We finished the last of the Spring bulbs planting today, daffodils, tulips, crocus, alliums & a few others. Delibertly planted late this year as the weather is warmer here & last year the flowers came up early & were gone before March was out.

We still have plenty of leaves on the trees, roses budding & flowering still, fuscias laden with flowers & pansies plentiful.

Hopefully we will have a short Winter, plenty of rain, but today is fine so we will not complain...yet. Pat

Our weather has been nice and mild for the time of year. Not too much rain either, but no doubt this will change.

Our roses are also blooming again and a big red poppy flowered just the other day. We took possession of a new white rose bush, which I ordered. At the moment it's still in the garage, but will have to be planted soon.

The trees are on the turn and the evenings get dark about 4.30pm. I have been doing more Christmas shopping, but only for cards and Christmas wrapping paper. I like to get the overseas cards away early.

I think I told you all before that I have a penfriend in USA. We have been writing to each other since I was at primary school. We've gone through school together, got engaged, married, became mothers and grandmothers. Now she is a widow, and we're still exchanging letters and cards. Strange that we've never met. As I said before, I think it might spoil the illusion if we did. You never know, maybe we will get together some time. A lifetime of letters and exchanging presents. I wish I had kept all the letters to look back on and see how our lives unfolded year by year.

I got carried away there and forgot I was supposed to be talking about looking forward to spring.

See ya.

Hi Ann & Pat,

Spring is a long way off, we have the snow to compete with yet, not a leaf left on the trees. My Grandson and his buddy raked our leaves up last week and left eight bags (all over 3'tall) out for pickup.

Ann,
You shouldn't apologize for going off the subject in your last post, anyone of your posts are worth a read.

Beano

Beano, imagine 8 bags of leaves; the leaves really are tumbling down in your neck of the woods.

Our weather is not bad for November. Wet and dull today but yesterday was lovely.

My neighbour's daughter was married yesterday and I'm glad the sun shone as she stepped out through the door. I wonder what life has in store for her? I hope it's good.

Beano,

Those leaves make the best compost in Winter, for round shrubs or plants or over bulbs planted, to protect them from frost. Cover with a sprinkling of peat or twigs, to secure them. Alternatively put them in the compost bin for later. Pure gold for gardens.

Pat

Hi Pat,

The leaves that were left out were from the lawns, front and back, all our flower beds are still covered. We also have a full composter which is supplied by the council and all the points that you covered are all recommended by our local council. You are obviously an avid gardener as is Doreen,to her it is relaxation, to me it is hard work.

Beano

Beano,

I love the garden & flowers etc but get little time to be in it working, as the housework, cooking & shopping takes up most of my time, so Joe is the main gardener outdoors.

Today I planted some more tulips, around 100,in a bed near the kitchen window, lovely to see in bloom later. Bought a large bag of daffodils on sale, on Saturday, so will have to get them in tomorrow before frost appears.

Temperatures are still about 12 degrees day & 5 degrees at night so we are o.k. yet with the planting. Had to cover with twigs as the cats love fresh soil for digging.

The worst about a large garden is you wouldn't see 5oo/600 bulbs planted,so we have to build up gradually every year & tulips need moving to a new site every year, as the soil would be exhausted & the flowers won't bloom. Same with hyacinths. Of course the next year will be fine to plant in the old position they only need rotating, like potatoes.Although I have left them & they did bloom but the soil was virgin then.

Canadian gardens look lovely in Summer with all the sun. Good luck to Doreen with her garden, it is a lovely pastime but hard work too. I leave the hard stuff to Joe.

Pat

Pat, Helen had me planting some bulbs at the base of a cherry tree at the bottom of our garden. Unfortunately the cherry tree is diseased and is on its way out. My mate Fingers is coming round in a few weeks to cut the tree down to a stump, then I will make a table from whats left and maybe a tree wake in the spring to marks its passing.

I didn't realise we had so many Percy Throwers on the Forum. Who remembers him?

Ann, I'm more a Percy do as your told gardener. A couple of years back I replaced all the guttering and facias around the house. When I removed a water hopper I noticed a shoot of fern growing inside the hopper. Helen planted it in the back garden and now it's about three foot high and three foot wide. Don't know how the fern got in the hopper, but it's thriving now. Aidan.