07 Tuesday May 2013
Posted in The Garden
This Hebe plant is the newest edition to my florist essentials garden.
(My ‘grand’ plan is to make a garden full of useful foliages, flowers for cutting and plants good for wiring).
I chose to have the vibrant, deep green variety of Hebe, but there are the most gorgeous purple tinted ones available. It was quite hard to choose… when I *ahem* got misdirected via the garden centre. Again.
Plus, it has the added bonus of wobbling like a jelly.
What’s not to love?!
01 Wednesday May 2013
Posted in The Garden
I don’t know what today was about…
…but we all felt a bit washed out at the Finca.
However, all it took was a cup of tea and a walk around the garden to make us feel more zingy.
Well… maybe zingy is a slight exaggeration.
Hope your Wednesday is looking a lot more lively!
27 Saturday Apr 2013
Posted in The Garden
Tags
A new and completely beautiful addition to the garden.
Papery, pinky loveliness.
Mr DF was not a fan at first because he said the name was too much like scabies.
Hmm….
He is beginning to be won over by the plant’s total gorgeous factor….
…and because it should keep flowering until October.
October I tell you!
(Obviously with a little dead-heading attention, of course).
Do you love it too?
04 Thursday Apr 2013
Posted in The Garden
Tags
crocus, flowers, gardening, macrophotography, nature, photography
A large pot that started out with 5 crocuses in, is now completely covered with them.
It looked a little bit glorious and took my mind off the chilly wind for a minute.
Thought I should share the anti-chilly-wind love!
02 Tuesday Apr 2013
Posted in Animals, The Garden
The hens have been looking extremely grumpy.
I put it down to all of these cold, icy blasts getting right up and in between their feathers.
Most likely that would put us all in a bit of a miff.
To cheer them up, I promised that I would grow them some lettuces.
Once the plants are looking juicy enough, I will give the hens the whole pot plus lettuce and let them have a party.
As you can see, we’re a little far off from the lettuce-extravaganza yet, but at least it gives poor old Keith and Steve something to look forward to!
12 Tuesday Mar 2013
Posted in The Garden
Sadly, because of all this freeeeezing weather, we’ve taken a couple of hits at the Finca.
Some of the more delicate herbs in the ‘bbq herb bed‘ aren’t looking too hot.
The sages and common rosemary plants are all looking robust and healthy, but the poor basil and oregano plants are brown and crispy!
I made myself a list of all the ones that needed replacing and took myself off to the garden centre.
Umm… while I was there, I was suddenly struck by the vision of a whole mass of lavender in one section of our raised bed, just near to the outside seating area. I could almost smell the aromas and hear the bumblebees buzzing.
That’s when I woke up from my dream and realised I’d spent *ahem* quite a lot of money on lavender plants!
Ooops!
21 Thursday Feb 2013
Posted in The Garden
Mmmm… June….
Warm winds and outside eating.
Two layers of socks not being a complete necessity.
Lazy afternoons reading books.
You might have guessed, but I am going slightly stir crazy with all this -600 degree wind chill factor and am desperate to get out in the garden and do proper gardening things.
Like… mulching and hole digging.
Ho hum. Never mind.
I’m going to put on another pair of socks (yes, that will then take me up to 3) and dream of summer sunshine.
x
04 Monday Feb 2013
Posted in The Garden
About a year ago I planted out some of the tiniest hellebore seedlings ever.
Just made up of a couple of leaves and a little stem.
10 months on and they barely looked any different.
Small. Insignificant. Possibly dead.
However, in the last month they have completely exploded.
Leaves unfurled and the most beautiful flowers appeared.
(I removed some of the older leaves as this prevents disease from getting hold and promotes more flower growth).
What stunners!
I am left feeling really rather proud of these little growers!
29 Tuesday Jan 2013
Posted in The Garden
Look at these beauties ~ popping up all over the place to banish the winter blues!
I love the way that they clump together in swathes…
…and waft around in the wind.
All clean and fresh with their green and whites.
Delish.
18 Friday Jan 2013
Posted in The Garden
It is absolutely amazing!
We’re in the middle of January, all plants are supposed to be sleeping and yet there is growing going on in every direction.
Most alarmingly, the roses have been shooting all over the place and I hadn’t gotten around to giving them their annual prune.
If I didn’t get on with it, I would have missed the boat!
So keeping an eye out for those scrummy, outward facing, side-shoots, I gave them a good haircut. My main aim being to keep 3 strong-looking vertical branches that would support the plant as it matures (I have climbers – golly, I love a climbing rose).
Hopefully, these strong stems will gradually mold themselves into a more horizontal direction (with a little persuading) and fingers crossed, this will lead to plentiful flower production.
Happy rose-growing!
