The Fluff Pot: plants

Saturday, 2 July 2011

Poppies and Roses

I found this in the greenhouse this week...

Okay, it wasn't completely unexpected. I first noticed the plant about 8 weeks ago, in a pot where it shouldn't be! Last year I planted some poppy seeds, but they never germinated and I threw the soil on a flowerbed and forgot about it. A stray seed must have made it's was into a pot in the greenhouse and there it now is! I have also found several more of these poppy plants in the flower bed where I threw the compost so I'm hoping for a few more of these lovely blooms.

Little Lulus is approaching the end of her first year in school. Where has that time gone? I know all to well how children whizz through their primary school years. We worked out the other day that in the same amount of time again as we have already spent with our girl, she will be preparing for Secondary school. Nasty thought!

Anyway, I wanted to make some gifts with Lulu for her teacher and the teaching assistants that have given her such a wonderful start in school and cultured that all important love for learning. I have had a little experiment with some felt this week.

They look a bit like felt pancakes, don't they?!

I am hoping to turn these into roses by cutting a spiral and rolling along the coiled strip. If they are successful I shall get Lulus to help me make some more. I just love the pink one with the silk fibres sparkling in the middle. I'm hoping that the dark part will end up in the centre of the rose and the pale part as the outer petals. I love this experimental stage but hate the thought of it all going horribly wrong and wasting lovely felt!

It's amazingly sunny here, but poor Little Mannie has got chicken pox. He had a raging temperature mid-week and I suspected it might be the start of something. Sure enough, when we got up this morning he was pickled all over his chest and back. He is quite irritable and just wants to do his own thing. Bless! We're hoping Lulus will get it too so we can get it out of the way in one go!
Hope you are enjoying the sun in your part of the world too.
Becky x

Saturday, 7 May 2011

Garden Makeover

I couldn't have asked for a more sunny, relaxing and productive Easter. I have certainly refreshed my batteries and feel ready for all the tasks this term will throw at me (annual reports being the hightlight of the term!).

So, to the garden... before - the hedge and arch I planted 12 years ago looking up the garden from the pond.

Looking a little overgrown with my husband squeezed into the gap!

This was the view from the other side...

When I planted it I wanted to create corners in my large garden. I hadn't thought about the time it would take to keep it neatly trimmed or the amount of shade it would cast.

Anyway, a day of lopping and ...

I can't believe how much it has opened it up and how much lighter everything is.

We fenced around the pond when Lulu began to walk 4 years ago. Now the hedge has gone we have continued the fence between the patio and pea gravel patch to keep the children safe. They have their own play area at the bottom of the garden.

I bought this carved man last summer and he has lived in my garage (rent free!) since then. But now he has a new home. I think he likes it!

Here's Little Mannie throwing gravel into the pond from the slate bridge. I still can't bring myself to chop off those curls! It will happen soon as my husband is fed up with people (usually old ladies) saying 'what a pretty little girl'!

Lots more plants are now flowering since my last garden post.

This peony looks beautiful resting gently on my granite seat.

The snowball bush is covered in blossom.

My husband bought me this azalea last year, I think it's called 'Percy Wiseman'. I took this Wednesday when it was just ready to burst into flower. Today it looked amazing in full bloom, I'll try and remember to take another photo of it.