Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden

Six on Saturday: 22 January 2022

Published on 22nd Jan 2022 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden6 Comments

There have been some gorgeous sunrises recently; the featured image above is from Tuesday morning.

Today, as throughout the week, thoughts are with the people of Tonga, and all those affected by last week’s eruption and subsequent tsunami. The pressure wave that followed was recorded here in the UK – a peak in the graph as it approached from the North (after passing over the North Pole) followed some hours later by a ‘trough’ from the longer route over the South Pole.

Current thinking is the eruption may mean a cooler summer for Europe, and an increase in spectacular sunsets over the next weeks.

Looking for some light in the darkness, aka Six on Saturday, I offer this small celebration of nature for your perusal.

Hellebore ‘Christmas Carol’ looks much better since I removed the old leaves, though after two years, I had hoped it would be more impressive than it is.

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The Potato Diaries 2022: #1

Published on 18th Jan 2022 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden3 Comments

A first look at this year’s seed potatoes from DT Brown, which were due by the end of January but arrived on the 11th. These are Mayan Rose maincrop potatoes; I think they look very pretty, though whether the skins keep their colour when cooked remains to be seen.

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Six on Saturday: 15 January 2022

Published on 15th Jan 202215th Jan 2022 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden8 Comments

Here we are again! There is more than a hint of sunlight coming through the window, and no sign of fog despite dire warnings on yesterday’s weather forecast. Like most participants of Six on Saturday, my garden was – and still is – in need of a good tidy up. But I’ve made a start and Nature is doing her bit too!

I spent an hour in the garden on Tueday morning, taking a break from studies to clear my head. It was time for the fuchsias in the raised beds to have a haircut! It’s times like these when I wish I had asked for three narrower beds instead of two as they are just slightly wider than I can comfortably reach from either side and I had to turn to the long-handled loppers to attack that centre fuchsia in the first photograph. When the weather warms up, I’ll move a couple of fuchsias from the front garden to fill the gap on the other bed.

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A Curious Leek

Published on 12th Jan 202212th Jan 2022 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden4 Comments

It may actually be an overgrown spring onion!

One of two remaining in Raised Bed B since 2020. They didn’t smell particularly oniony which is why I left them to grow on and see what developed (in case it was a purple allium).

Last year, I accidentally pulled this one up while removing some lettuces that had gone over, so I just left it lying on the bed. Since then, it has grown much longer (horizontally) and is now at least two feetl; it formed a flower head, and now has a ‘baby’ growing. All without its roots in the ground.

I’ve put it back on – but not in – the bed for now.

Six on Saturday: 8 January 2022

Published on 8th Jan 2022 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden10 Comments

It was touch and go if I’d be able to publish anything today – not only because of lack of interest in the garden, but because WordPress has been playing up. I could read everyone’s posts on the Reader, I could access my own blog(s), but I couldn’t access the list of published and draft posts. WP Help suggested clearing my cache, cookies and browsing history. It made no difference but the issue resolved overnight so here I am with a rather sad looking Six on Saturday.

Hellebore – I first spotted flowers the week before Christmas (hidden beneath the leaves) and there are plenty of buds waiting to open.

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Six from the Archives (2): 1 January 2022

Published on 1st Jan 2022 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden6 Comments

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone survived the recent festivities with waistlines and tempers intact. Here in North Wales, the weather has been grey and wet for two weeks, with a little wind thown in for good measure – not at all condusive to walking off those extra calories, though we have restrained ourselves and the chest freezer in the garage remains full.

I managed to get up to date with my OU course by Christmas Eve so took the full four days off from studying or writing. On TV, Gardener’s World – the final winter special on Christmas Eve – was a haven among the mayhem. The Weakest Link in its new incarnation was amusing. Anything by Aardman Animations is a joy; and where would we be without a Christmas themed Sewing Bee or two?

That was last year, though I am sticking with the theme for the first Six on Saturday of 2022 – with Part 2 of my look back over my 2021 garden.

July

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Monthly Roundup – December 2021

Published on 31st Dec 202131st Dec 2021 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden4 Comments

The only green in my garden is the parsley in the Potting Shed!

The spring bulbs continue to push through in the ‘Blue’ pots.

Hmm? Snakeshead fritillery and snowdrops in these two – planted at the same time, but only one is showing signs of growth.

How difficult can it be?

One of the problems of a December birthday during a pandemic is what present do you buy? This year, my friend Vannessa solved the problem by giving me a grow-your-own kit of narcissi Minnow.

Stage 1 – prepare your compost by soaking the block in 300 ml of luke-warm water.

Stage 2 – plant bulbs, water, place in a cool dark place (7-9’c) and wait for shoots to appear. As the pot has no drainage holes, I’ve used a plastic pot that fits inside and left it inside the cupboard in the Potting Shed.

Stage 3 – will be to move the planter to a warm light place (18-20’c), so that means the windowsill in my study. Fingers crossed!

Festive Greetings

Published on 24th Dec 2021 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden4 Comments

Veselé Vánoce, Vrolijk kerstfeest, Merry Christmas, Hyvää joulua, Joyeux Noël, Frohe Weinachten, Nollaig Chridheil, Gleðileg jól, hari Kirihimete, Buon Natale, Wesołych świąt Bożego Narodzenia, Crăciun fericit, Feliz Natal, Feliz Navidad, God Jul, Nadolig Llawen.

Six from the Archives (1): 18 December 2021

Published on 18th Dec 2021 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden14 Comments

Good morning from a very dark, damp, and misty corner of North East Wales. I’m counting the days until the winter solstice and the slow return to lighter, brighter days. This week and next, my entry for Six on Saturday is a retrospective of 2021 floral glories and a reminder of good things to come in 2022.

January

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Six on Saturday: 11 December 2021

Published on 11th Dec 2021 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden10 Comments

Another grey and damp morning here in North Wales with not a lot going on gardening wise outdoors or in, though I did remember to water my houseplants this morning and gathered more leaves from the patio yesterday during the ten-minutes of sun. So, to this week’s Six on Saturday hosted by The Propagator.

The babies on my air plants grew large enough to be removed. I’ve used a stand that previously held hanging candle holders and three glass ‘baubles’ that I’ve had in my craft cupboard for a while waiting for the ideal project.