General Chat

Hello Everybody.
I have, or did have, a border in my garden that was abit 'tropical'. Ferns, Palms, Cordylines and the such, interspersed with other things. Also, I had two Cordylines on the patio in large pots that were over 5 foot tall, and which I had for over twenty years. Well, I have lost the lot.
We had a bad frost in Novemeber, and yes, I was in hospital. When I came out, we had the snow,and that stayed and stayed. So, nothing was covered up. Usually, they do not suffer too much hardship, nothing I can't cope with. But this year, all is lost.
Went for a run with the OH to a local garden nursery's that specialise in Cordylines. The ones the size I had lost were £89.99, each. Well, that was abit rich for my blood, and if I started again with smaller ones, I would not, at my age,see them grow to the size of the ones I lost.
I, and the OH, have noticed around here that alot of other people have lost there's also. A friend down the street had something similar, about 8 foot high, and she has lost that also
I wondered if it was just pecular to us here in Derbyshire, with the weather we had.
On a lighter note, I have just taken down to the greenhouse, pots of lilies and dahlias, I had started off in the kitchen. I have also started off pots of Calla Lillies, and Astrantias. I don't like to have heat on in the greenhouse, as it is apt to make plants go leggy. As soon as a shoot is up, down the yard they go.
I am about to plant seeds of tomatoes, three varieties, aliums,poppy, foxgloves,sapiglosis,asarina, and millet, among other things, in small pots in the kitchen window bottom. I just knew that all those little pots I save from hospital, the ones they give you your tablets in, would come in for something.
The OH has got his broad beans in at the allotment, aswell as his onions and, dare I say it, shallots. Seed potatoes are next, followed by brassicas, carrots, parsnips and green beans.
Once the garden season starts, slow to begin with, it takes over. There is always something growing in a pot in the kitchen, and you're lucky to find a place to put your dinner plate on, let alone the lappy. Even the Paramedics have to put their kit where they can find an empty spot. Still, it makes for interesting conversation, whilst they are getting me sorted out, and in the summer, they always go away with bags of 'just picked' tomatoes for their lunch.
Well, as for that jungle border, they do a nice line in artificial palms etc, in Ikea. At least I won't lose them whilst I am away during the winter.
Just a few musing from a gardener.
Ha,ha,ha,
Take care All
Julia in Derbyshire

Nice to see you back Julia, Sorry about your plants but I think lots of stuff was lost during the frost and snow.I,m hoping that my Arum Lilly which I,ve had for many years will recover.Got my tomsspringing up already plus all sorts of other plants,By the way you do realise that you have a full order book for your jumpers also bobble hats with various designs on. Take Care,**M**.

Yes we lost a couple of smallish cordyline that were about 4 years old. It was such a hard winter.

yes winters been harsh on the garden
i have lost a couple of Cordylines
. and a few yukkas have bent over with the weight of the snow

but i am surprised that my violets are now in flower
so the good weather may very well be on its way

Hallo Julia, glad you are back and ~~~~to Merlin, Ann and Joy.

My nesting site for the blue tits robins and blackbirds is a dead as a dodo.
The wall by the side of our house which was covered is lush green ivy is now all brown and wilted.
I though ivy went on for ever.

It hasnt put the birds off thought, they are flying in and out of it as usual so I will have to put up with it till nesting season is over.

I like pottering but dont know all the names of all the plants but there is a lot of dead twigs and stumps out there!

Teresa

Theresa, with your ivy you may find the main branch has broken somehere near the bottom of the plant so no nourishment will be getting to all the 'branches'.

Thanks Ann,
I will go and investigate.

Teresa :)

I have lost my bottle brush tree. It coped pretty well last winter but i think it said to itself two on th trot are too much so it curled up its toes.However, I am off to Italy on Saturday and theirs will be just right for taking cuttings from s..o plastic bags and paper towels in my case, will dunk them in permanganmate of potash when I get home to make sure no nasties on them. See you when I get home. Elaine.

Not having been active in the garden for about 3 years I do not notice small things but my camellia is looking downright sick. One flower and yellowing leaves - got OH to give it a good soak and some ericaceus compost on it.

It is normally covered with blossoms. The magnolia stellata has about half of its usual blossoms.

I have the opposite. I lost a couple of shrubs that were well established in the garden to heat during a particularly hot week. The temps. were never below 33 degs. and a lot of my plants were scorched but these two were burnt and although I cut them back they were terminal and I had to let them go. Very annoying in an established garden as the shrubs I bought to replace them look so new.

Sue x

I inherited a Cordyline last summer, about 5 years old, it had lived on the Menai Straights, now in Conwy, in a sheltered position. Crown is dead and the top two inches npof the bark is spongey.

Checked on Google, the advice is to wait until at least the middle of April and then cut down at least 4 inches below the dead/spongey bit. New shoots should appear at the base. Will cross my fingers and hope. Looking around town and they all appear to be the same, some more like trees than mine.

It looks like my New Zealand Flax Phormiun. has copped it, I filled 2 bins cutting back the dead leaves only to find a black soggy mess at the base,last years flowers were 12 feet high and made a lovely shady spot .
Yet the spring flowers are early ? It's all gone wrong !

HI We lost 4 Cordylines this winter which we have had for 5 years plus some of my herbs whch were in the green house Just going to start again and hope for the best. Sandy