Hobbies and Crafts

You can grow spuds in plastic dustbins or get a proper kit to do it from most garden centers.

We grew them in tubs and a potato bag (from the garden centre) last year and they were very successful

As we don't eat a lot of potatoes and they do take up a bit of room in the veg garden, I grow a few in potato bags and they always seem very successful. I've been using the same bags for several years now.

OH went to the local gardening club last night and came back with 2 seed potatoes that I have got to plant (note that's me, not him!), one to a bucket and later in the year there will be a competition for the best yield.

Give him the bucket and soil and say he can't win if he doesn't do it himself. :-D

a tribe of echiums, most about 3 ft high, not lost anything that was important. protected echiums from frost , but thats about all

I think my Philadelphus is going to look lovely in the summer.

GP

And smell good too.

If it's a sunny day and then it rains the smell from the Philadelphus is beautiful. A really beautiful scent.

GP

EDIT - If you are not sure what it is, it is also called the "Mock Orange" plant.

Thanks for the tips about potatoes. Will look around for tubs and bags.
Tess

Looks like a good weekend to clear out the greenhouse. Everything too wet and cold to do much anything else in the garden.

One plus point of the cold weather is that the flowers on the bulbs have been lasting longer

OH started on his greenhouse yesterday. Set some tomato seeds as well but they are in a propogator in the conservatory.

Can anyone advise me on moving some hellebores?

Could I move them now or should I wait until another time of the year and is it possible to split them.
Take care
Von

Hellebores actually don't like being moved or divided Von. But if you must move them, after they have flowered is probably the best time.

Hi Von

I wouldn't move hellebores now as they are flowering, wait until they are over - probably 4 weeks more but go by the individual plants.
You can split them so if you dig up a big plant and there seems to be a natural division in the roots then have a go! Best time to move plants is autumn or very early spring, but if you have one in a really wrong place and it just has to be moved now, then dig it up with as little root disturbance as possible and talk to it nicely, it will probably be OK.

Good luck!!
Claire

Ann, Claire
Thank you. They are flowering rather beautifully at present and I would hate to lose them.
I'll wait a bit. My garden is pretty waterlogged at present but I'm making a "to do" list as I walk around.
Thanks again
Take care
Von

My lovely climbing roses are all sprouting or shooting or whatever you call it., like mad, . ....as I am a rose novice, should I feed them yet? Where is Merlin The Banana Man when you need him! :-D :-D

Von, can you actually walk round your garden at the moment. We have the pleasure of snow showers again, so it is indoors for me today.
Tomorrow I wanted to go to the town, one but next to me, for some yarn and craft things, which means the OH having to come with me, so we are fervently watching the weather forecasts.
I keep looking out the kitchen window, and can see things sprutting, and my fingers itching to get out there, but I have to keep telling myself it is a No, No.
So much for the first day of the Spring Equinox.

Julia in Derbyshire

Von I see that Claire and I have given you conflicting advice. I said about them not liking to be moved as I was reading a piece in the local garden magazine by a lady who holds a collection of Helebores and she said that they do not like to be divided or moved. However, if Claire knows better that it ok. We have moved ours, sometimes with success and sometimes without so I wonder if it depends on the variety. But certainly we agree about not moving until after flowering.

BC not sure about feeding your roses will ask T when he comes in, he is the 'rose expert' here. Unless Merlin appears soon.

Julia, I can walk round our garden but we do have paving stone stepping sones down each side to walk on.

BC. Not at the moment,however you can trim them if you wish,give it about a month before feeding with rose food or Tomatoe food,Sounds Daft but it works,give them a dose of Rose Clear as well.**M**. :-D :-D

I read this in a local paper and thought it was lovely....quite apt for this thread.

Daffodils dance, Iris preen
Violets shrink afraid to be seen
Tulips stand like soldiers on parade
Primrose cluster like gossiping maids
Welcome one and all
In this wonderful season of Spring
:-)