We are missing the sunshine already. A few days of it really set us up after what seems like a long winter (though winters always seem long). My back, pre-Chiro appt. was pretty sore, so we didn't walk far on Thursday, just up and into the woodland made magical back in the snow when we first arrived.
We climbed up a steep path before the woodland, as it had been marked on the map as a bridleway. Sadly, it soon petered out as it had been planted over with conifers so we had to retrace our steps. The views were lovely though so it was worth the struggle.
We didn't go far into the woodland but will save this track to explore another day.
Glimpsed through the trees, this lovely old house.
The lane home - the steepest bit.
We had to go to Brecon again yesterday, to do our banking. I had one mission - a quick pop into Morrisons to see what plants they had for my new garden. There weren't many customers and I didn't stay long. I went a bit mad as I've not been to a garden centre for nearly a year and the garden here has no real flowers (unless you count a few bulbs and some Lavender) and no fruit at all. That needs remedying. So, I bought a Gojiberry, a thornless red Gooseberry, 2 summer fruiting Raspberries, an Aubretia (the last one or I'd have bought more),
and 4 asssorted Clematis. Clematis scirrosa "Jingle Bells" at the back flowers in winter.
these pretty Gladioli to go in a yet to-be-established flower border
this gorgeous Peony. Hope it survives here - the one I planted in my last garden didn't survive the first winter! but it was a very soggy garden.
Then two packs of blue and white Lupins, which should look beautiful once established.
I had already put an order with the Old Railway Line Garden Centre at Three Cocks, just in case I couldn't get what I needed in Brecon. I'd have done better to stay my hand as I could have got both of these for £2 each in Morrisons (but much smaller and in tiny pots). These are to grow along fences here. I had to order before we went rather than make a separate journey. Another thornless red Gooseberry, and a yellow autumn Raspberry to replace the one I meant to dig up and bring with us, but forgot. These are probably the only indulgences from the garden centre for a goodly while - it's not cheap! I do need several crowns of Rhubarb though (none in stock there) so will have to look on-line. Keith loves Rhubarb and we can't have too much of it.
I've read the first Anna-Marie Morgan novel I was reading (Death Master) which a friend sent me. Now I'm on the 2nd, which is set in Wales, and the murders keep getting closer and closer to here! A good fast read.
I think we get days of Spring here and there to keep us going.
ReplyDeleteThat was a good haul of plant investment! Mind you, watch the Gojiberry, I have heard that it can be a bit of a thug...shall we say a bit overenthusiastic in the growing department!!
Looking forward to seeing the results.
All I have done is put in 10 raspberry canes and 3 bags of onion setts!!
Absolutely, the odd day of sunshine bequeathed in winter just helps us through. I have just the spot for the Gojiberry as we have two small wild paddocks here.
DeleteAt least you have some things planted - I just have the roses bunged in yet and a lot of digging to do!
So glad you got to indulge your passion for plants at long last. Wilkos are cheapest for Rhubarb and they usually have at least two to three different varieties. Glad you are settling and getting things how you would want them. Makes all the difference the doing. I may have to persuade OH to take me to Morrisons as am after some yellow raspberries. Take care s
ReplyDeleteI want well-grown Rhubarb plants in pots Tricia - I've never had any luck with the dessicated sort (that said, my Paeony and Lupins are just that - must get them in pots soonest.) Morrisons are really good for cheap plants.
DeleteI hope your plants enjoy their new homes. I was surprised to see you'd bought Gojiberry plants - I looked at them in our garden centre and decided they needed more sun, for longer, that they were going to get in Wellington. Have you grown them successfully before? Settling back into school will take some time - and require "managing expectations" on the part of anxious parents, and educational authorities (who so often pontificate without apparently understanding much at all about real children!).
ReplyDeleteHi Virginia - I've never grown the Gojiberry before, but at £2 I thought I'd try it.
DeleteI'm glad I have grown up children in these testing times. I'd have been useless with the maths side of things especially as they use different ways of basic maths skills these days - I don't even add up the same way! I know the lass next door is struggling with home schooling her brood.
Plenty of digging there! Enjoy the anticipation as the garden blooms over the years.
ReplyDeleteYes, anything heavy duty I get help with though Keith is struggling at the moment being on the long-term steroids. Fortunately Tam is young and fit! I am looking forward to how the garden will be once planted up. The lady who was here before did have a few more things in pots but took them with her - though she left me 20 planters (4 pots of SAGE isn't very exciting though!!)
DeleteSadly we don't have a Morrisons here on the Island otherwise I would have gone straight there to pick some plants/shrubs up. Bargain prices. Another beautiful walk.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame. I hope you can bag some bargains elsewhere - is there a nursery/garden centre on the island?
DeleteThe walks round here are stunning, I have to say. Hoping to work up to some longer ones, and steeper ones (though my asthma makes climbing hills not too enjoyable).
I have missed going to Morrison’s and having a plant haul. I have been doing click and collect whilst shielding. They are such good value. I have had some real bargains for £2 and sometimes less than that. Beautiful photos of your walk.
ReplyDeleteHi there. I've been shielding too but feel a wee bit safer now I've had my first jab and Covid levels are fairly low in Powys. We have had to rely on Asda for grocery deliveries but it's not the same as going to a shop, and dearer than Lidl or Aldi where we used to get the bulk of our shopping before (I missed out on the fruit trees on offer last month - annoying as I am planting an orchard here).
DeleteThat was a wonderful moment of madness you had. I just cannot get over the views there...the hills just roll on, one into another. So gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI am still pinching myself over the views too. I stopped and took photos from the end of the drive where it joins the lane when we viewed but even so, the 360 deg. views from higher up are something else. Just amazing.
DeleteThe moment of madness was long in the brewing!!
Our weather gets too hot in summer to grow lupins and don't think I've ever seen a gooseberry bush in the US. But, having grown up in the UK, I miss them! Hope to get to the garden centre tomorrow for a look-see, but not sure there will be much available yet. Considering getting some seed pots, but without a greenhouse, it isn't easy to start seedlings. Only limited window space with the amount of sun needed. But it will be a day out. Haven't been off my property in three weeks. Still virtual schooling with 6 yr old GS four days a week. A bit exhausting, so I need to go dust myself off. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Mary - as a Brit, did you ever hear that in the UK (Yorkshire especially) they have Gooseberry Competitions, for the largest exhibit! It's all Very Serious. I love Gooseberries, especially when eaten still warm from the sun, straight from the bush. A shame they aren't found in the States. Can you find a little plastic greenhouse for the seeds? We have them specially for tomatoes too, but at about a couple of feet wide and deep and 5 ft tall they don't take up much room but give shelter to growing seedlings. Sorry you are still very much tied to home but it sounds like you are certainly earning your keep with home educating the little one. Fingers x'd you got to the garden centre.
DeleteI've been marking items in the oft replenished nursery catalogs, but have thus far restrained myself from ordering. I need several more clematis, another rose or two. The mental list is ongoing, but I fear [know!] that my aging bones aren't able for as much garden expansion as I covet.
ReplyDeleteOddly, lupines have never survived for me--whether by seed or started plant. They grow wild in the mountains of Wyoming and I gathered seed from roadside plants when my MIL lived in northern Maine.
It is not safe for some of us to enter a garden center or anyplace that sells garden goods--the temptation and enthusiasm go immediately out of bounds!
It's very difficult isn't it? Common sense says "low maintenance" - love of plants says, Buy me, buy me!! Clematis will just ramble at will and roses just need a little pruning (if I buy any ramblers for the garden here, they will be small ones!) Perhaps you don't have the right climate for Lupins - you get hot in the summer don't you? They look amazing when I have seen photos of them growing in the wild.
DeleteTemptation and enthusiasm in garden centres here only tempered by the (sometimes ridiculous!) prices.
I'm loving catching up on your blog after a long hiatus from blogging! What wonderful flowers you have found! I can't wait until all of our SNOW is gone and we can think about the flowers that are waiting to come up again. We have an old nursery to visit way out in the country. It is certainly nothing fancy but they have the best flowers. I now have two blogs: a new version of www.mysouthernheart.com and my new one: www.sweetjourneyhome.com I recently add my DNA done on Ancestry.com and it was amazing to learn that I have about 20% Welsh DNA!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Dianne
Hi Dianne. Glad you are enjoying being back in blog-world again. The wild flowers are coming on a treat now we've had some sunshine. I shan't venture far today though - there is a really piercing North-East wind. Oooh Welsh DNA - have you got anything in a family tree which gives you names/pointers as to where in Wales? I'll look up your blog again this morning.
DeleteI need to start making my garden shop lists up. I would love more fruit, but Harvey seems not to want to go beyond, cherries, pears (which have not blossomed yet) rhubarb and strawberries. Our neighbour shares her plums and apples with us.
ReplyDeleteLove rhubarb here as well.
God bless.
I couldn't manage without apples - I eat lots (3 or 4 a day) and cook with them all the time - put them in cakes and baking, as they give a lovely moist cake. My husband loves pears but the only trouble is they tend to ripen all at once and don't keep! Perhaps you could sneak some Raspberries in to your garden? They are, along with strawberries, the taste of summer.
DeleteTrying to leave messages to say that blogger has not been allowing me in for days for some reason. Glad you are settling in so well.
ReplyDeleteBlogger let you in today. Hurray.
DeleteTrying to leave a comment, any comment, as blogger has been denying me access. Hopefully this will work! Glad you are settling in so well!
ReplyDeleteThat's it I'm off to Morrisons! I haven't been inside the shop for a year and I'd almost forgotten what lovely plants they have. They will all look beautiful this summer.
ReplyDelete