Allium Caeruleum – Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden

Spring Bulbs

Published on 18th Oct 202130th Oct 2021 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden

I don’t usually bother planting bulbs each year. Those in the front garden – crocus, grape hyacinths and dwarf narcissi – have been there for several years, with the addition of alliums and nectaroscordum in autumn 2020.

In the back garden, I have daffodils and narcissi rescued from various borders and dumped in pots. Apart from an all too brief few weeks in spring, they live at the back of the garage. The only things I took any trouble with last year were my four ‘Blue’ pots containing Pickwick crocus, anemone Blanda Bleu, and grape hyacinths.

This year, however, I ordered some new bulbs (snowdrops x 50, anemone Blanda Alba x 20, and white fritillery x 15) which arrived on 6 October and had to be dealt with. (I’ve just noticed that the anemone is ‘White Splendour’ but have no idea if they are the same as ordered or a substitution, not that it matters. A white anemone is a white anemone is a white anemone!)

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Monthly Round Up: July

Published on 2nd Aug 202131st Jul 2021 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden

To-Do List

Another tick on this year’s To-Do list. After the front path and drive (cleaned and sealed), the wall and gatepost (painted), I’ve had the paintbrush in my hand yet again – this time for the garage door! I can’t remember the last time I painted it but it’s been quite some time.

An up-and-over door isn’t the easiest thing to paint. I managed the top of the door (standing inside the garage with the door open) and the bottom of the door (standing outside on a stepladder), but I could only manage the lower half of each side due to lack of space inside the garage. It could probably do with a second coat (sometime) but it’s better than it was and I quite like the neutral brown colour.

I’ve still got to pain the white door surround. The paint here is flaking off so will need brushing and sanding, but that will be done at a later date, as will the door behind the brick arch (image 1 & 2). In the final image, the garage door looks blue, but it’s just the reflection of the sky in the wet (brown) paint – I haven’t “missed a bit”.

Faded blue with brown stripes
Chestnut Brown
Before 24/6/2021
After 26/7/2021

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Six on Saturday: 31 July 2021

Published on 31st Jul 2021 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden14 Comments

Last weekend, the forecast was for thunderstorms and rain. On Monday, we were still waiting – but welcome showers arrived on Tuesday, stayed for Wednesday, all but disappeared on Thursday, and came back yesterday with fine drizzle and low cloud cover blanking out the house just 25 metres than our own. Fortunately, we are too far north so escaped Storm Evert’s strong winds. I hope those of you in its path haven’t suffered any damage to homes or garden.

It’s another grey damp morning, so my selections are from earlier in the week. Apologies if I’m flouting the rules set by The Propagator – but he’s on holiday and won’t notice!

Allium Drumstick – the flowers have lost their green bottoms and are beginning to fluff up. I’d have more of these if I had the room. Lovely colour too,

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Six on Saturday: 17 July 2021

Published on 17th Jul 2021 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden16 Comments

It’s rather toasty here in sunny North Wales, so we have windows open and blinds closed and the coolest clothes we can find. My solar water feature is working overtime and the line of washing I hung out at 8.30 is already dry. It’s too hot for gardening, or anything other than sipping something cool from a long glass with a sprig of mint on top, reclining beneath a slowly revolving ceiling fan with a book. But I’ll have to make do with a cappuccino and a virtual stroll through your gardens on here instead – though I do have a ceiling fan in the conservatory which I shall be making use of later. For now, here is my contribution to this week’s Six on Saturday, brought to you courtesy of The Propagator.

I’ve shown the lavender previously but it really is at its best in this hot and sunny weather; it smells glorious and is usually covered in bees. Last week I mentioned that the colours blend with my beighbour’s hebe, so I’ve included a shot of the two together.

Lavender border
‘Hidcote’
‘Munstead’

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Six on Saturday: 3 July 2021

Published on 3rd Jul 2021 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden12 Comments

A wet and misty morning here in North Wales. The only thing happening in my garden today is the plants and vegetables quietly getting on with growing. The problem is so will the slugs and snails! I have plenty of other work to be getting on with (in anticipation of passing the first year of my OU course which will allow me to progress to the second year), but I’ll be popping back – for some light relief – to The Propagator’s blog and the wide-range of Six of Saturday entries. We should hold our own – virtual – Village Show, though judging the produce would be problematic, and who would set out the Rules?

First These two rowans had self-seeded in the front border last year – no doubt aided by a bird or two. I dug them out and put them in pots, and left them to it. The one on the right looks dead (it was outside all winter), but I’ve potted it on and there are loads of roots, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it’s just being lazy. The one on the left was tiny and kept in the Potting Shed over winter. It doesn’t have as many roots as the other, but at least it looks alive!

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Six on Saturday: 12 June 2021

Published on 12th Jun 2021 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden11 Comments

With the weekend forecast set to HOT and VERY HOT, I’m planning on staying inside with the blinds closed. Nextdoor’s trees have been shedding fat catkins for a fortnight and now the patio is awash with laburnum blossom. Of couse, he doesn’t see any of it – or have to clean it up – because the prevailing wind is from his direction.

Sweet pea ‘Cupani – I’ve now planted every pot on either side of the arch in Raised Bed A and they’ve been flowering for two weeks. Not yet the bower of sweet perfume I’d hoped for, but getting there. Mine are approximately two to three feet tall; they should grow to between five and six feet tall. They probably need feeding (and dead-heading).

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Six on Saturday: 1 May 2021

Published on 1st May 2021 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden5 Comments

Sunny and warm on Monday; rain showers on Tuesday; cold and wet on Wednesday; cold and hailstones on Thursday; frost on Friday. This morning started sunny so I’ve put my peas, beans, sweetpeas and dwarf raspberry outside. I wonder how long it will be before I have to recue them from hail. sleet or snow?

Last Monday evening, we ate the first home-grown salad of the year, consisting of mizuna leaves, flat parsley, and red-veined sorrel. (We had the same again last night with the addition of red salad bowl leaves) All of these were the only survivors of last year’s failed experiment to grow salad crops all year round; after months with little or no growth, they finally got going in March.

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Six on Saturday: 20 March 2021

Published on 20th Mar 2021 by Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden9 Comments

After a grey but dry start to the morning the sun has broken through the cloud cover. If it hangs around long enough, I might be tempted out to the front garden to remove some dead foliage.

I’ve been watching sparrows collecting dried Mexican feather grass, one had so many rammed into its beak it could hardly take off. Despite plenty of interest, I don’t think we have any blue tits nesting in the bird box, which is a shame. This time last year, we were building the Tiny Greenhouse and they were in and out of the nest box all day long.

Never mind, there is always plenty of wildlife to see in other Six on Saturday posts, hosted by The Propagator. I’ll be popping in from time to time to have a look between study activities.

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This pot of mizuna mix is now supplementing our salads. It’s a shame it couldn’t do the same over the winter months as intended! I have a tray of the same leaves in the Potting Shed, and some new lettuce seedlings are making an effort.

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