Gardening

[Hugo]

I'm sorry to hear about your sad loss Nemesis and remember you getting him as a pup.    They are part of the family and leave a big gap when they go.
They can be testing at times but you still love them for their good points.    I've called our puppy Teddy, sometimes Ted and a lot of expletives quite often but he's getting better (slowly)

[Nemesis]

Thank you for your kind words Hugo.

Hope Teddy improves. x

[SteveH]

Nem, sorry to hear about your dog, always a sad time.

[Nemesis]

Thank you Steve.

[Meleri]

So very sorry to hear your sad news Nemesis 

[Nemesis]

Thank you Meleri.

[Hugo]

Here's a photo of the white Canterbury Bells that are in one of my borders.      It just shows you how little I know about gardening as I remember grabbing hold of the young plants and thinking that they were just long grasses I was about to pull them up
I'm glad that I didn't and will remember that next year

[SteveH]

I noticed some cracks and gaps in our summerhouse last week, and thought I should get some filler, however I found an interesting common sense tip.................

"What happens to your wooden shed or summerhouse in a hot summer?

Timber is a natural product and will expand in wet or damp conditions when it absorbs moisture. This moisture then evaporates in warm and dry conditions.

The windows have been tightly closed, the door has been shut and it is hot outside. The inside of your shed has become hotter and hotter; probably well over 120F when the sun is at its highest point so the inside is like an oven. The moisture from the timber has rapidly evaporated and the timber has started to shrink. This really does happen to timber. Have you ever noticed that sometimes doors in your home become difficult to close during the winter, but open very easily during the summer months? This is down to the timber expanding with moisture content and contracting when the moisture content evaporates. The same thing happens to your shed.

So how do you stop this happening? When it becomes very hot, open a window or door to help get air inside, thereby reducing the inside temperature. This next suggestion may seem strange, but it works. Put a bucket of water inside the shed so the timber takes in moisture again and prevents excess shrinkage. Your shed is not ruined because the boards usually expand back into place with the return of wet, damp weather.

Remember your shed is made from timber which expands and shrinks naturally. Although tolerances are built in when manufactured, sometimes the hot weather pushes those tolerances over and beyond its limits. It is not a manufacturing fault but just the way timber reacts to the British weather."    ref  Elbec

[Hugo]

I can't find the window in my shed and this year I've had to prune the Clematis, but only on the inside of the shed         

[SteveH]

      WOW .....We have a couple of plants, but hardly a dozen flowers between them

[SteveH]

This is probably more for the walkers than the gardeners...............but be careful when your weeding !

The incredibly rare Snowdonia plant feared extinct for 50 years now making a comeback
The Snowdonia Hawkweed was almost wiped out by overgrazing and recently featured in a top Netflix show

“If you’re Joe Public, you’d probably think it’s just another dandelion,” said Snowdonia-based consultant botanist Robbie Blackhall-Miles

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/incredibly-rare-snowdonia-plant-feared-21300385

[SteveH]

Golds for Colwyn Bay and Llandudno in Wales in Bloom awards

After a one-year Covid-enforced break, the popular community horticultural awards returned with amazing Gold award winning floral displays. Wales is the only region or nation in the UK to hold an in person awards ceremony this year.

The relaxing of restrictions allowed gardeners and volunteers to produce some spectacular floral displays across Wales and these were celebrated at this year’s Wales in Bloom Awards Ceremony at Beaumaris. The weather this summer did not come without its challenges but residents, visitors and winners have been rewarded with colourful displays across the country.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19576288.wales-bloom-judges-named-prestatyn-best-large-town/

[SteveH]

A TOWN council were delighted to be able to host their Llandudno in Bloom Awards Ceremony in person. ref pioneer

This took place at Llandudno Town Hall on September 28.

Entries came from a variety of categories; guesthouses, hotels, pubs, friends groups and community centres and a high number of private garden entries, a sign that lockdown created a community of green fingered residents.

Cllr Louise Emery, chairman of Llandudno in Bloom, said: "The standard was very high with many gold awards given out, but it was a special year for the private garden entry for Barbara Jennison and Howard Jones from West Shore who were not only overall winner at the Llandudno in Bloom Awards, but also won best private garden from all the entries across Wales - an outstanding achievement.

"We are very much looking forward to next year’s competition."

After a one-year, covid enforced break, Wales in Bloom returned this year and the relaxing of restrictions allowed gardeners and volunteers to produce some spectacular floral displays across Wales.

The class for Coastal Communities saw Llandudno secure a "magnificent" gold award and first place.

Barbara and Howard secured Garden of the Year; every single plant was grown to its fullest potential.

[SteveH]

15 fascinating photos of how Bodnant Garden has looked through the decades
There's a reason it's North Wales' most beautiful garden

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/nostalgia/gallery/15-fascinating-photos-how-bodnant-21768896?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4

[Hugo]

Yesterday, I was mowing up a heap of leaves in the garden when I noticed a bird land at the base of a tree about 10 yards away   .   It had the brightest yellow feathers I had ever seen so I thought that I'd go a bit nearer to identify it.  I had only taken one step when it flew up in the air, not to fly away as expected but it just flew at me and landed on my head before moving on to my neck.
I placed my hand on my neck and the bird then clung to one of my fingers.
At first its eyes were closed but then they opened so I knew that it was ok and it was a young Goldfinch.     Mrs H ran indoors to get a camera but the little bird had flown away before Mrs H came back with the camera.
It was a short but very enjoyable experience but at least I know that the Goldfinches are nesting somewhere in my garden