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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 5, 2011 6:31:54 GMT
Thank you both...it's lovely to post images and get responses. Nobody really sees our garden except for close family so it's nice to share. One's garden is a very personal thing isn't it? an expression of your own taste and skill as well as the fact that it's heavily influenced by growing conditions.
I water with a hose every day Bixa, especially the vegetables. The water butts are used for collecting rainwater which I use on specific plants (the blueberries, aloes and acers amongst others). In the event of an hosepipe ban (which is looking increasingly likely this summer) I use the watering can and water butts....
The jug you may have seen might be a lemonade bottle? I cut off the base and use them as mini-cloches to protect vulnerable plants from pests (like my cat!) the one in the pic with the heucheras is protecting an emerging arisema....the cat likes to hide in the ferns and leap out at passing wildlife...often knocking delicate emerging shoots....the arisema bulb was expensive !
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 5, 2011 7:36:43 GMT
Thanks, Cheery. I'm always fascinated by the methods & tricks other gardeners use. And everything in the garden has a reason, whether ornamental or practical. That's one of the things that makes gardeners nervous about having others help them. "Oh, what's this doing here -- we don't need that!" Yeek.
The other reason it's great that we can ask each other questions is exactly what you say: One's garden is a very personal thing isn't it? an expression of your own taste and skill as well as the fact that it's heavily influenced by growing conditions.
And that's the kicker -- we all have a vision and have to work around obstacles and limitations to try to make that vision real.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 19, 2011 17:48:05 GMT
More showing off.... baby cucumbers in the GH...they are really sweet it seems to be a good year for peas...these are my sugar snaps Around the garden... Arisaema ricinus lupins achilleas trifolium
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 19, 2011 17:51:35 GMT
cosmos sunflower dahlia French marigolds and nasturtiums etc eryngium
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 23, 2011 17:58:45 GMT
Oooh...a new sub-board....how nice. ;D
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 23, 2011 19:41:22 GMT
Cheery, the variety you have is just mind-boggling and admirable. How much of that is started from seed?
And I'm just knocked out by your combinations. What an eye! That white dahlia with the monkshood(?) behind it almost put me around the bend, as I was already twitching badly with a lust for lupines.
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Post by mich64 on Jun 23, 2011 23:05:17 GMT
I agree Bixa, I love how she combines her plants with different heights and colors of blooms and foliage. Lovely Cheery, just lovely!! I would like to take some updated photos but my camera has broke Since we will be travelling soon, I have to make a serious choice so it will take me some time to buy a new one. Cheers, Mich
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 23, 2011 23:56:18 GMT
Drat, Mich!
I want to ask Cheery what kind of camera she uses, as several of her pictures practically loom right out of the screen. You can almost reach in and pluck that yarrow, for instance.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 24, 2011 5:34:30 GMT
Very kind of you to indulge me. Bixa, the camera is just a point and shoot Panasonic TZ10. As for the colour combinations...that's largely down to luck. My planting technique is 'shove 'em in' ;D altho I sometimes do it consciously when I buy plants....for a large pot for example. The plants in the dahlia photo are dwarf nicotiana (Perfume-Purple)...that dahlia was sposed to be red according to the seed packet!
Everything is grown from seed except the 2 achilleas, the arisaema and the trifollium.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 24, 2011 5:35:54 GMT
Mich...I neeeeeeeed to see pics of your garden.... ;D
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Post by mich64 on Jun 24, 2011 17:48:23 GMT
I think I am going to use my husbands mobile phone to take some pictures before more of the blooms are gone! My gladiolas were brilliant this year, my pretty pink peonies and yellow day lillies are blooming now, my hens and chicks have spread out in the roots of an old tree where I tried planting them (it worked!). I had the most beautiful dark purple iris, it bordered on almost looking like dark chocolate in certain light. Two of my hostas have grown enormous... and my camera broke I will see how the mobile works out. Cheers, Mich
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 24, 2011 18:32:18 GMT
Oooooooh goody!... ;D
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 24, 2011 19:19:38 GMT
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jul 19, 2011 18:56:13 GMT
Gardens doing OK atm.... jasmine fucshia mess dahlia mina lobata echinacea cleome detail chocolate cosmos foxglove tagettes primula capitata baby helenium verbena bonariensis the flowers aren't out yet...but the foliage is lovely
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Post by fumobici on Jul 19, 2011 19:53:18 GMT
I'd say it's doing rather better than OK. Lovely.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2011 20:08:56 GMT
Beautiful, CPB! For reasons of childhood memories, any garden that I would have would be full of dahlias every summer.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Aug 5, 2011 19:39:28 GMT
There are more dahlias opening as we speak...must take more pics!
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Post by palesa on Aug 5, 2011 20:07:41 GMT
CPB, are you planning a trip to South Africa any time soon? I offer free board and lodging for some garden planning assistance.
Your garden is truly inspiring.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Aug 12, 2011 16:55:08 GMT
oooh....if I win the lottery I'll be over Palesa....
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 16, 2011 14:38:43 GMT
Finally looking at these, as I had to skip some things while traveling.
I love your "mess" -- glorious abundance.
Your flower closeups are so lush & loving. You got some great wider shots, too -- the cat under the fuchsia is super.
I've never seen that particular small single tagetes before. Is it low-growing & do you know the name?
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Aug 17, 2011 17:14:38 GMT
The tagette is quite low growing Bixa...I think it's 'Star Fire Mixed', I love it and will grow more next year. ;D
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Sept 6, 2011 16:37:32 GMT
My latest pics...late summer. Lysanthus dahlia twining's after eight actea agastache coboea scandens veronica morning glory heavenly blue lily
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Sept 6, 2011 16:42:43 GMT
melianthus major foliage liatris musa basjoo tomato veronica and heleniums stuff
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Post by bjd on Sept 6, 2011 17:37:21 GMT
What do you do with the lysanthus in winter? I bought two new ones this year, although they aren't double like yours. Am wondering whether they will survive the winter.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Sept 6, 2011 18:13:58 GMT
I think that the one I have is an annual so I don't really expect them to last. Never got them to flower before now...hopefully I'll collect some seed for next year but they are quite difficult to grow from seed because it's so fine.
On the packet it recommends growing them in a greenhouse in the UK, so I'm taking a risk having them outside. Good luck with yours ;D
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 7, 2011 2:18:05 GMT
It's just glorious, Cheery -- I would love to wander through your bit of paradise.
I wonder what would happen if you cut the lisianthus back really hard before the first frost, then keep pretty dry in the greenhouse all winter.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2011 5:15:59 GMT
Your garden just never stops, cpb!
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Post by mickthecactus on Sept 7, 2011 7:57:59 GMT
Cheery, your Aloe polyphylla looks as if it's doing well.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Sept 7, 2011 12:35:00 GMT
Thank you dear ones... I was thinking of doing just that Bixa, but it's only just started flowering and the weather's starting to turn already I might repot it and bring it into the conservatory... I brought the aloe indoors this week Mick because it's getting quite wet and cold outside, should I keep on watering it ? (using rain water) as it seems to be still growing, it'll need repotting next year I think.
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Post by mickthecactus on Sept 7, 2011 13:51:17 GMT
Cheery, it could stay out at least another month as it is virtually hardy. Yes, water it right through winter - say once a fortnight.
When you repot it use a large pot preferably ceramic to keep the roots cool. Soil mix 1/3 grit, 1/3 peat based compost, 1/3 orchid mix.
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