How Does your garden grow?

[Cathrin]

Well here we are again, 'Spring is sprung, the grass is ris'

My Magnolia (dwarf Stella) is in full bloom, only 3 years old and absolutely covered in flowers. the primroses are going mad and so are the Hellebores.
My Hardy orchids are sticking up their noses and I'm just waiting for the bee orchids to flower, and things in general are starting to get growing, with green shoots exploding from plants all over the garden. ;D

We have put in the beetroot's and salad leaf and we are chitting some seed potatoes, so we are full swing here in Romford.

What are your gardens up to?

Cat

[Ann]

Wow, you're putting me to shame! I have lots of colour in my garden at the moment, but I haven't given a thought to planting yet. Course with the re-wire and the aftermath it's brought, my mind has been a bit taken up with other things!

I did get round the back garden a few weeks ago and tidied it up, so the vegetable patch is clear. I just haven't thought about what I'm actually going to put in it yet. I did notice my raspberry canes are all breaking into leaf, so I'm hopeful of another good crop this year.

It's definitely time to think about buying some tomato plants too.

[Cathrin]

I have never had much luck with tomatoes Ann, now chillie peppers, thats another story

My new Cherry tree has just come into flower, it was planted last year so has settled enough to hopefully get a few cherrys before the birds get them all.
The Blue Dancer Clematis is stunning this year and is climbing over 10 ft now with a mass of early flowers.

[Ann]

I've been inspecting my 2 dwarf apples trees and it looks like I'm going to have a good show of blossom and hopefully lots of fruit. I had a day off from housework/decorating yesterday and spent some of the time tidying up the pots in the front.

I also put out Pasha's fur by the way, but so far the bluetits have ignored it.

[Ann]

This isn't actually in my garden, although it loves being outside for the summer and will go into my front patio shortly. At the moment, despite being quite a small orange tree, the perfume from the flowers is filling the ground floor of my house. I can't believe how strongly scented they are.

[Cathrin]

What a great little tree Ann,
I haven't got a citrus yet, but what with all my other plants I think I have enough for now ;D

[julieurwin]

I am a little late for the conversation I know but I had dates and Mangos in our garden. Never had such sweet mangos. Never liked them before now. The ones we used to get at the supermarket in the UK were always a bit bitter. The ones that kept falling off the tree were fab. I have given lots away and pureed enough to last a long time and popped in the freezer. Nice with vanilla ice cream I thought

The dates - well David told the little man next door he could have them all!!! 4 large palm trees full, way to high to reach and OK they were making a mess, however the one nearest the door was just ready for picking and within reach!! I got up one morning to find the whole lot gone. They had been in to pick then early that morning. Not a one was left!!!! Men eh!!

[Cathrin]

That's typical Julie, We have a young Turkey Fig tree growing and we got 2 from it this year with high hopes for next. We had so many black grapes (4kil) that we gave a couple of kilo away to the neighbours.
With the apples I make apple and cherry crumbles for the freezer and we did end up with some tomatoes that Mark munched happily on.

Now we are going around raking up all the fallen leaves before they can distroy what little lawn we have left ;D

Although I did get a nice surprise with one of my late flowering Hardy orchids know as Lady's Tresses Chads FOrd (or more commonly 'slug food')

picasaweb.google.com/markncat/Orchids#5399107704667227458

And this Dehlia that is about the size of a dinner plate and is still flowering today

picasaweb.google.com/markncat/GardenFlowers#5399108742339982002