Hi. Long time no post. Yes, I'm still around, and things have obviously progressed (enormously) since my last presence here some eleven years ago. Where does the time go? My garden, which was at that time an ever changing scene of ideas and whims, has since then seen a good few more changes. But I'm pleased to say that the final transformation is now one which I'm very happy with... Because it features my long time love of model railroading, something which I couldn't afford until a couple of private pensions matured. Several years have seen my garden railway layout mature into today's infrastructure. I belong to the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers, which means my railway is also visited by a local circle of great friends within the hobby - at least once a month (and I visit theirs). This social enjoyment ensures that I also keep my garden as neat as possible. I will of course be posting some photos, but these will first need to be resized to fit the forum's pixel requirements. Involvement with the local hospital's Cancer & Wellbeing Centre charity fund, by way of producing two CD's of music (keyboards and vocals) has also kept me busy. So, for the moment this is just a long overdue 'Hi!', and a hope that I can find time now to make more posts again now that things out there among the shrubs, hedgehogs, soft landscaping, hard landscaping and about six years of railway jobs, have settled down, hopefully, into its final phase of a more casual weekly maintenance routine...and time to put my feet up a bit more. I do have a website at www.steamnotes.weebly.com for anyone interested in 16mm garden railways.
Hi Pete and welcome back! I do believe you now hold the record for longest GardenStew hiatus I can imagine the site is quite difference in appearance since last you were here, but its heart is the same. I remember your music by the way!
Hi Eileen and Frank, thanks for your welcome. To be honest I can't remember far enough back to recognise what's changed here, but it all looks good. I'm having a little trouble uploading from my camera so, until I find out what's wrong, any new pics will have to be on the slow burner at the moment. Eileen - I have a Phlomis Russeliana (Jerusalem Sage?) in full bloom (photo below) and want to give my brother some seeds once they're available. I'm not sure where I would find these as it's such a strange looking plant. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm assuming they'll be somewhere in the round nodule directly under the flowers. Pete
Welcome back Pete, thankfully your absence was for a fun and very productive reason. The blooms themselves become ornamental seed heads in late summer, leave them on thru the fall to mature. You can leave them on thru winter for birds or gather some then to share.
Thanks for the guidance Toni. The Phlomis only had one stem of flower heads last year, and you can see what it's managed to do this year! Hopefully it won't get any bigger. Hi Netty - your greeting is much appreciated. A few photos are about to be uploaded in the gallery department...I've now solved the problem I had which was something to do with my Sony editing programme. Anyway, I hope you like them. Pete
