Knockdene garden in 2021

Sunrise               05:45               Sunset               20:55 Today is Alison's birthday so we are going to visit Walkers to buy some Lilium plants. Alison likes Lilies so a good job. I also bought 2 new fork handles to make repairs to both of my forks. We came back home and Alison planted the lilies into two large planters. We planted 4 dwarf Lilium Crimson Pixies. Then in another large planter 4 Lilium Beau Soleil, Yellow and 4 Lilium Black Charm, a very dark red. They should make a good display in the summer. We have still got 4 tree lilies to plant out in the garden, Serano, a yellow one.  I continued with the weeding of the area contaminated by wild garlic. The Peach tree has been  uncovered, any peach leaf curl will be picked off as it is seen.

Sunrise          05:47               Sunset               20:53 Still cold and dry. I did a little more at the area around the pond and took some photos of what is growing well. I started to weed the area in the back garden where I took the Hydrangea Paniculata from, to try and remove the Wild garlic   (Allium  triquetrum)   that is trying to take over the area. I visited Walkers Seeds in Newtownards and got a bag of ericaceous compost to top dress the area. I managed to break the handle on my fork, a new one is needed. The revised area where the Paniculata was taken  out. The area Allium  triquetrum is  being removed from.

  Sunrise          05:50               Sunset          20:51 Another good day in the garden, weather is still cold but very sunny. Alison continued to water plants as necessary.  The side of the pond with a little bed with Candelabra Primula growing.

Sunrise          05:52               Sunset               20:49 I took a day away to go to Fermanagh with my pipes. Alison worked away in the garden and kept everything ticking over. Weeding and watering as necessary. We had a little rain today, late on, the first rain in a few weeks. Alison planted some Hollyhock seeds we saved last year. We hope some of them grow.

Sunrise          05:54               Sunset          20:47 I  visited the supplier of sand and bought some more to help with the realignment of the path. I bought a bituminous repair paste to help to repair the leak in the pond return stream. When I came back I reset the last 3 flags on the path to lower them to the level of the realigned path. We kept the seedlings going forward by moving all the chrysanthemum cuttings outside.  The  Amaryllis has thrown out another bloom on a new stalk, even more coloured that the first two blooms

Sunrise           05:56               Sunset               20:45 We worked more on the path around the pond until we ran out of supplies, we still need to reset some of the flags to make it look best. Work underway on the path I moved the Hydrangea Paniculata, Vanille Fraise. We decided it did not have enough room where it was beside the greenhouse. I took an enormous root ball and moved it to the back of the garden so it can develop more. The hole in the bed left by the removal of the Vanille Fraise The Vanille Fraise in it's new home The Vanille Fraise in it's new home The Daffodils taken out to make way for the Vanille Fraise have been transplanted around the Pear tree. The Apple tree has started to bloom.

 Sunrise          05:58               Sunset               20:43 Another good day, we started on the path in the back, it was still recovering from the removal of the shed. We decided we would cover the path with a stone, Donegal Quartz. We realigned the end of the path aro und the pond to make the levels correct. I bought 3 bags of the stones so we could see what it would look like. The front garden We watered the veg garden and kept things going across all the garden and potting sheds.

Sunrise               06:01               Sunset          20:41 A frosty start this morning, the promise of another great sunny day. Back garden before sunup Front as Sun is getting up. Front frosted up Sun just up.

  Sunrise          06:03                    Sunset               20:39 Another bright day, forecast is very dry. I decided today was going to be grass cutting day so I strimmed the front and the hard to keep tidy parts of the back. Then I started the lawn mower and cut the front. Round the back and again cut the short grass and then after lunch I did the rest of the back garden, cutting all the long grass around the apple trees and plum trees.  I started the second composting bin with some of the grass cuttings. I had a bucket with seaweed in it so I sieved the contents into my seaweed barrel for using as a fertiliser.  The rest of the contents went into the new compost pile. I took a few photos as the garden is looking a picture today. Tulips are now in bloom More tulips and daffodils behind a Paeony  First signs of bloom on the Azelea An...

 Sunrise          06:05               Sunset          20:38 I spent more time today in the workshop finishing the Burr Bowl for Willis, so apart from checking the garden not a lot was done until the sun had almost set. Alison and I gave everything a good soaking, it is very dry. During the day Alison potted on some of the seedlings growing in the potting shed. The Paeony is looking good today, flowers are promised. 

Sunrise          06:10          Sunset          20:34 I planted some of the plants bought yesterday, central in this pic is the golden coloured Heuchera, "Soda Ginger Ale. The Fritillaria Persicum can also be seen. It was a lovely morning for the garden. After planting the Heuchera, I decided to split the Red-hot Poker, that was a bit more taxing, but I think I succeeded.  The Red-hot Poker was needing attention The reset Red-hot Pokers We went into the vegetable garden in the afternoon and planted out the 24 assorted cabbage type plants in the raised beds. We weeded and gave the beds a dressing of lime, blood fish and bone as well as a drop of multi purpose fertiliser before planting. We planted 12 Cabbages, 12 Cauliflower and 6 Brussels Sprouts. We then covered the beds to protect the plants from pigeons and the like. The Cauliflower, All the Year Round The Cabbage Drumhead and Greyhound with 6 B...

Sunrise          06:12          Sunset           20:32 It did rain  overnight, it will only do good. It has been very dry for the last number of weeks. We paid a visit to Groomsport Nurseries who were closed so we went around the corner to Kylestone who were open, we bought another Heuchera, Soda Ginger Ale. Also a bag of Ericaceous Compost to do a bit of top dressing on the Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Blueberries. Then we bought 30 cabbage, Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts plants. Good value here in Kylestone. Alison took some photos within the garden to give an overall view.  I had some cuttings of Scented Pelargonium Gravolens growing in one pot. I separated them into individual pots to grow on. I got 6 new plants for my efforts. I stripped out the Sweetcorn that had not germinated, all of the seeds had rotted off bar one that I potted on. I will plant another batch ...

Sunrise          06:15               Sunset          20:30 A good start to the day with a forecast of rain for the coming evening.  We tended our garden in all the usual ways today. I finished the weeding in the fruit cage and I will now plant it with some wild flower seeds. I found a double headed Daffodil growing in the tub with the miniature daffodils I got from Walkers last autumn. It must have been mixed in the bag. I will try to separate it from the minis when I empty the pot. Alison spent some time today weeding and feeding in the Veg garden, she was able to weed the carrots and found 4 definite rows in the container. I got some of the horse muck put onto the Rhubarb in time for the expected rain tonight. I lowered the polythene over the Peach blossom to protect the leaves from the Peach Leaf Curl fungus that is carried in on the rain. I took some more photographs in the garden today. T...

Sunrise          06:17          Sunset          20:28 Another lovely morning, high pressure in charge. I started the day by visiting my friend Wilbert Garvin in Kells, I have not seen them for months. I had a great time there, Betty was making pancakes. When I came home Jayden came down and we  went into the back garden. Jay started on the pile of turves, removing the soil from the back of them into the wheelbarrow. I weeded the little bed full of candelabra primula beside the pond. They are all starting to grow. I took a couple of pictures of the flowers showing in the garden.