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. . . Spring Fever . . .

Category: Gardening 2008 | Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 1:53 pm

We are having the most fantastic weather here at the moment; the rain and winds having disappeared to be replaced by still, frosty mornings and clear blue skies with sunshine. The daytime temperatures remained in double figures for much of the week and it was officially recorded as being "The warmest February since records began".


The phrase " Most ----- (fill in the blank) . . . since records began" is a phrase that I anticipate hearing quite a lot throughout this year, being applied to different aspects of the weather here in the UK, as it was during 2007. Today however, the wind has moved round to a more northerly direction and it's too cold even to open the windows here and air the place out, which is how a February should be, I think.


The sunshine has brought the spring bulbs out into flower and they all seem to have come through ok; there are miniature Daffodils and Iris and now the Crocus are starting to materialise, too. In the boat, this is combined with Primula and some Heather, which is still in flower. The Iris remind me of orchids a bit because the flowers are so delicately patterned and a lot of the 'Daffs are coming up multiple-bloomed, which is an unexpected bonus. I'm very pleased with them and am starting to appreciate the benefit of a planned-planting structure, which I will endeavour to continue throughout the growing year.


With this in mind, I ordered some plants from a catalogue because I want some permanent features here in the garden, so on their way are

[img]

...and...

[/img]

...and...

[img]

...and, finally...

[/img]

...which I think is the most specatacular of these plants. Last year I grew some 'black' poppies that I really liked and if I can find the seed I collected, I'll add some of those, too. There are already white Foxgloves ('Alba') established in that bed and I've also got some white Peacock Orchids to go in somewhere, so I think that a black, or dark burgudy-purple and white colour contrast should look effective.


The pot of bush tomato seeds has sprung so they're out of the propogator and on a warm shelf indoors, along with one that has sprouted from the individual pot-sowings.


In the veg plot, the drier weather has meant a return to double-digging horse manure into the beds: three are done now; that's more or less it. I also had a chance to start constructing the raised bed; at least, I've put two planks at right-angles and spread raw chicken manure over the area of grass and weeds.


I'm hoping that the manure will be acidic enough to clear the ground so that I can hook out the weeds without too much digging and then there's a huge heap of topsoil that needs raking and spreading about, to fill the bed with, ready for planting up; that is the plan. If the manure succesfully removes the weeds, I am going to start using it on my 'horticultural Nemesis', this:



[/img]

...which is Bracken. It is endemic in the British countryside and what it thrives on best is slopes because treatments like spraying it are impossible on unaccessible land.


The UK Environmental Agency recommends crushing new growth of this plant for three years minimum, to prevent it's getting more established, which seems more like a form of maintainance than control.This is the second season of trying to prevent the spread of Bracken on the field here because it's such an invasive plant. It smothers all other types of plant that might fall into its path and it totally colonises its surroundings. It is also carcinegenic and harbours tics.


So far, my personal campaign against it has developed from flattening it with the back of a spade (it just unfurled and continued to grow)to hoeing out the new shoots as soon as they appear.If I can use chicken manure spread directly onto this plant to kill it, I am onto a winner, I think; of course, it could go against me, with Bracken being one of those plants that thrives in such acidic conditions but as an experiment it's certainly worth trying.


Finally in the gardening week here, I harvested some of the autumn-sown swedes. I was going to thin them out - very belatedly - by transplanting them but whilst doing this, I realised that after seven months in the soil, they'd probably be mature and certainly the colouring suggested this. Also, they had begun to lift themselves out of the soil, which should have been a give-away but I've never grown them before.


They are tiny specimens, probably from being to tightly sown and not having room to grow but apart from size they look fine. I estimate that six or seven will be needed for a decent portion for two. The next stage in the gardening here will be sowing more seeds and potting on the new tomato plants, whilst in this Blog, I should heve 'spring photo's' to add to the words, next time. Also, the ordered plants might have arrived. Brilliant.







[img]

Of which this is easily the most dramatic, I think.[/img]


Last edited: Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:11 pm

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Comments

 

toni wrote on Thu Feb 14, 2008 3:57 pm:


Good luck with the Bracken, we have some persistent invaders too, but not that one.

I have planted some Black Iris and can hardly wait for them to bloom, they should be beauties.
Also have some Black Magic Lily bulbs on order that should arrive in the next few weeks.




 

glendann wrote on Thu Feb 14, 2008 5:36 pm:


I'm looking for the Black blubs and plants that bloom .I hope my black tulips came through the summer and winter under ground .Good luck with yours.




 

Droopy wrote on Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:12 pm:


Love your new plants! I've got the white-tipped lily if that's Netty's Pride. Bought a Landini to go with it too; lovely, dark colours. Good luck with your ongoing bracken battle.




 

Sjoerd wrote on Fri Feb 15, 2008 2:12 am:


Gorgeous pics of your orders. I'm sending my last orders of the spring to T&M tomorrow.
If those bulbs do what they're supposed to do, you will have some really nice flowers. That dark purple is a pretty colour, isn't it?
Are you planning to mix them with lighter colours or make a plot with all the same colour?
I'm excited...and I wasn't even the one that ordered them! Ha ha ha.
Keep us up to date on the development of these lovely things please.




 

Palm Tree wrote on Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:28 am:


I cannot wait for the actual plants. Great stuff that you have planned there. Black sure is beautiful. Good luck with the bracken fight.




 

Biita wrote on Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:13 pm:


Wow!! looks like you are going to have a very dramatic flower garden.. i love that last one. the one that looks like a fern.. and can it grow in the artic,,(don't mind me, i always ask that)lol. Good luck with the bracken, hope the chicken doo-doo works for you. I am really intrested in seeing your garden when its all in bloom, that will be awesome!





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