in St. Austell as part of the Creative Spaces project. I haven't written about it here for some time because I've been able to blog about it on our website instead. There is a link to the web page from this blog if you look down <i>My Blog List</i> on the right hand side.<br />
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After many months of hard landscaping, multiple shopping trips to various local nurseries and numerous planting sessions (not to mention the tears, sleepless nights, smiles, laughter, joy and pleasure along the way) the day has finally arrived! I can't believe I slept so well last night; even so, I awoke this morning with a list of things to check going through my head. Everyone will arrive this afternoon and we have the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall opening it for us. It's not been easy getting the care home staff to take ownership of this garden, despite us getting them involved at every point along the way, including input into the design, but I think this will be the day that they do. I hope everyone has a great time despite the weather forecast of heavy showers (typical!) and I look forward to seeing lots more community events taking place in the new garden. I'll be posting about the event afterwards on our <a href="http://www.sensorytrust.org.uk/projects/creative_spaces/index.html">website </a>if you're interested.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Care staff planting last September, under the watchful eye of<br />some residents</span></td></tr>
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<br />Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-38376731728507118982012-04-09T19:49:00.000+01:002012-04-09T19:50:13.776+01:00Bloomin' borders<br />
Please don't think I've lost the plot, this is <i>not </i>going to become a habit - two posts in one day! But I've been busy in the garden recently and I'm trying to keep up-to-date with my garden diary so today there's a lot to write about. Plus, for reasons that will become quickly obvious, I didn't want to write about this alongside my fine penny-saving efforts in my earlier post (ahem!).<br />
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For some time now the flower borders around my lawn have been looking sad and sparse. The west border has always been the least planted; it receives very little sunshine, is almost always damp and regularly needs to have the moss scraped off the soil, especially in the north-facing corner. I've struggled to think what to plant there in the past. But after getting some good ideas from my boss and great friend, Jane, I went to shop at the <a href="http://www.bodminnursery.co.uk/">Bodmin Plant and Herb Nursery</a> a couple of weeks ago looking for border plants; in particular those that like partial sun and moist soil.<br />
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I always do this thing, and stop me if it sounds familiar, when I go plant shopping; the logical and emotional sides of my brain take up arms against each other. On this occasion, Logical Brain was saying"Ok, plants that like moist soil, that's our target - nothing else right! Watch those pennies! When we get there, stick to the plan" (are you beginning to understand why I didn't mention this trip in my <i>'Looking after the pennies'</i> post?). However, Emotional Irrational Brain (which had been asleep during the car journey to the nursery) leapt out of it's slumber, grabbed its credit card and several large shopping bags, rammed a finger in each ear to drown out LB and jumped around inside my head shouting "Oooh, look at that! What a gorgeous colour, wouldn't that just look amazing in the alpine bank?...... no, wait I've spotted the bargains...over here! Over here! Oooh, you need that plant, really you do!"<br />
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As a result the west border now hosts a Pulmonaria rubra 'Bowles Red', Tellima grandiflora 'Forest Frost', Lamium maculatum 'Anne Greenway' and a Mitella Breweri. I also planted some Sweet William along the front of the border. The other borders now also contain several grasses (including 3 Acorus grasses which I got at the Lostwithiel seed swapping event), 4 Bellis rose plants, 4 Aubretias, 3 Armeria 'Alba' and 2 Lupins. Plus half a dozen heathers have been planted in the alpine bank; they're a mixture of autumn/winter and spring/summer flowering plants.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvmi1VQcDhrPfWD029wL0S7VSkx6o_eREqx26QzsSyO1XrRpTjn6Z8GpplLZcpYtWvG-4Ty5klzp5ok4EDY9UqIt-XkPKAd4nUbEvDoRZ27BB24_VroFSTNzPwZPiuIogmbYvaxNSHI6D/s1600/Bellis+Rose+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvmi1VQcDhrPfWD029wL0S7VSkx6o_eREqx26QzsSyO1XrRpTjn6Z8GpplLZcpYtWvG-4Ty5klzp5ok4EDY9UqIt-XkPKAd4nUbEvDoRZ27BB24_VroFSTNzPwZPiuIogmbYvaxNSHI6D/s320/Bellis+Rose+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bellis Rose; beautiful but watch out for slugs</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIpYcin5l_rQVGR6cG5GgOMd_SapinezjxVxU7x7UyluChPojNl2I7lcfyJS9wNm9kIn-qggEytJONIAx1v78UIeyGdNhriHdIo1veZwD4QVpOQl0qAOCLBYtAaJVVCFZKynXO-L-gJ8S/s1600/Lamium+%2527anne+greenway%2527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIpYcin5l_rQVGR6cG5GgOMd_SapinezjxVxU7x7UyluChPojNl2I7lcfyJS9wNm9kIn-qggEytJONIAx1v78UIeyGdNhriHdIo1veZwD4QVpOQl0qAOCLBYtAaJVVCFZKynXO-L-gJ8S/s320/Lamium+%2527anne+greenway%2527.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lamium; spreads as ground cover</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tellima; likes partial shade</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Armeria 'alba'</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Erica carnea 'ann sparkes'</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMjYamTySjq5kYk6hoTafR8d188_PYEMBxpBR4Cmasb4Dl7m-SGrnOX1bdOxs4GJG9Qn3bHG2BiKJuFNhtyL0DCOFtSL3tPseNsfxcFMzm_-0f3lpYmzsfaJ-UUDDp8UO9V-Ei2oHZ4sv/s1600/Pulmonaria+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMjYamTySjq5kYk6hoTafR8d188_PYEMBxpBR4Cmasb4Dl7m-SGrnOX1bdOxs4GJG9Qn3bHG2BiKJuFNhtyL0DCOFtSL3tPseNsfxcFMzm_-0f3lpYmzsfaJ-UUDDp8UO9V-Ei2oHZ4sv/s320/Pulmonaria+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pulmonaria (lungwort) grows in clumps</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgqpggo6tgdEtlkvZ3OAbNs_bvUTBs64vF_Ymw96mNB2aMHEQHF2Rl5vyJCID78R6elxqJ3CgXUeu6aj7Rgykuxk8wUDVu3_lD3oaQNjQtFv7YE9ekFPVQqdMgajoTHLOkDvFiP-1TEBB/s1600/Calluna+Vulgaris+%2527teresa%2527+summer_autumn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgqpggo6tgdEtlkvZ3OAbNs_bvUTBs64vF_Ymw96mNB2aMHEQHF2Rl5vyJCID78R6elxqJ3CgXUeu6aj7Rgykuxk8wUDVu3_lD3oaQNjQtFv7YE9ekFPVQqdMgajoTHLOkDvFiP-1TEBB/s320/Calluna+Vulgaris+%2527teresa%2527+summer_autumn.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Calluna vulgaris 'Theresa'</span></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Hey, I did save some money though, I split one of my saxifraga plants and set the smaller plants in the north-facing corner to prevent the moss dominating that area. Ok not the biggest of savings but a great shopping day <i>and </i></span>my garden borders and alpine bank will be bulging this summer. Sadly I can't say the same for my purse.<br />
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-75212889340826701202012-04-09T10:14:00.002+01:002012-04-09T10:17:17.976+01:00Looking after the pennies....Wherever and whenever I can, I re-use garden materials. Not just out of a financial necessity but because I've been fortunate (yes, fortunate!) to take on an overgrown almost blank 'canvas' and it feels right to use what I can from the current overgrowth in creating the new garden. Cut wood, in particular, is proving very useful in the renovation challenge! Hazel provides me with crooks for hedgelaying, woven shapes for Christmas decorations, sticks to make a pea fence, plant supports and much more. But other trees are proving useful too.<br />
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The hedge between mine and my neighbours is an informal, overgrown hedge; mainly dogwood and box, with a small elder tree (useful for future wine-making). Well this hedge hasn't been managed for years and as a result the top part of my garden wasn't getting much sun. So back in February my neighbour helped me take down about 8ft off the top of the highest section and now I've got a heap of cut dogwood lying around. I was going to have a big bonfire to get rid of it but it occurred to me that I could use some of the larger branches as kindling for the winter fire.<br />
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That's what I've been doing for the last couple of weekends; snedding (removing smaller side shoots and branches from trees/woody shrubs) and cutting branches. The recent purchase of a 21" bow saw, a billhook and the gift of a good pruning saw from my 'sister' <a href="http://the-greenman.blogspot.co.uk/">The Green Man</a>, has made the job much easier. I ended up with 4 crates and two bags full of kindling and a large pile of 'twiggy' branches for the bonfire. At least I won't have to buy so many bags of kindling next winter and I discovered, with the recent drop in temperature, that the dogwood burns much better and longer as kindling than the stuff I usually buy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAxB1DU3DPKW1vtLm5WaJFLbRWEb_RfSj1J5hLFcSfrE-vk_Zff_FNBWjhjroOevWhkOdg-7leJ-h_bTjDCVB8PcA8WdwssvhpCXK5399JPB6HAPkdE7lE00SOLazGT4SyrJTpPD5-gJkI/s1600/DSCF4331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAxB1DU3DPKW1vtLm5WaJFLbRWEb_RfSj1J5hLFcSfrE-vk_Zff_FNBWjhjroOevWhkOdg-7leJ-h_bTjDCVB8PcA8WdwssvhpCXK5399JPB6HAPkdE7lE00SOLazGT4SyrJTpPD5-gJkI/s320/DSCF4331.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">hedge (top right) 11 months ago</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3nFnoRrap4bALWqt8eTtu3IECEB2u4bdLsYwxkLWaVwShMPKLUu6MLqSAmKfF9LogzlTMOwv2SE6mKOQ8eFSlusRZIGtm124ih2eQB1XuR7Bstt2vL0AgD6LVzFA4zB8Ef5SD6PogHgO/s1600/DSCF4015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3nFnoRrap4bALWqt8eTtu3IECEB2u4bdLsYwxkLWaVwShMPKLUu6MLqSAmKfF9LogzlTMOwv2SE6mKOQ8eFSlusRZIGtm124ih2eQB1XuR7Bstt2vL0AgD6LVzFA4zB8Ef5SD6PogHgO/s320/DSCF4015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">use of pruning saw on lower branches,<br />February this year</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">useful tools: lopper, billhook &<br />bowsaw</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">hedge (top right) trimmed; more sunlight & room<br />for the Elderberry to grow</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sS5C-xIidSXyGd4ud5WajfA-HEiPEO4a2Q-7Pq_7uGPntqgvFQeXp00wy2YBMRQCSjdY8p0DcBkkUoXLnzzldNA5K0MGettDU5AW8LNF1XkcD9BQjSY4AdS2mw_pG7tkVeV8i0xWz_PV/s1600/Dogwood+kindling+cut+for+winter+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sS5C-xIidSXyGd4ud5WajfA-HEiPEO4a2Q-7Pq_7uGPntqgvFQeXp00wy2YBMRQCSjdY8p0DcBkkUoXLnzzldNA5K0MGettDU5AW8LNF1XkcD9BQjSY4AdS2mw_pG7tkVeV8i0xWz_PV/s320/Dogwood+kindling+cut+for+winter+(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The start of the winter collection</span></td></tr>
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It's also a good time to be thinking about getting a load of unseasoned wood to store and season for the winter. I haven't yet managed to source much free wood but purchasing unseasoned wood is cheaper than buying it seasoned so helping to cut costs later in the year. I'll be contacting my log supplier soon to do just that.<br />
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They do say "Look after the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves", so on that note, if there are any gardeners or tree surgeons in the Cornwall/Plymouth area who want someone to take cut wood off their hands..............hello!<br />
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<br />Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-21675914944935889842012-03-18T22:33:00.003+00:002012-03-18T22:34:46.662+00:00Digging for therapyWhy is digging such good therapy? It makes my back ache, my limbs stiffen up a couple of days later, I get really thirsty, feel absolutely shattered and look like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards after. But it's still one of my favourite garden tasks and I've been thinking about the reasons why this evening. For me it boils down to this:<br />
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Digging allows me time to think; to let my mind wander over events past, present and future. I get to watch the birds fly between the hedge and the bird feeders and find pleasure in watching my cat Jasper slip into the plastic mini greenhouse to bask in the warmth of the sun sheltered from the chill wind. Sometimes there's the chance to chat across the fence with my next door neighbour's husband about tasks that neither of us got around to over the past months but will <i>definitely </i>do this summer (yeah right!). Then there's the true pleasure in standing back, leaning on the spade and looking at the work done. It all adds up to being good for the soul.<br />
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This weekend has been about just that. Digging that is, not the soul. To set the scene: I need another couple of beds this year as 2 out of the 4 are currently in use. I recently moved all my herbs in with the rhubarb for a more permanent position; I'm now growing sage, golden marjoram, thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary and mint......with room for a couple more. So that's one bed in use. The other bed is currently hosting some 'all year' lettuce which has left me with only 2 beds to grow veg in this year (impressive maths!).<br />
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So instead of adding more raised beds I've gone for single-digging deep beds and used John Seymour's 'the New Self-Sufficient Gardener' book as guidance. First I used an old plastic sheet as a rough outline and cut the outline of the bed with a mattock. Then I cut out a line across the width of the soon-to-be bed and cut out the turf before digging down to the depth of the spade (also called a 'spit'). The turf and soil dug out was put onto a plastic sheet for the time being. Then working backwards I repeated this, putting the turf into the trench previously dug and chopping it up before digging up the top soil and shovelling it on top. When I reached the last trench I filled it with the turf and topsoil from the first trench. As I went along I got rid of any roots and stones I found but still finished off by raking over the surface and removing any that had managed to escape first time round.<br />
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The soil will be nicely aerated this way and, as the width of the bed means I won't have to stand on it, should remain so.<br />
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I began the job yesterday - eventually giving up because every time I went outside it rained and every time I came in the sun came out! But today's weather was better and I was able to spend several non-interrupted hours finishing it off. The plan now is to divide it and use a small section as a seed bed and the rest as a holding bed; for this season at least. Looking at the picture below I think it would look more attractive with additional planting around the edges.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5M_9s8q-xrlS4RylHiXQ2HZ7cz1c_5eYH9-aAn61HaNo-bDi0Q1jp0fC5kDyNQtRpGVjhbfPc0HkK42xiRasA2iomRAm5eFb4k7OCKiPjzTBInfDB61IwgAo38zOJwQ-WNMNZj8sQ2Es/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5M_9s8q-xrlS4RylHiXQ2HZ7cz1c_5eYH9-aAn61HaNo-bDi0Q1jp0fC5kDyNQtRpGVjhbfPc0HkK42xiRasA2iomRAm5eFb4k7OCKiPjzTBInfDB61IwgAo38zOJwQ-WNMNZj8sQ2Es/s320/002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1 bed done, 1 to go</td></tr>
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It's not the most straight-edged bed (perhaps I should have used string as a guide) but still, I'm pleased with my handiwork. Hopefully I'll be creating the second one next weekend. Ooh, I've just noticed there's enough room between the new bed and the fruit cage to put in a small triangular raised bed to grow some strawberries in. That's another job to add to this year's list then!<br />
<br />Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-51971822783611809632012-03-04T09:55:00.000+00:002012-03-04T09:55:57.523+00:00A symphony of seedsThis rain is putting a damper on my plans to get digging in the garden so today I've opted for sowing seeds indoors. Especially as yesterday I popped in to the Lostwithiel seed swapping event and came away with various bargains. I swapped some beetroot, sweetcorn, tomato and mixed leaf salad seeds for leek (Autumn Neptune), pak choi, cabbage (Cabez Negra 2), Alyssum maritimum (Easter Bonnet Pastel Mixture) and a strange packet labelled 'non-anonymous mixture'. This last one was so intriguing I just had to have it. On opening it I discovered a pack of assorted seeds accompanied with a list of contents.....34 different varieties to be exact. Are you ready for this? Ok, so here's the list:<div>
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Aronia arbutifolia</div>
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Arthropodium cirrhatum</div>
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Asarum hartwegii</div>
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Baptisia tinctoria</div>
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Celtis edulis</div>
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Clematis cirrhosa</div>
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Cosmos, yellow-flowered ex Rhodes</div>
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Dendropanax arboreus</div>
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Diospyros cathayensis</div>
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Ennealophus fimbriatus</div>
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eranthis 'Orange Glow'</div>
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Eranthis 'Schwefel glanz'</div>
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Hibiscus syriacus 'Woodbridge'</div>
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Hosta 'Fire and Ice</div>
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Hypericum olympicum</div>
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Jeffersonia dubia</div>
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Kalopanax septemlobus maximowiczii</div>
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Lachenalia obscura</div>
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Liatris platylepis</div>
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Lythrum salicaria 'Robin'</div>
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Mahonia pallida</div>
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Malus toringoides</div>
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Muscari white ex Eastern Turkey</div>
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Pulmoniaria longifolia</div>
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Salvia hierosolymitana</div>
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Scabiosa argentea</div>
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Scilla tubergeniana</div>
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Scutellaria albida</div>
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Serratula coronata</div>
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Sternbergia sicula graeca</div>
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Tulbaghia simmleri</div>
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Tulipa, large-flowered varieties</div>
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Verbascum blatteria var. album</div>
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Veronica orchidea</div>
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Some list huh? I've no idea how I'm supposed to know which seed is which... that's the fun part. I'll sow them into seed trays and see what comes up. One day, I'll know what I've grown. In the meantime, it's time to get on to Google and research most of the plants on the list. I have such a limited knowledge of garden plants that I don't even know what some of these look like............time to put the kettle on!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SfyIKO3wY3f5X7MRstXpDDiF8gjtQG0WCfGATO9hgzSI27d0NzXOMxz47q5gf98X6SAKusLXaVhmU6-fSiOHlUWNvQmxTXR11WjwcpBLQzkK0yQe4PAoBO3Z4yzawnGlSUSMGahL56Uc/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SfyIKO3wY3f5X7MRstXpDDiF8gjtQG0WCfGATO9hgzSI27d0NzXOMxz47q5gf98X6SAKusLXaVhmU6-fSiOHlUWNvQmxTXR11WjwcpBLQzkK0yQe4PAoBO3Z4yzawnGlSUSMGahL56Uc/s400/019.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A small selection of the seeds from my treasure trove</span></td></tr>
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<br /></div>Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-83100166902855930872012-02-12T22:25:00.000+00:002012-02-12T22:28:22.718+00:00What I did during my breakWell this won't do! Nothing posted in my 'garden diary' since last September? I've no idea where the time's gone and there are no excuses; just a blur of family and friends visiting, working weekends on dementia events, Christmas with the family and friends and to top it all I picked up some sort of cold bug which lingered around for 3 - 4 weeks. <br />
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I did manage to spend some time in the garden though.....just to maintain some form of sanity!<br />
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The log store was completed, with help from my neighbour (very handy living next to a builder!). We used lengths of wood from the cut fence to make the posts and sides and palettes were used as the base. My neighbour put a roof on and covered it with roof felt and I had a piece of tarpaulin which now hangs down over the store to help keep out the south westerly rain. Not the most attractive cover but at least it does the job.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqtn7Jt2MUzdCwv3XMUAhS1btEzxsHjQcrw9BRrTWc-DHdesDhIOG-zebw7flA7G5iRl7RtR0szsWRPAK9v6maEB8c-ZtIG_fiLwlrzTpyxoBhV9SADNN2XSjlL4BjqYwH2S3Q3wBvmdl/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqtn7Jt2MUzdCwv3XMUAhS1btEzxsHjQcrw9BRrTWc-DHdesDhIOG-zebw7flA7G5iRl7RtR0szsWRPAK9v6maEB8c-ZtIG_fiLwlrzTpyxoBhV9SADNN2XSjlL4BjqYwH2S3Q3wBvmdl/s320/023.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoT1L-6UbTDIqqKZwtwGAgAnTy6M9MqVgd0M_nfha07yLUXHmssu5z-kpVe1dorfp_odnXC2mCN-zQUZyre8SbaJxdYo5ovYYWRMiV3cRu9GSw-tY-_eWO4BGmyGupdeXLDHzR2rlxBqLS/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoT1L-6UbTDIqqKZwtwGAgAnTy6M9MqVgd0M_nfha07yLUXHmssu5z-kpVe1dorfp_odnXC2mCN-zQUZyre8SbaJxdYo5ovYYWRMiV3cRu9GSw-tY-_eWO4BGmyGupdeXLDHzR2rlxBqLS/s320/025.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I bought a blueberry (Spartan) and a couple of raspberry bushes (Autumn Bliss) last autumn so the fruit cage was brought out of its box in the shed and finally erected.<br />
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My first year of growing vegetables was an interesting one - more of a 'taster' session than anything. I just wanted to see what grew and what didn't, what was easy and what was time-consuming. The beetroot, peas, leeks and rhubarb did well. The carrots and parsnips came up small and wouldn't have looked out of place in a 'strange-shaped vegetable' competition! No onions or beans showed themselves...don't know whether the seeds were eaten or something else got to them, but I'm not deterred and will try again this year. However, I won't be bothering with the brassiceae this year. They need much more space than I have for them at the moment and it's a lot of time and effort producing such large plants that produced so little - well, in my garden at least. Maybe I'll have a go in another year or so but not this year. At least that will leave me room to try growing something else. My pumpkins didn't amount to anything either. I got three really good little fruits on the go and then suddenly they just disintegrated. I have no idea what caused it. The mildew on the leaves didn't spread, so if anyone has any suggestions I'd really appreciate them.<br />
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Indoors, the kitchen became the wine-making HQ as I went on a frenzy to make enough for Christmas presents. In the end 11 bottles of elderberry, 6 bottles of carrot and 6 bottles of sloe wine were labelled and wrapped as gifts - making Christmas a lot cheaper this year. At the family Christmas there was a little tasting session of all of them and everyone said that the carrot was the best - yay! Personally I prefer the sloe but, although drinkable, I think it will be better in another month.<br />
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Not wanting to follow the norm, I named all my wines: Old Fogey, Tortoise Tipple and Donkey's Treat. I'll leave you to work out which one is which! I also added my own personal labels; lots of feathers, glitter etc. Well, I try to be creative. <br />
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Following on from that I've recently bottled the last wine; It's called Squingah and is a mixture of......well, answers on a postcard please.............It should be ready to drink around May time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elderberry fermenting nicely</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the best picture; it's paler and<br />less cloudy in real life!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squinjah!</td></tr>
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So, goodbye 2011 and hello 2012! <br />
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Seeing as how Cornwall has had the least amount of snow compared to the rest of the country (I think there was a light dusting over Bodmin Moor) I've been able to get into the garden this weekend and begin the process of tidying up and preparing for this year's work.<br />
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The first thing I had to do was put a bark path alongside the log store. We may not have suffered the snow but the amount of rain we've had turned the earth path into a quagmire. Later in the year I might improve it by turning it into a gravel path.<br />
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The raised beds have had some attention. I've added compost over the top and hopefully the worms will do the rest. Black plastic sheeting over the top should help keep them warm until planting begins. The rhubarb was beginning to come up again (like so many other plants in the garden convinced spring is here) so I've popped a black bucket over it. I'm not convinced we're over the frosty period just yet so I've also lain straw around the base of the apple trees. I didn't let them fruit last year so I'm looking forward to a good crop this year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rhubarb and soil protected against frost</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The False Spirea thinks it's spring already!</td></tr>
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Unfortunately, time got the better of me this winter and I've left it a bit late to get any decent amount of hedge-laying done. Instead I began filling in some gaps in the hedge this weekend using hazel coppiced in winter 2010. Snedding the branches and making stakes is possible now that I've bought myself a double-bladed billhook. I love my garden tools!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A natural fence underway using coppiced hazel</td></tr>
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So now it's time to start thinking about what to plant this year. All the inner cardboard from toilet and kitchen rolls have been saved over the months and are now making themselves useful as seed pots. Today, I started off rocket 'runway'and spinach 'Samish F1' (I sowed seeds straight outside last year but got nothing) alongside tomato 'Sweet William F1' and some mixed leaf 'Spicy Oriental'.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierzgY9VPV1QgY_PKAHDO9tRGVEI6d6qRhTJ9-r5W3tDoSSfvI0zDKw892otniM7yhRwVbk3dXJRjzd2LpPaJEAHuGtbF8COEN79dyF6pzfvRM5Oxi4cFfhdM3wegjsYFUi0SqXrj_ZiM4/s1600/rocket_spinach_tomato_mixed+leaf+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierzgY9VPV1QgY_PKAHDO9tRGVEI6d6qRhTJ9-r5W3tDoSSfvI0zDKw892otniM7yhRwVbk3dXJRjzd2LpPaJEAHuGtbF8COEN79dyF6pzfvRM5Oxi4cFfhdM3wegjsYFUi0SqXrj_ZiM4/s320/rocket_spinach_tomato_mixed+leaf+(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cardboard rolls recycled as seed pots</td></tr>
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Carrots, parsnips, beetroot and red onion will be attempted again this year along with chard and swede. There's space for me to add another couple of beds and I'm tempted to just dig a couple of plots straight in the ground this time instead of raised beds. It'll be interesting to see if the rabbits take any notice; they don't seem to have bothered to come that far down the garden. Perhaps Jasper has something to do with that!<br />
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Well, that's enough for this evening. Now that I'm 'back in the saddle' I'll do my best not to fall off again!Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-75900830844890889272011-09-18T21:17:00.002+01:002011-09-18T21:29:06.805+01:00Autumn is a-comin'So:<br />
<ul>
<li>The carrot wine is bottled </li>
<li>Elder tree has been stripped of berries (not by me!)</li>
<li>The log store framework is underway</li>
<li>Hazelnuts have been collected</li>
<li>The borders are<i> almost</i> tidy</li>
<li>Compost pile no. 2 is breaking down nicely</li>
<li>No sign of the rocket or spinach I planted</li>
<li>Rabbits are trying to dig back into the wild area at the top of the garden</li>
<li>Pumpkin fruit have been de-cluttered</li>
</ul>
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<u>Carrot wine</u><br />
After a little taster and the addition of a tad more sugar the wine is bottled and sitting in the rack ready for Christmas. It's a little sweet for my taste, but it would have been too sharp without the additional sugar. But wow, does it have a kick! The difficulty now is keeping my hands off it until Christmas, although hiding it in the cupboard under the stairs does help.<br />
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<u>Elderberries</u><br />
Unfortunately for me, my elder tree produced most of its berries on the side that overhangs my neighbours garden. Fortunately for me, I have lovely neighbours and they were happy for me to pop round anytime and pick the berries. Unfortunately for me, by the time I got round there early last week, the tree had been picked clean already............by the birds! Not to worry, a short trip this weekend to nearby <a href="http://themagicofcornwall.photoshelter.com/gallery/Respryn-Bridge/G00002PInnJ.pZks/P0000E4pI4vU1WTo">Respryn </a>with my neighbour Sue and her two girls brought in great rewards with 5 freezer bags full (just over 6lbs) of elderberries. Just some large bags of sugar required and I'll be starting it later this week.<br />
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I've also been keeping an eye on the sloes in the hedgerow at work; they're in abundance this year. I know you're supposed to wait until there's been a frost before you pick them but, to be honest, we don't tend to get frosts down here until later in winter so I'm just going to wait until they feel soft and I'll pick them; not for sloe gin, but to have a go at sloe wine. There's also a recipe in my CJJ Berry book that says 2/3 elderberry and 1/3 sloe makes a good wine - possibly 6 bottles of elderberry and 6 of elderberry & sloe wine this year then?<br />
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<u>Log store</u><br />
I've had some much appreciated help from Sue's husband this past week, in getting the log store underway. A couple of weekends ago, I started by clearing, levelling (which also included removing enough soil to fill 7 wheelbarrows) and compacting the ground only to then remember that I'd lent my saw to a friend and couldn't proceed with installing the support posts. In steps Carl with his trusty saw, hammer and nails and up go the posts and 2/3 of the roof. There's only the side slats to put in - I'll be using the wood left over from when the fence was cut down earlier this year - and a cover for the front to be found (I'm thinking along the lines of heavy tarpaulin) and it'll be finished. Hurray!<br />
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<u>Hazelnuts</u><br />
Well I've managed to get enough to make what I call my 'winter cookies' this year; the filling is white chocolate, cranberry and hazelnuts. It's popular amongst family and friends. If I remember I'll post the recipe when I make them. Thankfully, the strong winds of the last week have helped by shedding loads of nuts into the garden; saving me the trouble of having to reach up into the trees in my hedge to try and get at those 'just out of reach' ones. There's about 12oz (340gms) in the dish so far; I'd like to get a full 1lb (450gms) if I can.....just a few more windy days might help.<br />
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<u>Border plants</u><br />
I've been far too ashamed to show any images of my lawn borders recently; for fear of being accused of cruelty to plants or neglecting my gardening duties. So the last couple of weeks, I've been out after work on the odd pleasant evening and tidied them up. The Forget-Me-Nots have gone mad this year and it's about time they were replaced with something less invasive, so I've been clearing them out (I know I won't get them all this year) to make space for something with an autumn/winter interest. I've also been dead-heading the Siddalcea, the Herb Marsh Mallows and the Glory-of-the-Snow but left the seed heads of the Alliums on for a little longer; I rather enjoy the silvery grey colour in the garden this time of year. <br />
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Weeding has been a big problem as the weather's been ideal for weeds and I've struggled to keep on top of it. But I'm finally managing to get around the borders one bit at a time. I'm using the last of the compost from Pile no. 1 as a layer of mulch on top of the border soil; I hope it will help to keep them down. Talking of compost........<br />
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<u>Compost</u><br />
Pile no. 2 is breaking down nicely; I bought an 'activator' to help speed up the process and it's worked a treat - just wish I could remember the name of it now! Once I've used the rest of Pile no. 1 on the borders I'll be starting it over again. There's still a couple of bags of horse manure that have been breaking down for 12 months and they'll go on the raised veg beds soon enough. Should all help towards a good growing season next year.<br />
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<u>Rocket and spinach</u><br />
Of which there has not been a peep! Maybe I did leave it a little too late to plant the seeds, but I was hoping for at least some small leaves around now. Never mind, keeping a record of things like this will help me to do better next time.<br />
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<u>Those damn 'wabbits'</u><br />
Ok so some of it's my fault, I haven't managed to get up the top of the garden and strim away the rest of the overgrown area. As a result, on taking a walk up there the other evening I discovered a freshly dug hole in the ground. Now it was heading towards the hedge and my neighbour's garden on the other side (not Sue and Carl's garden) so I didn't feel too bad about digging it back in as there's probably other entrances on his side of the garden. But it does mean that if we get a dry evening this week (not looking hopeful I have to say) then I'm going to have to get up there with the strimmer and clear it down to the ground and check for other potential 'digs'. Oh, and I'll be having a serious word with Jasper as well - obviously not the great rabbit killer he made himself out to be last year!<br />
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<u>Pumpkins</u><br />
These have developed around 6 small fruit and there are still some flowers developing. So, I've taken all but two fruits off so far and raised them above the ground to prevent them from rotting. The plant will need to be helped along with some tomato feed now. The mildew (see previous post<i><b> 'Future fruits' </b></i>dated 28th August) that appeared on some leaves doesn't seem to have spread since I sprayed with the mixture of Bicarbonate of Soda and water, so fingers crossed...........!<br />
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<br />Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-35224443100675240052011-08-28T21:53:00.000+01:002011-08-29T16:16:26.522+01:00Future fruitsI've begun another bout of digging. This time it's the area next to the shed which I'm prepping for the installation of a fruit cage and a couple more raised beds. The jury's still out on what fruit to grow yet but I'm toying with the idea of having a Boysenberry. I only came across this fruit recently; we bought some for the care home garden because it doesn't have any thorns. A little different from the usual berries, it's a cross between a blackberry, raspberry and loganberry. Well I'll give it a go once the cage is up and see what happens. Perhaps I'll plant a blackcurrent and a couple of blueberries with it. I'll have to check the size of the fruit cage before I go shopping!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdwvpruhCqaX2ksxvUtZ_itexb4L9-tdwpE4SppXlQ2ZEksQnv2BbPNj0k60ObBzgEgjK9Xr12EuW9lMQTXtJAIzfRbpzYl6M3pJUJzasDDd3bPI8AEAwNqkDGLNnWL1wRua1fJVWHyWk/s1600/DSCF4032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdwvpruhCqaX2ksxvUtZ_itexb4L9-tdwpE4SppXlQ2ZEksQnv2BbPNj0k60ObBzgEgjK9Xr12EuW9lMQTXtJAIzfRbpzYl6M3pJUJzasDDd3bPI8AEAwNqkDGLNnWL1wRua1fJVWHyWk/s400/DSCF4032.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I'm making the most of this productive mood and have also started clearing the ground on the other side of the shed to make room for the log store. Maybe it's because I'm beginning to feel like summer is coming to an end and occasionally my thoughts are turning to autumn and winter. It's time to look into getting some logs delivered. Two more pallets have been retrieved from work to provide the base and there are some large posts and planks of wood left over from when the fence was reduced which I'll use to make the slatted sides. It's a good job it's a Bank Holiday weekend; I'm grateful for the extra day.<br />
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As far as the vegetable garden goes, all the peas are now bagged and in the freezer, the last of the beetroot have been cooked and sliced and I've cleared the spaces and planted a small row of rocket and another of spinach. The spinach will only produce small leaves at this time of year but I do love them in a salad.<br />
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The pumpkin I planted back in July is doing well but has developed mildew on the leaves. A quick search on the internet has revealed a couple of non-chemical solutions. One is to mix 1/4 ounce of baking soda in a gallon of water and the other is a 50:50 mixture of milk and water. I'll try the baking soda solution first and see if that helps. I'm informed that the mildew doesn't affect the fruit but if it kills the leaves off then the fruit could get sun-scorched without the protection.<br />
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What else has been happening? Well, I've added a few more plants to the borders around the lawn; a couple of Gypsophyla, a Lantana and a Dahlia. The Forget-Me-Nots are being removed as well as most of the Aquilegia. They were very helpful in filling in the borders in the early days but are taking over now so it's time to replace them with more variety.<br />
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Oh and the carrot wine is finally away from the starting blocks. It's almost ready to have it's first syphoning. But I must admit, it's an odd colour! I expect only time will tell with this one. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOB9_aww_hgXemnGTGcj-DGlnRoSIflXvCSdllm8tHHRBrFkoKBImNGJJg0oJ0269jwVlpycSd9G3vV1aO7tm_5NBDIsQVZ3rUqtv75zJwCQInvCt6664S3YWiJlvoj80C7nqB3KtmW6S/s1600/carrot+wine_220811+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOB9_aww_hgXemnGTGcj-DGlnRoSIflXvCSdllm8tHHRBrFkoKBImNGJJg0oJ0269jwVlpycSd9G3vV1aO7tm_5NBDIsQVZ3rUqtv75zJwCQInvCt6664S3YWiJlvoj80C7nqB3KtmW6S/s400/carrot+wine_220811+%25282%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hopefully it'll be ready for Christmas and<br />
will taste better than it looks</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I've also been given a bag full of windfall apples by a friend and I'm wondering if I should get some apple wine on the go as well. It's all down to the amount of equipment I have - which isn't much - and the fact that the elderberries are ready to be picked, both from my tree in the garden and from one at work so there's an opportunity to make several gallons of elderberry wine this year. Decisions, decisions.<br />
<br />
A little note to end on........I've accidentally stepped on several green hazelnuts lying on the ground in the garden recently. I wasn't sure if you could eat them 'green' but have found a few tasty-looking recipes so I'll be out foraging along the hedge tomorrow and trying these <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2007/sep/08/features.recipes">recipes </a>out. It won't be long before the race against the squirrels begins to see who gets to the ripened one first; I think I can predict the outcome of that in advance!<br />
<br />
<br />
Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-65783374474267394232011-08-02T00:09:00.000+01:002011-08-29T16:10:23.781+01:00Make Haste Whilst the Sun Shines!It's a bit of a blockbuster diary this week - there's been a lot going on in the garden.<br />
<br />
The two girls from next door have been helping by clearing overgrowth around the veg beds and the shed. It's a major job keeping the Productive area clear of weeds and their efforts have been a real help. There may soon come a time, in a few years, when they're interest in gardening is surpassed by more 'girlie' interests such as boys, shopping and parties so I try and encourage their enthusiasm as much as possible at the moment in the hope that it will come back to them when they're older as it did for me.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRajk9GGAa-y4nYy2mi2IymwviYzrMI6VFUrl0JwUzL1JtcsdMTgzbv_lQYwt8hLdjGn7PGO6D22QT9lwzBGqjru64vUjbFCd0vRW5Ll5hbOGgvlQIlRcd3AjpMl9mZOc895etD4RaJxR/s1600/DSCF4029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRajk9GGAa-y4nYy2mi2IymwviYzrMI6VFUrl0JwUzL1JtcsdMTgzbv_lQYwt8hLdjGn7PGO6D22QT9lwzBGqjru64vUjbFCd0vRW5Ll5hbOGgvlQIlRcd3AjpMl9mZOc895etD4RaJxR/s320/DSCF4029.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Whilst the two girls were getting on with that I tackled the barren area between what I call the Alpine Bank and the lawn area. Most of this area will eventually form the pathway through the formal area to the gate into the Productive area. However I'll eventually do something with the small area (shown on the right in the next photo), at the bottom of the Alpine Bank; install a small water feature there and probably plant amongst gravel......well that's the thinking so far.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlFW5AJQ-u-vb3j1l6dnsjaecgcnJzv7qOWJ4RJ3f2MYNvfaIsk11x-n3G1KTByrXs1q4SZYobINnnQJHiFYpxl2hPMuPqrFBZr9ALAncyIOTQT9cD-Or1YqlMNj0ei_2dGr9wpfX8Yk9/s1600/DSCF4024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlFW5AJQ-u-vb3j1l6dnsjaecgcnJzv7qOWJ4RJ3f2MYNvfaIsk11x-n3G1KTByrXs1q4SZYobINnnQJHiFYpxl2hPMuPqrFBZr9ALAncyIOTQT9cD-Or1YqlMNj0ei_2dGr9wpfX8Yk9/s320/DSCF4024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I've added 5 more alpines to the bank hoping that they will eventually help stabilise the soil. I planted a couple of Sedums (<i>album</i> 'Coral Carpet' and <i>Acre</i> 'Aureum'), a Rock Rose (Helianthemum 'Jubilee'), a Poppy (Papaver <i>neudicaule '</i>Pacino')and a Phlox (x <i>Procumbens</i> 'Variegata'). I understand that the Sedum Acre could become pretty invasive but for the time being I'm happy for it to grow and stabilise the bank; I'll worry about the invasive-ness of it later.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZ0WtXQWtmKyBPoviePp2s2onp75K2dhIkGoC2BRAfPYBo0w4NndEyTVtfX2A5OSWl_SmawJu-95SgVEgN9gn1pMZC6VXQqschHnqf7Puub7kAHlRaFUqDzorg85HqiBfrQpzWz6h67Cq/s1600/DSCF4023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZ0WtXQWtmKyBPoviePp2s2onp75K2dhIkGoC2BRAfPYBo0w4NndEyTVtfX2A5OSWl_SmawJu-95SgVEgN9gn1pMZC6VXQqschHnqf7Puub7kAHlRaFUqDzorg85HqiBfrQpzWz6h67Cq/s320/DSCF4023.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sedum 'Coral Carpet'</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpjyRSQFQHHep5JgO6bXP4MC5MGH-ZWeZMw08zpLk_4yHv7ax-K6A476QHSJMljNkLQpGTD4qR7_vq3iQDfplibzCCYE7_WXaO-lyb5xGLyjSKbBoyntUnxoV6nKIsE4O0fW-1IRdNQ60/s1600/DSCF4017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpjyRSQFQHHep5JgO6bXP4MC5MGH-ZWeZMw08zpLk_4yHv7ax-K6A476QHSJMljNkLQpGTD4qR7_vq3iQDfplibzCCYE7_WXaO-lyb5xGLyjSKbBoyntUnxoV6nKIsE4O0fW-1IRdNQ60/s320/DSCF4017.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Phlox x Probumbens Variegata</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> On the opposite side of the path to the Alpine bank is another 'unused' banked area, next to the patio. It's been slowly taken over by Aquilegia plants and it was time to clear them and add a bit of variety to the garden. So off I went to the garden centre and purchased 3 ornamental grasses; a Carex 'Amazon Mist', an Uncinia 'Rubra' and a Molinea 'Caerulea Variegata' (aka 'purple moor grass - which is weird because it's not!). I chose these three simply because I liked the combination of their colours and because they will grow to different heights (the Molinea grows to about 60cms in height, the Uncinia around 30cms and the Carex 20cms). I'm now on the lookout for a larger, scented plant to sit in the corner of this bank against the fence (see the picture below) so that you can smell it's aroma as you enter the garden.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNruJgnn6WhHQjFJOlOJX7cl8D0bLs4i1kXN_uYkAmgKMIHMWhWUuDvOJtXlbo7ukl0fub6lpsVhGoAi1leD6oQiyC-naVNmucW7eBNPXsXCdeqPSahO7afTzqfQ_dFI3dgPeBHXdC9gXE/s1600/DSCF4035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNruJgnn6WhHQjFJOlOJX7cl8D0bLs4i1kXN_uYkAmgKMIHMWhWUuDvOJtXlbo7ukl0fub6lpsVhGoAi1leD6oQiyC-naVNmucW7eBNPXsXCdeqPSahO7afTzqfQ_dFI3dgPeBHXdC9gXE/s320/DSCF4035.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">patio bank cleared and new grasses installed</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPQ09srPhRkKZhak5bqJxD9eJxJyyKYyuLUc3wT-IRmNMt0vQ5LjnedxYjHOqMjevxeUv-ag4IZMlStihxlxjRcioA-JTduPnbHvuaIOpkDJm4GwOnTTXqVWwsSjmWoYWWvJB2puK4jyT/s1600/DSCF4041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPQ09srPhRkKZhak5bqJxD9eJxJyyKYyuLUc3wT-IRmNMt0vQ5LjnedxYjHOqMjevxeUv-ag4IZMlStihxlxjRcioA-JTduPnbHvuaIOpkDJm4GwOnTTXqVWwsSjmWoYWWvJB2puK4jyT/s320/DSCF4041.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">closest to the patio - the Molinea</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiIZpVObVdN5E2J-7EkIPEsj7QV7vYH0wvrVBZ8gwxQveqoHujxoAZle8yLyjO6BikmDnPxAGdcE-91LPP3e8yaYHs21I-i04yXzqpNctFdrmKTWY0JaAQ14s9sdokdsxPcVysxklzLO3/s1600/DSCF4043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiIZpVObVdN5E2J-7EkIPEsj7QV7vYH0wvrVBZ8gwxQveqoHujxoAZle8yLyjO6BikmDnPxAGdcE-91LPP3e8yaYHs21I-i04yXzqpNctFdrmKTWY0JaAQ14s9sdokdsxPcVysxklzLO3/s320/DSCF4043.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">half way down the bank I planted the Uncinea <br />
followed by the Carex at the bottom</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>As for the veg beds, well the last cauliflower was dug up and eaten at the weekend. The pumpkin plant is doing really well and developing fruit so I should mulch the ground around it soon; whilst the courgette plant is not doing well at all. It's flower heads have all dropped off and despite various anti-slug tactics it seems something has been having a nibble at it. I'm keeping a close eye on it at the moment. The peas are coming along brilliantly and several pods should be ready to pick sometime this week <i>and </i>I have 3 cobs coming along nicely on the sweetcorn.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXmSV9O-4MhYMaIenjuCS0m9c1j3Mx-dfPhw7Q-WQMKXPXR1WCLR6nHeCrdvGJby0-gqvUlGQN2yPnlbLRXwm1HBMFJOjsNJUNx0HLJBZO_1g7_sTEPvQqXelceaUU1T_TCbXo1dcFD_pf/s1600/DSCF4014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXmSV9O-4MhYMaIenjuCS0m9c1j3Mx-dfPhw7Q-WQMKXPXR1WCLR6nHeCrdvGJby0-gqvUlGQN2yPnlbLRXwm1HBMFJOjsNJUNx0HLJBZO_1g7_sTEPvQqXelceaUU1T_TCbXo1dcFD_pf/s320/DSCF4014.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Not long now!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90Y28mIoqR7RDeXeRULgxZQX1hnkht0c5YmpeB2yjfi96UlxM3qQEz-1OjagYmceeuLz9xelUuklew_bqtV9BkL_zSeTzOtTl9y007kE0jOC7wxNYz4GrsFoMKSzn2ermPVYwdrwP3Q2w/s1600/DSCF4018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90Y28mIoqR7RDeXeRULgxZQX1hnkht0c5YmpeB2yjfi96UlxM3qQEz-1OjagYmceeuLz9xelUuklew_bqtV9BkL_zSeTzOtTl9y007kE0jOC7wxNYz4GrsFoMKSzn2ermPVYwdrwP3Q2w/s320/DSCF4018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A lantern in the making perhaps?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1lQWPeqAn5j6orSX14t56dCk73UnlFbQkPo3h1GRpoEzhrb2X2QiwnhbjAS38PI2I62mLkGnedbYj39kvCODMKy-C4kO8N19QmdWf5soGVI9m2Z7JVjGL9TCKWLhPxtXYho-DD6D1z7w/s1600/DSCF4015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1lQWPeqAn5j6orSX14t56dCk73UnlFbQkPo3h1GRpoEzhrb2X2QiwnhbjAS38PI2I62mLkGnedbYj39kvCODMKy-C4kO8N19QmdWf5soGVI9m2Z7JVjGL9TCKWLhPxtXYho-DD6D1z7w/s320/DSCF4015.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">two little white tufts indicate sweetcorn<br />
in the making</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
But the most exciting addition to the garden this week is my new outside tap. My next door neighbour fitted it for me this weekend which means I can finally stop making numerous trips up and down between house and garden carrying a watering can and bucket full of water. Not only can I water my plants properly now but it's also going to be easier for me to fill up the water butt in the Productive area. I was so excited at finally having an outside tap that I spent this evening watering various plants and veg, trying out the different watering options on the hose gun - from 'watering can' to full 'wide spray'. I'm not sure the novelty of this is going to wear out all that quickly!<br />
<br />
By the way, I've just discovered it's supposed to rain tonight.Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-89643869926002130672011-07-24T18:39:00.000+01:002011-08-29T16:14:36.892+01:00You win some, you lose someA trip to Ireland, then Milton Keynes (this girl knows how to travel!) and bad weather intertwined with bouts of illness equals very little time spent in the garden over the past few weeks.<br />
<br />
Came back from Ireland to find that something had eaten all the leaves off my carrots despite the use of netting and some slug pellets! Still over the past few weeks my pea pods have appeared, the sweetcorn is flowering and I've been able to eat my own broccoli, rhubarb and some teeny weeny beetroot (well, I had to thin them out so one or two small ones have made their way into my salad for tea). The broccoli wasn't huge, but enough for me in a meal, and there's still some florets coming on the plants.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMueQiFiMhDYo-vk7BQN0Z90rKcA-U0hz2ERJ3JfTYIZKRE9rM4TqvTCCeQA1Xqc9aC5nYgNUMtVG5sR2UebvUMO3o6dUc8-xE5pjQVMebnb8tz7rt0D4WPNIz5g1juJyxNoPxxKTtVNse/s1600/DSCF4007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMueQiFiMhDYo-vk7BQN0Z90rKcA-U0hz2ERJ3JfTYIZKRE9rM4TqvTCCeQA1Xqc9aC5nYgNUMtVG5sR2UebvUMO3o6dUc8-xE5pjQVMebnb8tz7rt0D4WPNIz5g1juJyxNoPxxKTtVNse/s400/DSCF4007.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Looking forward to eating some of these straight from the pod</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNilwBYfNigaSvLm9Qo3X_qlkPwRWlbGV2-rrORQ2dPoVQMYOmOGaEgl7fbIXfhD-LR51Wlm9o3P8r6chfqhODZlsmdMI8gZP5BmhNpIoKbTD4OM8m61yLN9O_VGAPAKIo1WHDkWj0-86B/s1600/DSCF4034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNilwBYfNigaSvLm9Qo3X_qlkPwRWlbGV2-rrORQ2dPoVQMYOmOGaEgl7fbIXfhD-LR51Wlm9o3P8r6chfqhODZlsmdMI8gZP5BmhNpIoKbTD4OM8m61yLN9O_VGAPAKIo1WHDkWj0-86B/s320/DSCF4034.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Weeny beet; grated on a salad they're...<br />
well....great!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Really delighted to see the peas coming on though; considering I got nothing at all from planting dwarf beans seeds.............I wonder if mice got to them? Haven't seen any holes in the soil though.<br />
<br />
Managed to strim a third of the field before the bad weather came in a couple of weeks ago (it is July isn't it?!! sure it's not October?) and now I keep looking at the rest of it growing and waiting for a chance to get out with the brushcutter again. I was hoping the weather would be kinder this month so I could keep on top of the strimming. Ah well sometimes you just feel like you're losing the battle.....but I will win the war!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagoT2QSf2p9T-xeqYpCbmF9zcNAbNaPmh1PYtZrPlim3WwaYiQSqqkT3zaqKyd1Vy9eC_x8e5FK6YfstfhHCPv3Rh-7pwNBzotcVBnfBgztLl1cCUgvoh3ywxA-GlhaKIbzZCq5rAvJ-f/s1600/DSCF4024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagoT2QSf2p9T-xeqYpCbmF9zcNAbNaPmh1PYtZrPlim3WwaYiQSqqkT3zaqKyd1Vy9eC_x8e5FK6YfstfhHCPv3Rh-7pwNBzotcVBnfBgztLl1cCUgvoh3ywxA-GlhaKIbzZCq5rAvJ-f/s400/DSCF4024.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">at least it's not brambles and thistles this year</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWJsfmK9uvSeUD4F6Dv80XCE_qaZ0rqrPKeQKC7ZiMW8g8i57k6_1v0kmCqasKcy53YSb4uDJhdwW6sH_FZFf01AAvnlijqBpR1BGT07b87StPn73e1SX1t71qj1eCdH5ilFrFLdL_4Gf/s1600/DSCF4026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWJsfmK9uvSeUD4F6Dv80XCE_qaZ0rqrPKeQKC7ZiMW8g8i57k6_1v0kmCqasKcy53YSb4uDJhdwW6sH_FZFf01AAvnlijqBpR1BGT07b87StPn73e1SX1t71qj1eCdH5ilFrFLdL_4Gf/s400/DSCF4026.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">still got access to the shed........just about!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Plympton Pippin apple tree that had the frost damage seems to be none-the-worse so far. I've wrapped up the damaged area using a piece of that fibrous material you use to line hanging baskets with. It's good for retaining water, which will help the scar to heal. One of the Sunset apple trees got attacked by Blackfly and several of the leaves were curling in and wilting as a result and it generally looked tired and poorly! There was only one thing for it.....the bug spray I'm afraid! I try not to use chemicals on the garden but every now and then I don't feel I have a choice. If anyone knows of any other non-chemical way of getting rid of Blackfly from an apple tree I'd really be interested to hear about it.<br />
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A couple of weeks ago I bought some herbs from <a href="http://www.peopleandgardens.co.uk/">People and Gardens</a> who are based where I work; Basil, Lemon Basil, Purple Basil, Sage, Thyme and Oregano. I've planted them in the bed with the cauliflowers in, as most of the caulis died off and left me with some space to fill. I haven't had much success with herbs in pots for some reason so I'm hoping they'll do well in the bed. So far everything seems to be surviving. I also bought a pumpkin plant and a courgette plant and planted in the same bed. The pumpkin has already started to spread along the bed but it shouldn't interfere with the herbs and both are flowering nicely. Once the fruits start to show I'll mulch around them to keep the moisture in the ground.<br />
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Today was a goo day for getting out in the garden so it was time to attack the weeds that have grown up along the path into the garden and the Alpine bank I'm trying to create as you enter. An accidental dislodging of a stone on the bank revealed an ants nest. Talk about frantic! Operation 'Rescue The Eggs' kicked in instantly and I was so fascinated to watch them that I just had to record a little of the highly coordinated recovery plan!<br />
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Oh and I almost forgot to mention - I was surprised and delighted to discover recently that my two surviving cauliflowers have grown hearts! Brilliant - I thought I'd failed on that one. Fingers crossed they grow a bit bigger. I read somewhere that it's a good idea to bend the leaves over the hearts to keep them white, so I've done that today and I'll be keeping a close eye on them - the Cabbage White butterflies are hanging around - time to get more fleece I reckon.Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-34669737708528886462011-05-21T22:24:00.000+01:002011-08-29T16:16:16.510+01:00Guilty pleasuresI haven't posted for a month and I've missed it. The reasons being that I took a couple of weeks holiday over the Easter/Royal Wedding/Bank Holiday period to see various family members, plus my internet connection has been a bit dodgy at home recently and, to be perfectly honest I've been too tired in the evenings after work to sit down in front of another computer screen and start typing again.<br />
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So it's going to be hard to write this one without it ending up being a small novel. I'll do my very best not to waffle........but I'm making no promises! So, what shall I begin with? ah, yes, the plum wine.<br />
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A few weeks ago I finally bottled my plum wine. All 3 bottles! Yep, out of a gallon initially made I ended up with half a gallon which made the grand total of 3 bottles. People had warned me that you get a lot of sediment in making plum wine but I wasn't prepared for how much. Still, it's made a good wine and I'm pleased with the taste and the look of it. I will make more in the future but<br />
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a) I'll make a much bigger batch and<br />
b) remember to add more sugar (the initial tasting revealed an extremely sharp wine, so I added an extra 5ozs of sugar and went through the fermentation process again; making a total of 5 'racking' sessions)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0mFWzOsjzMuibHkJo2NPDzxEroGBZl_iiejQAO3FP2LLDs8bjJx9XzRO9as1E2zj0jrJOZb1-spq4Z2E3vbxBIHv7b4z9psfVIgQGEshnYDqvkTqjd2lqdZTRtEBDCl9aUlVP5MFjwhH/s1600/DSCF4008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0mFWzOsjzMuibHkJo2NPDzxEroGBZl_iiejQAO3FP2LLDs8bjJx9XzRO9as1E2zj0jrJOZb1-spq4Z2E3vbxBIHv7b4z9psfVIgQGEshnYDqvkTqjd2lqdZTRtEBDCl9aUlVP5MFjwhH/s320/DSCF4008.jpg" width="240" /></a>It's slightly sweet, not too sickly though, and has a pale peach colour. I usually like my wines dry but this isn't a bad drink at all! Slightly thicker - if that's the right word - in consistency than the elderberry I made last autumn, which apparently means it has a higher alcohol content. When I tip the glass there's a little delay in some of the liquid sliding back down; something to do with evaporation and surface tension? Yeah, that's getting far too technical for me too.<br />
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Next on the list? I think I'm going to have a go at making carrot wine. I've made wine from berries and fruit...now it's time to have a go at the root. <br />
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I began this blog mainly to keep a record of the development of my garden; alongside that I'll occasionally ramble on about other things - usually around the subject of outdoor spaces - that I feel like sharing. So here's some ramblings about some places I visited whilst away. I'll get to the status of the vegetables towards the end - something to look forward to.<br />
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During the two week break I did nothing in the garden. Instead I took time out to visit various family members. I did have a slight guilty feeling about not using the time to crack on with jobs outside, which lasted around half a day before being pushed firmly to the back of my mind. Sometimes it's not just work I need a break from.<br />
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First stop - Northamptonshire branch of the family; my younger brother and his girlfriend. We took a picnic to Stowe gardens, a National Trust property near Silverstone. If you've never been it's definitely worth a visit. Although you pay an entry fee into the gardens, the parkland is free....oh and don't forget to take a picnic. Your food will definitely taste better in these surroundings! It's full of lakes, rivers, fabulous old trees, temples, ornate stone bridges, spectacular views...no, scratch that....... <em>vistas</em> is a better word to describe the vast open landscape of rolling hills, wide paths meandering through ancient woodlands and broad riverbanks where groups of families and friends sit chatting, eating or play games together.<br />
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A bottle of the plum wine had travelled with me and we opened it during an impromptu music session one afternoon. I swear we played so much better after a couple of glasses each!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWuwO5ADBT7RKM0UjOLMPUQf38OJMd-JUup27Y6KgW1NVJ_kta9dN9TZpr2PfEsIDBZJvouNQtAWTBHK097_4BpDKmn9Uci5Unckf17hupjYlpDtyYfpuEkOnX54t8OiZWnMwlHqUL5GS/s1600/DSCF4043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWuwO5ADBT7RKM0UjOLMPUQf38OJMd-JUup27Y6KgW1NVJ_kta9dN9TZpr2PfEsIDBZJvouNQtAWTBHK097_4BpDKmn9Uci5Unckf17hupjYlpDtyYfpuEkOnX54t8OiZWnMwlHqUL5GS/s320/DSCF4043.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Surely, this has to have been in a film?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5wu-8jgGNGELwz-WVNZlWdA6bjpc_4PkN55_2FLJdEKQrxM8aRc4T_vfhPdv_tnD7ytTP31RZddqyKYjuTPMKOPPX5JETeiUyncGRNx0d3WxN8tiO6JwgC7SJO3Sfmd7-5yYkS_cPH2B/s1600/DSCF4054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5wu-8jgGNGELwz-WVNZlWdA6bjpc_4PkN55_2FLJdEKQrxM8aRc4T_vfhPdv_tnD7ytTP31RZddqyKYjuTPMKOPPX5JETeiUyncGRNx0d3WxN8tiO6JwgC7SJO3Sfmd7-5yYkS_cPH2B/s320/DSCF4054.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mr. Darcy will be appearing out of the water, <br />
any second now</span></td></tr>
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A few days later I was in Exmoor with more family members, staying in a holiday cottage. Lynton, Lynmouth, Dunster and the moor itself were all part of the itinerary. I've never been to Dunster before and was seriously impressed with the castle and grounds which stands overlooking the town (you can see right out to the coast from its battlements). Not to mention the town itself (not a mobile phone shop, MacDonalds or Tescos in sight!) which has numerous places to eat and the best triple layer Victoria sponge cake I've tasted in a long time.<br />
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Oh and the second bottle of plum wine came to Exmoor and went down well with a large chocolate birthday cake. It seems to go with everything!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMODNhx7OJ60UwRbcDd4ZxrSuBGq8Oo9XjQIStwi0mRXozquUfTAipN2CyCH0o1BI8vU4ME2IX23tbzINu3h2bovWFz8dfPOqYL00Ls-sZN2ocgzl642Otgspun42OhjtmjWAzojRglFk7/s1600/DSCF4160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMODNhx7OJ60UwRbcDd4ZxrSuBGq8Oo9XjQIStwi0mRXozquUfTAipN2CyCH0o1BI8vU4ME2IX23tbzINu3h2bovWFz8dfPOqYL00Ls-sZN2ocgzl642Otgspun42OhjtmjWAzojRglFk7/s320/DSCF4160.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dunster town viewed from the castle</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhVojvl6JGSuRpfcEUj2QyGR-s952WU_yDLf4ckRzLYL-7O5WlTlbg-jzkyvAGcx3EY3hJRLKdvpa_qv9clJYBdYsHOB0dyWl2tFbOG4mkrTmEfxboDHVIZ6jkfW3B6fRfOIrArux1Hs8/s1600/DSCF4183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhVojvl6JGSuRpfcEUj2QyGR-s952WU_yDLf4ckRzLYL-7O5WlTlbg-jzkyvAGcx3EY3hJRLKdvpa_qv9clJYBdYsHOB0dyWl2tFbOG4mkrTmEfxboDHVIZ6jkfW3B6fRfOIrArux1Hs8/s320/DSCF4183.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dunster Castle and the coast beyond</span></td></tr>
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The first thing I did when I returned home was to plant out all my vegetables, except the tomato plants, in the raised beds. The leeks, sweetcorn, cauliflowers, broccoli and brussel sprouts are planted out with mats around the bases of the brassicaceae to prevent cabbage root fly getting in. I've also sown carrot, parsnip, red onion, beetroot, peas and dwarf bean seeds and sadly resorted to sprinkling slug pellets (safe to use around children and pets) sparingly in between all the plants. I try not to use chemicals in the garden but broken egg shells and crockery only do so much to keep the pests at bay.<br />
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Two weeks on and there are signs that things are growing. The peas were the first to show but now I can see tiny leaves along the rows of carrots and beetroot. It looks like I'll have to do some thinning out soon too.<br />
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The leeks, sweetcorn, broccoli and brussel sprouts seem to enjoy being in the beds, however the cauliflowers aren't looking so happy...............wait for the bad pun......................... they're hearts just don't seem to be in it! And I mean that literally, joking aside.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtD88QDKvlUBuvdDlDO8QmvvQfO7SeIwybGY8Su-hgcdenwje3CzXBXB0Pz4-YSsj_pjcnTGW9r_Zcr1dpNw6k1UnQ7s4ytqPaihgHc-qEAiV5nKZkXvyN5MRNXg5nPmcwUorlsvOXL-0w/s1600/DSCF4004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtD88QDKvlUBuvdDlDO8QmvvQfO7SeIwybGY8Su-hgcdenwje3CzXBXB0Pz4-YSsj_pjcnTGW9r_Zcr1dpNw6k1UnQ7s4ytqPaihgHc-qEAiV5nKZkXvyN5MRNXg5nPmcwUorlsvOXL-0w/s320/DSCF4004.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Beetroot popping up</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROu9oTHgBTQAc2QZ12lWEZOfugWYolrEkits5R0DqeSkljF1UELMl75uf9YvSACQBfrkzOOnyBkut4xAw1DG7-VX4s5QR2mzcHQOSZQyCky5n9tpLq9UrTC4Eg9NU0l-563PwAGBFQd9g/s1600/DSCF4002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROu9oTHgBTQAc2QZ12lWEZOfugWYolrEkits5R0DqeSkljF1UELMl75uf9YvSACQBfrkzOOnyBkut4xAw1DG7-VX4s5QR2mzcHQOSZQyCky5n9tpLq9UrTC4Eg9NU0l-563PwAGBFQd9g/s320/DSCF4002.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mind your peas in queues!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The leeks are doing well...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGK3PH4q1t6OddyVJ45PHWp4pBxSzLT1mvwcpnGoLbyThy6DJ0HknrY3sOh996ThKNJSjNCoiZ8nsVaF-k3veSa_z1MFVz5v-zrJHISi4BDHP_FvJnDfAjf0jfUkl1L6XXFpYF4GxDo74/s1600/DSCF4009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGK3PH4q1t6OddyVJ45PHWp4pBxSzLT1mvwcpnGoLbyThy6DJ0HknrY3sOh996ThKNJSjNCoiZ8nsVaF-k3veSa_z1MFVz5v-zrJHISi4BDHP_FvJnDfAjf0jfUkl1L6XXFpYF4GxDo74/s200/DSCF4009.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">....as are the sweetcorn but.....</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMR4g75B5FXED_0xufIDEheVnfDNwBJUsiVsTp6xcG6fzEKx8xuYkaRRfUuFD-TZ3ih8gE25VzmCOdPADiyJfkkXo8vYLacjAAYsuQ4MiNXKa_vLAhodEqIwYQescKPFgBFvgmjJltoZ_/s1600/DSCF4006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMR4g75B5FXED_0xufIDEheVnfDNwBJUsiVsTp6xcG6fzEKx8xuYkaRRfUuFD-TZ3ih8gE25VzmCOdPADiyJfkkXo8vYLacjAAYsuQ4MiNXKa_vLAhodEqIwYQescKPFgBFvgmjJltoZ_/s320/DSCF4006.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.....the cauliflowers? not so good</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I have a little suggestion before I go. Are you looking for a good read? something a bit different from the usual '101 things to do with your parsnips'? Add this on your birthday/Christmas/Anniversary wish lists....<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Minding-My-Peas-Cucumbers-Allotment/dp/1849531358/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305991318&sr=1-1">'Minding My Peas and Cucumbers'</a>. The author, Kay Sexton, takes you through her story of owning an allotment plot and all the ups and downs that go with it. Full of humour, recipes, quirky characters, handy tips and, of course, the trials and tribulations of growing crops, it's a great read. A nice, easy read. In fact, you don't have to be into <i>growing your own</i> to enjoy this book. I was bought a copy by my sister for my birthday and I've enjoyed reading it 'in drips' in the evenings. If you don't receive it as a present then I suggest you treat yourself to a copy..........curl up on the sofa on a drizzly Saturday afternoon and enjoy the read; it's working for me!Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-6954230531399573402011-04-20T22:46:00.000+01:002011-07-24T18:44:15.654+01:00Mistaken Identity (also known as Not-Quite-Sure-What-The-Hell-I'm-Doing!)Saxifraga Peniculata 'Rosea'! THAT'S the name of the pink flowering plant I posted a picture of in last week's blog. Lord knows where I got the other one from...........Note to self: check several websites and books when trying to ID a plant which has lost it's label; don't just go for the first one you see! So with it finally named correctly it can carry on helping to keep the weeds at bay in my border and rockery by slowly spreading itself across the ground. Useful little plant and extremely pretty - I think I'll look out for some more varieties to plant on the rockery.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMbuGszwR9IJK1BI5JOrFZTAdM2gdlUJkq2OKzIfD0KTjTGKdNyGen8GDwNlA2kGd_Mt0CkWJ-7A_o7I1IBGIXsanvIgPdKYjeFJEPuqcaTYKdXmtQ85ghK-WEekMv1_byv_c0wdR0UAo/s1600/2011_0409garden_0904110005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMbuGszwR9IJK1BI5JOrFZTAdM2gdlUJkq2OKzIfD0KTjTGKdNyGen8GDwNlA2kGd_Mt0CkWJ-7A_o7I1IBGIXsanvIgPdKYjeFJEPuqcaTYKdXmtQ85ghK-WEekMv1_byv_c0wdR0UAo/s400/2011_0409garden_0904110005.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now correctly identified, the Saxifraga adds a spash of colour to<br />
borders and banks in my garden</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Thankfully I had a quick reply from my brother and his partner <a href="http://twoknightsandmaidens.blogspot.com/">Dancin' Fool</a> (who also has an arboricultural blog - <a href="http://the-greenman.blogspot.com/">The Green Man</a>) last week about the damage to one of my apple trees; frost damage apparently. Although not good news, I have to admit to being slightly relieved that it wasn't caused by any animal...I get all sorts in the garden; rabbits, badgers and foxes. Anyway, here's his suggestions for looking after the tree. I've copied this straight from his email:<br />
<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">a) wrap the damaged area in hessian and leave it on as long as necessary</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">b) 30g of 'Tate & Lyle' per 1 litre of water per 1 square metre - this will artificially provide the tree with sugars (that it would normally obtain from photosynthesis) and encourage fibrous root development. Do this once a month for the next 4-5 months and repeat again same time next year. You could also try it on your other newly planted trees (or anything else that's struggling and requires photosynthesis) The more fibrous roots that a young tree (plant) can develop, the healthier it will be and the more able it will be to fight off any secondary 'host specific' pests & diseases that may want to take advantage of the exposed wound.</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">c) If the tree isn't staked, you should stake it (windward side) and place the ties around the wound area to relieve any structural stresses.</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">d) Don't prune it (except to remove damaged, diseased twigs & leaves</span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">e) pray</span></blockquote>c) is already taken care of; d) is fine because I haven't pruned it so that just leaves a) and b) to carry out and then rely heavily on a lot of e).<br />
<br />
Saturday afternoon was spent at The Lost Gardens of Heligan with a group from the dementia project - <a href="http://www.sensorytrust.org.uk/projects/creative_spaces/index.html">Creative Spaces</a>. Small groups of residents and staff from the care home spent a lovely couple of hours wandering around the Northern Gardens with young people and their parents from the community. One lad was provided with a recording microphone by a local radio station so that he could record some of his conversations with one resident. It's going to go out on the station's gardening programme shortly. These two chaps have formed a bond over the past 18 months and it was a delight to come across them sitting on a bench on Flora's Green, just enjoying their surroundings; not chattering but sitting quietly, arms and hands linked.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, due to a bout of illness over Sunday I didn't get any work done in the garden at the weekend. However, a short walk up to the top revealed that the brambles this year have been replaced with intermittent 'rugs' of Forget-Me-Nots, gatherings of Bluebells, Red Campion and Buttercups. I even discovered one tiny Wild Violet that was struggling towards the light through a clump of nettles. Ah yes, the nettles return each year........little do they know that the strimmer is coming in for a clean up this weekend in preparation for much use! <br />
<br />
Does anyone else have an invasion of Hairy Bittercress? I pull it out of the borders around the lawn every year and this year it's gone mad in the rest of the garden; particularly in the area beyond the vegetable garden. Reading up on it, in Richard Mabey's <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Collins-Gem-Food-Richard-Mabey/dp/0007183038/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303335844&sr=1-1">'Food For Free'</a>, I've discovered that you can actually eat the whole plant; I thought you could just eat the leaves. According to the book it goes well with cream cheese (sorry Jane!). It has beautiful, delicate flowers which can be appreciated either by getting on your hands and knees with a magnifying lens or, like me, using the super macro on your camera. The seed pods protrude from within the flower and look as though the stem has pushed through and beyond the petals. Even the slightest brush allows them to scatter their seeds on the wind......how helpful to us gardeners!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0S7OKPUzrny5Q3GtwnSaHm1zGALWIDAtmDDN8G-e3B4dPFWAhAjKctSLMj2nq7tlLOBVNNlbHq82OFOhJD_aA1UfXpnbpgAeXgH8Zh8Oa8S6kUwOU426U6llZ1ZZ8crJSAPazB9YX591t/s1600/hairy+bittercress+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0S7OKPUzrny5Q3GtwnSaHm1zGALWIDAtmDDN8G-e3B4dPFWAhAjKctSLMj2nq7tlLOBVNNlbHq82OFOhJD_aA1UfXpnbpgAeXgH8Zh8Oa8S6kUwOU426U6llZ1ZZ8crJSAPazB9YX591t/s400/hairy+bittercress+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A small army of Hairy Bittercress; strim or salad?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2KaaYDp-fl93HGrbDyxNTqmGZZKqqWTWOGI5Pi9Pv14dwo_P2Bj-YJyPVCdur7ldIxFgxF14b9p8iSVKwQoG44MxGBwevJ73pmRhRBWZU5N2P_PLmme24QB8SogXQOdWiSfefRWCM1c-/s1600/hairy+bittercress+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2KaaYDp-fl93HGrbDyxNTqmGZZKqqWTWOGI5Pi9Pv14dwo_P2Bj-YJyPVCdur7ldIxFgxF14b9p8iSVKwQoG44MxGBwevJ73pmRhRBWZU5N2P_PLmme24QB8SogXQOdWiSfefRWCM1c-/s400/hairy+bittercress+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take a closer look; there's beauty in weeds</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have a wonderful Easter everyone and I hope you all have a great time outdoors (illnesses and weather permitting!).</div>Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-15963277301752774972011-04-10T23:05:00.000+01:002011-07-24T18:44:58.407+01:00Friends + Fresh Air = Fun!I had a really enjoyable Saturday morning up at the care home as part of the dementia project. With the garden redevelopment well under way I thought we'd get the residents and young people growing plants to go in it once it's finished. There was quite a group of us; staff, residents, young people from the local school and one of the relatives, whose a gardener, ran the session and had us sowing seeds, pricking out and potting on. Obviously tea, juice and biscuits were involved, and with the sun shining and a slight breeze we spent a great few hours outside as a group of friends, laughing, chatting and helping each other. You can't help but come away from those moments feeling positive and proud.<br />
<br />
I came home and got stuck into transplanting my own small plants, from seed trays to small pots and then moving them out into the mini greenhouse. Was I inspired by the morning session? I guess so! I spend a lot of time in my garden by myself. Not that I mind, I find it's a place where I can think whilst I'm busy with my hands and gardening is very good for the soul of course. But I think the time that we spend with friends outside are some of the best times we have. Whether it's in each others gardens or a day out together these times are often creative, inspirational and fun. I look forward to having many more of these days during this project.<br />
<br />
So, how are my plants doing? Well, the second lot of cauliflowers are looking better than the first; only 3 survived from the first batch. I'm not sure what killed off the first ones, so as a precaution against slugs and snails I've battened down the sides of the little greenhouse with planks of wood underneath which I've buried the 'skirt' of the greenhouse and then packed the wood in tight with soil and straw. If anything crawls over the wood it's only going to come across the plastic barrier. In addition to that, I've also sprinkled some anti-slug granules around the edge of the greenhouse - see if that works. That's the theory at least!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkHsMe4FmGKP4cpZMwIsLlkYGQG3ICIuXM9Jbsd8anYOUx5pptFoRij6_EuHtSbyBRe08ASJAzvSqcJdEd9oBhLSWn4MxgthkGh_ZAxTQrqRQnXxjVig4oJofo2vX9iRaN4ZNACVq5x_6/s1600/DSCF4947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkHsMe4FmGKP4cpZMwIsLlkYGQG3ICIuXM9Jbsd8anYOUx5pptFoRij6_EuHtSbyBRe08ASJAzvSqcJdEd9oBhLSWn4MxgthkGh_ZAxTQrqRQnXxjVig4oJofo2vX9iRaN4ZNACVq5x_6/s400/DSCF4947.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">An almost full 'greenhouse' housing sweetcorn, broccoli, leeks,<br />
cauliflower,tomatoes, a couple of sad-looking brussel sprout plants <br />
and a tray of, what I believe are Asters</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I took a wander up beyond the vegetable area to look at the apple trees this weekend. The two Sunsets are in full bloom and look amazing. At least double the flowers on them this year than last, despite the fact that I left half a dozen on last year just to taste my first home-grown apples! Not so the Plympton Pippins. One has a few flowers on it and the other has nothing at all. Oh dear! what's going on there? To add to my disappointment I've found some bark damage on the one that has a few flowers on it. Not sure what that is but I've put in a plea to my friend <a href="http://twoknightsandmaidens.blogspot.com/">Dancin' Fool</a> who also runs a blog called <a href="http://the-greenman.blogspot.com/">The Green Man</a> and her partner Mr. Dancin' (my brother!) to identify what the problem is and what may have caused it.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxquYM8NtDycG5uR6etReZSuxytnSXQ6_AfyrCSZHuXc705s1kSmPnFmot9wHz36IsdIZQe1D7OadelKrI_8z4Cdvlao7MykykQej4Ycf5nPofyq2s56KQjMSwe2_8uRyOe6MhdOhpmw5_/s1600/2011_0409garden_0904110013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxquYM8NtDycG5uR6etReZSuxytnSXQ6_AfyrCSZHuXc705s1kSmPnFmot9wHz36IsdIZQe1D7OadelKrI_8z4Cdvlao7MykykQej4Ycf5nPofyq2s56KQjMSwe2_8uRyOe6MhdOhpmw5_/s400/2011_0409garden_0904110013.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A Sunset apple tree in full bloom; planted last year</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEn6gsFg0B71zyg5NgFPyN5sl7_uoXtFaC-swS8RcZT1gqYnL7NzvDHfbvJQ2SDwMrmX4zEWD5kJ-5oAaIlxDKdjEYumjfxHLoyy96olGxKluLzD3AUXfr9bHh598xIqvlPAMeyDIv01je/s1600/2011_0409garden_0904110025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEn6gsFg0B71zyg5NgFPyN5sl7_uoXtFaC-swS8RcZT1gqYnL7NzvDHfbvJQ2SDwMrmX4zEWD5kJ-5oAaIlxDKdjEYumjfxHLoyy96olGxKluLzD3AUXfr9bHh598xIqvlPAMeyDIv01je/s400/2011_0409garden_0904110025.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Not such good news for one of my Plympton Pippins<br />
- what's been having a go at this?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
No more has been done to the fence around the raised beds. Sadly that's going to have to wait until next pay day before I can get any more wire mesh. Fingers crossed it won't be too long before it's finished and I can get some seeds sown into the ground, as well as getting my greenhouse plants actually into the ground. I don't want to miss the growing season another year.<br />
<br />
I'm going to end this post with some lovely pics of flowering plants that are growing well in the garden at the moment. Always end of a good note!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28OaNrnB_PjyjN628jY2OnsowHIRPvzQ_1GQsMmZtLVfBc8QLnZSFyF4S2R1isCD7EBSgVMF-c5Z4qFRoGcRhGuod_bDeFCTts-6NWh2fLSJpTshdxKyWUgOHzr05mb0GZDMALTlyS6sy/s1600/2011_0409garden_0904110022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28OaNrnB_PjyjN628jY2OnsowHIRPvzQ_1GQsMmZtLVfBc8QLnZSFyF4S2R1isCD7EBSgVMF-c5Z4qFRoGcRhGuod_bDeFCTts-6NWh2fLSJpTshdxKyWUgOHzr05mb0GZDMALTlyS6sy/s400/2011_0409garden_0904110022.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The first bluebells appear</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHs2IwCDViZZ5XCsDey1tJl8yavWMowckT-wXNRTsPUZPFvIv486fb994uf7XmDZ7tt7p52lSCo_iKhRtKeT77TXtvlKuozOVCnN6-vLBbAJh_j7wEe943RQBUEVbEHoOjdJsId1vaZMs/s1600/2011_0409garden_0904110003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHs2IwCDViZZ5XCsDey1tJl8yavWMowckT-wXNRTsPUZPFvIv486fb994uf7XmDZ7tt7p52lSCo_iKhRtKeT77TXtvlKuozOVCnN6-vLBbAJh_j7wEe943RQBUEVbEHoOjdJsId1vaZMs/s400/2011_0409garden_0904110003.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dainty Bleeding Hearts</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Nv-KmR2PfXfc9oqpbBWUJOmielBuSuKsEEQ_uhHl9V-njOi5jdBcW3JBCSLUMkmSYd041BummwkKuVufUILcJ7DRgim4lGR_y2VTtNXQvBBUR0Wrq93J7Dmfji4bMvmf8jTU3xs99eFn/s1600/2011_0409garden_0904110005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Nv-KmR2PfXfc9oqpbBWUJOmielBuSuKsEEQ_uhHl9V-njOi5jdBcW3JBCSLUMkmSYd041BummwkKuVufUILcJ7DRgim4lGR_y2VTtNXQvBBUR0Wrq93J7Dmfji4bMvmf8jTU3xs99eFn/s400/2011_0409garden_0904110005.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lost the label for this one but I think it's an Eridium</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBwyw2Q-iwZFdvPOf0kVfN7RtGGzEkf02U8RyKaBnSjiPqthdUfKYLX9M-jKWDwQKLJMynx7jbd5lccoZKBVs4pO5n8O4mreTNPHwSsmMSVyka-noS8g7oC5GpIut3IItGBQEZn3Z-cxF/s1600/2011_0409garden_0904110019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBwyw2Q-iwZFdvPOf0kVfN7RtGGzEkf02U8RyKaBnSjiPqthdUfKYLX9M-jKWDwQKLJMynx7jbd5lccoZKBVs4pO5n8O4mreTNPHwSsmMSVyka-noS8g7oC5GpIut3IItGBQEZn3Z-cxF/s400/2011_0409garden_0904110019.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Forget-me-nots are in abundance this year due to full-on strimming <br />
of The Field last year!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-22370192476284862932011-03-27T23:02:00.000+01:002011-03-27T23:02:00.654+01:00Spring borders<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Oh dear - disaster has struck my little cauliflower plants. I transplanted them into small pots last week and all but 4 have withered! They haven't been chewed; the tiny leaves have just wilted. Did I transplant them too soon I wonder? Where they still too young to be outside, even if they were under cover? I've no idea but it's something I'll have to notch up as a failure and hopefully learn from it. Thankfully I've got some more growing in a seed tray upstairs and I'll make sure I don't pot those up so quickly. It's a real learning curve this veg growing business!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQ_334Y04bg0uyWCQlEH_a24bzVIDsJOOGot3pRHiNr6RH00u9_-MmvBueB5huvXyQGuzeUG6qYtlf5Ydj3dK7j7o3jDIXZRbtHwaJ3-m0LSDSykX3DrizkA-Rqc1PVx6es5dpc-7ou8h/s1600/DSCF4867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQ_334Y04bg0uyWCQlEH_a24bzVIDsJOOGot3pRHiNr6RH00u9_-MmvBueB5huvXyQGuzeUG6qYtlf5Ydj3dK7j7o3jDIXZRbtHwaJ3-m0LSDSykX3DrizkA-Rqc1PVx6es5dpc-7ou8h/s400/DSCF4867.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Aargh! the Cauliflower Catastrophe Conundrum</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKsZDqfIonVI8it1JhYhVwpGd2M1dCVDqdoHaN8nXOGbV6xuO7xWvCcitOd3OPQaF6K3xB156BAwUwbjL9AqJRE_XlewbsOngMEUtsMy2aFDy-PFkadDCG8oxzrWzxoUuG2e8lyL0CXWLF/s1600/DSCF4872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKsZDqfIonVI8it1JhYhVwpGd2M1dCVDqdoHaN8nXOGbV6xuO7xWvCcitOd3OPQaF6K3xB156BAwUwbjL9AqJRE_XlewbsOngMEUtsMy2aFDy-PFkadDCG8oxzrWzxoUuG2e8lyL0CXWLF/s400/DSCF4872.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">at least the second year rhubarb is doing well......</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOJAvvMGPN-u1gXao5LC_9RKG6c3RsBAWYv48eAPAAf3e03epvrT5gO_a4Yf6seaqbgTOFzoLUcPzXOfdz6ThFimsHl9o_R1cb-FDvP5ew1nDdB1j7-UkuhvxzumoqoPJo3UafKQQyJ7_/s1600/DSCF4880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOJAvvMGPN-u1gXao5LC_9RKG6c3RsBAWYv48eAPAAf3e03epvrT5gO_a4Yf6seaqbgTOFzoLUcPzXOfdz6ThFimsHl9o_R1cb-FDvP5ew1nDdB1j7-UkuhvxzumoqoPJo3UafKQQyJ7_/s400/DSCF4880.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">..and I've somehow managed to grow a cat too! (Felinus Relaxiflorum!)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Earlier this week I planted some of the marigold, broccoli (both the Early Purple and the Autumn), tomato, brussel sprout and sweetcorn seeds; along with more leek and cauliflower (thank goodness). They're also up in the windowsill in the spare room and already starting to pop their tiny heads up in the trays. I'm growing these ones in seed compost; I used a normal multi-compost for the first leeks and cauliflowers......could that be another reason why the caulis didn't establish well in the pots?<br />
<br />
No work on the productive garden this weekend. A friend's 30th birthday party on Friday night put paid to doing too much on Saturday. I did make it down to my first Seed Swap event, held in Lostwithiel (after a good breakfast and a couple of paracetamol!). I took some seeds down to swap and came back with salad onion (Red Baron), Penstemon (Miniature Bells) and Chard (Mangold Witerbi) seeds. Plus an edging tool for the lawn, a brilliant little hand scythe and some great 'cloches' made out of old street lamp covers...you know, the clear plastic covers that go over the light itself. What a brilliant idea; and all for £5! Great fun; I hope there's more of these events locally in the future.<br />
<br />
AND, with all my concentration being on the productive areas of the garden,I've seriously neglected the borders around the lawn. So today I spent the afternoon weeding them and redefining the edges - with my new edging tool of course. I got 3 out of the 4 done and I'll finish the rest over the week. Fingers crossed the good weather stays with us for a while longer. Having said that, I had to top up the water butt today because we haven't had any rain in over a week and I've been watering the seeds, rhubarb and apple trees during this dry, warm weather we've been having. It was only half full to begin with because it's not long been in the garden but I think I'm going to have to get another one because my garden isn't directly outside my house and it's, quite frankly, a pain in the butt (pardon the pun!) having to carry buckets of water up and down in the evenings.<br />
<br />
Back to the borders. They're an eclectic mix of shrubs, bulbs and perennials. I suppose all I've done over the past 4 years is fill them with anything I've seen around the garden centres that I like the look of, or plants that people have given me. There's been no planting scheme in my thoughts at all. When I first created them I just wanted to plant for the sake of having something in them. Aquilegias and Forget-Me-Nots began to grow soon after I'd dug the ground over and cleared most of the weeds. The first plants I put in were the cowslips (Primula Veris), a couple of Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra) and Siddalcea 'Elsie Heugh's then came the bulbs; Muscari (Grape Hyacinth), Alliums (Ornamental Onion), Chionodoxa (Glory-of-the-snow) dwarf crocuses and the odd bluebell bulb that I uncovered during my early days of frantic digging.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinEEN3SyI6LSAY20jbQdLXpgtWaSPKtUa40XzdhEaOS7_UtHZNmrfiBnWg6kWey4reRq3jfy-q9P6h_SON6bZd8oECQ64OPtVlvldVUueBSVPcKLBb8DS6-lzoOdlFkSAKw961sznGCIZ/s1600/DSCF4844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinEEN3SyI6LSAY20jbQdLXpgtWaSPKtUa40XzdhEaOS7_UtHZNmrfiBnWg6kWey4reRq3jfy-q9P6h_SON6bZd8oECQ64OPtVlvldVUueBSVPcKLBb8DS6-lzoOdlFkSAKw961sznGCIZ/s400/DSCF4844.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grape Hyacinth & Cowslips sitting pretty side-by-side</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEG_hu_4R7mBVxP6StY3VsGhIba_jwNNazkk8Jv11uaabsqWrLVBQKnIWj0XicnxIdc79Vl6u5S44gFL8MZciGHG6cebFVa7zIvM6bewMrVif2HTEmOuOmObJMMdIRnBojq9FtMHOLXcKH/s1600/DSCF4847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEG_hu_4R7mBVxP6StY3VsGhIba_jwNNazkk8Jv11uaabsqWrLVBQKnIWj0XicnxIdc79Vl6u5S44gFL8MZciGHG6cebFVa7zIvM6bewMrVif2HTEmOuOmObJMMdIRnBojq9FtMHOLXcKH/s400/DSCF4847.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicate blue flowers of the Chionodoxa</td></tr>
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Next came the shrubs along the back of the borders; a Honeysuckle, Hairy Canary Clover (Lotus Hirutus), False Spirea (Sorbaria Sorbifolia), Pieris 'Forest Flame', Red Robin (Photinia), Choisya, a Flowering Current (Ribes Sanguineum), Exochorda x macrantha 'The Bride' and most recently a Hydrangea Petiolaris and an Escallonia Peach Blossom.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpmuJvcsLBkfJreH4SHMv6zPIZlN4ESsbh57wsHkUeXqWodO1JXsE-sMl01UkYPOeiKlP1K11kqt7gSRTOonumpnV_NXNTlTisr7nfGq60kWY8ZRz3cBvhK9r8Z9IO4s3_g7SbI0n0ICQ/s1600/DSCF3618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpmuJvcsLBkfJreH4SHMv6zPIZlN4ESsbh57wsHkUeXqWodO1JXsE-sMl01UkYPOeiKlP1K11kqt7gSRTOonumpnV_NXNTlTisr7nfGq60kWY8ZRz3cBvhK9r8Z9IO4s3_g7SbI0n0ICQ/s400/DSCF3618.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Exochorda planted last year</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlkB90VUsvrgEgN_2DJPzDjCYn4mmVpT0ZpHDS4vb3HTC3NAsmp-RQmTPG6FkJK5-xbCgGkfv6OuA538Ios-5o3_lpAHtNGWsncajNMGhyphenhyphen_4p-Yh9st9949k7RX7NDg_qU6PaclWzA5kN/s1600/DSCF3682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlkB90VUsvrgEgN_2DJPzDjCYn4mmVpT0ZpHDS4vb3HTC3NAsmp-RQmTPG6FkJK5-xbCgGkfv6OuA538Ios-5o3_lpAHtNGWsncajNMGhyphenhyphen_4p-Yh9st9949k7RX7NDg_qU6PaclWzA5kN/s400/DSCF3682.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Aquilegia growing by the False Spirea - photo taken 2010</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I hope to be able to add some Penstemons if I'm successful in growing them from seed.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I should think about planting between the bulbs to add some interest during the autumn/winter period, especially whilst I can see where the bulbs are growing! Perhaps some hostas or something taller like Echinaceas. Looks like I'm in for trawling the 'net' to find something suitable.<br />
<br />
Finally, just a quick note about the plum wine. Hmmm, semi-successful I think. There was so much sediment that after racking it 3 times I'm down to half a gallon!! Just enough for about 2-3 bottles I reckon. Ah well, let's look at it as being half full rather than half empty and start thinking about getting some carrot wine on the go. </div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div>Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-23393705736729034482011-03-20T20:53:00.000+00:002011-03-20T20:53:37.963+00:00Deeds and seeds<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Blimey, I'm exhausted! 4 hours out in the garden yesterday and another 4 today - what glorious spring weather we had over the weekend! Doesn't it just make you feel like doing something outside? Whether it's working in the garden, like me, or going for a walk, or just sitting outside enjoying the warm sunshine - the sun makes us feel good; plus I certainly feel like I've had some exercise this weekend!<br />
<br />
Sometimes I never know what I'm going to do in the garden until I actually stand in it. Yesterday I had the urge to finally erect the <a href="http://www.greenfingers.com/superstore/product.asp?dept_id=200360&pf_id=LS7729D&source=webgains&siteid=7980">seed cloche/mini greenhouse</a>. It's been sitting in its box since I bought it last summer, waiting for me to decide where it should go. With the everlasting rabbit problem, the best place for it is next to the raised beds inside the wire fencing. It was a good job I hadn't actually put the fence up yet; the area I'd marked out wasn't bit enough for the cloche to fit in. As with every other structure in my garden, I had to dig a level area for it to go on. Oh the joy of having a garden on a slope!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPeQdfBara5ctUUOWVWJ_l8PeFLtJ3fusBVTK9f03z1_z3YFRpPgNHmneStCTCgMvX6x7krshKglmx1KCoemZUf5xF26_pbTZyu3n2TC6BqaZHDH-z_AUJduDvgNpn2S-MX4kNrCv4MMf/s1600/DSCF4825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPeQdfBara5ctUUOWVWJ_l8PeFLtJ3fusBVTK9f03z1_z3YFRpPgNHmneStCTCgMvX6x7krshKglmx1KCoemZUf5xF26_pbTZyu3n2TC6BqaZHDH-z_AUJduDvgNpn2S-MX4kNrCv4MMf/s400/DSCF4825.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Getting the ground ready for the cloch/mini greenhouse</span></td></tr>
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I can't make my mind up about digging. I find it very therapeutic and in an odd way it relaxes me but - ouch! - it can be a back-breaking exercise sometimes. Even with the 'bending knees and keeping the back straight' rule, after you've spent 4 hours digging increasing amounts of soil (my garden is on a slope) and trudging up and down the garden a few times with a wheelbarrow full of top soil, you start to make those noises which are a constant reminder that your'e not 20-something any more. If they're not a big enough hint then the twinges at the base of your back certainly are!<br />
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Still, I got the job done in the end and the cloche dutifully erected. It's not <i>quite </i>finished; I need to go to the garden centre next pay day and get some gravel to go in as a 'floor' and to help with the drainage. But I couldn't wait to start using it and promptly fetched my seed tray containing the cauliflower and leek plants and installed them inside. Today, I re-potted the cauliflowers into small pots; they're big enough now to handle, but the leeks are still a bit too small and will stay in the seeds trays just a little longer. At the moment they're all sitting on straw which is not ideal I know, but it will help retain some of the heat inside at night for the time being.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62jDenevkLdsxV-UWIf2SYAUOnYHAsZUzfgXPtqD-scWoJnorJyypaOr488yS_NuupEbqPoTdXhJN-qajCoxC3qaafP13TjprkpsR1hy5GjMMhEgiTMNYLEmueq4-RO7k9gu5vVaBUEYJ/s1600/DSCF4834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62jDenevkLdsxV-UWIf2SYAUOnYHAsZUzfgXPtqD-scWoJnorJyypaOr488yS_NuupEbqPoTdXhJN-qajCoxC3qaafP13TjprkpsR1hy5GjMMhEgiTMNYLEmueq4-RO7k9gu5vVaBUEYJ/s400/DSCF4834.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cloche installed and ready for use</span></td></tr>
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Excited and revitalised by my new addition to the productive garden I went out this morning and bought more seeds:<br />
<ul><li>Beetroot 'Rhonda' F1 (a sweet tasting beet)</li>
<li>Broccoli Early Purple Sprouting (easy to grow and hardy)</li>
<li>Broccoli Green Calabrese (easy to grow, yields in autumn of same year</li>
<li>Brussel sprout 'Nelson' F1 (produces high yield and has good resistance to being blown over)</li>
<li>Carrot 'Flyaway' F1 (easy to grow and resistant to carrot fly)</li>
<li>Chives (easy-grow seed mats, good for growing in pots on a windowsill or can be grown with carrots to keep the carrot fly away)</li>
<li>Dwarf bean 'Ferrari' (produces high yield, freezes well and is resistant to Anthracnose Halo Blight and Mosaic virus)</li>
<li>Lettuce 'Salad Bowl Red' & Green Mixed (good for beginners - like me!, loose-leaf, looks good in a border as well as a vegetable patch)</li>
<li>Marigold 'Boy-O-Boy Mixed' (French, easy to grow, dwarf plant, a good companion plant to tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli and squash but not beans)</li>
<li>Parsnip 'Countess' F1 (heavy cropper, resistant to canker)</li>
<li>Pea 'Hurst Green Shaft' (produces high yield, highly disease resistant, also good for freezing)</li>
<li>Perpetual Spinach (not Spinach but a leaf beet; a 'cut and come again' plant that tastes like Spinach but doesn't bolt; winter hardy)</li>
<li>Sweetcorn 'Incredible' F1 (produces very sweet large cobs, resistant to rust, freezes well)</li>
<li>Tomato 'Sweet Million' F1 (cherry tomato, grows well in a greenhouse or on a sunny patio, disease resistant)</li>
</ul>By the way, in case you're wondering.......I got all the information about each plant either from the back of the seed packet or the internet. Remember, I'm just a beginner at all this which is why I've selected many that are easy-to-grow and are disease resistant. I'm not brave enough yet to try the more difficult varieties. <br />
<br />
So next week I'll be busy in the evenings sowing Chives, Dwarf Beans, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Sweetcorn, Tomato and Marigold seeds and filling up my back bedroom with the seed trays. The rest I'll sow outside as soon as the fence is finished around the raised beds.<br />
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Talking of which, that was a job I started today. I got the first 6 metres of the wire mesh fence up along the back of the beds. As usual, I was joined by the rest of the Tywardreath Highway Gardening Team; no sooner do I pick up a tool I hear that familiar sound "Can we help?". It's not child-labour, honestly, they love helping! So they held the wire whilst I hammered in the staples. It looks very rough at the moment, I need to add another couple of stakes along the back and screw the posts to the garden fence and the raised beds to make them slightly more solid, but it's a start. When it's all up then I'll clip the top off and use it as a skirt around the bottom, buried under the soil. I know what you're thinking "Why didn't you bury the wire whilst you went along?" Well, to be honest, I just wanted to get the fence started and when the girls asked if they could help it was easier to get them involved this way; the digging would have been too hard and I can do that myself later. It least once it's done it should act as a deterrent against those damn 'wabbits'!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7Dd2GESjumQPm1Y5RZAv0NcNlGMmBmzAOgNCgD_U91gNeEPcFammXdvfiFYJsGtWferwfv6YehBp-I5YwkIBTmBXW_Abw-Oh_f1yuZBI3j1R1ml0uShL8ygBfrySkSBuhDO9iQAqZ6fX/s1600/DSCF4866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7Dd2GESjumQPm1Y5RZAv0NcNlGMmBmzAOgNCgD_U91gNeEPcFammXdvfiFYJsGtWferwfv6YehBp-I5YwkIBTmBXW_Abw-Oh_f1yuZBI3j1R1ml0uShL8ygBfrySkSBuhDO9iQAqZ6fX/s400/DSCF4866.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Starting to look like a proper growing area</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPgMDpUA3_Vxj0nQB49XDrp_Odfr7O-SzbCnVu5m8RW5XNf96gztXC51lqe31gz1eyDMrPgeQxLciMKfwRoepKDNkY4DcmEAteWidj2tUT_gRLfoSG5kd6Nga0GPDM0aUfWYzL7LwoiH4/s1600/DSCF4865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPgMDpUA3_Vxj0nQB49XDrp_Odfr7O-SzbCnVu5m8RW5XNf96gztXC51lqe31gz1eyDMrPgeQxLciMKfwRoepKDNkY4DcmEAteWidj2tUT_gRLfoSG5kd6Nga0GPDM0aUfWYzL7LwoiH4/s400/DSCF4865.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Not exactly the Great Wall of China but it'll do the job</span></td></tr>
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</div>Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-84852222054554135752011-02-28T22:25:00.000+00:002011-08-29T16:18:12.907+01:00Fencing friendsNot the duelling type who charge at you wielding an epee in their hands; but the sort that lower your garden fence so that finally, after 4 years, you can see right to the top of your garden. It's always bothered me that it's separated the garden so I asked my next door neighbour if he could cut it half way down.<br />
<br />
Saturday provided good weather and after my neighbour set to with the jigsaw it wasn't long before I had a stack of sawn planks and a view up the field I haven't seen since before I moved in. Once the fence posts have been cut down I can make a gate for the fence around the vegetable garden and use the cross bars as top rails for the fence. I'm also considering making an outdoor table from some of the leftover wood, and the rest will come in handy for something I'm sure. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5sjwbWNzbd3PJWK7urCrC3hQo1rh4MIYm5H5O9XqfWNeYgTJ3PPwNXreLstHMRFmYzpbV1M1aV_P3193fk1LImWcd6MExl8wShzGahlhfHRKoHJYPhhLgg5CagNTcjLaDEx5355_e2Mw/s1600/garden+18+Dec+2010+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5sjwbWNzbd3PJWK7urCrC3hQo1rh4MIYm5H5O9XqfWNeYgTJ3PPwNXreLstHMRFmYzpbV1M1aV_P3193fk1LImWcd6MExl8wShzGahlhfHRKoHJYPhhLgg5CagNTcjLaDEx5355_e2Mw/s400/garden+18+Dec+2010+%25284%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now you don't see it.......</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHT8b7BbAdc8ZZsTJ_F4lpWWqD8jgZK3IIS80Enzpu0Rgg9W0XjomZWdIW4ZnWRWJBSq7P_JTQj1rnE-ThWxHXLYa1C6YRdTAmG1ZQnqD404WestwSoQ7cQ43PAWCi4grH-4Ty7pstuaBH/s1600/DSCF4787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHT8b7BbAdc8ZZsTJ_F4lpWWqD8jgZK3IIS80Enzpu0Rgg9W0XjomZWdIW4ZnWRWJBSq7P_JTQj1rnE-ThWxHXLYa1C6YRdTAmG1ZQnqD404WestwSoQ7cQ43PAWCi4grH-4Ty7pstuaBH/s400/DSCF4787.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.....now you do see it!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1sf_FKHJYZvfz3W3ojDsNJaRh0ceGQj9dDVTBCBHXC-krvcUGH4wIAgGF2KDp0AAhrVKMy9JgAAVYXQFwIbLLExurrAk55pMgGXiCFUYqZYQQ2NwLmZnS03vP3myZuzZwJtoIQG0XJ5s/s1600/DSCF4610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1sf_FKHJYZvfz3W3ojDsNJaRh0ceGQj9dDVTBCBHXC-krvcUGH4wIAgGF2KDp0AAhrVKMy9JgAAVYXQFwIbLLExurrAk55pMgGXiCFUYqZYQQ2NwLmZnS03vP3myZuzZwJtoIQG0XJ5s/s400/DSCF4610.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The veg plot feels enclosed and separated</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3zc17RA4bfEl6fY0c2nLkmtrR0uRgeAOL1HsgDQVKwZpOnDUaYVGF9C690IjxY2cBT9dUUB7oXDyNwwVhMCZjMFTxjbMxj2rilFMSIxOK9Riv-56wjX5e6U3k0oeorawhaAvrOuORQbV/s1600/DSCF4784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3zc17RA4bfEl6fY0c2nLkmtrR0uRgeAOL1HsgDQVKwZpOnDUaYVGF9C690IjxY2cBT9dUUB7oXDyNwwVhMCZjMFTxjbMxj2rilFMSIxOK9Riv-56wjX5e6U3k0oeorawhaAvrOuORQbV/s400/DSCF4784.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now it feels open and has views down as well as up the garden</span></td></tr>
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I wanted to keep a small fence so that I can grow a few climbing plants along that border and still retain some sense of 'formal' and 'productive'. They'll have to be plants that like partial shade as this border faces north-west and doesn't get any sun until late afternoon; even less in the winter time. Perhaps an evergreen clematis and a jasmine? Hmmmm, further investigation is required I think.<br />
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So it doesn't feel right to call it The Field anymore. the garden not only looks but feels different, you can see the true expanse of it now. Of course, it also means that I can see everything that needs doing every time I walk up there but that's not a bad thing. It's been too easy sometimes to sit on the patio and not open the door to the 'Productive Area Formally Known As The Field', to ignore thoughts of strimming brambles, clearing piles of cut branches, moving heaps of soil and checking to see if the rabbits have tried to dig into the old warren. Now there's no avoiding it!<br />
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In the meantime, I've laid more straw around the veg patch as the weeds are starting to grow through last year's layer, and cleared the area underneath the Box that the 'THGT' (that's Tywardreath Highway Gardening Team for any new readers) cut back last year; making room for a bench this year. No doubt I'll be trawling the garden centres, DIY shops and online to find a lovely seat for this space...........then again, maybe I could make one.<br />
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On a plant-related note, my rhubarb is coming back lovely this year. As soon as I saw it popping through the mulch I placed a plant pot over it and over the last week or so it's really begun to shoot up. The problem is we're in for some frosty nights this week so the plant pot has promptly gone back on for the time being! This will be it's second year so I should be able to make some lovely rhubarb crumble later in the year and perhaps some rhubarb wine.......the possibilities are endless.Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-542887493696174612011-02-20T20:08:00.000+00:002011-08-29T16:18:33.437+01:00Pallets and plums IITwo compost bins for the price of 7 tree stakes and a pack of wood screws - not bad.<br />
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Yes, I got out before the rain came today and built my second compost bin. It's not pretty, or level but it'll do the job nicely and it's not like I'm going to be entering any 'Glamorous Garden' competitions in the near, or distant future!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFo-j_qu6zjbYQ2e91-zh0pw63eoQ0RWpKCvK8Kg2SDt4POflfYxkMQ4sfoO5lMlWIs4GG5Vu_43yLLGADCyT4foJwASAv-51g_u4GQSuJ9J4lI45lYFMi0TQfsG9FXsOUjNecWbzmOdc/s1600/DSCF4756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFo-j_qu6zjbYQ2e91-zh0pw63eoQ0RWpKCvK8Kg2SDt4POflfYxkMQ4sfoO5lMlWIs4GG5Vu_43yLLGADCyT4foJwASAv-51g_u4GQSuJ9J4lI45lYFMi0TQfsG9FXsOUjNecWbzmOdc/s400/DSCF4756.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let's see if it stays up in a storm!</span></td></tr>
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Each time I complete a task in the garden I feel just that bit closer to my goal of making a garden out of The Field. Some weekends I don't get much done at all and I don't often ask for help from others if I think I can do it myself, so the going is slower than most garden makeovers. But, I enjoy it when I'm outside, whether it's digging, cutting, planting, weeding or anything else that needs doing. Plus I get a huge sense of satisfaction when I can stand back and say "I did that".<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhKvcST4uyo5IzDF6O5GerOwCmJqfBXxcQZtxPPlh5084te6ULZCfXJgF7cp3e24j3upbTIH7dy9Auyy9nQzrdJP7lkl-OwySd3ltWXqE70ujwY7Ghh0C9XGgtpEeJUBOKFip_242Pkuh/s1600/2008_0203general10074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhKvcST4uyo5IzDF6O5GerOwCmJqfBXxcQZtxPPlh5084te6ULZCfXJgF7cp3e24j3upbTIH7dy9Auyy9nQzrdJP7lkl-OwySd3ltWXqE70ujwY7Ghh0C9XGgtpEeJUBOKFip_242Pkuh/s320/2008_0203general10074.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">February 2008 after brush-cutting</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbHhN0qrRvGOhyphenhyphenCSsy6YKpxAcnQOdEQYG1m4gbxQ1Peof6efSgQF4xs__QqZB_bdx8948BcslrPEbhXDZqMeCoQxLhERqMX1d-CObypLaGGBKMSs_Daxp8TmjKi1Wl772R93Ks9iZIr4_/s1600/DSCF4754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbHhN0qrRvGOhyphenhyphenCSsy6YKpxAcnQOdEQYG1m4gbxQ1Peof6efSgQF4xs__QqZB_bdx8948BcslrPEbhXDZqMeCoQxLhERqMX1d-CObypLaGGBKMSs_Daxp8TmjKi1Wl772R93Ks9iZIr4_/s320/DSCF4754.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">February 2011 and it's slowly taking shape</span></td></tr>
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These two photos show the garden as it was in February 2008 (about 7 months after I moved in) and as it is now, in February 2011. Hmmm, looks like the fence needs another coat of weather-proofing; that's another job added to the list of many! <br />
For the time being though the next task on my list is the fencing around the raised beds; those cauliflower seeds are growing quickly and the leeks are just beginning to pop their heads up. Fingers crossed for good weather next weekend.<br />
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On the wine-making front, the plum wine is now in the fermentation jar. Although I can clearly see the sediment on the bottom, the rest of it still looks a bit cloudy, and it's very pink! Is it supposed to look like that? I have no idea. It's got a few weeks to clear up and I've added the Bentonite which helps speed up the process so I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Hasn't anyone invented an 'Instant Wine' recipe yet?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_f4B7bBVqGmPIpdm5LCL0L6M3GNCDTMdYIbvoG7agyM-RUkxin37t_U93qb-mm_ikfx9OsSlcAqkL3i7O9GUiK_tXJK9GVu1M-v3TA0jVow-mAfgs5afqbD367OKZYABc-MCk2gMs12yR/s1600/DSCF4759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_f4B7bBVqGmPIpdm5LCL0L6M3GNCDTMdYIbvoG7agyM-RUkxin37t_U93qb-mm_ikfx9OsSlcAqkL3i7O9GUiK_tXJK9GVu1M-v3TA0jVow-mAfgs5afqbD367OKZYABc-MCk2gMs12yR/s320/DSCF4759.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A very pink plum wine fermenting in the kitchen corner</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The rack of wine bottles was recently given to me by a friend and it's sitting in the kitchen waiting for me to find somewhere to put it. It's not there in an attempt to make the picture look interesting - honest!Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-60481814736295331512011-02-13T20:40:00.002+00:002011-08-29T16:18:33.438+01:00Pallets and plums<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I've been bringing home pallets from work again. They're incredibly useful if you're trying to redevelop a garden and can be used for all sorts of projects such as raised beds (although I did buy mine in kit form), hen houses and even garden table and chairs. Check out this great inspirational book called <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Build-Pallets-Joe-Jacobs/dp/1904871437/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297234210&sr=1-1">'Build It.....with Pallets'</a> if you're looking for ideas for your own garden or have some spare pallets you want to use for something other than firewood. Another great place to find ideas for projects in the garden is the <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/projects/compost-bin/">Gardeners World</a> website. I built my first compost bin using instructions from there; now it's time to build a second. The idea is to create one heap whilst having another that is ready for use. In theory I should always have plenty of good compost ready for the garden. So, if you ever spot any pallets lying around in building sites, factory yards or garden centres it's worth asking if they're going spare. <br />
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<i>On a serious note, I stress the importance of asking very strongly! Some pallets belong to delivery companies who'll want them back so don't just take pallets if you see them lying around - always ask first!</i><br />
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Once the compost bin is done then I'll turn my attention to constructing a log store behind the shed. I've never done that before either but it can't be much harder than constructing the compost bin. I bought logs from a local supplier this winter - good logs too, a mixture of soft and hard wood fully seasoned. But with the winter we've had he was in short supply so I'm thinking about starting to collect wood earlier this year and storing it so that it can finish seasoning through the year ready for this winter. Plus any additional pallets I get can be broken down and used as kindling instead of buying it in bags. Hopefully I'll save money on heating next winter that way and if I can find a local gardener or tree surgeon whose looking to get rid of excess wood, then even better!<br />
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In the midst of all this pallet procurement, I've planted my first leek and cauliflower seeds in trays and they're growing on the windowsill in the spare bedroom at the moment. I went to check on them the other day and the cauliflowers are just beginning to show tiny shoots above the compost. Ok, so this probably <i>isn't </i>the most exciting news for people who've been growing veg for years but as it's my first attempt I'm full of anticipation to see if I can grow them successfully. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDm-lOIPBiwJhX8MxuUC5u3IPPjWcLcXENLtmXFsQVmsR776f2Ddi04PryVOqM8DTsRYeQTUyU4z0ydJdMfNPfmSRWlRqG9lIjbuWTN_IpqmeAAE3tgyhwGOAv_RvP0_R1i2mLbk8bDQek/s1600/DSCF4703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDm-lOIPBiwJhX8MxuUC5u3IPPjWcLcXENLtmXFsQVmsR776f2Ddi04PryVOqM8DTsRYeQTUyU4z0ydJdMfNPfmSRWlRqG9lIjbuWTN_IpqmeAAE3tgyhwGOAv_RvP0_R1i2mLbk8bDQek/s400/DSCF4703.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">fingers crossed! </span></td></tr>
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First things first though - the rabbit proof fence. Not the brilliantly made Australian movie but the one that's got to secure the raised beds from rabbits and other such pests in the garden. I need to crack on with this sooner rather than later and planting the seeds has given me the incentive I needed. So this weekend I've put the posts in to mark the area, using the back edge of the raised beds as one boundary and leaving enough space so that once the wire is up I can still get in with a wheelbarrow. Having measured it all out it looks like I'm going to need around 18.5m of wire mesh around the beds! Think I'll do some research on costs on the internet this week!<br />
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I'll be putting a seed <a href="http://www.thegardenfactory.co.uk/index.php/products/multi-cloche---mini-greenhouse-and-cold-frame-all-in-one">cloche/mini greenhouse</a> in this area too. I bought one last year and it's been sitting in my shed ever since. It's about time it came out of its box and was made use of! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">posts marking position for wire mesh fencing</span></td></tr>
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I'm going to use a thick wire mesh fence rather than chicken wire; I learnt a valuable lesson when I used wire mesh around my young apple trees to protect them against the rabbits. I used normal sized wire mesh and something (maybe not a rabbit?) still had a go at biting through the wire, so I added a second layer which seems to have kept pests at bay so far. This time I'll be buying thicker wire mesh.<br />
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Clearing back the hedgerow has also begun with the cutting back of an overgrown Box shrub. I'll cut it right back to just a few inches above the ground and hopefully it will come back without any problem so that I can re-shape it and maintain its growth. I won't do much more to the hedges in the garden at the moment, not with Spring just around the corner but I have future plans to add some flowering shrubs where there are large gaps in the hedge on the right side of the garden and lay the ash and hazel hedge on the left side. I've asked my neighbours if they mind me managing their boundary hedge and (funnily enough) there's no objection.<br />
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A new wine is on the go as well. Last year I made my very first home made wine - elderberry. I don't usually blow my own trumpet but it was a lovely wine to drink - very light and fruity. I was very proud of it and it was lovely to give to family and friends as a Christmas present. I was given the recipe by a friend of mine who makes wine in gallons. Then my 'Secret Santa' present this Christmas was a wine book with 130 wine-making recipes which should keep me busy for years. So I decided to have a go at making plum wine; just a gallon in case it turns out to be undrinkable and more useful as a drain cleaner! The instructions are quite different from my friend's so I'll see if the one in the book produces as good a wine. I should have a verdict in about 3 months.<br />
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Oops! this post has been up for about 3 days before I realised that a whole paragraph had gone missing at the end. Otherwise these final photos don't make any sense! They're images taken of the garden redevelopment which is part of the dementia project I'm involved with at work. I mentioned a short while ago that the contractor was starting the garden and after 3 weeks we're beginning to see the new layout take shape. It's really caught the attention of the staff and residents at the home. With the transference of top soil from the front garden to this courtyard garden it's beginning to catch the eye of the public as they pass too.......the first time in almost 2 years that I've seen anyone look at the building! So here are just a few images to show what's been going on so far.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMud2lsPWDAWwzNHoWbzSup3pADGQt3npA8FNTBEU9C4nMKg-tY8fHJxaD0hr2lWjDNXWGYEJDMTWwJraS3kkMqfJ5BTVcsqV8_p_oV6JlZqbrdOlhpLKL0qcU-KS9sok51B7cxwkhoT_s/s1600/No+more+conservatory+%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMud2lsPWDAWwzNHoWbzSup3pADGQt3npA8FNTBEU9C4nMKg-tY8fHJxaD0hr2lWjDNXWGYEJDMTWwJraS3kkMqfJ5BTVcsqV8_p_oV6JlZqbrdOlhpLKL0qcU-KS9sok51B7cxwkhoT_s/s400/No+more+conservatory+%25289%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">First the conservatory came down to make room for a canopy</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuT20gbisLx6wX_iWzouCo5CbfGBpFrbeDlwCWj0CAmWE2Zz3AKYiAcIQuRDHZpkEeYboRXO4Lu2QOZBNhj4mParLjdEVv6mJUNBfjIjcayr1B2A8MoNgWDkFnfoZRE_cAeW7EP38MEJH3/s1600/courtyard+garden_beginning+to+remove+plants+%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuT20gbisLx6wX_iWzouCo5CbfGBpFrbeDlwCWj0CAmWE2Zz3AKYiAcIQuRDHZpkEeYboRXO4Lu2QOZBNhj4mParLjdEVv6mJUNBfjIjcayr1B2A8MoNgWDkFnfoZRE_cAeW7EP38MEJH3/s400/courtyard+garden_beginning+to+remove+plants+%25288%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Then the overcrowding shrubs came out to open up the views</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MLwu11PkgJkHAl6VEesfJKn_JDdpsCRx0Pi7XcLGuY1KZLAStXuT3nVSQS1ZIsPkQEV0o9rycVHzpsdQaiDHnSqxA4mheZ-mf8nfGPZYVTKkzpnELlMcrcbLdcsunwF2V84GwJZo1IOG/s1600/courtyard+garden_beginning+to+remove+plants+%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MLwu11PkgJkHAl6VEesfJKn_JDdpsCRx0Pi7XcLGuY1KZLAStXuT3nVSQS1ZIsPkQEV0o9rycVHzpsdQaiDHnSqxA4mheZ-mf8nfGPZYVTKkzpnELlMcrcbLdcsunwF2V84GwJZo1IOG/s400/courtyard+garden_beginning+to+remove+plants+%252810%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Next, the slabbed pavement was removed</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">In goes hardcore and top soil for new paths, lawn and borders</span></td></tr>
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Phew..it's been a busy time both at work and at home. That's all folks!(for now)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-52800564932897988322011-01-23T20:38:00.001+00:002011-01-23T20:39:03.022+00:00Handy hazelAt last, a chance to get out into the garden! I've been working in the Field this weekend. It's been cold but sunny and it's so great to be able to breathe the fresh air and soak up the sun's rays.<br />
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The birds have munched their way through the bird feed and the fat balls but they haven't made much of a dent in the peanuts. Actually that's probably a good thing. I've just this minute been reading about the levels of Aflatoxin in peanuts which can be lethal for garden birds. I bought the peanuts from a local garden centre and as they're sold loose in a big bin I have no idea if they're safe or not. Plus the peanuts have been hanging up for a while which increases the chances of mould occurring and producing Aflatoxin apparently. So to be on the safe side I'll take them down tomorrow morning and replace with something else. <br />
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I've coppiced a couple of Hazels up in the field. They were a good size and I'll use them in the veg area as bean poles (thanks for the tip <a href="http://blogs.crocus.co.uk/kitchengarden">Kitchen Garden</a>!) and I can use some of the small, young branches to weave an edging around the lawn. They were also providing just a bit too much cover for rabbits and I think that's why the warren was created near them. I hope I've managed to place another obstacle in the way of any rabbits considering re-opening the warren. That's still left me with 2 coppiced hazels that hopefully will be producing nuts in a couple of years.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrIoh1Y7nO28Rfgguf4ZM4evtjGUFFY_RpzX-vfcVy4IbqcDazVMSyTX2FAt8fb81pNi6hUETnB_E1eEbRr-AeTS233xKg3lbjmgR8SZ95LGo4XDJhAag8G8_0us_m8OT9bQsFw8qhiuT/s1600/Coppiced+Hazel+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrIoh1Y7nO28Rfgguf4ZM4evtjGUFFY_RpzX-vfcVy4IbqcDazVMSyTX2FAt8fb81pNi6hUETnB_E1eEbRr-AeTS233xKg3lbjmgR8SZ95LGo4XDJhAag8G8_0us_m8OT9bQsFw8qhiuT/s320/Coppiced+Hazel+%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQfNgE9VYKURtjnHu6SYPPWMYiKWxMBKDG95sdNN-Sd9FaZLTfoVGdHeW9VaC7yVOy0JnhyI2R0Q-W8CvgIQKJJ2j2hZZFGJ4n_q_iM8gLX4KAKiKI6IdWP6IWf4lmM6BOtylIH8KcUZK/s1600/Coppiced+Hazel+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQfNgE9VYKURtjnHu6SYPPWMYiKWxMBKDG95sdNN-Sd9FaZLTfoVGdHeW9VaC7yVOy0JnhyI2R0Q-W8CvgIQKJJ2j2hZZFGJ4n_q_iM8gLX4KAKiKI6IdWP6IWf4lmM6BOtylIH8KcUZK/s320/Coppiced+Hazel+%25286%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">coppiced hazel stumps</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmuZKBkxRC0N4kwpzeRX590kpWPMUN4cW3wheD4Cc-RPccgjwI3LDdB6G96sQaUbev3oo05GCEPUhagVxP0eikA61Nx8gneqTpMB_HgQyOGdXtu_k5vgfuf_n9KS4luDp0gUS2jroWI7B/s1600/Coppiced+Hazel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmuZKBkxRC0N4kwpzeRX590kpWPMUN4cW3wheD4Cc-RPccgjwI3LDdB6G96sQaUbev3oo05GCEPUhagVxP0eikA61Nx8gneqTpMB_HgQyOGdXtu_k5vgfuf_n9KS4luDp0gUS2jroWI7B/s320/Coppiced+Hazel.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">clearer space at the foot of the old warren</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJsHHUYyFD2qZe8Rwvd4a4Xm8Kg8iVZwqkzxKsUmCEynX62Z_W78JVP1m2EXB-NFjaURGVhFzMvkp7pj9So-7cjylyHVX1llckieeXAK6XxPXMMu_bFnvLC0PcKZaLb3sKvebjNsff2Tk/s1600/coppiced+area+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJsHHUYyFD2qZe8Rwvd4a4Xm8Kg8iVZwqkzxKsUmCEynX62Z_W78JVP1m2EXB-NFjaURGVhFzMvkp7pj9So-7cjylyHVX1llckieeXAK6XxPXMMu_bFnvLC0PcKZaLb3sKvebjNsff2Tk/s320/coppiced+area+%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">building up a pile of fine hazel poles </span></td></tr>
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I haven't coppiced anything since I was a Volunteer Officer with BTCV (about 16 years ago!) and it was great to be able to use some old skills. As a volunteer I never thought I'd be using those skills in my own garden but learning how to hedge-lay, build stone walls, plant trees and coppice are already beginning to come in handy. I still need to remove the side branches from the cut trunks, or 'snedding' as it's known. Better get hold of a billhook I think - I can use it for snedding and it'll come in handy for when I'm ready to start hedge-laying. <br />
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An added bonus to the day was finding clumps of daffodil leaves poking through the ground as I cleared the dead leaves away from the base of the hazel stumps.....Spring is on it's way and it felt good to see the signs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizadDnSKRsWf_j2tQwyNow5b-bJN-KB8Ime5vwCKOUwKRuBmSM_R65GEBEvVfzLKnvGp-w6VqWDzRZMzgvaZKF5KyrymA1ebbQOz3bIm9h4c52KvAY1_eK0wO-RVSQfLUkuVVpxOxIjhfE/s1600/daffodils+coming+through+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizadDnSKRsWf_j2tQwyNow5b-bJN-KB8Ime5vwCKOUwKRuBmSM_R65GEBEvVfzLKnvGp-w6VqWDzRZMzgvaZKF5KyrymA1ebbQOz3bIm9h4c52KvAY1_eK0wO-RVSQfLUkuVVpxOxIjhfE/s320/daffodils+coming+through+%25281%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">First signs of daffodils</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-18396569691655145362011-01-17T20:30:00.000+00:002011-08-29T16:36:26.094+01:00Out and about<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It was a lovely week last week - despite the weather! Firstly a bit of work news. I've mentioned in previous blogs a little bit about the dementia project I'm involved with. Well one or two activities at least. The great news is that we now have a date to start work on redeveloping the garden at the care home; it's an essential element to the project. The project's aim is to reconnect people with dementia, living in a care home, with their local community. We're using outdoor environments to do this; in particular enhancing the garden at the home so that it not only provides for the needs of the residents, care staff and relatives but also so that it can provide a great space for community events and activities. It all starts on the 25th of this month and I can't wait!!! I'll keep making notes of it's progress on my blog so if anyone's interested keep an eye out for future updates.<br />
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Okay, moving away from work, I'm still not getting much done in the garden at the moment. It's still too dark for me to do anything during the week and this weekend's weather hasn't been helpful either. So on Saturday I visited <a href="http://www.heligan.com/">Heligan Gardens</a>; The Lost Gardens of Heligan, to give it it's proper name. I have a real soft spot for Heligan. I was initially based there when I came to Cornwall 17 years ago to work as a volunteer for the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (<a href="http://www2.btcv.org.uk/">BTCV</a>). After two years of learning practical skills and running conservation holidays I was at a point where I needed to get paid employment and Heligan came to the rescue. They offered me a job there and I began in the office before taking over organising and facilitating educational visits for schools and other educational establishments.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCR6Pj3S6oushm2OOgMBkkU4KJasXd-abYtFP_unQw0Xr8dj0k8BTA7DYmRw1EEClFaD941NhSJr0BhwyhR_4QOOp_fIxVJQqcwr8aW46GsSBOpp2r_JR41op9AyQTA82Xcg0Za4auE-NS/s1600/Woodland+Walk+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCR6Pj3S6oushm2OOgMBkkU4KJasXd-abYtFP_unQw0Xr8dj0k8BTA7DYmRw1EEClFaD941NhSJr0BhwyhR_4QOOp_fIxVJQqcwr8aW46GsSBOpp2r_JR41op9AyQTA82Xcg0Za4auE-NS/s320/Woodland+Walk+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Woodland Walk; a gentle giant awakes!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It isn't just the story behind the house and gardens that captures my heart with Heligan; it somehow has the ability to ease away my worries and make dark times seem easier to deal with. Maybe it's because there are so many different areas and each has an ability to provide for my needs on each visit. The walled gardens (Vegetable, Melon Yard, Flower and Sundial) offer inspiration for my own garden. The Jungle and Lost Valley provide areas for contemplation and places where you can just go to clear your head. The Italian Garden, Woodland Walk, Northern Garden and Flora's Green are all places that are just a joy to be in. It's good for the soul, as they say.<br />
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Perhaps some of this is to do with the fact that I have a Witch Hazel, which is of great personal significance to me, planted in the Jungle Garden . Every year I go and see how it's doing and to take photos of it, followed by an enjoyable, relaxing stroll around the various garden areas. When one of my friends saw these photos she said it looked like it was singing it's heart out - what a wonderful expression!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQ4vZogWyVnQG9zM7xQAny7J2JYoUM67YPwAFT7jhwrvd7dFnD-_c276W1jlbsGBOUV1ILJb-IBuPAp17ZooU1ViQN7xT17_xRjUbhSOR6MwQREb6C3r8NRYVyVKZHGvrqC71fd2akKR0/s1600/DSCF4382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQ4vZogWyVnQG9zM7xQAny7J2JYoUM67YPwAFT7jhwrvd7dFnD-_c276W1jlbsGBOUV1ILJb-IBuPAp17ZooU1ViQN7xT17_xRjUbhSOR6MwQREb6C3r8NRYVyVKZHGvrqC71fd2akKR0/s320/DSCF4382.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the glorious flowers of my Witch Hazel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSyt-p9DxZdMwBgLcLYkVKtyEn_OPH1JFdeLX48_qUxg36h6oRfWvK4OcY1cLD19-sYnpsokXAgHt5eltgF5qygqElZsKwPjdfKIG9R6-HWyzF466ceN3gyTAsX6h5M_VMgTy0wOyHBbF/s1600/DSCF4387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSyt-p9DxZdMwBgLcLYkVKtyEn_OPH1JFdeLX48_qUxg36h6oRfWvK4OcY1cLD19-sYnpsokXAgHt5eltgF5qygqElZsKwPjdfKIG9R6-HWyzF466ceN3gyTAsX6h5M_VMgTy0wOyHBbF/s320/DSCF4387.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my Witch Hazel in full bloom</td></tr>
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This visit I headed for the Jungle first, then up to the wildlife centre where you can watch the birds feeding, use cameras to see view further afield or watch the latest video footage of nesting birds or rare 'visitors'. A stroll through the Italian Garden before heading up through the Melon Yard and Vegetable Garden and my therapy session was complete.<br />
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And finally yesterday I went for a walk with Sue, my next door neighbour and her two children; the other members of the Tywardreath Highway Gardening Team (see October 2010 blog 'Sunday Sunshine' and December 2010 blog 'Holly and Ivy'). We decided to re-visit the walk in the Luxulyan Valley, near the viaduct. At which point the rain decided to arrive earlier than expected and accompany us on our walk. Typical!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1Gtl4M8NB0bCMYdJlW8nzPBWr2pJVlpXw6UcYa85Z316d9UHbEkDHEl9w3WVQgTSdR7-UAWL2hLoEE-9K5aIB2knAsaA9tiPvzb6Kmr2uF-wn6ALP1JWBKkpiu23OLO5mZ8sJ8qN4FD8/s1600/Luxulyan+Valley+nr+viaduct+121210+%252819%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1Gtl4M8NB0bCMYdJlW8nzPBWr2pJVlpXw6UcYa85Z316d9UHbEkDHEl9w3WVQgTSdR7-UAWL2hLoEE-9K5aIB2knAsaA9tiPvzb6Kmr2uF-wn6ALP1JWBKkpiu23OLO5mZ8sJ8qN4FD8/s400/Luxulyan+Valley+nr+viaduct+121210+%252819%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The waterfall, December 2010</td></tr>
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Last time on the walk, it was cold and icy but the sun was out; the leats were full and were feeding the man-made waterfall where it tumbled over the edge, spraying our faces as it hit the bottom. This time, the sluice gate at the viaduct was open and the water trickled along the leats in a lazy fashion; the waterfall reduced to a small flow.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbz2dzf0FbM56wji0KJM1pY4GZp3Il4MOM1snBNEcVEOn1IpLczqCSwyiY-DVYx-khfx306JexkMVetqYhVnB4iB5RqmNZadUwT7E1eFsvg5gDPzm5AV28nYwY88KUk5pjQTdA_j1iriu2/s1600/DSCF4485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbz2dzf0FbM56wji0KJM1pY4GZp3Il4MOM1snBNEcVEOn1IpLczqCSwyiY-DVYx-khfx306JexkMVetqYhVnB4iB5RqmNZadUwT7E1eFsvg5gDPzm5AV28nYwY88KUk5pjQTdA_j1iriu2/s400/DSCF4485.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The waterfall January 2011</td></tr>
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Our wellies made sucking sounds in the mud (thankfully no-one ended up face down in the mud; nearly - but not quite!) and the wind constantly whipped our hoods off our heads but nothing could detract from an enjoyable morning spent walking in the woods.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-M-eW-nUnjgAyOOLm05lw5tVb4uOZKaN7FaVDDY1OMiNKK_37ZapeYQJekw8tT21epDDqulFyStOinyM2VfGpoaA3S-VGC879ch1nSQRaWUqO7uPauBnPX2fNKfHG-QglmM8P8H3v5kf/s1600/DSCF4479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-M-eW-nUnjgAyOOLm05lw5tVb4uOZKaN7FaVDDY1OMiNKK_37ZapeYQJekw8tT21epDDqulFyStOinyM2VfGpoaA3S-VGC879ch1nSQRaWUqO7uPauBnPX2fNKfHG-QglmM8P8H3v5kf/s400/DSCF4479.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mud, mud, glorious mud!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdW960LA2kiAxgvXkU4l8R3ReUUwfVJvGuyIOL7nsRAiIxLTL7Vq-9tEQT5LckfXKBfxByag32sr8kI5S1tWVlav3DxUPlX8qyBaE778YnfWC1j1DQJ2r2-xNJawE1s8EPPENOaGBZjKj/s1600/DSCF4474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdW960LA2kiAxgvXkU4l8R3ReUUwfVJvGuyIOL7nsRAiIxLTL7Vq-9tEQT5LckfXKBfxByag32sr8kI5S1tWVlav3DxUPlX8qyBaE778YnfWC1j1DQJ2r2-xNJawE1s8EPPENOaGBZjKj/s400/DSCF4474.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You have to watch your step!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXQ6xgb8oRtcysphHCbJE3h0w5XkVTalXLerde-fuTrtDYnhZpVvd33xLTjQisJcfHC0tv9dogN_Ob6W7bz0eHocaxRM5I0B6cDJbliCsLlLVnIzMCoAPRWaGwcs_PCYteBqqrR-s_u6r/s1600/DSCF4492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXQ6xgb8oRtcysphHCbJE3h0w5XkVTalXLerde-fuTrtDYnhZpVvd33xLTjQisJcfHC0tv9dogN_Ob6W7bz0eHocaxRM5I0B6cDJbliCsLlLVnIzMCoAPRWaGwcs_PCYteBqqrR-s_u6r/s400/DSCF4492.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">water runs through the sluice to join the river below</td></tr>
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Like I said, it's been a lovely week. But my fingers are crossed for some better weather soon and a chance for the earth to dry out a little - I miss digging in my garden!Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-79476893742895861542011-01-09T20:52:00.001+00:002011-01-09T20:56:42.698+00:00Past, present and futureWell I didn't win the National Lottery over Christmas and New Year so my plans of being able to retire early and spend more time outside (obviously in a larger house, possibly a small holding where I can have chickens, goats and pigs) have been foiled yet again!<br />
<br />
Today has been my first real productive day out in the garden since before Christmas - bearing in mind that the flu kept me indoors for a week and then my energy levels have taken most of the two weeks over the festive season to get back to normal. The garden looks tired and beaten. Not surprising since the hard frost that lay on the ground for weeks has taken its toll on the plants and the lawn. Everything has been covered in a heavy layer of dead autumn leaves, despite my efforts to clear them last year, and after the overlaying frost thawed at Christmas everywhere is sodden.<br />
<br />
So it was just a tidying up session today. I raked up what leaves I could from the borders and the lawn and trimmed back some of the Canary Clover, it's got quite stringy last year. With everything so wet it's probably best that I let the lawn and borders dry out a bit more before I do any weeding and to see if there's been any damage to the grass. I was a little concerned about raking the leaves off it today so I was careful not to be too heavy handed - I didn't want to tug on the grass and do any damage to the roots. I shall have to wait and see if the Siddalcea and Aquilegia have survived. I can see some bulb leaves coming through, I think it's the Grape Hyacinths (I forget to label my plants a lot of the time!) and the Alliums that are trying to peep through.<br />
<br />
Up in 'The Field' it's a similar story - the soil is too wet and heavy to dig. I suppose one good bit of news is that the frost has really given the ground weeds a beating this winter. You know what spinach looks like when it's been cooked? soggy, shrivelled mush? Well that's what the ground weeds look like in the field at the moment. No doubt, they'll be back with a vengeance as soon as Spring arrives. Again I'll have to play the waiting game and hope that the ground dries up a bit over the next few weeks before I can start any digging up there. There's still plenty of hedge clearing to be done though, so I can crack on with that in the meantime.<br />
<br />
I have been faithfully keeping the bird feeders full though, which at the rate the birds are going through them is very regular indeed! I've hung up a couple of those 'anti-squirrel' bird feeders with wild bird feed in one and peanuts in the other and about 5 fat balls and it's like an 'all you can eat for free' buffet out there! Last year I had a normal bird feeder up and a sweet little peanut holder shaped like a house. The squirrels took these to be educational toys. They quickly demonstrated their level of high intelligence by chewing the wood on the peanut holder and ripping the wire frame out and also enlarging the hole in the bird feeder so that they could just pour the seeds out onto the ground and eat them from there. Lets see how these new feeders stand up to their shenanigans!<br />
<br />
So, did I get any of those tasks on my Winter List done? nope! The fruit cage stills needs to be put up, the area for the future chicken run still needs to be marked out and the hedge laying will have to wait until I've brought a good quality billhook. That's a task that may well make it on to the Winter List for 2011. <br />
<br />
I shall, however be coppicing one or two of the hazels in 'The Field'. The raised vegetable beds are ready for me to start growing this year and I want to use some of the hazel as support for plants like runner beans. I'm also hoping to have a go at weaving a short hazel hurdle just to screen off the compost container so that it doesn't spoil the view when your looking up the field.<br />
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Sorry there's no photos of the garden at the moment, I completely forgot to take the camera up with me today. However, whilst I was visiting family over the New Year we went for a lovely walk in a local nature reserve called the <a href="http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/recreation.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/EnglandDerbyshireTheNationalForestSenceValleySenceValleyForestPark">Sence Valley Forest Park</a>, not far from mum and dad's. It was once the site of a colliery but is now landscaped and planted as part of the <a href="http://www.nationalforest.org/">National Forest</a>. Despite the drizzling rain, we had an enjoyable walk around the lake, watching the birds, meeting friendly (and very wet) dogs and their owners and generally blowing away the cobwebs from New Year's Eve! So how about some pictures of birds on the lake and ice instead? Hopefully I'll remember to get some updated photos of the garden next weekend.<br />
<br />
Whatever 'ups and downs' we may all face this year, I hope that the 'ups' far outweigh the 'downs' for everyone. I also hope that I have lots to write about the garden this year, and that means me taking more opportunity to crack on with jobs and get things done. <br />
<br />
One present I had from my parents this Christmas was a little wall plaque that said "A garden is a thing of beauty and a job forever"....how true; how very true!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT8xkCGJg6PhMwb1108C4BaFr2yt1V0yXM3xbYpx5qi6gvwmQCXS01-Ks0IsiHcklbJdZUJ8JEfEqL7FqoAxZsfMZi3oEHGpi5QaTczZMXha75Pa2YrH1n4uxoOkLe0LN0jLQTrNI9B9Lv/s1600/Sense+Valley+Park+01-01-2011+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT8xkCGJg6PhMwb1108C4BaFr2yt1V0yXM3xbYpx5qi6gvwmQCXS01-Ks0IsiHcklbJdZUJ8JEfEqL7FqoAxZsfMZi3oEHGpi5QaTczZMXha75Pa2YrH1n4uxoOkLe0LN0jLQTrNI9B9Lv/s640/Sense+Valley+Park+01-01-2011+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">graceful swans</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVysdsQ2Smqq7YiZz6EKu9Z7No9tYotopX9NLvl6p3-yR6o7sGP8JJYUGM0AcilBm86bopZXGAi9ku-qitabfuyqsBm9Ozl6mU_u-LUiY6h3x9TUjDZ_VgtvuNoW7ax6-jf8iVdF9XvPl/s1600/Sense+Valley+Park+01-01-2011+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVysdsQ2Smqq7YiZz6EKu9Z7No9tYotopX9NLvl6p3-yR6o7sGP8JJYUGM0AcilBm86bopZXGAi9ku-qitabfuyqsBm9Ozl6mU_u-LUiY6h3x9TUjDZ_VgtvuNoW7ax6-jf8iVdF9XvPl/s640/Sense+Valley+Park+01-01-2011+%25285%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this duck hadn't learnt to walk on water....I don't think he dared to move on the ice!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwYSWIbgTh9u4CdjFutcqoHPrCyNtuv_V-tYg_d7X2dzxT3eNDkwgnt4sn55IOmSW-0EQ-8Nki4REz8FfZAuTmRU0dcO_jPcqvITtZr-H_UEthARedotldpDTwArCerL5oPJGpyZgG3ZU/s1600/Sense+Valley+Park+01-01-2011+%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwYSWIbgTh9u4CdjFutcqoHPrCyNtuv_V-tYg_d7X2dzxT3eNDkwgnt4sn55IOmSW-0EQ-8Nki4REz8FfZAuTmRU0dcO_jPcqvITtZr-H_UEthARedotldpDTwArCerL5oPJGpyZgG3ZU/s640/Sense+Valley+Park+01-01-2011+%252810%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lakeside walk at Sence Valley </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwczWt4KMzDzaRc5Qfi7GbcESm0BEVOoSy1iDt3HXivahK4GPM8my3nVCGJuoVnBDEh7Uf5UgvDS0ickUuttn_qbLOCDaBEDO4vTK0j7i5yPY8sv4vuMfGfmcCX9fLB7x3zrWScjjeq64/s1600/Sense+Valley+Park+01-01-2011+%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwczWt4KMzDzaRc5Qfi7GbcESm0BEVOoSy1iDt3HXivahK4GPM8my3nVCGJuoVnBDEh7Uf5UgvDS0ickUuttn_qbLOCDaBEDO4vTK0j7i5yPY8sv4vuMfGfmcCX9fLB7x3zrWScjjeq64/s640/Sense+Valley+Park+01-01-2011+%252811%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Leicestershire Golden Oldie....resident in the area, friendly, jovial and good natured!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2cMkrvlasvHdhas8XdhHDCTeI_dUQVuHm6snukEWjfgk5NCAXGxX3tifV9cSkS81abpusozYW6JQAEuub4ubl5etYgsGWQAOSPg70K-Tv_s7yJr75GVRVPpLch26INuX3jXc_w9eSpwu/s1600/Sense+Valley+Park+01-01-2011+%252820%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2cMkrvlasvHdhas8XdhHDCTeI_dUQVuHm6snukEWjfgk5NCAXGxX3tifV9cSkS81abpusozYW6JQAEuub4ubl5etYgsGWQAOSPg70K-Tv_s7yJr75GVRVPpLch26INuX3jXc_w9eSpwu/s640/Sense+Valley+Park+01-01-2011+%252820%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Furry Capped Warbler - mainly resident in Cornwall; makes loud laughing noises, generally approachable</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-23952812609123791822010-12-19T20:42:00.000+00:002011-08-29T16:26:03.429+01:00Holly and IvyBlimey, no blog for over 3 weeks! Where has the time gone? I mean, I know what I've been doing but are we really only a week away from Christmas?<br />
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I've spent the last couple of weekends walking in woods collecting anything on the ground that I could use for a Christmas-themed activity for people with dementia. So I've been going out and coming back with bags of ivy, holly, berries, cones, conifer leaves. I had to buy mistletoe from the garden centre (well everyone's entitled to a little peck at Christmas!) and ribbon, cranberries and other bits and pieces from the shop but everything else was outdoors. The idea being that we were going to make outdoor Christmas decorations together of stars, wreaths and garlands and food garlands for the birds. . I say "were" because I've just spent the last week off work with the flu and had to cancel the activity - great timing! <br />
<br />
Still the walks were lovely; I wandered first through Kingswood near Pentewan where you can usually guarantee finding broken conifer branches lying on the ground close to the entrance. It's a steep-sided wood with plenty of tracks that you can choose to go exploring off the main hard path. You have to be observant when picking things up though; it's a popular dog-walking area and there's always a few dog owners who give everyone a bad name by not picking up the dog mess! Then the following week I drove up to the viaduct in the Luxulyan Valley, taking the other two members of the Tywardreath Gardening Team with me, where we wandered along through the wood finding lots of fallen berries, moss-covered wood and whole 'ropes' of ivy hanging from the trees. Luxulyan Valley is a World Heritage Site due to the industrial remains of a copper mine owned by Joseph Treffy in the 1800s. You can follow the old leats and find hidden man-made waterfalls and mysterious machinery parts throughout the woods. Enough of the history, here are some photos I took along both walks.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijWG7f602E64SMJxvTH-W0GyX9ORw0Srzybnurw8ekmZney7pfW59FzAUZUnZAbobCN7w6P9tk5ftaqLiJHSsZjDIuaX61AwVudAZzEhSIhTFrrHf04EuqBSXFBSPBaXa73yYZA39EXCVC/s1600/Kingswood+nr+Pentewan+041210+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijWG7f602E64SMJxvTH-W0GyX9ORw0Srzybnurw8ekmZney7pfW59FzAUZUnZAbobCN7w6P9tk5ftaqLiJHSsZjDIuaX61AwVudAZzEhSIhTFrrHf04EuqBSXFBSPBaXa73yYZA39EXCVC/s320/Kingswood+nr+Pentewan+041210+%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">main route through Kingswood</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmU0ZZEZbRmAfzST66SFbmPL4G1KUe8ZszxTRreOk7FyN7pIYtf0Pd9PUN3fSxTfTogeO0qfKl0nYBPpdq0TMCHYEXyr6yatibyQHLxWj4boSL7nP1iMtw8t2MCz4KyErXCrijMPCNHeKy/s1600/Kingswood+nr+Pentewan+041210+%252814%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmU0ZZEZbRmAfzST66SFbmPL4G1KUe8ZszxTRreOk7FyN7pIYtf0Pd9PUN3fSxTfTogeO0qfKl0nYBPpdq0TMCHYEXyr6yatibyQHLxWj4boSL7nP1iMtw8t2MCz4KyErXCrijMPCNHeKy/s320/Kingswood+nr+Pentewan+041210+%252814%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">off the beaten track - Kingswood</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1VtCn02pYF1SgbzFHiJzQy7z2STOlwBiDscQTTLmKJ77uZZvVTJnX7Kx2ToHecbcv99DR_966_TUaaP3Qk0BEP_KRAPD9ltjqgBRq5NsLe7iVWk6FsoqCXYEmNwCB1SUhv32fgQvSy0n2/s1600/Kingswood+nr+Pentewan+041210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1VtCn02pYF1SgbzFHiJzQy7z2STOlwBiDscQTTLmKJ77uZZvVTJnX7Kx2ToHecbcv99DR_966_TUaaP3Qk0BEP_KRAPD9ltjqgBRq5NsLe7iVWk6FsoqCXYEmNwCB1SUhv32fgQvSy0n2/s320/Kingswood+nr+Pentewan+041210.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaah, good sign of a cold winter!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLhrgXRqlXESZlDFvnA90pae-4WL5dCXeLWQKbVO5j3FaG7wwti9OmpbvMkDC5zt6XmizyC3VdeqUyMexghM4uPwCN3IpnvObV4J2Aa3Vxkz4RGolWqJCssRc2Yr1ylSbh8gw2FkeCxak/s1600/Luxulyan+Valley+nr+viaduct+121210+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLhrgXRqlXESZlDFvnA90pae-4WL5dCXeLWQKbVO5j3FaG7wwti9OmpbvMkDC5zt6XmizyC3VdeqUyMexghM4uPwCN3IpnvObV4J2Aa3Vxkz4RGolWqJCssRc2Yr1ylSbh8gw2FkeCxak/s320/Luxulyan+Valley+nr+viaduct+121210+%25281%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luxulyan Valley - top level walk from the viaduct</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tEmEsev22fZoyIbriUUUsUuW7ll3pQ2dZqUZ2DIJ9qQvmEBA49OblNb3iEShXHYUiJKZRrCMHya9V6YCjEAI9d3p9uqynxBhm039FQz7WA1aBQqERizDLyJnjEQqJqaufxTdvcZcDHsd/s1600/Luxulyan+Valley+nr+viaduct+121210+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tEmEsev22fZoyIbriUUUsUuW7ll3pQ2dZqUZ2DIJ9qQvmEBA49OblNb3iEShXHYUiJKZRrCMHya9V6YCjEAI9d3p9uqynxBhm039FQz7WA1aBQqERizDLyJnjEQqJqaufxTdvcZcDHsd/s320/Luxulyan+Valley+nr+viaduct+121210+%25283%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No toe-dipping this time of year!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpvZXAzg-SA5s8gliYxUAJmucKXYiDG06x5RA26150889TZwUkDUkiphSXWdNP-f19nLfIRjXG85We1olsfsn4Zd8P1UsG5zmYWzw0jJtvKXPao08Ltm7NYE-5zZjEbncfBWpL0hLBTjo/s1600/Luxulyan+Valley+nr+viaduct+121210+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpvZXAzg-SA5s8gliYxUAJmucKXYiDG06x5RA26150889TZwUkDUkiphSXWdNP-f19nLfIRjXG85We1olsfsn4Zd8P1UsG5zmYWzw0jJtvKXPao08Ltm7NYE-5zZjEbncfBWpL0hLBTjo/s320/Luxulyan+Valley+nr+viaduct+121210+%25285%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">end of the man made watercourse</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWX__cm8Z-gz1h08X8HtiYD5KvaMoauWXRa_G35STBVvUAD8PJcmuTylnjZt0qH6SGcnxuQ8G7C9pn0w0t2BWYM7K2_UvZUFz1HtLNZYyHFD0UlwNWAwSO5o47DXyLPTvO5gx0WKk24gf/s1600/Luxulyan+Valley+nr+viaduct+121210+%252829%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWX__cm8Z-gz1h08X8HtiYD5KvaMoauWXRa_G35STBVvUAD8PJcmuTylnjZt0qH6SGcnxuQ8G7C9pn0w0t2BWYM7K2_UvZUFz1HtLNZYyHFD0UlwNWAwSO5o47DXyLPTvO5gx0WKk24gf/s320/Luxulyan+Valley+nr+viaduct+121210+%252829%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Python? in Cornwall?? Just an odd-shaped fallen branch caught up in the trees.........................or is it?!</td></tr>
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Work has been busy this month but we've managed to fit in the annual Christmas sing-song in the office, and a day for our Sensory Trust team to have our own Christmas 'party'. This year we all got together at a colleague's house and made lots (and I means LOTS) of gingerbread shapes to give out to people we've enjoyed working with this year. Various offspring came and joined in too and together we rolled out the dough, made shapes (including several crocodiles, a goat, a sheep and a Phoenix bird!), baked and went completely mad with icing pens, silver balls and chocolate and candy decorations. Great fun! You can see some images on our work's <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sensory-Trust/113904655288378">Facebook </a>page if you're interested.<br />
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Thankfully the bout of flu finally dissipated this weekend and I spent a lovely afternoon in the garden yesterday. We've only a smattering of snow here so I was able to get up into the field and cut some logs in the sunshine before collapsing back on the sofa with the realisation that perhaps I'm not quite back to full health just yet and that I really ought to get a good bow saw as soon as possible!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tnjDkZ3irO7lvAhoDkw0XIt0L28Rn2LH85RMieP3MMORyTdJy5DV9-bF5ihMnEvRibydTSNnMJuLPQvANJcxJwLwwVFBxoweEec2Jgep5DUUyA4SYkapKzapsyx4mKImZP8d71xYyFyr/s1600/garden+18+Dec+2010+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tnjDkZ3irO7lvAhoDkw0XIt0L28Rn2LH85RMieP3MMORyTdJy5DV9-bF5ihMnEvRibydTSNnMJuLPQvANJcxJwLwwVFBxoweEec2Jgep5DUUyA4SYkapKzapsyx4mKImZP8d71xYyFyr/s320/garden+18+Dec+2010+%25287%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This isn't snow that's leftover; this is as much as we've had so far</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj470klinkc0ls04w2R__m45ZB22D14lJY7K1QfuudQXIk4wSpFgkHLoqpaZavM292aFBZXk0OYJQa-muziawLzYrS24rvSesOYAEIoRwXs84b4PI3N4pvRo-kxrdDihDTy-Taq5gYHir8i/s1600/garden+18+Dec+2010+%252815%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj470klinkc0ls04w2R__m45ZB22D14lJY7K1QfuudQXIk4wSpFgkHLoqpaZavM292aFBZXk0OYJQa-muziawLzYrS24rvSesOYAEIoRwXs84b4PI3N4pvRo-kxrdDihDTy-Taq5gYHir8i/s320/garden+18+Dec+2010+%252815%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evidential footprints; rabbits have been eyeing up my apples trees!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUxvGS7-z4A6Fy6ft99watQn7txNB0oPZTZj1GBynPGH3DxrJFhyphenhypheno1s3hj3uANUMeWZfCO6UWm9LV1wvY8yCRNr_J6Z_duStwAL0oSm0_LrUv3VslLE67vXhzAn5GaMf10NBHZoLgTm7g/s1600/garden+19+Dec+2010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUxvGS7-z4A6Fy6ft99watQn7txNB0oPZTZj1GBynPGH3DxrJFhyphenhypheno1s3hj3uANUMeWZfCO6UWm9LV1wvY8yCRNr_J6Z_duStwAL0oSm0_LrUv3VslLE67vXhzAn5GaMf10NBHZoLgTm7g/s320/garden+19+Dec+2010.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">at least there's food for the birds</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwZstIAVBOVEA9O7rU5H9VCbi1cdxCAXSNoxjdbHqe0JfZWd_XqqF_3WszwYVIiN84zspnflmrYGAjwDKQVgbOZsK2lLhFhHT_QdXPUtocJNKIEmYy05g32w2c5Zx97aLqzao6_3qGb1I/s1600/garden+18+Dec+2010+%252818%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwZstIAVBOVEA9O7rU5H9VCbi1cdxCAXSNoxjdbHqe0JfZWd_XqqF_3WszwYVIiN84zspnflmrYGAjwDKQVgbOZsK2lLhFhHT_QdXPUtocJNKIEmYy05g32w2c5Zx97aLqzao6_3qGb1I/s320/garden+18+Dec+2010+%252818%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">one single, tiny Cinquefoil growing on the path caught my eye</td></tr>
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Today I went for a walk in the nearby woods that are at the opposite end of Luxulyan Valley to the viaduct, following a route that follows an old railway track (there's that industrial heritage again!) through the woods and out along by the river and local railway line. There's a lot to see in the <a href="http://www.cornish-mining.org.uk/sites/luxval.htm">Luxulyan Valley</a>; if you've never visited you should next time you're in Cornwall. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFDKCwyZUrXMo8hNcGWIlL266C7vHE99f9chn1_noVPM_9nEjzOZTM-EmnZHCHMOw5-Cka5aEOXuX1fpRs4jA0-n5opHTvDTZfK2fX6hV9uBwPgQG5_mkjQ-mCpAllUdfcPD8NUPZZRBN/s1600/DSCF4268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFDKCwyZUrXMo8hNcGWIlL266C7vHE99f9chn1_noVPM_9nEjzOZTM-EmnZHCHMOw5-Cka5aEOXuX1fpRs4jA0-n5opHTvDTZfK2fX6hV9uBwPgQG5_mkjQ-mCpAllUdfcPD8NUPZZRBN/s320/DSCF4268.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">by foot, by boat, by train </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_B1dXDwCjLOkrCejCuTwitJ5zeuS-SSUDVUEQUiYSGsIwigaz_kuH85IuhHhtG7rBv3iA6q4ksgx90apvK1d-u1i27I1Q38okwes1r1Wb17nKDMa1Xdx_iQGvsxz4C05g9521ZUMuvkE/s1600/DSCF4262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_B1dXDwCjLOkrCejCuTwitJ5zeuS-SSUDVUEQUiYSGsIwigaz_kuH85IuhHhtG7rBv3iA6q4ksgx90apvK1d-u1i27I1Q38okwes1r1Wb17nKDMa1Xdx_iQGvsxz4C05g9521ZUMuvkE/s320/DSCF4262.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">old railway line now provides a route for walkers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TFAyx4xES2ye_pVkSY7KSfbH8qlX6EH_MujJddqsaMVrFynhFKCk9CcaUU5WNm2t8ycNW2IHbNz3kjTZ3AWpQSA3F0v3MnTHTVh1OBKw0vRdtHzySl2ih8BoZokonj6YXkZk-qvxFs3G/s1600/DSCF4263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TFAyx4xES2ye_pVkSY7KSfbH8qlX6EH_MujJddqsaMVrFynhFKCk9CcaUU5WNm2t8ycNW2IHbNz3kjTZ3AWpQSA3F0v3MnTHTVh1OBKw0vRdtHzySl2ih8BoZokonj6YXkZk-qvxFs3G/s320/DSCF4263.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> old railway route passes underneath Par - Newquay branch line</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMF-aZoXtu1UPhBSVIPwp_ukJJPXOPkALbIGGsuo5WRqSsLtpPrJC98k_VLQMUR5iUTPVsb5B1nP4klreJXi938BSU1xaMO-ZQySX44o8TG1TUNnS2_MxPLRcupEIrtt-u1UPsXvmkEoM8/s1600/DSCF4267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMF-aZoXtu1UPhBSVIPwp_ukJJPXOPkALbIGGsuo5WRqSsLtpPrJC98k_VLQMUR5iUTPVsb5B1nP4klreJXi938BSU1xaMO-ZQySX44o8TG1TUNnS2_MxPLRcupEIrtt-u1UPsXvmkEoM8/s320/DSCF4267.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">coming out of the woods to the riverside walk</td></tr>
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Anyway, the walk must've done me a lot of good because I've had more energy today. I don't think I could've coped with the 'bird' incident otherwise. Oh yes, Jasper the Giant Killer went out to hone his ninja stalking skills and came back dragging a live bird through both cat flaps and into the kitchen. The poor thing, a female blackbird, was dragged in shrieking and flapping. She managed to get away from him and fly from the kitchen through the living room to rest on top of the curtain poles, having left a series of, well lets just say 'messages' across the floor, on my sofa and all down the curtains! Nice! <br />
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Jasper was promptly removed (whilst he was still trying to get various feathers from around his mouth) and my next door neighbour, whose over 6 ft and very handy at getting things that I can't reach, was equally promptly fetched to catch the bird. Thankfully, it wasn't hurt and was swiftly released over the fence outside whilst Jasper looked on confused and wondering why the early Christmas present had been rejected!<br />
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Having washed the curtains, I've spent the afternoon baking. Home made presents for the neighbours as well as biscuits and chocolates for Christmas, although I may have to make more because the white chocolate, cranberry and roasted hazelnut cookies are mighty fine if I say so myself. Thankfully the chocolate isn't yet set enough for me to make the Cointreau truffles, otherwise it's highly likely that they won't last until next weekend either! It's all Quality Control, honest!<br />
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I'm spending Christmas at home in Cornwall this year, with various friends and then hope to see the family before, or after, New Year; depending on the weather. Wherever you're spending your Christmas and New Year I hope it's with good people, good food and the odd tipple of something warming and I hope you spend this festive time sharing laughter and memories and making many more new ones!<br />
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Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year xxSensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-79766870871468263022010-11-28T19:13:00.000+00:002011-08-29T16:24:05.651+01:00Frosty days in the sunshine<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7kI-wtRWd09_up0tN3iQoxfHAVtmrhWO0zuVdGRQHikwfoCtL679MPpC7dhS-FG_ZU-nxMSXcUQxmnHgOdsLAZ81bqajmUWfadFVIfkt1R6kFNsaa1HCP9T6zP1RTiPCgaZrzPJSlT5i/s1600/DSCF4148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7kI-wtRWd09_up0tN3iQoxfHAVtmrhWO0zuVdGRQHikwfoCtL679MPpC7dhS-FG_ZU-nxMSXcUQxmnHgOdsLAZ81bqajmUWfadFVIfkt1R6kFNsaa1HCP9T6zP1RTiPCgaZrzPJSlT5i/s400/DSCF4148.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Field</td></tr>
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A bit of gardening on a sunny winter's day has soothed my soul and refreshed my mind; It's also created a twinge in my lower back and in my shoulders but hopefully a hot bath will take care of later!<br />
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How come, when you've spent so much time raking up leaves it just looks the same afterwards? I picked up enough to almost fill my second compost bin this afternoon but you'd never know from looking at it afterwards. You turn your back and all the hazel trees in the hedge have a good shake and drop more leaves onto the path, patio and lawn! <br />
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After the non-effective leaf clean up it was time to check the compost heap. Earlier in the year I'd made a compost container out of old pallets and then spent months filling it up and turning it over. It seems my reward was a great pile of compost ready for use. In addition, I was given a plastic compost bin which I'm filling up at the moment, but it doesn't hold much so maybe I'll build a second one from pallets. It's easier to access, not likely to blow over in a strong wind and I can get much more in it. The only downside is that it's a much harder job to turn it all over, but that's a small price to pay to have enough compost for both the garden and Field in the future.<br />
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Jasper joined me, taking up his usual spot, like a sentinel, on a corner of the compost container. I think it's because not only is it a great place to catch the sun but he also has a strategically placed high point from where he can see the various mouse holes in the nearby bank without the poor unsuspecting mice seeing him before it's too late! Besides, evidence suggests that not so many rabbits are coming in at the moment - one attempt at a new hole which was instantly filled in - so I guess he's looking for smaller snacks at the moment.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwRB51AYCwYcD4yPU5ctAUEHWE3CzZvBN-JEhX73fdFGtCewgfsqIG-2Cq1CZRGXC9SUy8r55A3hdqGioyFnF9TKMyeBWt2CRYDjW-rob9aLsNDcKIS4Vvc069v0SngaXZsd5hcxE-QVr/s1600/DSCF4137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwRB51AYCwYcD4yPU5ctAUEHWE3CzZvBN-JEhX73fdFGtCewgfsqIG-2Cq1CZRGXC9SUy8r55A3hdqGioyFnF9TKMyeBWt2CRYDjW-rob9aLsNDcKIS4Vvc069v0SngaXZsd5hcxE-QVr/s400/DSCF4137.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't let the looks fool you...he may look relaxed but Jasper is ready to pounce at a moment's notice!</td></tr>
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The compost came in handy for my apple trees. Planted this year, they could still be susceptible to any hard frost so it was time to clear the ground around them and ensure that they didn't have to battle with the weeds for soil nutrients. The sun was reaching the trees but not the ground around them so it was hard with frost and I was expecting it to be a really difficult job. However, it turned out to be easier than I thought to get the weeds out. Having had decent weather in the summer and more chances to strim the weeds and brambles, thankfully I was only having to dig up ground cover plants around the apple trees. After that I used a layer of dead leaves and compost around the base of each one to help keep the frost away and to give their roots some extra 'food'. I think perhaps a trip to the garden centre to get some fleece for them might not be amiss next weekend. <br />
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I took time too to take some photos of The Field; I like to keep a record of it's development and seasonal changes. It'll be great to look back at them, and this blog in the coming months to see the journey of this project. Today was a great opportunity to see the frost lying on the ground. In previous years I haven't been able to get into the Field for the 6ft weeds, wildflowers and brambles. It was lovely being able to wander through it, through patches of sunshine and hard frosty ground where the sun's warmth hadn't managed to reach. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZkfg40fAelTREPlWh0KOKhkzCcYMQMnNOsxqjaNhM-4RL3aNWwn9EsVe9G6c-TUH9hHA-13TRyBfmMJVdRS3gUnAAp-3bGCEoRImDhjyzIRnVOvBs-im-xGtVHrFgtO0zJFqIoIStZlq/s1600/DSCF4158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZkfg40fAelTREPlWh0KOKhkzCcYMQMnNOsxqjaNhM-4RL3aNWwn9EsVe9G6c-TUH9hHA-13TRyBfmMJVdRS3gUnAAp-3bGCEoRImDhjyzIRnVOvBs-im-xGtVHrFgtO0zJFqIoIStZlq/s320/DSCF4158.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr Robin sits camouflages in the hedge eyeing up the worms</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwx6IFfjC7G1-STRtWixcQw7ckj0oGUAa__tpYQqbWctirW0MzqN6QvUhEPDf2vkR0jMjWaOU_YlfQftGN4x8J31adwH6YTwXPq0Zx7cU2og0WwB52QJ09KjKIMEClaIJCzE57kvS9Xl6/s1600/DSCF4141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwx6IFfjC7G1-STRtWixcQw7ckj0oGUAa__tpYQqbWctirW0MzqN6QvUhEPDf2vkR0jMjWaOU_YlfQftGN4x8J31adwH6YTwXPq0Zx7cU2og0WwB52QJ09KjKIMEClaIJCzE57kvS9Xl6/s320/DSCF4141.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frost makes even the nettles look attractive</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOAQ5vrVsZ26EpLBaqmp4y6-evbNeFpHJcT1iE2gQ9joBfKouGqR5dM3rEfuB8i_H3neBjJ7EQYKtLOG_Q0txTSmFZeALpEvPXjSsCwLWv3aE_gg050JJDSXIXBw8ZMtWqiueNCg_5FEF/s1600/DSCF4146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOAQ5vrVsZ26EpLBaqmp4y6-evbNeFpHJcT1iE2gQ9joBfKouGqR5dM3rEfuB8i_H3neBjJ7EQYKtLOG_Q0txTSmFZeALpEvPXjSsCwLWv3aE_gg050JJDSXIXBw8ZMtWqiueNCg_5FEF/s320/DSCF4146.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaves on the brambles add some colour in the sunshine</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOhlCZWZqEt3K0USc1ciIuHG9Fo_5cwgk4IMYj8Qupx7SlZZq1wpL9BDBiVVn1kl4x1IjoTAJjeS7MGyXtIwm3w6-AwITW_2qGW9rMP2bXWJCFiazfWUT8Otm-uiFC7Wbg0Fhvq7HwPt-/s1600/DSCF4152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOhlCZWZqEt3K0USc1ciIuHG9Fo_5cwgk4IMYj8Qupx7SlZZq1wpL9BDBiVVn1kl4x1IjoTAJjeS7MGyXtIwm3w6-AwITW_2qGW9rMP2bXWJCFiazfWUT8Otm-uiFC7Wbg0Fhvq7HwPt-/s320/DSCF4152.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is that a lodger in Room 3 at the bug hotel?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStGSQ0xm0INDfNvsmNwcqQAVmGGkR1DDq6ilJh6VHdUBCUsnTsr_Gr5QzXgFx5r8YAJyyNQMQvRyZpc54pJs5nOVx9uOwMsoav626iAcB3TtVenLak1Wv37NGT_R4FjU0bxquhuRDvoyZ/s1600/DSCF4154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStGSQ0xm0INDfNvsmNwcqQAVmGGkR1DDq6ilJh6VHdUBCUsnTsr_Gr5QzXgFx5r8YAJyyNQMQvRyZpc54pJs5nOVx9uOwMsoav626iAcB3TtVenLak1Wv37NGT_R4FjU0bxquhuRDvoyZ/s320/DSCF4154.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Tiny flowers of the Fatsia Japonica</td></tr>
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It was so enjoyable,spending time in the garden on a crisp sunny day this time of year, but to end that with a mug of hot chocolate by the wood burner is the icing on the cake. Jasper wouldn't know about hot chocolate, but he'd agree about the fire - he's sleeping in front of it. Probably dreaming of mice and rabbits.Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-67422691053518023382010-11-21T21:55:00.000+00:002010-11-21T21:55:17.397+00:00Bulb plantingHad such a great morning yesterday. Myself and a couple of friends from work hosted a bulb planting session at the care home where we're working with residents with dementia. We'd gathered a group of the residents, care staff, relatives, young people and others from the community to plant a mixture of daffodils, crocuses, lilacs, tulips and Glory-of-the-snow in the garden. Turf squares had already been cut in advance so that we didn't waste too much time and could get straight into planting the bulbs. <br />
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It was just so great to see the residents looking forward to being outside. Because the outer garden area of the home has open access to the road, they spend very little time in their garden. This is something we are changing as part of the project; demonstrating to the care staff that time spent outside is so important to people's well-being that it shouldn't be seen as an 'add on' to their normal daily routines, and by that I mean for both the residents and themselves. <br />
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It only took about an hour and a half to do the planting but that was long enough for the residents and they were quite ready to go back inside once we'd finished. So many rosy cheeks, so much conversation and laughter. It felt just like it was, a morning spent with friends in the sunshine, doing something fun that would give us more enjoyment in the months to come.<br />
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One resident (I'll just call her 'R') is an ex-marathon runner and has been known to run off down the street when taken outside before, even making it difficult for fit and healthy care staff to catch her! The care staff weren't keen on bringing R out to participate because of the risk of her running off, but we persuaded them to try and it was so worthwhile that we did. She didn't once make a run towards the entrance, she was too busy enjoying herself in the garden, chatting with the member of staff who was planting with her and watching others planting their bulbs. After R had planted all her bulbs, she asked to go back in for a cup of tea, and as she passed me she had the biggest grin on her face that I knew it had been worth it.<br />
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Another resident was a very keen gardener when he was younger. E is 90 now and has been a bit of star in the project. He's given radio interviews and had his picture in the paper, talking about his days as a gardener and how his favourite flower is the Chrysanthemum which he used to grow for competitions. E's eyesight is very poor and he can't bend down far these days, but we weren't going to let that reduce the level of his involvement. Working with the guidance of a youngster he planted a whole row of bulbs. It was a bit like watching an episode of 'The Golden Shot' (remember that game show?), with the young lad calling "Left a bit, right a bit" until E had his hand right over the hole then he'd drop the bulbs in and his assistant would cover them over. They talked together as they planted and walked around the garden. I think they're building up a real friendship, and it doesn't matter if E doesn't remember his helper the next time they meet - he'll feel a familiarity with the young lad that will make him feel safe and comfortable in his company.<br />
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You see, we're as bad at wrapping older people with dementia up in cotton wool as we are our kids these days. We assume that people with dementia are unable to do so many things and yet when we let them take the lead (letting them know that there's support available should they need it), they show us that they're more capable than we think they are. Particularly when it comes to being creative or using skills that they're familiar with.<br />
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Isn't it time we took the stabilisers off their bikes and allowed them to wobble a bit? Because if we did, the obvious look of joy on their faces would put a smile on ours too. Sometimes a risk is worth taking.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7shVY3RpFR6EgUIAGauZnjnsBZYs1kp8dzJppvcVMsQTAc7kZiO9Otmb514evyZVzJT1ninff8ZxiBbry9JyxNu-miACb2lX5Y7jSxE6ArCzzZty3PTqlLia9ISRu7sR99IHZjDTm22j/s1600/DSCF4118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7shVY3RpFR6EgUIAGauZnjnsBZYs1kp8dzJppvcVMsQTAc7kZiO9Otmb514evyZVzJT1ninff8ZxiBbry9JyxNu-miACb2lX5Y7jSxE6ArCzzZty3PTqlLia9ISRu7sR99IHZjDTm22j/s320/DSCF4118.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1877754314948413225.post-31025702655467053232010-11-17T18:29:00.000+00:002011-01-17T20:31:14.712+00:00Cornwall FloodsWell I wasn't expecting that this morning! I was woken up around 5.15am by howling winds and heavy rain. At that time of the morning there's just no point in trying to go back to sleep so, as I usually do on mornings when I wake early, I got up to have a cup of tea. Sir Jasper (the rabbit-killer) was asking to go out so I opened up the back door and we were both greeted by a torrent of rain. This happened about 4 times in the space of half an hour. It not that I'm losing my memory, just that Jasper tends to lose the ability to use his own cat flap if there's anyone in the house that could open the door for him; even if his legs, and eyes, are crossed! But each time the door was opened he took one look at the rain and turned tail back into the kitchen. I suspect I'm not alone amongst cat owners in this ritual. <br />
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My brain still didn't examine the evidence before it - not until I'd gone through the morning routine and was in my car going down the road and saw the traffic queue ahead. Not the rail crossing barriers down at this time of the morning surely? It was 10 minutes too early. Then I began to spot the debris on the road and several cars ahead were turning round and coming back the other way.................ah, maybe it was something to do with the high winds and torrential rain we'd had in the night. Tuning to the local radio station confirmed my suspicion (hello Brain, finally awake I see!). Floods, mudslides, fallen walls/trees, debris (both floating and non-floating), stranded vehicles, people trapped in houses and in cars.....mainly the areas of St. Blazey, Lostwithiel, St. Austell, Par and Luxulyan. Basically, all around where I live. Even the trains were affected, both branch and main lines closed due to landslides or, in the case of a local branch line, a storage tanker had washed on to the railway line! I'm sorry? had I missed the announcement about the impending Cornish Apocalypse?!!<br />
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I promptly turned the car around and attempted to get to work via another route. To shorten this entry, I'll just say it was a FAILED attempt involving numerous texts and calls from caring family and friends, Asda, a dead car battery, a friend to the rescue and a repeat of the journey, in the opposite direction, back home.<br />
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After a greatly desired and enjoyable cup of tea I took a walk down the road (in my wellies, just in case!) to look at the damage. I had to take some photos of the scene; I felt it was important to keep a reminder of what nature can throw at us when we're not prepared for it. These photos were taken several hours after the initial flood, after the fire engines had left and most of the traffic dispersed.......<br />
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We faired better than Lostwithiel and Mevagissey as I discovered when I checked the BBC Cornwall website <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/cornwall/hi/">http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/cornwall/hi/</a> . I've been in touch with friends in both locations and fortunately they and their homes are safe. I'm one of the lucky ones; I can sit here tonight by my own fire in the comfort of my own home. Others have been less fortunate. Taken in by neighbours, families and friends they are most likely spending their evening contemplating the enormity of the tasks ahead of them tomorrow. And they're forcasting more rain tonight; not as much as last night apparently but still - it won't be welcomed in this area. For once I won't be saying my usual wet weather comment..."It's good for the garden".Sensory Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17201758354277128050noreply@blogger.com5