|
Post by lesley on Jul 29, 2019 17:50:22 GMT
Baskets beautiful Derek, also your front garden love it all
|
|
|
Post by lesley on Jul 29, 2019 17:52:34 GMT
Baskets beautiful Derek, also your front garden love it all Whats all the pink flowers on the far side of front garden Derek
|
|
|
Post by derekbrooks on Jul 30, 2019 21:22:42 GMT
Thanks, Leslie I didn't get time to go on the forum yesterday but the pink flowers are Lavatera "Silver Cup" . It has got a bit spoiled by the rain recently but I hope it recovers by weekend because I want to show a vase of it at the show that I am going to. At this show a few years ago I won the best exhibit in the flower section with a vase of it.I have just sent some pictures ,including those that I have shown you, to Garden News to illustrate my next article which will probably be in the August 17th issue. Yesterday morning I had to take my car to the garage again that I went to last Friday for some bodywork jobs to be done.The garage is next to the gate of the allotments. I went on the allotment and harvested the potatoes that I grow in buckets and tubs.The ground was too wet to dig the others up. Because I had to walk home I left the potatoes there and put my tools in the shed. In the afternoon we went to Blackleach (on the bus)and did our walk round, recording the wild flowers and birds (it had been too wet to go at weekend when we normally go ). When we got home I mowed the lawns . When the chrysanths begin to show colour I cover the bed with sheets of polythene on a wooden frame to keep them clean. When I plant the chrysanths I put the earlier flowering varieties on the front half of the bed and the later ones on the back half. Many of the early ones are showing colour so I just covered the front half yesterday. The garage phoned about 6.15 to say my car was ready so I walked down to collect it. I then went on the allotment to get the potatoes and my tools. I then went to school (which is alongside the allotments)and harvested the potatoes that I had grown there in bags.So I brought all the potatoes home . I need them for next weekends show.I am going to wash them all tomorrow and sort out which I want for showing. Today I have been at Blackleach this morning , then shopping this afternoon. After shopping I went to Country Baskets for a box of florists foam that I need for staging my flowers at the shows. It has been showery today and this evening between showers I have put more ties on the dahlias and chrysanths . When it was raining I have been in the greenhouse taking some more fuchsia cuttings.
|
|
|
Post by derekbrooks on Jul 31, 2019 21:30:21 GMT
This morning I washed all the potatoes that I brought home on Monday and put to one side those that have show potential. We had very heavy downpours in the afternoon. Fed many of the plants in the greenhouses with maxicrop tomato. Between showers I did the baskets and tubs outside. When I am going to a show at weekend I am usually busy on the Friday cutting and sorting flowers so I get my veg from the allotment on the Thursday. On my way home from Blackleach at 3.00 on Thursdays I have been going to school to feed the tomatoes and do any other jobs that need doing such as tying them up. I have not got tomorrow evening to do anything because I have to go to a choir practice. So I decided that I had better go to the allotment tomorrow afternoon for the veg for the show. So, I went to school this evening to do what needed doing. There were some veg at school ready for harvesting and because school has finished for the holidays it would have just gone to waste. So I brought home 4 small caulis, 3 cabbages, some broad beans and the first 4 tomatoes. I intend taking it all to Blackleach in the morning to give to my walking group. I went on the allotment after and tied up the peas and sweet peas again and picked a lot more courgettes which I will also take to Blackleach. I sometimes wonder how many people read what I have written here because it is rare when anyone makes any comment so I wonder if I am wasting my time. However, it was really nice what Leslie said on Monday about my garden and that she liked my pictures and so did Cat .So this makes it all worthwhile.So I am going to show you some more pictures now and I hope that Leslie and Cat like these too. I have sent all these pictures to Garden News as well as those others that I showed you but they won't print them all.
|
|
|
Post by derekbrooks on Jul 31, 2019 21:34:38 GMT
Double basket of surfinias near the front door
|
|
|
Post by derekbrooks on Jul 31, 2019 21:37:01 GMT
Tub of Nicotiana "domino" near the front door
|
|
|
Post by derekbrooks on Jul 31, 2019 21:39:04 GMT
My border alongside the visitor centre at Blackleach country park
|
|
|
Post by derekbrooks on Jul 31, 2019 21:41:49 GMT
Two of the four containers that I planted in front of the cabin on the allotments. This is the last picture
|
|
|
Post by derekbrooks on Aug 1, 2019 21:08:15 GMT
As I said yesterday I went to the allotment on my way home from Blackleach for the veg for showing at weekend. I was disappointed that about 4 caulis which were nice a few days ago had gone past their best and weren't showable. I just got some rhubarb and more courgettes. After choir practice this evening I sorted these out and also the potatoes. I also washed the buckets that I use for the flowers. I will be cutting flowers most of tomorrow from the allotment, my own garden and Blackleach. If you remember, when I gave up half of my allotment I took most of the plants from there and planted them at Blackleach so I am using my border there for flowers I want for showing
|
|
|
Post by derekbrooks on Aug 2, 2019 21:30:10 GMT
It is our sixtyfirst wedding anniversary today so we went out for our lunch then we went shopping at Morrisons, as we do every Friday. Apart from that I have been cutting flowers all day and evening for this weekend's show. The show is at Knowsley (Merseyside) in the grounds of the National Wild Flower Centre on Sunday afternoon but I have to take my exhibits tomorrow afternoon. I am not going to the hut in the morning. I will be making a final sort of the flowers , tidying up the pot plants and loading up the car.
|
|
|
Post by derekbrooks on Aug 3, 2019 20:26:20 GMT
As I said yesterday I have been staging my flowers and veg at Knowsley show. I went about 11.20 this morning and got home about 5.30 .Entered about 35 classes. So I will go back tomorrow afternoon and see what I have won.
|
|
|
Post by derekbrooks on Aug 4, 2019 21:33:02 GMT
According to the weather forecast we expected heavy showers today but it didn't rain at all so it was nice for Knowsley show. We remember a few years ago when the show was washed out. Anyway, the standard was very high but I won 5 firsts, 10 seconds and 7 thirds from 34 entries. I entered 8 veg classes but only got one prize, first with two marrows. I'll show you some pictures now but you are going to be fed up of seeing my pictures before the end of the season. First out of 3 entries with two marrows
|
|
|
Post by derekbrooks on Aug 4, 2019 21:35:07 GMT
Second with vase of mixed flowers
|
|
|
Post by derekbrooks on Aug 4, 2019 21:37:15 GMT
Second with vase of mixed annuals
|
|
|
Post by derekbrooks on Aug 4, 2019 21:40:45 GMT
First with two vases of annuals,Lavatera "silver cup" and Calendula"Princess orange black"
|
|