On with the Planting

During the week we were lucky enough to see an exquisite rainbow over the house tops in our hometown. The sun and the rain had been intermittent all day and I thought perhaps we would see a rainbow, it didn't appear till late afternoon, but was well worth waiting for. Other rainbow pictures appear at my hometown blog http://hullisneverdull.blogspot.com/

Raffi and I were really happy to see the sunshine peeping out from behind the clouds. the prospects for gardening were excellent.

The Sweet Peas we planted a couple of weeks ago, were strong enough to transplant into their final growing positions. I wanted to create another focal point in Raphael's garden. I found a huge round tub and filled it with fresh soil and perlite. The Sweet Peas will twine themselves up the canes and hopefully give a stunning display in a month or so.

The Sweet Pea tub complete and in Raphael's Garden just adds a little interest, we planted Nasturtiums around the base to break up the line.

The remaining Sweet Peas we planted in this yellow tub, the orange tub contains RED Sunflowers, the last tub contains a cutting of a Grape Vine. They sit below the climbing Virginia Creeper in a lovely suntrap.

Raphael and I weeded, dug and transplanted most of the day. Predictably a greatly excited Raphael shrieked as a worm appeared in the soil. Carefully he removed it with his fingers and plonked the worm in the mop bucket "for a sleep"! "Take a photo Mummy, but don't wake him up!"

We watched him for a few minutes wriggling in the water amongst the leaves, I pointed out to Raphael that he wasn't actually asleep, but probably wanting and missing some soil. Raphael insisted he stayed in the bucket fascinated by his movements, I love his intense interest in living creatures.


I found some stray potatoes in other parts of the garden and asked Raffi if he would like them in his patch? Of course he said yes! Easy to grow and quickly look as if they are doing something, so ideal for children.



This week Raphael and I planted these flower seeds to fill the bed at the front of his patch. They are a colourful hybrid mix, bought from The Range and will be put in the greenhouse until they germinate.

So far Raphael's Garden looks like this.


Hoping for warm weather next week so we can continue diggin!

Sunday 24th May 2009

Everything is growing and coming alive

"Quick Mummy its not raining , lets go outside.."

Raphael's tree seems to thrive on wet windy weather, growing vigorously with the leaves colouring a beautiful deep auburn. I photographed this yesterday between rain sprinkles!

Last week's radishes have been transplanted into the herb patch for their growing positions. They should establish themselves, growing longer and fatter in the rich soil. I have also planted Oregano, Curly Parsley and Peppermint (adore the smell).

How strong Raphael's Nasturtium's look, hanging from the fence outside my kitchen window. I can't wait for them to cascade down the sides.

The pests have arrived, white fly, greenfly, butterfly! This is my rose bush at the other side of the garden, literally being eaten alive. Daily, I remove the bugs by hand, with some success.

Raphael was absolutely thrilled to see a Cabbage White Butterfly flapping about our garden. "Mummy, mummy muuum", he cried, "take a picture"! I did, when he eventually landed on the budding honeysuckle, sunning his wings for a time. Raffi clapped his hands suddenly with excitement and the poor butterfly flew away in terror!

I am hoping that the weather will be a little kinder this week, howling winds and torrential rain have prevented any sort of activity the last few days! The plants of course LOVE the wet weather, as do the family of blackbirds living in the tree next door. Many a time they have been scavenging for worms when the rains have stopped.

This is Eric's bean patch, he is so very proud of his budding beans. Eric eats the beans peeled and raw from the pod. We have tried growing English Broad Beans but taste is just too hard and woody. Our aim is to grow and recreate the beans he so loves from Beirut. We bought a pack of seeds imported from Lebanon from one of our local Arabic stores. I hope they taste as good as these young seedlings look.

This is my flowerbed, I took these shots low down, I liked the result, adds colour to this blog and a touch of mystery.

The Perils of Pests

DAY 19 - 11th May 2009

From this....

to a very sorry this...


Even the blue slug pellets didn't stop the sneaky slugs munching Raphael's Busy Lizzies!

I keep removing caterpillars from the other flower beds, they tend to stay in our garden once hatched, plenty of food for them, they love the beans. Humanly, I remove it far away to eat someone elses beans!

The bean and pea patch's seem unaffected by the slugs and are thriving well. Raffi helps to water all the adjoining patches to his garden.

Raphael's radishes look pretty impressive so far. They are still living under the giant cloche giving protection from the wind and wandering pests. Daily watering has meant quick sprouting, interesting leaves.

A few days later they looked like this..

The potted nasturtiums have germinated quickly and will hang outside the kitchen window from their hooks. I anticipate a cascade of orange and yellow flowers to burst from the pots within a few weeks.

Raphael has a tray of Sweet Peas germinating in the green house. They will nearly be ready to plant out into their final growing positions. We just have to keep an eye on the weather - frost is sometimes a problem, even in May.


I have to confess to forgetting WHAT these young seedlings are! I know they are flowers and I know that they are colourful and are waiting to be transplanted to Raphael's Garden. I wish I could remember, I bought many seeds, all of them looked nice so I have every faith they will be wonderful they shall also be renamed the 'surprising flowers'!

DECORATING MY PATCH

Day 8 - 30th April 2009

This last week the weather has been wet and soggy with little sunshine and lots of wind. Difficult to get out in the garden when the weather was so changeable. Time to go shopping and buy some interesting additions for the patch.

I found this fabulous scarecrow for Raffi to stick in the soil where ever he felt he wanted! It took alot of decisions before the scarecrow found its final home! Needless to say he was thrilled with his smiley face but a little concerned it might not frighten the birds!

I added this picture because I am so excited to see these fully grown. I have to admit to not having ever seen red Sunflowers before.

I discretely scattered a few across the back of the Eric's bean and pea patch, he will be surprised.

A nostalgic find at the local garden store...The Range. I adore watching these simple colourful windmills sitting anywhere. The gusty wind was just the trick to make it whizz with style.

We have a couple of friendly blackbirds who live high up in the tree next door. They often visit the garden when we have gone inside. I would love to see them eating from the nuts above Raphael's Garden....and even more importantly, be able to photograph them for our blog.

Raphael has been studying butterflies and finding out about their habitat at his nursery school. I thought it would be lovely to have a bright colourful butterfly, sitting proudly amongst the flowers. Bought again from The Range, very reasonably priced. She looks a little bare right now but in a few weeks nasturtiums and sweet peas will cascade over her wings.

One of my favourite bedding plants are Busy Lizzie's. They are reliable, colourful and easy to grow and maintain. Their long flowering period can even allow you to take cuttings for a second show of colour in early autumn. Raphael's sister is called Lizzy and we often think and talk of her when looking at these flowers. I bought these at The Range.

I bought this large cloche to grow a variety of herbs and additional hybrids for Raphael's Garden. It's very satisfying to see the condensation inside the cloche...it is an indication all is well. Underneath the seeds we misted daily, first thing in the morning before the sunshine or late afternoon again when the sun had gone.

The final positioning for all the new items. Raffi is happy.

Jobs and activities last week


Misting the new seeds

Keeping an eye for weeds, the rains make everything grow!

Chatting to Raphael about what a plant needs to grow, talking about the effect of pests in our garden including cats, slugs and snails and black/ green fly.

Raphael's Tree

Day 1 - 22nd April 2009

This tree has lived in our garden for 4 years and 7 months. The rather beautiful red leaf tree was presented to Raphael on the occasion of his birth. A lovely idea, to cherish for a long time. Raffi knows this is his tree, he decided to make it the centrepiece to his garden.

Raphael's tree sits before a rather ugly adjoining wall but I think with plenty of colourful flowers growing up the pergola, the wall will become invisible.

Jobs yesterday included:-

Clearing the ground thoroughly and digging in some good fertiliser.

Edging the flowerbed with stones from around the garden.

Moving the pergola from its old place and cleaning and positioning it.

Deciding what to grow.

Nasturtiums
Busy Lizzies
Red Marigolds - never grown before
Mixed colourful hybrids
Sweet Peas