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Post by derekbrooks on Oct 18, 2017 21:26:07 GMT
A full gardening day today but as usual on Wednesdays Rosemary needed the car till mid afternoon. I weeded the rose bed in the front garden then cleaned the greenhouse windows. Spent the rest of the time tidying up . There were a lot of pots needed emptying and the pots sorting out and putting away and other things like buckets and tubs that were lying about needed putting behind the greenhouses. When she came home in the afternoon I went on the allotment and did some more weeding. I have had some good news from the National Vegetable Society . They have finally agreed to publish another of my books. I can't remember if I have told you about this before . A few years ago I wrote a book called "Growing flowers for cutting". It was published by a lady who used to be on this forum called "wildlife friendly" and I paid for the publication myself. We had ,I think, 100 copies printed which all got sold. I have already written two books for the National Vegetable Society in a series about "Getting started".( "Getting started on the show bench" and" Getting started on the allotment"). I think some of you have copies of these. So, the N.V.S. are now going to publish my cut flowers book in this series. The exact wording of the title has not been decided but it will be something like "Getting started with flowers for cutting". The original book had no coloured pictures but we will make the new one very colourful with a lot of my pictures which I am going to sort out in the next few weeks. It should hopefully be printed early in the New Year.
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Post by derekbrooks on Oct 18, 2017 21:29:41 GMT
I counted seven red admirals on my ivy this morning and also a comma.
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Post by derekbrooks on Oct 19, 2017 20:34:38 GMT
It was nice this morning for the health walk. There was no garden club at school today so when I came home from Blackleach at 3.00 I was hoping to go on the allotment but it poured down all afternoon. So I went in the greenhouse and potted the remaining 30 geranium and pelargonium cuttings . The warming bench is no longer needed so I switched it off.
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Post by Cat on Oct 20, 2017 17:38:39 GMT
Great news about the new book on cut flowers. Do let me know when it is available I would love to add a copy to our others.
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Post by derekbrooks on Oct 20, 2017 18:51:31 GMT
Thanks, Cat It was showery this morning so I didn't risk going to the allotment. Between showers I carried on tidying up the garden, sorting the empty pots and trays etc.that were lying about and putting them away . During showers I went in the greenhouse tidying up the plants, cutting them back if needed and removing dying leaves. It did brighten up this afternoon so I did go to the allotment. I thought it would be too wet for digging after all the rain yesterday. There is a large clump of golden rod and I cut it all down and the stems filled three sacks which I brought home to put in the waste bin. The French beans had finished so I pulled them up and put them on the compost. Spent the rest of the time tidying up the dahlias. I have not been able to keep them tied up with all the wind recently and many were leaning over or broken off. If the stems were broke I just cut them off and put them on the compost and I cut off all the flowers that were spoiled by the weather. I also pulled up a lot of weeds that were easy to do such as sow thistle, red leg and shaggy soldier. We are celebrating this weekend because on Sunday, Rosemary is 80. We are going to Wales in the morning with Martyn, our son, and staying for two nights in a hotel at Beddgelert which is only a few miles from Porthmadog where Heather, our daughter lives. She is there already, staying in a B.and B.nearby for three nights. On Sunday evening, Karl,Heathers husband, our two grandsons, Alex and Jake and Alex's girlfriend are coming and we are all going for a meal. We are coming home on Monday. There is an allotment meeting on Monday evening and we will be home in time for it unless we get held up. So you won't hear anything more from me till Monday evening. Hope the weather is decent for us but the forecast for tomorrow isn't good.
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Post by derekbrooks on Oct 20, 2017 19:09:01 GMT
A lady who we are friendly with, who goes to our church and also goes on the health walks at Blackleach made Rosemary four birthday cakes. One for the health walkers which we had yesterday, one to take to Wales with us tomorrow, one for neighbours and one for church which will have to be a week on Sunday (because we are away this Sunday).We have not seen this one yet but I am going to show you a picture of the other three. free picture hosting for ebay
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Post by SueA on Oct 21, 2017 7:53:16 GMT
Very Happy Birthday to Rosemary, that's a lot of cake!
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Post by derekbrooks on Oct 23, 2017 16:30:05 GMT
Thanks, Sue We arrived home 4.30. We went to Conwy on the way home and had 2 hours there. We hah a lovely time with our family. Took 30 odd photos and I have just put them all on my computer .I have read my National veg magazine from cover to cover while we have been away. I will be able to go to the allotment meeting this evening.
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Post by derekbrooks on Oct 23, 2017 16:41:41 GMT
This is my family at the meal last night. From this end, on the left, Me, Rosemary, Heather (our daughter), Alex (eldest grandson). On the right, Jake (youngest grandson), Martyn, Karl (son in law), Beth (Alex's girlfriend)
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Post by lesley on Oct 23, 2017 17:34:50 GMT
Lovely photo Derek, love those cakes
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Post by lesley on Oct 23, 2017 17:43:35 GMT
Lovely photo Derek, love those cakes I would also like a copy of your latest book of 'cut flowers' let me know when it's available
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Post by derekbrooks on Oct 23, 2017 20:28:22 GMT
Thanks, lesley
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Post by derekbrooks on Oct 24, 2017 17:54:05 GMT
On the border at Blackleach there is a large clump of golden rod like the one on my allotment that I cut down last week. This morning I got Billy to cut this one down.
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Post by derekbrooks on Oct 25, 2017 20:46:50 GMT
Last week one of the other health walk leaders at Blackleach gave me 2 hanging baskets that she wanted me to re-plant. I did these for her this morning. I was going to take them to the health walk tomorrow to give her but when I phoned to tell her she told me she can't come tomorrow. So I have just left them under the car port for her to collect when she can. Had about an hour and a half on the allotment this afternoon.I cut down the Michaelmas daisies and some other things that had finished and began cutting down the spray chrysanths because most of these had finished. Brought home some more sprouts and turnips.
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Post by derekbrooks on Oct 26, 2017 20:35:19 GMT
When I go to Blackleach on Thursdays for the health walk I stay till 3.00 to cover the art club. I normally go straight to school but not today as it is half term .Richard, the ranger, has been on holiday today so I stayed all afternoon just to keep the visitor centre open,so no gardening today.
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