MAGGIE1 2012 DIARY

[Maggie1]

Well starting this on 6th January. There's not a lot that can be done out in the garden as its so wet. Constant wind and rain since before Christmas. However the crocus and daffodil bulbs are up. There are some old wallflowers from last year in flower as well.
I've still got a load of new wallflowers (I'm very late) to go out into the garden so when its dry just go out and plonk a few in.
As its so wet I will clear the Polytunnel and get it prepared for Spring planting.

[Maggie1]

11th January

Well after 4 whole days without rain and lovely sunshine throughout the day, I've got quite a bit achieved.
Finished laying the stones for under the sheds and paths to the sheds and chickens. Ordered the sheds today and hopefully they will be erected next week.
Found a bag of old daffodil bulbs that had started to shoot so planted them in the polytunnel rather than let them rot.
Dug a quarter of the Polytunnel

[LittleBrownFrog]

Well done I've barely set foot in the garden yet this year

[Maggie1]

10th February 2012

Well we've had the sheds delivered and erected all done in less than 2 hours and it was -3 when the blokes did it and wouldn't even stop for a hot drink. Now we are emptying the barn into the 2 sheds. I've got some old tea chests and stacked them on their sides and sized and put all my empty flower pots in them. The tea chests make great containing shelves

Just been out to the polytunnel and the old daffodils that I put in to stop them rotting are all up and about 4 inches high. I expect they will come up blind but at least they are not dead. Also noticed that the hanging baskets with strawberries in are starting to shoot. OH stuck some old runner beans which he started on a tissue straight into the ground. Just a tester and if they don't come to anything we've not lost anything.

Outside, Thank goodness we've not had the dreadful snow UK have had, only rain which isn't unusual for Ireland. I was quite surprised how the garden hasn't flooded like the fields all around. The Daffodils are all in bud and I've bought 2 bunches into the house. The tulips are all up well. Primroses still flowering well since last October. Can't find my snowdrops. I never have much luck with them. I put some little tete a tete daffodils in my hanging baskets and they are in full bloom and look really lovely, also the old wallflowers are out. The new ones haven't done at all well and still only little.

When I was in UK I bought loads of dahlias, gladioli and seeds. I might start the dahlias off in pots. Hopefully get the gladioli in later

Till next month or not before, happy gardening

[Lillia]

Wow, you've done well, Maggie. You've gotten quite a bit accomplished!!!

[Maggie1]

24th March 2012

Well had a good day out in the garden. Firstly sat in my potting shed as it was so cold potting out 18 Vicki tomatoes. Its a really old brand of small plum tomatoes. Problem being you can't get hold of the seeds now so I caught lucky and found an old squashed one still on the plant and brought it in and dried the seeds on a kitchen towel. Luckily they all took.

After when it had warmed up a bit even though its been windy all day and my face is really burning now I Planted my new lilies. I also found some really old bulbs so I shoved those in as well. Also planted out some perennial plants that my cousin gave me.

After lunch I decided to clean up a couple of beds. weeding and along the way killing so many blooming slugs its untrue. So now I'm well and truly pooped. Hopefully it will be dry tomorrow so I can get my gladioli in. The primroses are really in their glory at the moment and have been blooming steadily since October. My front garden looks really pretty at the moment with all the Spring bulbs out. Have a look.
These are the primroses



These are just a few of the lovely crocus


And finally this is my lovely front garden at the moment


Hope I haven't bored you with my ramblings

[Annie]

Maggie, the orangey blooms among the daffs look really pretty, I guess they are tulips. The 1st bits of colour certainly get you inspired to carry on in the garden, specially when the sun comes out too

[LittleBrownFrog]

All looking lovely Maggie

[Maggie1]

28th April 2012

Well here we are nearly at the end of the month. I've not really done a lot as been away 3 weeks.
Before I left I'd potted up some dahlias and some tomatoes and my wonderful neighbour not only looked after the girls they kept the polytunnel watered. I had some old sweet peas which I left in the ground and would you believe they are in bloom and I've picked them and they smell beautiful. Also I had 18 Vicki tomato plants and they have all survived. The dahlias are about a foot high.
Today I potted up some Oleander and Choisya cuttings I brought back with me from Malta.
I also sowed in pots Streamline and Prizewinner runner beans. OH is going to plant Scarlet Emperor straight in the ground in the poly. Mine is for outside.
Tomorrow I hope to get some flower seeds done. More sweet peas, cosmos and not sure what else. To be continued.........

[Maggie1]

Well here we are 2nd June and I've missed a month. The Polytunnel is doing well and the runner beans are in flower. Peas, carrots, beetroot, spring onion,radish all sprouted and growing. Onions doing well. Got some tomatoes in as well as outside in grow bags and 3 tiered planter. Got to plant up the melons and we've had a couple of strawberries from the hanging baskets. We've got a load of strawberries in bloom outside. Also a big patch of runner beans. The fruit are all doing well in the fruit cage especially the gooseberries.

I've potted up a load of cosmos and bidens. I've got to prick out some old seeds that I didn't think would grow as they were so old. Some seeds were over 10 years old. I've got 3 Spanish broom and some verbascum up as well as new sweet peas. I've already had a load of sweet peas from out of the Polytunnel. It was left over from last year and I left it. Its rewarded me with some really perfumed blooms.

Outside is very bleak and overcast at the moment but a lot of stuff has survived the winter and all the rain we've had. Here's a few picky's of the front garden.

This rose is called Happy Retirement. I bought it when we moved here



This is my 1st dahlia that I'd potted up before going on holiday




These are the Oriental Poppies. There's orange ones as well.

[Annie]

I love poppies Maggie, I have lots of the small yellow ones that self seed everywhere but I dont give a fig they are so bright and happy. I gave a lady some lefy over sweet peas that I grew this year and in return she is giving me some self seeded big poppies - purple - wow hope they go in my garden.
You really must try to remember where you put your diary - too long between entries

[Maggie1]

Here we are into July and thoroughly fed up with the wet stuff as everybody is. Had some peas and runners from the Polytunnel but other than that not a lot.
Was able to get out into the front garden yesterday and have a good weed. This is what it looks like.