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Post by roofgardener on Jul 23, 2015 15:44:36 GMT
I'll bear that in mind, SueA - thanks. Ten days ago.  Today (click to enlarge)  Current Status  |
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Post by roofgardener on Jul 28, 2015 15:16:18 GMT
So then.... Let us sit around in the gloom, singing sad songs about the dearly departed Capsicum, and bewailing the cruelty and brevity of life, and how we are all doomed to..... Oh BEGONIAS to THAT. Meanwhile, at a Secret Location two miles from The Roofgarden, we have my Sisters Terraced Garden of Many Parts. Every Saturday I pop over, and spend 2-3 hours helping aforementioned Sister to gradually... slowly... bring order back from chaos. One part (or possibly two parts; geologists disagree, and the UN has yet to rule on the issue) is called "The Moon". This is because the lower half has a slight "half moon" shape. So it became "the Lower half moon", as opposed to "the Upper Half Moon" (even though the upper section is more of a dumb-bell shape). Eventually, this was truncated to the "Lower moon" and "Upper Moon". The Moon is to the right of the Gravel Bed, and the two are bisected by a path that leads up to The Lawn, and thence The Upper Patio. Above that, three paths lead up into the Left and Right Orchards, and - ultimately - through the Bramble Wall and into the Top Acre. Of these three paths, only one is currently visible. Neither the Top Acre or the third (central) path have been seen for several years, and some authorities suggest that both entities are just mythology.
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Congratulations to all those who have followed the story so far. Sit down, catch your breath, and have some light refreshments before we continue with the main story.
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OK, so... after several years of neglect, the garden was in a bit of a state. My Sister works very long hours, and she had other priorities in renovating the house, so it was allowed to go fallow. Then, bit by bit, we started to get control back.
The Moon was a jungle. It was a moment of joint triumph when we simply managed to evict all of the weeds, and produce bare soil.
I had promised to grow some pretty flowers to put in as a temporary measure while she decided what the long term plan was, so the pressure was on to produce.
My Begonias all died at germination, along with MOST of my pansies, leaving only the Petunia's and a handful of Dhalias, marigolds and primroses. I was rather nervous when I planted them all out, and... well... it looked a bit bare. Credibility was at stake. We COULD just pop down to the garden centre and by a bunch of bedding thingies to fill it up more, but that would be to admit failure.
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So, there was a flurry of feeding and watering and mulching... and then, I arrived last Saturday to discover...
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Yaaaaay. It may not win any prizes, but it DOES look cheerful, and Sister was pleased with the overall effect. So.... a happy ending for my first ever attempt to grow plants 'to order'. I'd be a lot more confident NEXT year !
Mind you, I ran out of stuff for the Upper Moon... but at least we've managed to keep it REASONABLY weed-free.
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Sister cat was so impressed with it all that she went to sleep !
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Post by Cherry on Jul 28, 2015 16:49:02 GMT
The garden looks very good Roofy. I think you have done very well from the low point at which you started. You have also learnt a lot and enjoyed it. It gives you a change from the pots on the roof. That really is hard.
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Post by daitheplant on Jul 28, 2015 18:43:34 GMT
Roofus, have you advised your sister yet that she needs a vegetable garden also?   |
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Post by roofgardener on Jul 28, 2015 21:23:50 GMT
The garden looks very good Roofy. I think you have done very well from the low point at which you started. You have also learnt a lot and enjoyed it. It gives you a change from the pots on the roof. That really is hard. Without the lows, how would we learn ? Its a journey, Cherry, and a good one  If only I had known five years ago, what I know now ? What splendors might I have acheived ? Or.. alternatively.. I'd have taken up the Cello instead  Daitheplant... I've tried, I really have. My Sister has horrible pressures on her time, far more so than myself. She DOES have SOME veggies (strawberries, and tons of fruit in the Mythical Orchards..) but not the time to tend stuff properly. One battle at a time. |
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Post by Moonlight on Jul 28, 2015 22:57:40 GMT
Roofus, have you advised your sister yet that she needs a vegetable garden also?  |
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Post by Moonlight on Jul 28, 2015 23:00:44 GMT
The garden looks very good Roofy. I think you have done very well from the low point at which you started. You have also learnt a lot and enjoyed it. It gives you a change from the pots on the roof. That really is hard. Without the lows, how would we learn ? Its a journey, Cherry, and a good one If only I had known five years ago, what I know now ? What splendors might I have acheived ? Or.. alternatively.. I'd have taken up the Cello instead Daitheplant... I've tried, I really have. My Sister has horrible pressures on her time, far more so than myself. She DOES have SOME veggies (strawberries, and tons of fruit in the Mythical Orchards..) but not the time to tend stuff properly.
One battle at a time.
Mega Respect. |
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Post by grindle on Jul 29, 2015 4:55:46 GMT
 you're doing a grand job there roofy
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Post by Cherry on Jul 29, 2015 5:39:45 GMT
You wouldn't need to take up the cello, there is a very funny book here. Think about it! |
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Post by roofgardener on Jul 29, 2015 10:23:43 GMT
Mega Respect Roofy. You are doing so well. Very impressed. I wish I could do what you have achieved but not as much as my poor husband. He would love a garden like you and your Sister have achieved.
Mega Respect. Oh HUSH Moonlight; I've seen the layour plan and the photograph of your garden in your Blog. It looks REALLY nice, and really well laid out. (especially as you removed that tree root to enable you to open up the bed near the greenhouse). A 'proper' greenhouse AND a garden shed ? To die for ! Do you use the shed as a potting shed, or is it purely for tools, and eating the occasional key ? Of course, you DO have an advantage. Whillst most of us are slaving away under the blazing Summer Sun/Drizzle/Downpour (delete as ap propriate), you and hubby can just luxuriate in your sunny Cabin, sipping Mint Julips and encrypting your new Dhalia's, whillst Pirate and Fairy do all the actuall heavy gardening work (it's true though, isn't it Pirate, Fairy ? ) On that topic... any chance of a more detailed photo-tour of the garden ? I'm particularly intrigued by the greenhouse, shed, and in particular that summer house/cabin thingy ? I would LOVE to have something akin to your Cabin. Some sort of small glazed "thingy" just big enough to sit in, so I can sit on the Roofgarden with my mug of tea, even when its raining. Sadly, I don't think it would be possible  Oh.. there's another smaller building as well... next to the shed ? Is that another shed, or a playhouse for Pirate/Fairy ? |
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Post by roofgardener on Jul 29, 2015 21:16:50 GMT
You wouldn't need to take up the cello, there is a very funny book here. Think about it! An intriguing thought, Cherry, and a good one ! I was thinking more along the lines of a film. Something a bit..... edgy ? Perhaps we could get Tarrantino to direct ? Mulch Fiction ? Water-Feature Dogs ? The Silence of the Lettuce ? The Lonelyness of the long-distance Runnerbean ? |
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Post by Moonlight on Jul 30, 2015 4:51:13 GMT
Mega Respect Roofy. You are doing so well. Very impressed. I wish I could do what you have achieved but not as much as my poor husband. He would love a garden like you and your Sister have achieved.
Mega Respect. Oh HUSH Moonlight; I've seen the layour plan and the photograph of your garden in your Blog. It looks REALLY nice, and really well laid out. (especially as you removed that tree root to enable you to open up the bed near the greenhouse). A 'proper' greenhouse AND a garden shed ? To die for ! Do you use the shed as a potting shed, or is it purely for tools, and eating the occasional key ? Of course, you DO have an advantage. Whillst most of us are slaving away under the blazing Summer Sun/Drizzle/Downpour (delete as ap propriate), you and hubby can just luxuriate in your sunny Cabin, sipping Mint Julips and encrypting your new Dhalia's, whillst Pirate and Fairy do all the actuall heavy gardening work (it's true though, isn't it Pirate, Fairy ? ) On that topic... any chance of a more detailed photo-tour of the garden ? I'm particularly intrigued by the greenhouse, shed, and in particular that summer house/cabin thingy ? I would LOVE to have something akin to your Cabin. Some sort of small glazed "thingy" just big enough to sit in, so I can sit on the Roofgarden with my mug of tea, even when its raining. Sadly, I don't think it would be possible Oh.. there's another smaller building as well... next to the shed ? Is that another shed, or a playhouse for Pirate/Fairy ?
The only person that could make our garden sound good after seeing it would have to be the The Estate Agent Sales Man / Woman of the Year.
n.b. No disrespect intend on Estate Agents in any way intended - just that you would have to be an exceptional to make it sound good after seeing it.
Hay Hoe 
Maybe a better year next year and next year I am going to grow something else other than dahlias and weeds.
Next year I am going to grow sweetpeas again. I grew them a couple of years ago and loved them but they made HH sneeze and I think (but am in denial) that Fairy has a similar response but I've spotted a Sweet Pea called 'Bristol' and as HH is a Bristol boy, I am going to grow them.
Of that I am determined.
Just going to need to take a lot of tiny steps in the right direction to reach that point.
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Post by roofgardener on Aug 2, 2015 8:21:00 GMT
Have you considered complementing the Dhalias with some Edibles ? Perhaps a little Herb Patch ?
And with the greenhouse, you could have a Salad Bar, if there is space ? (a couple-or-three troughs with some Lettuce, Rhocket, Spring Onions.. that spikey-leaved red stuff... perhaps even a tomato plant ? ). Pirate and Fairy might enjoy potting around with those sorts of things ?
Oh.. and some of my Dhalias have finally flowered. I'll try and get a photograph and stick it in my Blog this weekend ?
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Post by KC on Aug 13, 2015 8:41:47 GMT
Looking great |
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Post by roofgardener on Aug 17, 2015 13:36:38 GMT
Thank you KC. It's a slow struggle, but we are gradually rolling the wilderness back. NOW THEN.. speaking of wilderness, I thought it would be good time to give Moonshine (and several other of you Dahliaticians) a bit of a giggle. Here we have my first ever attempts at Dhalias. The seeds where carefully selected from... a packet of mixed seeds from Wilko's. These are round at my parents house. As usual, the cat was NO help WHATSOEVER. |
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Sept 6, 2018 17:58:08 GMT
Sept 6, 2018 17:58:08 GMT
Aug 10, 2019 9:01:47 GMT