Showing posts with label flowers. Show all posts

Wednesday, 15 January 2020

Joy Of The First Snowdrops!!

So happy today as I stepped outside to go shopping I saw the very first snowdrop of the year in our front garden!!

I try to embrace every season but I do find Winter the hardest one to love! Snowdrops however always fill my heart with joy. I know now that nature is waking up and spring is not too far away.

I don't see so many people growing Snowdrops in their gardens these days and I do not understand why.

Snowdrops are undemanding plants and once planted out you can mostly forget about them. They happily multiply each year to give you a beautiful display, then once flowering is over they die down and that's it for another year until you suddenly find one on a cold January day to warm your heart.

I divide our snowdrops every few years simply so that I can distribute more around the garden. It also prevents them from getting too congested. Dividing them is easy, simply dig up a clump while they still have their leaves.

Separate gently teasing apart with your hands. Replant some in the original place and plant the rest in small clumps around the garden. Water in and you are done!

If you are a fan of snowdrops, here is a lovely book. The Plant Lovers Guide To Snowdrops. A lovely gift for yourself or a loved one.

If you would like to join me and grow snowdrops in your garden it is so easy!

NEVER dig any snowdrops up from the wild! Rather purchase these plants "in the green" -that means while that they are lifted while they still have leaves and remains of flowers.

Once you have brought them home or they are delivered try to plant them very soon afterwards for best results.If you leave it for days or worse weeks you may have a high failure rate.

Planting of snowdrops in the green is best done in the Spring time around March.
Plant a few inches under the soil, water then leave them to get on with it.

As they are small delicate-looking flowers, It is ideal to plant them where you can see them easily. A front garden or even in a raised planter would be great.

One of my fave flowers, so beautiful, so delicate looking yet tough little flowers that appear in the coldest months of the year and certainly bring joy to my heart!

If you love snowdrops you may like to check my store for snowdrop gifts and greeting cards!

Snowdrops
by Annie (Raintree Designs)

Do you like Snowdrops? Do you grow them or love to simply admire them?

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Wednesday, 15 June 2016

How To Care For Plants On Vacation

Now is the time of year many people like to get away on holiday. It may be somewhere abroad for a week or two or in your own country for a short or longer break. Wherever you go it does mean leaving your plants behind at sometimes a critical time.

Action Plan For Your Plants While You Are On Vacation

1. If you can ask a friend, family member or neighbour to come in check them, mow the lawn, open greenhouse windows and close them again, water and feed your plants. It is quite a big ask, I know I have done it for a friend who had a huge garden with a massive veg plot for 3 weeks once!If the kind soul does this for you it is so nice to get them a gift. If they are a gardener maybe a lovely plant or cuttings from plants they admire in your own garden, some veg from your garden or just a beautiful gift. Even better offer to do it for their garden when they go away.

2. If that is not possible then you need to help the plants through what could be variable weather. I also always fill up the bird feeders and birdbath and put extra bathing areas around the garden for the birds :)

3. Mow the lawn just before you leave, it will be fine for a couple of weeks until you come back.

4.I tend to leave the bigger shrubs and plants to their own devices to seek water by themselves. For example, all my Forsythias, Buddleia, Lavenders and other established shrubs including this Ceanothus cope just fine whatever the weather.

5. Smaller plants or those I have recently planted in the ground I give them a huge good watering 2 weeks before I leave then two or three times the week before I leave then the day before. So far they have always coped well when I do this.

6. Plants in the soil are one thing, but plants in pots are so much more reliant on you for feed and water. Again if they are in a bigger pot I will do the same watering routine as above plus give then a good feed. I then move them all into the shade and protected areas of the garden and group them all together. This provides a mini eco system and if in shade they get less of the drying effects of the sun.

6. I have tried in the past using capillary matting to run from a bucket into each pot and it worked well.

small plants in pots in a washing up bowl

7. With the smaller plants in pots and with the vegetables I am growing in pots this year I knew they would not survive well so I filled bowls and buckets with a little water and even utilised a dog bath we don't use anymore and put each small pot in there.

I give them a good watering from above and then the roots will search out the water below. I find it is OK if these are left in shade/semi-shade or in their usual positions as long as they have water in the bowl. It worked so well they looked even better after my holiday with really good root systems!

8. If you have a Greenhouse you may well find a Greenhouse Mist Drip Irrigation Watering kit like this one useful.

Have a wonderful holiday and a beautiful garden! Do you have any tips for caring for the garden while on vacation?

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Tuesday, 14 June 2016

A Lovely Surprise Gift For A Gardener

I had a lovely surprise last weekend. We went to the farmers market and after getting all our veg and necessary items we wandered over to the plant stalls. I wasn't really considering buying any plants right now. Still, I always love looking around :)

I was looking at the beautiful Camellia plants. They are gorgeous with lovely shiny thick leaves and a nice growth habit and the blooms are so delicate looking and beautiful. I think they are as gorgeous looking as a rose but without the thorns. Anyway Hubby is always full of surprises and is not really an avid gardener like me (-yet :) ) So he just said I am getting you one for a present! Choose which one you like.

Isn't that sweet of him! I am a lucky lass. No arguments here, well you do not have to say "choose a plant" to me twice! So I started looking at the plants and what colour blooms are available. Hubby leaves this up to me as he knows I know what I am looking for.

We already have a pink Camellia. You can see the beautiful petals falling to the ground like confetti in this photo with the blackbird.

Much of our back garden is going to be mauves, purples, pinks, whites, blues, very relaxing chilling out colours, so I needed a colour that would look right.

We loved the red Camellia but it was a bit too vibrant then I saw a pure white bloom that I just knew would fit into an area of the garden that needed a white flower. So we took that one home and planted it yesterday!

We planted it in a sheltered spot, where it will not get exposed to too much wind or more importantly the morning sun. Our other one got burnt petals from it and we had to move it, so now I would always plant Camellias in a place away from the morning sun. It will get some afternoon sun but that is alright.

They hate their roots sitting in wet soil so its best to add grit and compost to the planting hole. We planted it with lots of good compost for good drainage and gave it a nice mulch too and a long drink. It will look gorgeous when it grows and blooms.

I didn't take a photo because well it's just leaves at present so the photo is one taken earlier in the year of the beautiful pale pink bloom of our current mature Camellia in flower peeping through all its gorgeous glossy green leaves.

For a Gardener, there is no greater gift than a flower, Tree, Shrub, Bulbs or Plants for the garden! It is always especially lovely to have pleasant surprises, isn't it? Camellias are so beautiful...

You can learn more about Camellias in this book

Camellias: The Complete Guide to Their Cultivation and Use

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Monday, 13 June 2016

Love Summertime In And Out The Garden!

Why I Love Summertime

Summer is a lovely time of year. In summer we have long days and hopefully longer warmer days and sunshine, vacation time and beautiful flowers. Its quite an easy time of year to love.

Life is easier in the Summertime...

Vivaldi Four Seasons-Summer

Gorgeous music which is beautiful to listen to. You may like to have this video playing while you look through the rest of the page....I find it puts you in the summertime mood. I'm Loving Summer!!

What can I say about Summer?

In a country where it's not that warm most of the year Summertime is our big chance at some high temperatures, occasional balmy days and warmer evenings....for a little while at least :)

A time where we can actually eat out of doors have picnics and breakfast on the patio. Summer is a time to wear lovely dresses and beautiful cool fabrics. Maybe even a sun hat!

A time where the days are long, light, sunny, warm and bright :) Of course, it is not always like that here in UK where I live - in fact its probably a matter of weeks rather than months - but when it is.... oh how we treasure it :)

Life's A Beach! I love walking a long a quiet beach during the summer. I do not get the chance to do this very often as I do not live that near to a beach and so it is a once in a while experience or when we are on holiday.

I do treasure it though and it is never ordinary. There is nothing quite like walking barefoot across a warm sandy beach in the summertime. Feeling the soft warm sand between your toes and the gentle breeze in your hair.....

There is a freshness and unique feeling about being on a beach where the sun warms the sand and the waves gently roll in and I always find it oh so relaxing and serene.

Summertime and the living is e-a-s-y

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.

Henry James

Near Water In Summer

When it is warm or even hot in summer often if they can people gravitate to the water. So we find that beaches, lakes, ponds and rivers tend to attract people more.

Some people take their sport to the water and we often see people sailing or water surfing or simply taking a gentle row in a small rowing boat.

We can enjoy the water more in the summer, warmer with less breeze. Some people like the challenge of water sports in winter but for many its the more chilled out relaxing summer time they love to be in and around the water.

There is also nothing quite like watching the sunshine glisten on the water like thousands of stars gently drifting in a quiet breeze....

"Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability."

Sam Keen

Beautiful Summer Flowers

In many gardens, Summer is the time for flowers. I love all the vibrant colours of the flowers the reds and golds, yellows and purples and also the more gentle shades of lilacs and whites and pinks. They are all just so beautiful.

The garden seems to grow so quickly during early summer becoming heavy with greenery and with blooms. Many are scented and the scent hangs heavy on the air when the day is still. Beautiful annuals put on their flowery show now, just a one off magical appearance for a few short weeks but wow, what a show!

Many roses reach their peak and their beauty is astounding and of the scented ones there is nothing like holding a rose to your fave and drinking in the gorgeous different scents.

The garden reaches a hiatus in summer. Much of the frenetic work needed to be done in Spring is over and the Autumn tasks are yet to be needed so we get a brief period of rest.

As a gardener we should take more time to look , to feel to smell our gardens around us and appreciate them.

If you love flowers Summer is the place to be !

"A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows."

St. Francis of Assisi

Herbs In Summer

We have a small herb garden and they always come into their own in Summer time. I love the fresh wonderful scents, the beautiful stems and flowers of the herbs.

It feels so good to be able to go out of the kitchen door and pick a few chives,sage, rosemary or mint or anything else to go with dinner that evening and to know that we grew them in our garden and how fresh they are.

To Summer by William Blake

O thou who passest thro' our valleys in

Thy strength, curb thy fierce steeds, allay the heat

That flames from their large nostrils! thou, O Summer,

Oft pitched'st here thy goldent tent, and oft

Beneath our oaks hast slept, while we beheld

With joy thy ruddy limbs and flourishing hair.

Beneath our thickest shades we oft have heard

Thy voice, when noon upon his fervid car

Rode o'er the deep of heaven; beside our springs

Sit down, and in our mossy valleys, on

Some bank beside a river clear, throw thy

Silk draperies off, and rush into the stream:

Our valleys love the Summer in his pride.

Our bards are fam'd who strike the silver wire:

Our youth are bolder than the southern swains:

Our maidens fairer in the sprightly dance:

We lack not songs, nor instruments of joy,

Nor echoes sweet, nor waters clear as heaven,

Nor laurel wreaths against the sultry heat.

Pretty Summer Flowers

"In summer, the song sings itself."

William Carlos Williams

Summer Holidays!

Another reason to love summer is the holidays. As a child the summer holidays in July and August seemed to stretch on forever and ever. Long balmy days of play and sunshine...

As an adult of course I didn't get those long summer holidays and the summers seem a lot shorter now somehow. We tend to go on holiday at different times of the year but we still managed a week in the warmer weather of July or August to chill out and relax a little.

As a gardener, it is important to take time every so often to just sit in the garden and look, listen, smell and touch your garden. No weeding, no planning just take it all in and enjoy it.

Take a break from the usual routine and explore, relax, enjoy your garden.

Groove Amarda-At The River

I Love this, sooooooo relaxing and puts me in the mood for a lazy hot summer afternoon...... Armada. At The River

Summer Reading -

All the days of summer to read a good book. Good to enjoy a book in the summer whatever your age. One of my happy pleasures is to take a good book out into our garden, sit on the patio or even on a rug on the grass and simply enjoy reading. Not reading for work or for a course qualification or for learning. No just to read and get lost in a story, in a narrative, in another world.

I love to spend an hour or two like this in the garden on a recliner when I get the opportunity during the summer, the sun warm on my body, the gentle breeze, sound of bees humming and just quietly reading.

What Do You Like About Summer! - Share your thoughts about Summer here. Some comments I received earlier.

ajgodinho 11 months ago from Ontario, Canada

Unfortunately, summer is just come to a close today, here in Canada, at least officially. But, I enjoy Autumn as well and the beauty it brings, even though the temperatures start to drop.

The best thing about Summer for me are the long days. It's quite bright even around 9:00 pm. I enjoyed listening to "Vivaldi Four Seasons-Summer" while reading this

Namsak

Everything - long days, warm nights, summer holidays, days out . . ..

captainj88 East Berlin, PA, USA

Beautiful ! I'm enjoying reading through why you love each season.

Tamara14 agreb, Croatia, Europe

Although born in February I can't wait for the summer every single year. It may be too hot sometimes, but I just love it. Colors, warm nights, social events all over the city, going to the coast etc.

jolou

Another wonderful thing about summer is the flowers, especially the roses. We have many rose gardens here in Victoria.

ohcaroline

Summer is the carefree season. I enjoy swimming in the summer.

WindyWintersHubs Vancouver Island, BC

Oh, Boy. I can smell your lovely roses by looking at them. I love autumn but always look forward to spring and summer! Burr! The winter weather here is mild but damp! Best Wishes to You. ~Wendy

Light-in-me

I love the seasons too and have seasonal pages very similar to yours! Nice job Robin :)

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Friday, 11 September 2015

Why I Bought The Wildlife Gardener Book Twice

This is about The Wildlife Gardener Book by Kate Bradbury. I adore this book! It is all about gardening for wildlife in our gardens. Something I feel we all need to do much more of if we are to help and preserve our diverse and natural wildlife.

As we increasingly build on our countryside, our small or large gardens, even our patios and window boxes, are going to be more vital than ever to provide food, shelter and habitat for our wildlife. It is so easy to do and helps them so much.

The Wildlife Gardener: Creating a Haven for Birds, Bees and Butterflies

I originally bought this book for a friend as a present and spent the week in between buying it and wrapping it up avidly reading it. In the end I loved it so much and found myself wanting to refer back to it and missing reading it, I had to go and order another one to keep for me!

The photographs are beautiful and for me that is really important in a gardening or wildlife book, especially if it is a gift. It is the sort of book that is a joy to read and you are happy to leave out and pick up any time you like and it simply is a lovely book.

However its not all about good looks and the content is very interesting and inspiring. Interesting as it covers how to bring all manner of wildlife into your garden from birds, bees, insects, hedgehogs, badgers, butterflies and more. It even helps with the basic identification of birds.

Beautiful Butterfly On Flowers by RaintreeDesigns
Browse additional posters and prints from zazzle.com.

It discusses the type of plants and habitats and how to incorporate them in to an ordinary garden. It is inspiring as though I thought I knew a fair amount about wildlife it goes further and has ideas I had not thought of as well.

If you know someone or are someone who loves gardening and wildlife this is a lovely gift at a very good price. I was proud to hand this over as a present at my friends Birthday party where it was opened and we spent quite a bit of time discussing the book!

I think I like it most as it is a lovely relaxing read incorporating beautiful photographs with real ideas and projects most people can easily incorporate into their own gardens. It feels totally achievable and even on a very cold day makes me feel like to I want to get out there in the garden.

Some ideas For Attracting Pollinating Insects To Our Gardens.

Do You Garden With Wildlife in Mind?

Help The Bees.

It is always a good idea to have some plants that are loved by bees.Our bees are in trouble right now and need all the help they can get.

So do plant flowers that are of an open habit so that they can land and feed, there are so many pretty flowers you can choose.

Bees Are Essential

Wildlife In Our Gardens.

I love to garden and we are in the process of really sorting out our garden once again.

A garden is an ever changing, evolving entity really. Plants grow and change, others die, we decide on a different colour scheme or theme.

We need it more low maintenance, or we decide to grow our own fruit and vegetables for the first time.

Wildlife gardening has become more popular recently as people realise that with the destruction of habitat in the wild many creatures are having to move into our gardens to survive.

However, wildlife does not always find a welcoming place in our sometimes over manicured gardens. Then again we do not wish to have gardens that look like briar patches or full of weeds.

This book can help you to gain that balance between being wildlife friendly and having a lovely garden. It is perfectly possible to have both.

If you are interested at all in encouraging more butterflies, bees, hedgehogs and birds into your garden this is a very good place to start.

Birds Are Fascinating In The Garden

Wildlife Friendly Garden Ideas.

Take a look at these videos all about gardening with wildlife in mind. Once you get some ideas and guidance it is not that difficult to have a beautiful garden suitable for you and your family and somewhere for the wildlife to visit and maybe set up home.

Birds, hedgehogs, butterflies and especially bees all need our help now to survive and thrive. Bees are very much in danger and if we lose our bees we are in danger too as they are our main pollinator for our food.

If every garden incorporated even a small area that is considered wildlife friendly it would make a huge difference.

A Wildlife Garden in A Suburb Or CIty?

Yes it is perfectly possible to have a very wildlife friendly garden in a city environment or a suburb of a city. Your garden may be smaller but you can still have those elements in it that attract wildlife.

Many relatively small plants such as lavenders and rosemary will be excellent for bees and butterflies and also very good for you as you can use in cooking, for lavender bags and they are also very beautiful.

There are very many flowers which also attract insects, butterflies and bees to your garden and at a very small cost you can easily populate a small city garden or even if you only have a balcony or window box with a feast for the eyes and a haven for wildlife.

I would love to hear about your wildlife gardening experiences. I do read every comment and enjoy hearing from readers.

This book The Wildlife Gardener makes such a beautiful gift. Happy Wildlife Gardening!

Here are some comments I received when this was published on another site

RaintreeAnnie 7 months ago from UK Hub Author

Sandy Thank you for visiting. Yes it is a lovely book, lots of information and beautiful as well. I love to see especially bees and butterflies in my garden and you can have a wildlife garden that looks lovely:)

SandyMertens 7 months ago from Frozen Tundra Level 2 Commenter

This would be a book that I would love to see as well. Love flower and wildlife gardens.

RaintreeAnnie 9 months ago from UK Hub Author

@annieangel1 Thank you so much for visiting! Of course I am happy for you to share and pin, I am glad you enjoyed it enough to want to do that :)

annieangel1 9 months ago from Yorkshire, England

hope you don't mind me pinning and sharing this

TonyPayne 12 months ago from Southampton, UK

We have foxes that come into our garden most evenings, a hedgehog that we have seen a couple of times, and in the last few months badgers have been using one of our flower beds as a toilet. We haven't seen them yet, but we are planning to buy a motion activated camera so we can video them.

JoanieMRuppel54 14 months ago from Keller, Texas

It's important to consider wildlife in any planting situation, be it a buzzing bee or a black bear! I just saw a squirrel eating my strawberries the other day and we also have a lot of lizards but they seem to stay out of the garden and flowers. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.