The Lincolnshire Bird Club

May 26th:

The back garden is full of flower an absolute picture if I say so myself. I even got a compliment from next door on how lovely its looking lol.

Every year I always say its the best year for Honesty well I think this year certainly is, the height of the plants some must be three feet, my mum would be very proud of me, they were her favourite flowers along with Aquilegia which are also doing really well, and the soil is so dry with all the trees and shrubs taking goodness out the ground and both are also growing in the shade of the shrubs.

I was away eight days this month in Wales and when I returned one of the first things I noticed was the Hawthorn in full blossom! The Rowan has also been full of blossom. I'm thinking of the hoards of berries for lets hope this year Waxwings lol.

The Cherry outside the back lounge window is a picture with its white blossom, not as much as last year due to it being pruned back last year, it will have another shave this year.

My favourite flower the pansy has not let the side down, the window box at kitchen window is a blessing while I'm washing up seeing it lights up my life. Got two pansies in the raised bed which in winter were only tiny little things and now they are two feet across masking my beetroot, sooner have the pansy, much sooner get a jar of beetroot .

The Rosebay Willowherb won't be as profuse I cut them hard back last backend, they were taking over.

Forget-me-Not is a picture of colour, Weigeila just started to flower, the double-white Lilac looks lovely from bedroom window, Photinia with its multi coloured leaves next to it. The other lilacs not quite as full-flowered due to hard pruning but will make up for it next year.

Bluebells just about finished, also had a few white ones as last year. In the raised bed and other borders put some Wallflowers in and they showing well. In the back garden took about 50 photos to remind me of the beauty of the flowers, nice to remember on a cold winters evening!

In front garden window box the pansies giving an excellent display with this year not having any toms I put in shallots as their companions, hope they approve lol. The Primula and Polyanthus have been in flower for months! Also the holly is full of flower (more berries) and more Aquilegia in flower.

When I'm having a down day with my many illnesses it gives me so much pleasure to see the display of flowers etc and this cheers me up no end.

That's it for now.

Regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Howdy,

been awhile since I wrote anything and not doing much now because I'm shattered from my latest trip for different reasons.

A few weeks ago found another new plant growing in two containers in back garden, I'd filled them with my own compost so I could plant my broad beans in. It wasn't until a mate asked what the plant was that I looked in my guide book and discovered it was a Black Nightshade (solanum nigrum) very poisonous it says I ate the broad beans with no effect, and also right next to the plant was a rogue tomato plant which I didn't put in, that grew but didn't bear fruit.

I've got lots more to write but it will have to be another day.

Kind regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Decided to throw the Black Nightshade away in case it poisoned any animals!

Max

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Hi,

Time for a catch-up.

While tidying the front garden this week noticed the Pyracantha is full of berries but didn't see any on the Holly. What I think is a Viburnum is also full of berries, also one in a pot is in flower protected by the porch wall. Pruned back some of the Holly, Spirea, Cotoneaster, Elderberry and last years Pansies which all being well I should get another season from them, as I will the Wallflowers, most people probably dig them up and buy fresh, well I don't I let them continue.

The Blackbirds and Starlings took all the Rowan and Hawthorn berries later than usual. The cherry in the back garden I had it hard pruned back so I can see birds flying by but it hasn't let any more light in the lounge . Also had the lilac and magnolia cut back. I read many years ago that its impossible to get cuttings of magnolia to root so I've never bothered, but this time I saved twenty cuttings and put them in two jars of water inside the house and that was a few months ago, at the moment they are still alive, so maybe I'll prove the book wrong.

I didn't have a climbing rose up to a few weeks ago but I've acquired one its a twin colour think its red and white, I've put it in a large tub till Spring side of the house, checked other day and spotted a leaf.

Always enjoy the Photinia during the year because of its changing leave colour, its now about 8' high, I've had it twenty year, but moved it many times.

A few months ago decided to take snapdragon cuttings off the main one in a tub, pleased to say almost have taken which I've moved into the front and rear gardens, these were one of my mothers favourites as they are mine .

Not sure I mentioned it before but this year one of the buddleai cuttings flowered a light blue colour and that's the first time that has happened so well chuffed! The dozen or so cuttings I took I let them all flower and why not let them if they want to I say, all the others were the dark blue as their parent shrub was.

I dug one of the ribes up because it had got powdery mildew and I won't use insecticides etc luckily I've got a few left and only one was affected.

Looking forward to the polyanthus and primula flowering in the front garden soon. Got quite a few berries on the Ivy.

Well that's about all I can think of at the moment, am sure while I'm having supper I'll remember some more

Kind regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

April 22nd:

Noticed the Welsh Poppy flowers about to come out (some came out a while back during the mild spell we had) they usually come out May time, the original plant has died.

The violet is still spreading. Got a good show of bluebells, honesty, forget-me-not, wallflowers, periwinkle, primula, polyanthus, aquilegia soon be in flower, pussy willow is loaded with catkins, magnolia been in flower two weeks, forsythia still in flower, daffs, the jonquil soon be in flower, the photinia is colourful, the cherry blossom is a picture in front garden, spotted a male Blackbird with a two foot long piece of sellofane take it into the privet .

Planted campanula and echinacea not grown these, also two sunflower plants (hope they get a good height) given by a friend as a challenge.

Been sat in garden most days getting the much required Vitamin D from the sun.

Regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Howdy,

Update: to start I've got the best show ever of the Welsh Poppy, now have over a dozen plants and all in flower what a picture!

The Violet has taken over so dug lots up yesterday to allow the Primula to breathe.

The trees were an absolute picture with all the blossom, the Hawthorn, Pussy Willow, three Cherries and discovered one tree has blossom on for first time, wasn't sure what it was so took some flowers and leaf off and on checking guide it was Whitebeam, so that's a new one for garden the Holly and Cherry in front garden has been full of blossom. The latter has pruned back it was too close to windows. The Rowan was full of blossom.

Part of one of the oldest lilacs in back garden fell down while I was away and I had to cut it up with the electric saw, in total five branches rotted off, sadly it was the ones with the Ivy on.

The Photinia is full of leaf colour it looks fine. Magnolia flowered a long period. The other lilacs have been lovely including the whites. Next door complemented me on my trees in blossom, she said they were gorgeous! Hoping the Buddleah's are going to have lots of flowers on, the big one is now hidden behind the Hawthorn and Willow.

The twin-coloured climbing rose is growing a bit probably take it a year or so to get established, I'm growing it in a pot not ideal but I've got nowhere to put it.

The pansies that are two year old did come back with all pink flowers so bedding plants don't have to be flung away, just cut them hard back and pray.

Wallflowers have just finished so well pleased, and cut them back ready to flower next year. A conifer about 2' high seems to have come back from the dead after putting it in a pot and standing it aside the water butt for protection.

Been making some tubs out of the plastic containers that I get fat balls in, drilled some holes in and planted five with Lilium Elodie for a friend, also will plant some with bedding. Weigelia looks smashing. The Callicarpa looks well. As does the Hydrangea.

Had an excellent show of Forget-me-not, Aquilegia, Honesty, Bluebells, Primula, Polyanthus and Lily of the Valley, and no one got to see them bar me.

The Field Maple looks fine, also got one growing in front garden. Got an Elderberry in front garden with berries on for first time. The Potentilla will soon be in flower as will the Spirea.

I certainly seem to have the knack of growing trees and shrubs, of course the soil helps after years of growing veg etc in it, it was well manured etc.

The strawberry bed (raised bed) has lots of flowers, a friend gave me a raspberry cane but I'v had to put it in a pot and I don't think it likes it lol.

Time for supper and a lovely mug of tea!

Kind regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Crikey av not been on since June! Had another good year in both gardens (f/r).

Trying to think of any failures, cant think as yet. In the front garden I recently had the privet cut hard back and lowered a bit. The viburnum, holly, pyracantha, elderberry, ivy, cherry, cotonaster have all had fruit on and most still have. Have planted some cuttings of buddleia. Bit disappointed the Gazania didn't flower whereas those I gave away did. The Hollyhocks put on a good show in the driveway. I took out the old viola from the windowbox and dug it over and transplanted snapdragons and forget-me-not's, left the gazania and begonia in.

On the lower part instead of topping up the bark chippings I took them off and just put down cheap compost and transplanted forget-me-not, primula and polyanthus.

In the back garden I'm slowly having the large cherry hard pruned, will wait till all the fruit has been taken.

My tea is nearly ready so will have to finish this later.

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Well March proved to be very colourful in both gardens. In front/driveway box got the Daffs out plus the Primula, Polyanthus, Wallflowers (2nd year plants), Cherry tree in blossom, Forget-me-Not, Periwinkle, Viburnum, Grape Hyacinth all in flower. Near garage got Primula, Forget-me-Not, Common Dog-Violet and a plant yet to ID and its been growing for years, time I got it sorted. Today the 1st of April took a few photos of the plant and according to guide book the plant in drive is Ground Ivy, a new tick even though its been growing for years.

In back garden its a mass of Primula in colour, it makes me smile, Daffs, the Ribes is a picture, last year trimmed it into a upright shrub rather than spreading each way and it looks far better, the Bluebells won't be long be fore they flower, the Cherry similar, Forsythia looks nice, Common Dog-Violet in flower, Hyacinths as well, pulled two flowers and put them in a bottle and the scent is something else, these were my Mum's and they have been coming up for more than 30 years.

Transplanted three small Buddleai where the following had been (and got the electric saw and took down a very small tree, it offered nothing so had to go). The Goat Willow has lots of catkins on and the Hawthorn is leafing up as is the Rowan. Magnolia is in flower.

Hoping to visit SGC soon to check out some new editions for the back garden, and use my voucher for a free drink/cake .

Toodle loo

Max

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

The trees and shrubs are full of fruit as usual, the Pyracantha in front garden is full of berries and the Ivy is starting to get lots of berries along with the Elderberry fruiting for the first time, the Viburnum will have lots on.

In the back garden the Rowan is being raided every day by a pair of Blackbirds and two juvs, the Hawthorn is also being raided most days, the cherry trees are not ripe yet, the Callicarpa has put on lots of growth this year and more berries than usual.

Thought the finches would have taken the seed out the Burdock but alas no, so cut them down cos the flowers (?) keep catching my clothing.

Both the front/back gardens have been lovely again this year, though I'm way behind with them, but like woods they can look after themselves mostly.

Kind regards

Max

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol