Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? If Ray isn't up
to it I'll struggle round on my own. ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

In message , Sacha
writes
Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? If Ray isn't up
to it I'll struggle round on my own. ;-)

We'll probably squelch our way round our very soggy patch in Dorset.
Clay can be helpful under some conditions but not under those which have
recently prevailed. Returning the other day from NZ where spring and
early summer were the order of the day, current weather is something of
a shock! We have a bad case of lupinitis - they were wonderful!

It seems we could all be in for quite an exciting period of weather over
the next few days so, just in case we are all under the white stuff at
the appointed hour - may we wish you a happy, peaceful and healthy
2010!!

--
Gopher .... I know my place!

"Sacha" wrote...
Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? If Ray isn't up to
it I'll struggle round on my own. ;-)

I had to unexpectedly spend some time outside stripping down, cleaning and
recharging one of my pond filters on Christmas Eve so I have no intention of
spending any more time in the garden right now thank you. :-)
Besides which I can see the whole garden from the door and can only see one
tatty flower on a clematis.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

On 2009-12-27 12:38:34 +0000, Gopher said:

In message , Sacha writes
Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? If Ray isn't up
to it I'll struggle round on my own. ;-)

We'll probably squelch our way round our very soggy patch in Dorset.
Clay can be helpful under some conditions but not under those which
have recently prevailed. Returning the other day from NZ where spring
and early summer were the order of the day, current weather is
something of a shock! We have a bad case of lupinitis - they were
wonderful!

Oh, I'm SO glad you saw them! They're a wonderful sight and although
the natives tend to think of them as a pest, I think they've also
realised that we tourists are just blown away by the sight and scent.
Where did you go, what did you see etc?!

It seems we could all be in for quite an exciting period of weather
over the next few days so, just in case we are all under the white
stuff at the appointed hour - may we wish you a happy, peaceful and
healthy 2010!!

I've just done a brief walk round part of the garden with my daughter
and her little boy and it's getting very cold with a brisk wind that
doesn't help one bit. The Camellia we think is 'Cherub' (I think Bob
Hobden ID'd that for us) is in flower and Camellia japonica Takanini is
covered in buds, though I think some of the opening ones have been
frosted. It's a fantastic plant and even though ours is still a baby,
it seems to go on flowering for a long period and is covered with buds.
It has a couple of dead flowers on it too, so it does seem to be very
good value in terms of length of flowering.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

On 2009-12-27 13:13:53 +0000, "Bob Hobden" said:



"Sacha" wrote...
Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? If Ray isn't up
to it I'll struggle round on my own. ;-)

I had to unexpectedly spend some time outside stripping down, cleaning
and recharging one of my pond filters on Christmas Eve so I have no
intention of spending any more time in the garden right now thank you.
:-)
Besides which I can see the whole garden from the door and can only see
one tatty flower on a clematis.

Chicken! ;-)) I bet you'd find some other treasures if you hunt.
The Sarcococcas are dripping with buds and are nearly ready to perfume
the garden, too.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

In message , Sacha
writes
On 2009-12-27 12:38:34 +0000, Gopher said:

In message , Sacha
writes
Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? If Ray isn't
up to it I'll struggle round on my own. ;-)
We'll probably squelch our way round our very soggy patch in Dorset.
Clay can be helpful under some conditions but not under those which
have recently prevailed. Returning the other day from NZ where spring
and early summer were the order of the day, current weather is
something of a shock! We have a bad case of lupinitis - they were wonderful!

Oh, I'm SO glad you saw them! They're a wonderful sight and although
the natives tend to think of them as a pest, I think they've also
realised that we tourists are just blown away by the sight and scent.
Where did you go, what did you see etc?!

snip

I don't want to bore the group with my impressions but with the slashes
of gold and pale yellow from the broom and gorse towards the North and
the oceans of multicoloured lupins in the South - especially in the
broad braided river beds - the landscape frequently looked almost
artificial in its beauty. Viper's bugloss, various verbenas and a large
number of wildflowers with which I am not familiar will present a
definite challenge to the image printer in which I am told I will soon
be investing! And I have always been perfectly content with the CD/DVD
option :-)) Oh - and the banks of wild roses! Although I know that many
of the locals and the excellent DoC (Dept. of Conservation) are much
irked by these non native species, I cannot think of many more
enchanting places to be during spring and early summer than NZ -
especially South Island.
--
Gopher .... I know my place!

On 2009-12-27 16:47:27 +0000, Gopher said:

In message , Sacha writes
On 2009-12-27 12:38:34 +0000, Gopher said:

In message , Sacha writes
Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? If Ray isn't up
to it I'll struggle round on my own. ;-)
We'll probably squelch our way round our very soggy patch in Dorset.
Clay can be helpful under some conditions but not under those which
have recently prevailed. Returning the other day from NZ where spring
and early summer were the order of the day, current weather is
something of a shock! We have a bad case of lupinitis - they were
wonderful!

Oh, I'm SO glad you saw them! They're a wonderful sight and although
the natives tend to think of them as a pest, I think they've also
realised that we tourists are just blown away by the sight and scent.
Where did you go, what did you see etc?!

snip

I don't want to bore the group with my impressions but with the slashes
of gold and pale yellow from the broom and gorse towards the North and
the oceans of multicoloured lupins in the South - especially in the
broad braided river beds - the landscape frequently looked almost
artificial in its beauty. Viper's bugloss, various verbenas and a large
number of wildflowers with which I am not familiar will present a
definite challenge to the image printer in which I am told I will soon
be investing! And I have always been perfectly content with the CD/DVD
option :-)) Oh - and the banks of wild roses! Although I know that many
of the locals and the excellent DoC (Dept. of Conservation) are much
irked by these non native species, I cannot think of many more
enchanting places to be during spring and early summer than NZ -
especially South Island.

We certainly agree on all counts. I told my children when we got back
that if I'd gone out there when younger, they'd now have a different
mother, because I'd have stayed there, I think. It's the most
wonderful country and the landscapes just take your breath away. When
we spent our last few days there, we were in Devonport and the
Pohutekawa trees were in bloom - it was a wonderful picture and
terribly hard to tear ourselves away.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? If Ray isn't up to
it I'll struggle round on my own. ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

Not considered it, but willing to give it a try :-)

Outdoors at the moment we have geraniums (well, zonal perlagoniums) still in
flower and one yellow rose bush.
Apart from that there are various shrubs with purplish flowers (will take
advice on species)
Everything else sems to have been walloped by the recent cold spell.

On 27 Dec, 18:04, "David WE Roberts" wrote:
"Sacha" wrote in message

...

Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? *If Ray isn't up to
it I'll struggle round on my own. *;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

Not considered it, but willing to give it a try :-)

Outdoors at the moment we have geraniums (well, zonal perlagoniums) still in
flower and one yellow rose bush.
Apart from that there are various shrubs with purplish flowers (will take
advice on species)
Everything else sems to have been walloped by the recent cold spell.



I doubt if there is anything left here in flower now after the frosts,
but I will try to remember to look.
I do hope Ray is OK, sounds as if he isn't to good when you say if he
is up to it.
David Hill

On 2009-12-27 18:04:44 +0000, "David WE Roberts" said:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? If Ray isn't up
to it I'll struggle round on my own. ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

Not considered it, but willing to give it a try :-)

Outdoors at the moment we have geraniums (well, zonal perlagoniums)
still in flower and one yellow rose bush.
Apart from that there are various shrubs with purplish flowers (will
take advice on species)
Everything else sems to have been walloped by the recent cold spell.


You didn't do 'the count' last year, David? It's fun to see what's out
and where but it's not competitive - she says, struggling to find the
magnifying glass and notebooks. ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

On 2009-12-27 18:27:18 +0000, Dave Hill said:

On 27 Dec, 18:04, "David WE Roberts" wrote:
"Sacha" wrote in message

...

Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? *If Ray isn't up
to
it I'll struggle round on my own. *;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

Not considered it, but willing to give it a try :-)

Outdoors at the moment we have geraniums (well, zonal perlagoniums) still
in
flower and one yellow rose bush.
Apart from that there are various shrubs with purplish flowers (will take
advice on species)
Everything else sems to have been walloped by the recent cold spell.



I doubt if there is anything left here in flower now after the frosts,
but I will try to remember to look.
I do hope Ray is OK, sounds as if he isn't to good when you say if he
is up to it.
David Hill

No, he's still feeling pretty horrible, though we hope he's picked up a
bit in the last 24 hours. It's a really nasty bronchial bug and it's
worn him to threads.
He's a very hardy person and I've never known him as ill as this and
certainly not for so long. It's absolutely maddening when I know we
eat a good and varied diet and don't go out roistering until 3am -
maybe that's where we're going wrong!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-12-27 18:04:44 +0000, "David WE Roberts" said:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? If Ray isn't up to
it I'll struggle round on my own. ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

Not considered it, but willing to give it a try :-)

Outdoors at the moment we have geraniums (well, zonal perlagoniums) still
in flower and one yellow rose bush.
Apart from that there are various shrubs with purplish flowers (will take
advice on species)
Everything else sems to have been walloped by the recent cold spell.


You didn't do 'the count' last year, David? It's fun to see what's out
and where but it's not competitive - she says, struggling to find the
magnifying glass and notebooks. ;-)

No - was probably embroiled in something at the time.
If I remember correctly I was up on Ringing Roger on New Year's Eve in
glorious sunshine looking down on a sea of freezing fog reaching as far as
Sheffield.
Got home late (but happy) and went to bed, not bothering to see the New Year
in..
The count would have been pointless in Thatcham anyway - nothing flowering
in the garden there.

Is the count just within your own curtilage, or do you look further afield?
There are quite a few unseasonal flowers around at the moment, including
blossom on trees.

Cheers

Dave R

On 2009-12-27 22:13:04 +0000, "David WE Roberts" said:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-12-27 18:04:44 +0000, "David WE Roberts" said:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? If Ray isn't up
to it I'll struggle round on my own. ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

Not considered it, but willing to give it a try :-)

Outdoors at the moment we have geraniums (well, zonal perlagoniums)
still in flower and one yellow rose bush.
Apart from that there are various shrubs with purplish flowers (will
take advice on species)
Everything else sems to have been walloped by the recent cold spell.


You didn't do 'the count' last year, David? It's fun to see what's out
and where but it's not competitive - she says, struggling to find the
magnifying glass and notebooks. ;-)

No - was probably embroiled in something at the time.
If I remember correctly I was up on Ringing Roger on New Year's Eve in
glorious sunshine looking down on a sea of freezing fog reaching as far
as Sheffield.
Got home late (but happy) and went to bed, not bothering to see the New
Year in..
The count would have been pointless in Thatcham anyway - nothing
flowering in the garden there.

Is the count just within your own curtilage, or do you look further afield?
There are quite a few unseasonal flowers around at the moment,
including blossom on trees.

Cheers

Dave R

In your own garden, usually. Though why not include what you see in
local areas?
--
Sacha

On 28 Dec, 00:58, Sacha wrote:
On 2009-12-27 22:13:04 +0000, "David WE Roberts" said:







"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-12-27 18:04:44 +0000, "David WE Roberts" said:

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? *If Ray isn't up
to it I'll struggle round on my own. *;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

Not considered it, but willing to give it a try :-)

Outdoors at the moment we have geraniums (well, zonal perlagoniums)
still in flower and one yellow rose bush.
Apart from that there are various shrubs with purplish flowers (will
take advice on species)
Everything else sems to have been walloped by the recent cold spell.

You didn't do 'the count' last year, David? *It's fun to see what's out
and where but it's not competitive - she says, struggling to find the
magnifying glass and notebooks. *;-)

No - was probably embroiled in something at the time.
If I remember correctly I was up on Ringing Roger on New Year's Eve in
glorious sunshine looking down on a sea of freezing fog reaching as far
as Sheffield.
Got home late (but happy) and went to bed, not bothering to see the New
Year in..
The count would have been pointless in Thatcham anyway - nothing
flowering in the garden there.

Is the count just within your own curtilage, or do you look further afield?
There are quite a few unseasonal flowers around at the moment,
including blossom on trees.

Cheers

Dave R

In your own garden, usually. *Though why not include what you see in
local areas?
--
Sacha- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It's going to be very sparse this year - New garden and *much* smaller
scale than the work garden but it's mine all mine ;-))
The little Hammamelis might or might not make it in time, the Mahonia
has been in flower for a while but it's a very small plant atm, we'll
have to wait 'til the next flowering season for the Cyclamen coum,
Daphne bholua flowered in Feb at work so I don't expect it to flower
here any sooner, still the odd flower spike hanging on on the later
Callunas - they were browsed by rabbits early on and it delayed
flowering. A rabbit fence is next on the to do list - should be
starting that next week. Lots of other winter flowering things
plannned.
I hope Ray gets better soon.
Rod

Roses outside our front door :-))

Happy New Year to those who read me :-)) ....................... most :-)

--
Mike

The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rneba.org.uk
Luxury Self Catering on the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk



"Rod" wrote in message
...
On 28 Dec, 00:58, Sacha wrote:
On 2009-12-27 22:13:04 +0000, "David WE Roberts" said:







"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-12-27 18:04:44 +0000, "David WE Roberts"
said:

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? If Ray isn't up
to it I'll struggle round on my own. ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

Not considered it, but willing to give it a try :-)

Outdoors at the moment we have geraniums (well, zonal perlagoniums)
still in flower and one yellow rose bush.
Apart from that there are various shrubs with purplish flowers (will
take advice on species)
Everything else sems to have been walloped by the recent cold spell.

You didn't do 'the count' last year, David? It's fun to see what's out
and where but it's not competitive - she says, struggling to find the
magnifying glass and notebooks. ;-)

No - was probably embroiled in something at the time.
If I remember correctly I was up on Ringing Roger on New Year's Eve in
glorious sunshine looking down on a sea of freezing fog reaching as far
as Sheffield.
Got home late (but happy) and went to bed, not bothering to see the New
Year in..
The count would have been pointless in Thatcham anyway - nothing
flowering in the garden there.

Is the count just within your own curtilage, or do you look further
afield?
There are quite a few unseasonal flowers around at the moment,
including blossom on trees.

Cheers

Dave R

In your own garden, usually. Though why not include what you see in
local areas?
--
Sacha- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It's going to be very sparse this year - New garden and *much* smaller
scale than the work garden but it's mine all mine ;-))
The little Hammamelis might or might not make it in time, the Mahonia
has been in flower for a while but it's a very small plant atm, we'll
have to wait 'til the next flowering season for the Cyclamen coum,
Daphne bholua flowered in Feb at work so I don't expect it to flower
here any sooner, still the odd flower spike hanging on on the later
Callunas - they were browsed by rabbits early on and it delayed
flowering. A rabbit fence is next on the to do list - should be
starting that next week. Lots of other winter flowering things
plannned.
I hope Ray gets better soon.
Rod