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Gran/Grandads Gardening Corner

(682 Posts)
J52 Tue 07-Mar-17 08:35:38

As suggested I thought I'd start this! smile. The season is upon us! Any good ideas etc.
So what is everyone doing in their garden, on their balcony or in the window box?

Liaise Thu 20-Apr-17 19:43:21

I seem to be behind everyone else. Would never have thought of oxalis.

Liaise Thu 20-Apr-17 19:40:40

The leaves might be a clue to what it is. Will try to find it in my gardening books.

mcem Thu 20-Apr-17 16:02:05

Thanks everyone. I'll watch its progress but think I 'd buy it again. Must do more googling to find out more about its little ways and habits!

J52 Thu 20-Apr-17 15:58:20

Oops! Crossed post, but the mystery is solved.

J52 Thu 20-Apr-17 15:57:41

Oxalis Ardenophyllia, apparently! I found a picture on the internet!

mcem Thu 20-Apr-17 15:57:08

Oxalis adenophylla! Googled 'buy oxalis plants'. There are so many types of oxalis and most of them bear little or no resemblance to mine but this was an excellent match. The leaves are lovely - a bit like origami with their pretty folds.

Galen Thu 20-Apr-17 15:48:32

Japanese geranium?

rosesarered Thu 20-Apr-17 15:41:23

Isn't that a sort of daisy? Have never planted it ( or noticed one) but it's very pretty anyway.

mcem Thu 20-Apr-17 15:38:30

I think I may have found it in an old book of Mum's. What do you think of oxalis?

rosesarered Thu 20-Apr-17 15:30:11

lilahloo grin wouldn't it be great if we really could grow garden benches.

rosesarered Thu 20-Apr-17 15:28:53

It does look like an anemone. Both flower and leaves mcem but not sure.

I call the weak and fading plant section the orphan shelf.

mcem Thu 20-Apr-17 15:24:15

Thanks j52. I don't think it's an anemone as the leaves are very different. The flower looks a bit like wild geranium but again very diferent (and prettier) leaves.

J52 Thu 20-Apr-17 15:07:40

Could it be a type of anemone? It's very pretty.
I call the 'sick bay' The sad plant stall'.

mcem Thu 20-Apr-17 13:30:13

Could someone please put a name to this?
6" across and 3" high. ( This is looking down at it.) I bought it last week in B&Q's casualty dept and it had lost its label. Only planted on Saturday and doing beautifully.

Flossieturner Thu 20-Apr-17 09:24:30

I dug up my Lilac tree and put it on Freely Wheely on Good Friday. I had no takers during the holiday so I thought I would have to bin it. Over the last two days I have had 6 requests. So it has now gone to a nice new home instead of the dump.

shysal Thu 20-Apr-17 09:10:52

I love all the different names for the garden centre 'sick bay'. I think 'search and rescue' is my favourite mentioned so far. What do you all call it?

J52 Wed 19-Apr-17 22:27:15

mcm isn't gardening fun! I know what you mean, I tend to wear gloves so the bits stick to them.
Not only does polystyrene make the pots easier to shift, but it also uses up the trays the plants come in.
Enjoy the pots.

lilahloo Wed 19-Apr-17 22:14:04

Rosesared I misread your post and thought you had planted a garden bench!!

I fell out of love with my garden last year but a friend has been giving me some help with bed digging - what took him a couple of hours would have taken me a couple of days. I'm ready to fall in love again.

This year I'm determined to sort out two very different beds. Out the front gets full sun and the soil hardens like concrete. The other one is out the back and gets very little sun.

This thread has given me quite a few ideas. Love the look of the splish splash geranium.

mcem Wed 19-Apr-17 19:32:00

Well j52 I was doing some potting up today and thought I 'd try your polystyrene bits as I find pots hard to heave around. I had a couple of sheets of polystyrene, broke them up and started to pop them into the first pot. Didn't think about static build-up. Just couldn't shake the bits off my hands and wrists. After several frustrating minutes I ended up washing them off in the bathroom basin - plug in to avoid clogging drains.
Pots were easy to shift and are looking good but I'm glad no-one saw my battle with the bits!!
Next time I'll try the packaging 'comma' bits.

Nelliemoser Wed 19-Apr-17 18:46:28

I spent yesterday moving more soil from the bags on our front garden into the now bordered beds. Work in progress which I am doing gently, a bit at a time.

I was tying in my Rambling Rector, (while I can still reach it) so it will spread horizontally and I can let it go where it will.
I have been moving my existing plants into new positions. On the way I dug up a Buddliea Dark Knight and binned it. (I have several cuttings.) It was in the wrong place.
This afternoon I bought a Timperly early rhubarb plant. No idea where I will put it yet and two "Erythronium
Pagodas" A sort of yellow lily like flower for shady places. Well they were on the search and rescue table at half price £3.50 each so why not.

Shysal* I envy your "splish splash" geranium.
I bought two Astilbe "Fanals" from the "death trolly" in Homebase last year now they are looking really good.

Just as a matter of interest how many of you have been on The Gardeners World Forum. You do have to register but it is a very good source for general advice. Having lots of people with different levels of experience is really useful. I am finding it really useful and quite fun.

Greyduster Wed 19-Apr-17 17:35:08

He bought them from the floating flower market and he was desperate to plant them today, so we went ahead and did it. I've stored bulbs before and not been very successful, so there's not a lot to lose I suppose.
My Erisymum has gone absolutely bonkers, shysal now that it isn't overshadowed by the demon laurel. The garden's looking pretty good at the moment - but then it always does until we go into the July-August lag phase! I never seem to be able to get the late summer right.

Jalima1108 Wed 19-Apr-17 15:54:15

Hot? It's quite chilly here!

J52 Wed 19-Apr-17 15:54:09

I'd plant the tulips. I've often bought cheap bulbs at the end of the season and planted them up. You may only get leaves this year, but they should flower next year.

In fact my 10p Begonias are on their 15th year. I hope they come through again this year.

rosesarered Wed 19-Apr-17 15:42:58

Yes, it's really hot in the garden today.?We have just come indoors.Erysiums really seem to need replacing every three or four years, but they aren't expensive and bloom really well.No idea about tulips, we plant in late Autumn and have some in bloom now, and some will bloom in May.It could be an experiment Greyduster grin
Have just painted a garden bench ( muscles are now aching , muscles that I didn't know that I had!)

whitewave Wed 19-Apr-17 15:41:28

They may flower very late this year, but if they are one of the good perennial types they will settle down and flower at the correct time in future years.