Looking Up
Yearly Archive: 2016
Clematis from Seed
I love growing plants from seed. The pure joy of seeing a healthy green seedling pushing through after you have sown a tiny black dead looking seed is well worth the effort. It is time consuming and fiddly but I’m not very good at sewing, knitting or crochet like most ladies but I do seem to have some success with plants. I have been having a go with vegetable and flower seeds over the years but one plant that I have never grown from seed is Clematis. This Autumn I put in a few cuttings and am looking forward to seeing the results of those but I am determined to try and raise some from seed next spring.
I have read a little but prefer to learn by trial and error. The few tips I have gathered are as follows. Clematis seeds throw down deep roots so need to be sown in gritty, sandy compost in a deep container or pot. Germination can take from six weeks to three years. Ah well we will see. Heat isn’t needed and sown seed can be left in a cold greenhouse or outside. Moisture should be maintained by covering the pot with grit and enclosing in a polythene bag. I dread to think how many seed heads I have thrown into the compost over the years, however this last year I did save a few and put them into seed modules In sandy compost. I don’t hold out much hope for those but next year I will be more prepared.
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Minus 4
Frosty the Caterpillar
Another editor’s pick on BBC Weatherwatchers for Glenn.
Cyclamen
Another bargain from Lidl. This plant makes me smile. An amazing achievement as my heart is sad and heavy. I am trying to count my blessings but I am missing Adam so much. I need to focus on his children as we are getting nearer to Christmas and it will be so difficult for them.
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Wishing The Winter Away
I have always found something to love about all of the seasons but today I found myself wishing away the Winter. SInce Adam died I have been keeping myself sane by trying to bring the garden back after years of neglect. It’s had to be step by step and there have been a few steps forward and quite a few back but I have persevered. I have grown things from seed and bought bulbs and roses and new containers. This week we have had torrential rain yet again and the pots have become waterlogged. The possibility of lowering temperatures means that a lot of my precious plants are at risk. Therefore my desire for the speedy arrival of Spring. To know that the bulbs are sitting in the wet and the roses,that have shown such good growth since planting, are at risk is very daunting.
After the garden flooded as a result of heavy rainfall in June when I lost a lot of seedlings and young plants we then had a burst water main under the garden. The garden then became an excavation site and we were surrounded by water outside but had no water supply inside. Last week we had a burst water tank in the airing cupboard and then more torrential rain outside.
Update Wednesday 23rd November …..plumber here putting in a new cold water tank…rain stopped….feeling more positive….maybe it’s not the winter I’m wishing away……just the excess water. On a positive note the old water tank will make a great carrot bin down the allotment…. After all it already has good drainage holes.
Bird Seed
Great Tit and Sycamore seeds. These seeds are Poisonous to us but food for the birds. Luckily for the wild life this seems to be a good year for berries, nuts and seeds.
Photos of Home
Remembering Adam – Viola Sororia Freckles 2017
Quite unlike any other variety, Viola Sororia Freckles bears violet, speckled flowers from spring through to summer. The blooms are carried above neat clumps of heart shaped foliage. This Violet will self-seed freely. Perfect for growing in containers or rockeries. These plants propagate by forming rhizomes and spreading into large clumps. They also make beautiful star shaped seed heads and throw out their seeds to fall and make new plants. They are hardy and need very little care. These tough little plants will seed themselves anywhere. They’re strong like Adam was strong and they will be growing all over the garden along with lots of other Violas next year and every year in memory of my brave boy.
BBC Editors Pick Number 11
