Gardening

[Hugo]

Most of the trees in my garden have had their leaves blown off with the gales but just a few leaves remain on the large Maple.   I've raked the fallen leaves up and put them in the garden waste bin but I've not been able to mow the lawn for weeks now and if Steve's weather forecast is correct mowing the lawn will have to wait for a while

[SteveH]

Hugo, we are in the same boat, fortunately it does not look to bad, as for the weather report, when I post these it is usually a warning, ice, snow or very wet weather, but I always hopefully wait for Ian, to contradict me, no luck with this one......yet.

[Ian]

Doesn't look too good, to put it mildly. Heavy something at around 1415, I think.

[Hugo]

One of the reasons I wanted to mow the lawn earlier this year is that I have a lot of Daffodils growing in the lawn underneath the Laburnam Tree.         I noticed that the Daffodils in my pots have already started to come up through the soil so I'll have to be careful when I do cut the grass.
Years ago I was late mowing the lawn and inadvertently cut all the heads off the Daffodils so there were no flowers on them that year   

[SteveH]

Could your poinsettia poison your cat or dog? The Christmas plants that are toxic to pets
Hannah Stephenson finds out about toxic plants and the symptoms to look out for if nibbled on by a cat or dog

Decking the halls with boughs of holly is one of our great Christmas traditions, but did you know it could harm your pets? And it?s not the only toxic plant that?s often found in homes at this time of year.

Houseplants do a great job of purifying the air and festive sprigs bring a touch of evergreen vitality indoors, but they could potentially do more harm than good if you have pets. A surprising number can lead to vomiting, diarrhoea and drooling, if eaten.

After decorating your home, the last thing you want is a trip to the vets. Poinsettia, mistletoe and holly, are just some of the plants that can be harmful to cats and dogs.

cont https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/could-your-poinsettia-poison-your-cat-or-dog-the-christmas-plants-that-are-toxic-to-pets/

[Hugo]

You can't be too careful with indoor plants and your pets but the same thing can be said for your outdoor garden plants too.     Years ago I started moving plants from the back garden to the front of the house because our dog doesn't go in the front but then I read up about what plants are harmful to your pets.
It was a minefield as every plant seemed to be harmful in one way or another.     I gave up in the end and when we got Teddy the Cockapoo, he started destroying the plants anyway       

[Hugo]

This morning we had a very heavy frost and even when I was walking my dog along the road it was so icy that I nearly slipped a few times.  The first thing I did when I got home was to put a fleece cover over my Australian Tree Fern to protect the crown from the Winter frost,  I just hope that I haven't left it too late, only time will tell.
In late Summer I bought a small shrub and it was small and expensive too so I put it in a large pot outside and nurtured it.   It has been the wettest period ever recorded in the UK from July to December 2023 so the soil got absolutely sodden and I moved the pot in to my sun lounge where it seems to be quite happy.
The shrub is called Daphne Perfume Princess and is said to be the most fragrant shrub in the world and it lives up to my expectations.    I've several other pots still outside full of Daffodils and they seem to be thriving in all the adverse weather that nature throws at them

[DVT]

In late Summer I bought a small shrub and it was small ... I moved the pot in to my sun lounge where it seems to be quite happy.  The shrub is called Daphne Perfume Princess and is said to be the most fragrant shrub in the world and it lives up to my expectations.

Daphne plants are in full bloom, and scent, in Bodnant at the moment!  The variety there is Jacqueline Postil, named after the wife of the gardener who propagated it.  Be warned that the daphne plants in Bodnant have grown to about 10 fooot tall, so could fill your sun lounge!

Another very scented plant is sarcococca, long row of it as you enter the garden!

[Hugo]

Thanks DVT, it was in the Bodnant Winter garden last year that we first encountered the aroma from the Daphne flowers.   It was just so nice walking through there as the fragrance was so strong.
Don't worry about my Daphne it's just having a bit of TLC until Spring and then I'll bring it out but still keep it in its pot until it grows some more
I'll watch out for the Sarcococca when we next go to Bodnant, thanks for the tip

[SteveH]

Heavy rain and high winds have been battering the country and now snow is adding to the wild winter weather. It?s bad enough trying to keep your home warm and dry but it?s worse for gardens, at the mercy of the elements.

Patios, lawns and plants are facing the full force of this year?s ferocious weather, and many gardeners will despair at the damage wrought to their outdoor spaces. However, there are measures you can take, says Guy Barter, chief horticulturalist at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

High winds can leave your plants and trees looking terrible, but there are ways to protect and then rescue your garden. Young plants will wave around, so it?s a good idea to adjust stakes and ties and perhaps hammer in a few more, says Guy. And it's a sad fact that trees don?t last forever.

cont https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/how-to-rescue-your-garden-after-wild-winter-storms/

[Hugo]

Over the years I have lived in Colwyn Heights, I have seen the effects of how climate change has made the storms stronger and more frequent than ever.      In the last two or three years several large trees have blown down and caused structural damage to property.
Now CCBC in their infinite wisdom have approved permission for a large 5 bedroomed detached house to be built within 30 feet of a large tree that has a TPO on it and it is now already 80 feet high with a potential height of 130 feet and a width of 60 feet
I know that CCBC is under pressure to built more houses but this is just insane and lacking any form of common sense but then we are coming to expect more of this type of nonsense from the Planning Department  of CCBC

[SteveH]

Monty Don's 'January jobs' include pruning these plants but others should be left
Millie Bull learns that not everything benefits from a trim at this time of year - and you could do more harm than good

The sun is coming out at last     and the brief respite from wet and windy weather is very welcome. It means there?s no excuse not to grab your secateurs and think about a little light pruning in the garden.

Monty Don says this is one of his ?January jobs? as there are several plants, trees and shrubs which need attention. Each month, the horticulturalist shares words of wisdom on his blog, on everything from composting and planting to pruning and mulching.

The Express has shared his advice on what needs pruning this month, to encourage new growth. But before you get started, Monty said gardeners should ?try to understand how something grows?.

cont https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/monty-dons-january-jobs-include-pruning-these-plants/

[Hugo]

It has been raining so heavily today that I couldn't even take my dog out for a walk let alone potter about in the garden.   I think that the last time I mowed the lawn was in September as the weather has been so wet since then.
I've got a few Snowdrops and Primulas in flower but thank goodness for the Daffodils as they seem to survive all that nature can throw at them.    They are not in flower yet but it's something to look forward to in the Spring especially as I bought a large sack of them last Autumn from Talgoed Nursery in Glan Conwy
That reminds me that as soon as personal circumstances allow, I'll have to go to the Talgoed Nursery for a breakfast. It was excellent value and the staff are so friendly there

[SteveH]

Talking of rain Hugo, a warning to those who have outside electric points, ours shorted, and knocked our power out in the middle of the night, despite being a sealed exterior fitting, because the join between the wall and the unit had not been sealed, we were very lucky to get a sympathetic electrician to come out that morning, we told him we had unplugged everything in the house one at a time hoping to find the fault, ........he said I bet you have an outside point     we have dealt with a lot during the bad weather, he renewed the fitting and sealed it properly, using a waterproof silicone .....

[Hugo]

It sounds like you were lucky there Steve as the electrician sounds like a good tradesman.    We do not have any electrics outside but we do have a problem with the amount of water that we have had in the last 6 months.
We have land drainage pipes in the garden and the water comes out in our retaining garden wall and the fall on the patio is not perfect so we do have pools of water collecting during heavy rainfall.
It's not a problem really as it soon drains away but our dog seems to prefer drinking from those pools or the watering can rather than the two bowls of fresh water in the house