New to gardening
 

I have just discovered that the big area outside at the back is called a
garden - my wife has kept it secret from me until now - but having retired I
decided to explore beyond the conservatory door - I am amazed !!

After accidentally breaking a few of the pretty red Geraniums and sticking
them back in the ground I was astonished .... they GREW !! Is it always so
easy I wondered ?

Anyway - the first job is to try and identify what I have got - the Fuschia
were fairly easy, as were the Geraniums and Snapdragons (Antirriniums ?) -
my grandfather was a professional gardener and as a small child I often
helped him (or maybe he babysat me :-) - but I did remember a few things -
even after 50 years. I have decided to leave the shrubs and trees for now -
but the Eucalyptus looks intyeresting (nothing else could smell like that)
as does the Rosemary (I split this into 4 as it looked very cramped - and it
hasn't died yet after a week) - a rather gangly straggly plant with a
pleasant smell (oranges maybe ?) has me beaten - about 18 inches high, lots
of reddish stems with rounded triangular leaves, some of which are turning a
very attractive crimson colour at the edges - with small white flowers, 4
petals and a very prominent central errr... half-inch long catkin-like
protrusion with yellowish bits. I cannot find any identification guide on
the net - maybe someone here can help. Anyway I have broken it into 4 clumps
and given it a bit of space.


Enough for now - as I cannot see a FAQ anywhere and may be completely in the
wrong place.

Any newbie type help would be much appreciated - particularly why my newly
acquired plants are only half the size of the lady next door's ?

kind regards

Lol Middleton

Martin asked ...

-snip-

Did you ask your wife?
--

My wife has a black belt in shopping and a phd in sunbathing - gardening is
a destructive necessity - cut the lawn (so you can sit out) , trim the
bushes (so they don't shade the sun) and kill the weeds. Unfortunately the
label fell off this one somewhere between the garden centre and the back
garden :-)

We are in South Wales btw

regards Lol

On Mon, 8 Aug 2005 10:48:38 +0000 (UTC), Lol wrote:

a rather gangly straggly plant with a
pleasant smell (oranges maybe ?) has me beaten - about 18 inches high, lots
of reddish stems with rounded triangular leaves, some of which are turning a
very attractive crimson colour at the edges - with small white flowers, 4
petals and a very prominent central errr... half-inch long catkin-like
protrusion with yellowish bits.

Sounds like a Houttuynia? According to the books, it should be
planted on the margins of a pond but mine has escaped from the bog
area next to the pond and is rampaging up the much dryer terraces.
It's very pretty but can be rather invasive...

--
Cheers, Serena
Nothing right in my left brain. Nothing left in my right brain (anon)

In article ,
"Lol" writes:
|
| After accidentally breaking a few of the pretty red Geraniums and sticking
| them back in the ground I was astonished .... they GREW !! Is it always so
| easy I wondered ?

It can be, yes.

| as does the Rosemary (I split this into 4 as it looked very cramped - and it
| hasn't died yet after a week)

It may. It isn't generally a good idea to split it - layer it (i.e.
put a handful of earth and/or a stone or half brick on top of a
straggling shoot, and it will root. Anyway, if it does, it is easy
and quick to regrow.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Serena Blanchflower" wrote in message
...
-snip-

Sounds like a Houttuynia? According to the books, it should be
planted on the margins of a pond but mine has escaped from the bog
area next to the pond and is rampaging up the much dryer terraces.
It's very pretty but can be rather invasive...


yes - that is the one - I found a jpg to confirm ...

HOUTTUYNIA CORDATA

We have no pond though ...

I now find this was given to my wife by an old friend - It came in a very
large (and very ugly) pot - but I have replanted half of it against a fence
in some rather clay-like soil - I do hope I haven't killed it.

many thanks ...

Lol

On Mon, 8 Aug 2005 12:35:46 +0000 (UTC), Lol wrote:

We have no pond though ...

I don't think mine's read the books either!

--
Cheers, Serena
Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood (Marie
Curie)

Lol wrote in message
...
I have just discovered that the big area outside at the back is called a
garden - my wife has kept it secret from me until now - but having retired
I
decided to explore beyond the conservatory door - I am amazed !!

After accidentally breaking a few of the pretty red Geraniums and sticking
them back in the ground I was astonished .... they GREW !! Is it always so
easy I wondered ?

Anyway - the first job is to try and identify what I have got - the
Fuschia
were fairly easy, as were the Geraniums and Snapdragons (Antirriniums ?) -
my grandfather was a professional gardener and as a small child I often
helped him (or maybe he babysat me :-) - but I did remember a few things -
even after 50 years. I have decided to leave the shrubs and trees for
now -
but the Eucalyptus looks intyeresting (nothing else could smell like that)
as does the Rosemary (I split this into 4 as it looked very cramped - and
it
hasn't died yet after a week) - a rather gangly straggly plant with a
pleasant smell (oranges maybe ?) has me beaten - about 18 inches high,
lots
of reddish stems with rounded triangular leaves, some of which are turning
a
very attractive crimson colour at the edges - with small white flowers, 4
petals and a very prominent central errr... half-inch long catkin-like
protrusion with yellowish bits. I cannot find any identification guide on
the net - maybe someone here can help. Anyway I have broken it into 4
clumps
and given it a bit of space.


Enough for now - as I cannot see a FAQ anywhere and may be completely in
the
wrong place.

Any newbie type help would be much appreciated - particularly why my newly
acquired plants are only half the size of the lady next door's ?

kind regards

Lol Middleton



Hi Lol,

Welcome to the wonderful world of gardening, and to this group.

As has been suggested, do talk to your wife .. this is what retirement is
for. She may even talk back to you since you propagated her geranium!

Your neighbour's plants may be more established .. more well fed .. a
different cultivar. Compliment them on their garden and ask their advice.
They may even be able to help you identify plants in your garden that
neither you nor your wife know.

Before digging or planting, ask your wife if she has bulbs (hidden
underground!!) in that area. This way you'll avoid damaging these latent
plants, and marital bliss will be assured. Similarly, if your wife has
always ruled the garden, it would be considerate (*essential*) to discuss
allocation of jobs, intended plantings and so on.
A lady friend of mine is always struck with terror when her husband goes
into the garden. Fortunately, she is not struck dumb .. he now knows his
place!

Oh yes .. do buy your own tools, especially hand tools, and make sure
they're comfortable and safe to use.

Spider

"Spider" wrote in message
...
-snip-

Welcome to the wonderful world of gardening, and to this group.

thank-you

As has been suggested, do talk to your wife ..

one does not talk to my wife - one listens intently (and interestedly) :-)

Your neighbour's plants may be more established .. more well fed ..

What should I feed them on please ?
(the plants, not the neighbours) :-0

Before digging or planting, ask your wife if she has bulbs (hidden
underground!!) in that area. This way you'll avoid damaging these latent
plants, and marital bliss will be assured. Similarly, if your wife has
always ruled the garden, it would be considerate (*essential*) to discuss
allocation of jobs, intended plantings and so on.
A lady friend of mine is always struck with terror when her husband goes
into the garden. Fortunately, she is not struck dumb .. he now knows his
place!

Unfortunately one of my earlier posts has disappeared - it explained that my
wife has no gardening ambitions beyond having a newly mown lawn to sunbathe
on, under well trimmed hedges that do not shade the sun and to smell sweet
fragrances (not normally associated with dandelions) - so have no concerns
for my safety :-)

Oh yes .. do buy your own tools, especially hand tools, and make sure
they're comfortable and safe to use.

Spider

many thanks - :-)

Lol

Nick wrote ...


It may. It isn't generally a good idea to split it - layer it (i.e.
put a handful of earth and/or a stone or half brick on top of a
straggling shoot, and it will root. Anyway, if it does, it is easy
and quick to regrow.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Thanks for that Nick - how very interesting - so I must try to get it to
form it's own root whilst it is still being supported by the parent plant. I
imagine this to be something like the way in which strawberries grow. I also
imagine that one can snip the umbilical cord to the parent and reposition
the plant once it has become established ?

Many thanks - I feel sure that the original plant will survive (as I
replanted it with a substantial root, together with it's original soil) - so
if the worst comes to the worst and I lose the three 'transplants' I can
await new off-shoots and then layer them.

When you say it is easy and quick to regrow - is that from seed ?

I quite like cooking, and one of the things I am going to read up on is
'herbs' - it would be nice to have my own grown source for Mint, Sage,
Coriander etc

Is there a good book to get me started ? A beginners guide to gardening ?

regards Lol

On 8/8/05 17:19, in article
, "Lol"
wrote:
snip

I quite like cooking, and one of the things I am going to read up on is
'herbs' - it would be nice to have my own grown source for Mint, Sage,
Coriander etc

It's lovely to have your own herbs. They need (mostly) to be grown in full
sun and to have their roots kept dry, so wet ground that holds onto moisture
isn't a good thing for herbs. Mint is a thug of a plant and is best grown
in a container so that it can't take over the whole of the rest of your herb
garden.

Is there a good book to get me started ? A beginners guide to gardening ?

Have a look at the Hessayon guides which are a good start. Amazon has them,
I think. And good luck with the garden - it's the most satisfying,
fascinating, interesting, rewarding and frustrating 'hobby' one can have,
IMO!
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds for email)

On Mon, 8 Aug 2005 12:35:46 +0000 (UTC), "Lol" wrote:
- but I have replanted half of it against a fence
in some rather clay-like soil - I do hope I haven't killed it.

I think that might depend upon which half you kept,
the top half or the bottom half :-?))

In article , Sacha
writes
On 8/8/05 17:19, in article
, "Lol"
wrote:
snip

I quite like cooking, and one of the things I am going to read up on is
'herbs' - it would be nice to have my own grown source for Mint, Sage,
Coriander etc

It's lovely to have your own herbs. They need (mostly) to be grown in full
sun and to have their roots kept dry, so wet ground that holds onto moisture
isn't a good thing for herbs. Mint is a thug of a plant and is best grown
in a container so that it can't take over the whole of the rest of your herb
garden.

Mint is one of the exceptions that wants it a bit moister. Also parsley
and chives

Basil won't survive our winters, so you need to regrow it each year. Can
be done from seed, but easier to buy a supermarket tub, the sort which
is still growing, and split it.


--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

In article , Lol
writes
After accidentally breaking a few of the pretty red Geraniums and sticking
them back in the ground I was astonished .... they GREW !! Is it always so
easy I wondered ?

no - geraniums (the Latin name is Pelargonium, and it's best to get into
the habit to avoid confusion with the other Geraniums, which are hardy
plants with blue, pink, purple or white flowers, cottagey-garden
looking, with a long flowering period) are particularly easy, but so are
quite a few plants, including fuchsia.

Anyway - the first job is to try and identify what I have got - the Fuschia
were fairly easy, as were the Geraniums and Snapdragons (Antirriniums ?

yes

) -
my grandfather was a professional gardener and as a small child I often
helped him (or maybe he babysat me :-) - but I did remember a few things -
even after 50 years. I have decided to leave the shrubs and trees for now -
but the Eucalyptus looks intyeresting (nothing else could smell like that)
as does the Rosemary (I split this into 4 as it looked very cramped - and it
hasn't died yet after a week) -

a rather gangly straggly plant with a
pleasant smell (oranges maybe ?) has me beaten - about 18 inches high, lots
of reddish stems with rounded triangular leaves, some of which are turning a
very attractive crimson colour at the edges - with small white flowers, 4
petals and a very prominent central errr... half-inch long catkin-like
protrusion with yellowish bits.

Do you mean the leaves are scented? Or the flowers?

I cannot find any identification guide on
the net - maybe someone here can help. Anyway I have broken it into 4 clumps
and given it a bit of space.

If you can post a pic on a website and tell us the url, someone here
will identify it for you.

Enough for now - as I cannot see a FAQ anywhere and may be completely in the
wrong place.

No, you're in exactly the right place. Welcome!

Any newbie type help would be much appreciated - particularly why my newly
acquired plants are only half the size of the lady next door's ?

She's had hers awhile and they've grown? She'd bought from somewhere
else?
Smaller plants often establish better than larger ones, and do better in
the long run.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

"Lol" wrote

I quite like cooking, and one of the things I am going to read up on is
'herbs' - it would be nice to have my own grown source for Mint, Sage,
Coriander etc

Is there a good book to get me started ? A beginners guide to gardening ?
regards Lol

Go and look at ALL the hessayon garden books.
They are cheap paper back editions, sold at all reasonable GC's and bookstores,
or Amazon
Perfect for the beginner. Choose the ones relevant to your situation/ interests
"~)

Jenny

"Lol" wrote in message
...
I have just discovered that the big area outside at the back is called a
garden - my wife has kept it secret from me until now - but having retired I
decided to explore beyond the conservatory door - I am amazed !!

Welcome to URG Lol (is that really your name or do people call you that becasue
of your lovele sense of humour ?)

After accidentally breaking a few of the pretty red Geraniums and sticking
them back in the ground I was astonished .... they GREW !! Is it always so
easy I wondered ?

No, but it's fun trying :~())

Anyway - the first job is to try and identify what I have got

Probably the best way is to post some pictures for us all to look at. There is a
huga amount of knowledge here in the group :~))

Enough for now - as I cannot see a FAQ anywhere and may be completely in the
wrong place.

URG has FAQs etc at : http://www.tmac.clara.net/urgring/index.htm

Any newbie type help would be much appreciated - particularly why my newly
acquired plants are only half the size of the lady next door's ?
kind regards
Lol Middleton

Maybe she found URg a couple of years earlier than you did ?~?~

Jenny