Gardening: Hints and Help!

Sadly no sign of our visitor, but we shall keep looking. 

Something I have noticed this year, and I’m going to whisper it.......no slug damage (been extremely dry) and no sign of any greenfly so far on roses🤞Hope it stays this way.

All we have is a bit of drizzle....

Just returned from a walk. Only my second in 42 days! But I need to avoid bringing 'IT'  back, nice morning and I stuck to pavements, still several folk about just after 8am,  just distance issue with young lad 10 ish? on a bike, face covered, ride up behind me and passed within inches. Said excuse my distance and got a glare! Why pavement and not road? Especially at the moment. I digress!

Beautiful yellow to apricot  climbing/rambling rose out with delicate perfume. Looks like it's been there years, not noticed it before. Lots of beautiful blossom everywhere, certainly lifts the spirits.

Takethedogalong maybe you hedgehog was a one off? Hopefully you've had some decent rain and itll be finding natural food again?

Sounding like Lady Fortescue of CT Manor I ate my first globe artichoke from the garden the other day,  I grew some from seed two years ago, they got a bit big last year with very small "globes" we transplanted them ("we" = OH) and at only three feet high this year they are producing proper full sized globes already, quite surprised by this. 

Cucumber plants arrived by post, two out of three survived the journey, these are small cucumbers and we'll find space in the greenhouse for them.

We do have hedgehogs around us, but seldom in our garden, probably because of pooch, although he doesn’t touch or worry them.

Had to chuckle when I watched this, takes “garden visitors” into another level😱 imaging having this in pond😂

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-52496494/angry-alligator-visits-us-family-s-home

Going to check water butts today, we have had a bit of the damp stuff.

Have been handing over some seed grown veg to a village friend this morning, a sort of continuing swap going on. OH is putting in veg wherever he can, convinced we'll need them later. Lets hope the uk gets enough fruit and veg pickers...maybe those of us over a certain age will be allowed (or sent) out to help?! Back to holidays in the fields, I've got a late forties photo of my MIL with OH covered in mud in a Warwickshire potato field! 

I have found a rather nice Rose I fancy, called Devoniensis. It’s a climbing tea rose, surprisingly old, 1838, but it repeats, is supposed to be quite hardy and looks and smells lovely. Could be my out of lockdown treat......if I can find one for sale!

I noticed that Millie had written about not being too happy with a Parkers delivery. We had to "rescue" several of deliveries from the nurseries this year, including Parkers. It looks as though some have been too long in the post and have been thrown around. Suttons refunded after I complained about one batch. We had a plum tree from NI earlier this year and that's not looking too good either! Obviously too much demand and lack of the usual care. We did have an excellent delivery from Garden Blooms in Fishlake, Doncaster. Very happy with that one. 

I took a few photos outside this morning, still warm at the moment. Part of our front garden and a nice rose from one of the borders, "For Your Eyes Only."

Then I took a photo in the veg plot and the Sweet Williams. Also the struggling Parker's plants and the good Garden Blooms plants! Happy gardening everyone.🌼

Beautiful brue, thank you😁

Great photos brue, just wish we had better ground here to much limestone everywhere but have got some raised beds and I have to go with what grows locally and the Salvia shrubs at present are full of flowers and the bees do love them.

Salvias🤔 Now they are a plant I really like. Haven’t had any in garden for quite a while........

I did get some lovely osteospermums yesterday, and a gorgeous dianthus. Wrapped up warm in greenhouse today though!🥶