First rose in bloom! I’ve never grown roses before but so far they’re a piece of cake! Chuck em bare rooted and single stemmed into the ground and a few months later they give you this. That’s my kinda plant!
Garden
Where’s A Million Lady Birds When You Need Em??
The sticks called roses I planted back in winter have done really well. They don’t look like sticks anymore!
We get aphids in hardcore numbers and I’ve been watching the roses like a hawk to make sure they’re not being attacked. Just about overnight the aphids made their move.
If anyone has an army of lady birds they’re not utilising, feel free to send them Burnley way!
Rose Garden
It’s finally cold enough to plant a rose garden! I chose 3 special roses: Peace, Just Joey and Mr Lincoln, and added a new one with a special name: Golden Bunny. My favourite golden book when I was little was about a duck and a bunny becoming unlikely friends. When mum would hug and kiss me she used to say “duck and bunny squeeze and cuddle hug, kiss” after that book.
I had to top up the soil with some potting mix and the fresh soil proved too tempting for Lloyd. So unfortunately my lovely new rose garden will have to have an ugly fence around it for a little while. I think once the soil is settled and the roses grab on it should be alright. Lucky roses have thorns, otherwise Lloyd would think I’d planted sticks as some kind of fun game for him.
Maggie Advice Again!
Kate, I’m looking at you..
Maggie has been getting this light green edge on some of her leaves lately. What does it mean? Is she hungry? Too hot? Any advice would be great! 🙂
Lemon Tree Troubles
I’m still failing with my lemon tree. It looks like it’s being eaten but I spray it regularly. I planted it out in the garden a few months ago. It was in a pot but the soil was going mouldy and ants decided to call it their home. So I planted it in the same position that the pot was. It grows new leaves but then the leaves curl up and some have gone silvery. Has it got some sort of fungus?? What’s going on? I’ve struggled with this tree for 3 years now. Will it ever get better??
Palmetto’s First Haircut
I mowed our palmetto instant turf for the first time. Look how awesome it looks! Who knew I’d be this obsessed with lawn? It’s so spongy and soft and lush. And green! I love it!
Question: other than spending hours cutting the edges with secateurs, what’s the best way to neaten up the edges around the shed and garden beds?
And you can’t possibly have a post about the backyard without a photo of Lloyd. I thought I’d sit back and admire our lawn for a bit on a recliner chair that my sister bought me. Lloyd decided the extra height was just what he needed to get the best vantage point for his fly catching. No flies died.
Hen Seeds
My sister obviously knows me very well and organised for my girlfriends to bring me gifts of seeds and bulbs for my hens day. Look at them all!
I’ve planted a few packets out and am now the proud grower of sunflower seedlings! 🌞
Burnt Patches
Our lawn is going great guns. It’s lush and soft and happy. Except for a few little burnt circles like this. I’m wondering if they’re a burny combination of Lloyd’s wee spots and the hot sun. Been trying to water a couple of times a day to wash away the dog wee. Don’t know what else it might be..?
The Lawn And The Weeds
Our Palmetto lawn has spruced up nicely and is looking much less dead. It’s firmly attached itself now. We’ve still got it fenced off from Lloyd but he’s allowed on the lawn when we’re there so we can start disciplining him when his little paws accidentally scratch the surface in what would likely accidentally turn into a digging frenzy if left without intervention. Accidentally of course.
While Lloyd and I were watering the lawn (which involves everyone getting very wet cos there’s nothing better than water coming out of a hose when you’re a puppy) I noticed that heaps of weeds are growing in the lawn. I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen the end two in our garden before either. So annoying! But it does keep me entertained while watering – looking closely for more weeds.
It’s been a month today since Adam laid the lawn so it’ll be time to start fertilising soon. The lawn guy said to start fertilising after a month but all the fertiliser packets I’ve read say to wait at least 6 weeks. I reckon I’ll give it another few weeks. For now I’m just going to keep hand picking the weeds out but will look into weed and feed products if the weeds get the better of me (which they tend to). Who knew there was so much to learn about lawn!?
Update on the Sickies
After many posts in the past asking for advice on my sick plants I thought I’d update you on their progress.
Magda last summer:
Magda now:
Middy last summer:
Middy now:
These two didn’t get burnt in the recent heat we had so hopefully their mature enough to survive this summer without damp cloths draped on them.
Robyn Gordon last week:
Robyn Gordon today:
New growth! Still early days obviously!
Maggie last year:
Maggie now:
Getting there! I hope there’s a happy news story to come out of our new lawn which is looking a little dead :?. I hind sight, laying it the day before a 35°c sunny day might not have been the best idea. I’ve been giving it a whole lot of love and water so fingers crossed!
Note: the attractive fence is so Lloyd stays off the grass for a few weeks.
Really bad patch near the path:
Everyone cross your fingers that water and love will bring it to life!
Gardener Jen 