What have you done today in the Garden?

I'll say Jewell!!

I planted the remaining onion sets today. I now have 100 in.
And weeded the community garden plot of the grass that had sprouted from the hay I used as mulch last year. Never again will I use regular hay!

 

The hose reel I ordered on e-Bay for the back of the garden arrived as promised today. So it's on the front of the shed, connected up with no leaks.







Then of course, it started to rain, but not before I'd mowed the lawn. It's stopped now.





It's going to be a bumper year for wisteria blooms, even this small one is making every effort.







The many azaleas in the bed next to the patio will soon be out. There's no uniformity of colour, a mixture of red and white and they "fight each other for space."

The red ones are always the first to flower.

 

Nothing much more than a stroll around checking for pests today, as I'm completely up to date.

Just a bit of watering later in the day.





I did spend a couple of minutes painting the supply hose to my new hose reel, only because it was bright yellow and "in your face."



I may not now change it for speed-fit once the lockdown is over and if I'm still around. As I'll be eighty at the end of a month, I was aware that the family had planned "something" but this has had to be cancelled. To be honest I'm quite pleased, as I don't like any sort of "fuss,"if I'm the subject of it

I'm very pleased with the five rodos I "rescued" from Aldi at £7.99 each. I'm sure those that were left would have likely died as they don't water plants as a policy.

These are four of them.



The blooms are quite attractive.



The Mayleen on the side fence is in bloom. We should have a good show of roses here later in the year, despite the fact this "alleyway" gets very little sun.






As well as watching a dozen or so TV highlight programes of last season's American Football Matches and some films, I've spent more time on my musical hobbies. I can't understand why so many "snowflakes" have difficulty surviving the lockdown.

Tomorrow, my wife's new craft desk/storage unit is being delivered, so I've that to set up. I'm quite pleased about that, it'll mean hopefully, I won't have to shift some of her "stuff" any time I want to sit down in that room.

 

Just a bit of tying up of several clematis. These I need to watch carefully in the dry weather as they soon wilt if the roots get too dry or warm.

Our acer in the front garden is coming into its own, with the leaves opening up, showing their early pink shade.

For the last thirty-odd years this tree's canopy has grown progressively, to now around six inches each year and I've been shaping it for the last ten or more, I just take six inches off, more or less, in places, to make it retain the shape. It puts up with this treatment magnificently. I've a Barnel extending pruner, so no ladders or steps required.






I've ordered one of these for the connection to my tap and new hose for the rear garden. It'll save a bit of messing about.
In this situation, brass is better tthan plastic and no more expensive.

 

Transplanted all of the tom plantlets, gave water to the seedlings and fruit trees.
Had a look in the bees, cleaned their houses and gave them some new foundation frames. Mowed the paths.

 

Looked for squash vine borers eggs. My area is scheduled for another storm so I need to tighten down some tomato plants.

 

This is the three year-old Stella cherry tree I bought on eBay for £33 in May 2018.
It didn't do much in its first year and not a lot more last year, here in this tub on the small patio.





it had about four cherries and the birds had them.
So at the end of last year I moved it to here between the azaleas and the rockery, much nearer the house.
It must have liked being out of the tub as this year it rewarded us with a lot of blossom.




That's faded now.



But there's plenty of cherries on it. Just as many failed to get polinated, but that's to be expected.
I'll be putting a net over it to keep the birds of it later in the year.



The roses in their tubs on the two patios are doing really well, lots of buds on most. I gave them a spray of Richard Jackson's rose tonic this morning, they'll get another in a week or so. So far no sign of blackspot.
The two wisterias on the pergola on the back of the house are nearly out.

 

Nothing, it is raining cats and dogs again.

 

I harvested some salad greens and.



Soon I will be harvesting these.

 

Apart fom another job I mentioned elsewhere, I gave this "a coat of looking at."
I built this featherboard fence and tongue and groove door in 2004.
The door came ready made from B&Q and I made the frame to fit round the door (the way to do it) and built the fence around them.



I cheated with the arch (today's photo) excuse the pigeon poo.




Time hasn't been kind to the door, nor should it be, as these things supplied by the sheds are made down to a price (in this case fifty quid).

The fence is in excellent condition, needs a few more screws here and there, whereas the door... has dropped despite the extra re-inforcing I gave it at the time. The pins that secure the tongue and groove have probably rusted and caused the individual bits of wood to start sliding down to the right. I've had to move the lock keep a couple of times. It's also rotting in a few places, but I'll be able to re-use all the door furniture, when I replace it



As the local wood yard is now open, I though I'd get some more tongue and groove and re-make it, but I want tanalised and they don't have an. They are only taking telephone orders.Anyway, I like to see wood before I buy it, to avoid the "banana options."

 

Usual little bit of weeding before I got distracted, then a little bit of houseplant maintenance.

 

Great harvest, Odif. Good to see some strawb fruits.
it's been a while.

 

I tidied up the branches of the wisterias on this pergola.
The newish white one in the middle is growing rapidly so I spread the branches out.

So there's three blue ones at each end and six white in the middle. (I like to be organised).




I also put a few dozen screws in the featherboarding either side of the garden door, where they were bowing a bit.

 

Raining so staying inside and having a coffee.

 

Cleaned the drive with the blower

Cleaned the tea-house.

Made my yearly garden video. Live at midnight should anyone be interested.

You used to be able to upload them instantly, but this is how they do it now.
But the upload is very much faster than it used to be.