offtheedgegardening

Six on Saturday – Rush 2

The chilli is made, the guest room is ready, the shopping done, the fridge well stocked and the washing is on the line. That leaves me a small window of opportunity to contribute to this week’s Six on Saturday before my nephew and his girlfriend arrive to stay for a couple of days. Take aContinue reading “Six on Saturday – Rush 2”

Wrenched

Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to escape once I have got my horticultural claws into you. It may involve moving home but, I understand to be true, sometimes the means justifies the end. Today I spent a special day at Marwood Hill Gardens with Mrs Fish and our mutual friend (and another ofContinue reading “Wrenched”

Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’

Sometimes it pays to put your specs on and peer a little closer.

Beautiful Bedding

Last year The Mantle’s white enamelled tin bath was filled to overflowing with french lavender. Impossible to beat. Or so I thought. Today a fine petunia and lobelia combination was coming very close.

Six on Saturday – Raindrops keep falling on my flowers

Someone must have speeded the film up. It can’t possibly be Saturday again. There is so much to cram into every week, it doesn’t seem fair that the time seems to pass more quickly at this time of year. As we are pondering this anomaly, puzzled looks on our faces, gaining yet more wrinkles,Continue reading “Six on Saturday – Raindrops keep falling on my flowers”

Carpenteria californica – Tree Anemone

Seems to have settled in OK.

Jolly

Today we went on a jolly. It involved the following, which on the face of it appear quite unjolly, events. A very early start A car journey No train A bus replacement A young woman who talked nonsense at high volume, without a breath and mainly about herself, for an hour and a half. AContinue reading “Jolly”

Slippery

This morning I spent an educational moment or three studying a bee who was trying to exit a campanula flower. Mrs Buzz-u-like’s drawers were full of pollen and she was slip-sliding and wheel spinning, as if her path was lined with treacle. Perhaps it was. It was pure slapstick. And educational of course. I learnedContinue reading “Slippery”

Plan B

Yesterday I implemented Plan B in my relentless battle against the unremitting mollusc onslaught. B stands for beer. Beer traps. This morning I fished out the inebriated/drowned and was impressed/horrified to find approximately forty of varying shapes and sizes in just two traps. They were enticed by Tesco’s definitely not finest but cheapest beer. NotContinue reading “Plan B”

Life

“Gardening is not instant, or a quick fix, do not be fooled by those programmes, life isn’t like that, be prepared for the long haul” this is my rallying speech to new clients. Looking at The Mantles’ garden this week, just over three years since I arrived, I am proud. Not just for me, butContinue reading “Life”