Sunday, June 13, 2010

General Catch Up. Flower Photos. Rockery.

Hmm, I wonder who General Catchup is? It sounds funny, doesn't it??

Rockery

The rockery has come on apace and is almost finished. It still has some 'holes' for planting but they will have to wait until I can buy a few more small rockery plants.


If you click on it you can see the individual plants and little trees I have planted. Jim moved the purple acer from the bed above as it was getting rather swamped up there. There is still a bit of sorting to be done. The steps up to the 'road' need clearing and making good and the big rocks in front of the rockery need organising too. I must say I'm rather pleased with it.


This one will make you laugh! I fetched some of our compost in my motorised wheelbarrow and here I'm mixing it with some bought compost. It was raining a little bit, thus the coat and fetching hat!! I also wear my old glasses when I'm gardening so as not to spoil my new ones.

Arboretum lawn extension and Arch

Oh yes, we now have an arch at the entrance to the arboretum! A bit twee, but it will look better when a few plants have grown up it.

The new grass has grown well. It still has some bald patches but is getting stronger all the time. Jim's even mowed it lightly.


Do click on it if you have time. You can hardly see the arch against the trees! Look at those lupins. They are so splendid.


This photo of Jim's shows the new grass better, and the arch. And the heaps of stones we have everywhere!!

On the left of the photo is a 'rough' area. It was covered in brambles and nettles and, worst of all, convolvulus. I spent a long while clearing it to be grassed but Jim had other ideas! He has planted it up with , squash, courgettes, sweetcorn and sweet peas!


I don't think they will grow very well there as the soil is just clay! It'll be fun if they do. I guess we'll have to plant the grass seed in the Autumn! The convolvulus keeps popping up where I've missed a little bit of root, but I'm gradually getting on top of it.

Flowers


Lots of roses are now blooming.




I love this orange one. It has really dark, glossy leaves too.


Jim grew the delphinium from seed last year and they're getting taller and taller.


These red lupins look marvellous against the black sambucus 'Black Beauty'. We also have sambucus Black lace which has much finer leaves, almost like an acer. They both have pink flowers and I love them.

I didn't mean to press 'publish' then!


These delicate iris have bloomed in the front wall garden.


While these dianthus are just pure show offs!
The Rest


I popped up to our gate and took this joiner of the view across Martin's field (yes, THAT Martin) across to Lough Graney. I love that view.

BlackJack was looking a bit scraggy and I wondered if he had mange. I took him to the vets and apparently it's ear mites and he's been scratching himself which has made his fur look a bit thin. He now has some super stuff to put on his skin which kills both inside and outside parasites. Excellent stuff. I got some for Sandy too, just in case.

Jim and I have painted the front of the cottage white (well, half of it) and the windows are going to be red. Here it is, half way there:


It's certainly looking cleaner. Compare it to the wall round the corner! The hanging baskets are coming along too.

I think that's about it for today. Jim is in the UK again until tomorrow night. Then I'm off to the UK on Thursday late for my son Jason's 40th birthday. Now how old does that make me? VERY old!

Love to everyone. Have a good week.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

How pretty everything looks. I enlarged your photos and the rockery is so nice. How have you and Jim managed moving all those rocks? The roses are especially pretty and I bet the fragrance is lovely. We are very hot and humid today in Georgia. Harriet is laying in front of the fan with her tummy up in the air!

Jason said...

Wow the rockery looks great. From what Ive seen one of the gardening bits that you excel at. Lovely with a coat of fresh pain, and red windows, exciting.

See you soon. PS. I dot feel so young either! :-)

xx

Heather said...

Not as old as me Gina!! Everything is looking lovely - you both work so hard and must be very pleased with your efforts. I love the archway and the roses, etc., are gorgeous.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

The rockery is marvelous BT. you have done an excellent job. The arch and garden extending out will be great in no time. The cottage all white with red windows reminds me of a religious mask made by Inuit people. They paint the eyes,nose and mouth red so the spirit can find them easily. May your cottage be filled with blessings.

Bea said...

Oh how pretty everything looks. I love your roses, yes, the grass is growing and one has to stop and remember how much hard work you both did to clear that area for grass. Love the paint job and I just love red window trim with white. PRETTY, PRETTY. :)Bea

Pam's English Garden said...

I haven't visited your blog for a while, so I am amazed at the progress you have made! I love the rockery, and the cottage looks brilliant! I wont wait so long before I come back. Pam x

Arija said...

Your garden certainly is blooming, an what a job you have done with the rockery and the lawn! When I see mine reverting to a wilderness of weeds I wish I were 20 years younger.

Lynn Cohen said...

LOVE all those flowers and every time I see your banner I just swoon!!!!!!!!!!!!

marianne said...

Your garden is awesome and such lovely flower pictures
Congrats on your son and have a safe and nice trip!!!

Rachel Green said...

How utterly lovely it all is.

BT said...

Hello Mildred, you were a bit quick off the mark. I hadn't finished the post but accidentally pressed publish - so you may have missed a bit! As for moving those rocks. Jim and I both think we're stronger than we were and could lift some of them. Other we manoevered with a mattock. Some of the roses have a lovely perfume.

I hate the weather when it is humid. I'd rather have it overcast and dry. Poor Harriet, she must be hot. What a funny picture I have of her in my head!

Hi Jason, glad you like the rockery. The cottage will look much fresher red and white. lol re your remark! See you Thursday night.

Heather, we can't escape this age thing can we? I'm glad you like the arch and roses. I like the height that the arch gives.

Oh Lisa, I'm glad you like all our efforts and I was interested in the Inuit people too - and their red sections. Thank you so much for the blessings.

Hello Bea. Oh I remember all the work we've done to get that bit of lawn! So many rocks to move and leveling to be done. Still more to do too. Glad you like the red and white. It is pretty, isn't it?

BT said...

Hello Pam, good to see you again. I know how hard it is to visit everyone. Just not enough time. I am glad that you've noticed the difference though.

Hello Arija, oh I too wish I were 20 years younger. Every job takes that much longer now.

Thank you Lynn. Aw, so glad you like my banner.

Thank you Marianne, I'm glad you enjoy the garden photos. I'm sure I'll have a great time with my big son. At least the ash cloud seems to have stopped now.

Thank you Rachel. xx

Meredith/Great Stems said...

We're painting our house right now, too. Such a chore. But everything is looking so lovely at your house. Good luck!

Peggy said...

I have been following the garden makeover and full marks for the rockery, it looks weathered and aged as if it has been there for centuries!The lupins do look stunning and will get better each year.

BT said...

Thank you Meredith. I loved your blog and your photography is particularly stunning.

Hiya Peggy, good to see you. Thanks for the compliments re the rockery. The rocks were old ones so that helps! We still need a few more plants though to 'fill in'.

Heather said...

Hope you find this among all the other comments Gina. You asked about my paper beads. If you want barrel shaped ones you need to cut a long thin triangle from your chosen paper - say about 4"-5" long and about half an inch wide. Use a fine knitting needle to roll the paper round and start from the wide end trying to keep it even. Put a dab of glue on the pointed end and roll up tight. I used a clip clothes peg to hold mine in place till the glue dried. You can paint them, use embossing powder on them, dip the ends in glue and then into accent beads (the tiny ones without any holes) paint them - there is no end to the ways of decorating them. If you have some lovely paper you may not need to add anything else. Hope these instructions make sense - do get in touch if they don't! Straight tubular beads can be made from a straight strip of paper and the length of the bead is determined by the width of the strip. Be warned - making paper beads can become addictive!

aims said...

Oh Gina. You never fail to take my breath away with how beautiful the Deenery is.

Your photo in the rain took it away too I must say!! :0)