Tuesday 1 February 2011

A time of lists

cyclamen

I planted some seeds about a week ago. They haven't come up yet. This is hardly surprising but I'm all for instant gratification. The quickest way to get a plant fix is to buy some.

Although these scented cyclamen are very pretty they are grown by the trade in vast quantities as disposable ornaments. That said, I've managed to keep the odd plant for a few years in the cool of the kitchen window sill. They are tenacious little beasts and make up for their untidiness with a touching effort of new flowers each winter. Sadly they're not hardy enough to grow outside, the hardy species aren't as brightly coloured or as nicely perfumed.

The weather (and my location) still impedes progress with the vegetable patches for the time being. All I can do is plan and make lists. I have lists of seeds still to buy, a list of seed potatoes that really needs some action, a list of calls to make for help with the garden in Newport Pagnell which has degenerated into an amenity site landscape in just a few months. Any volunteers for that? And I also need to make a list for these plants.

fruit plants

For my birthday last year I was given money towards starting a fruit garden. I ordered a whole regiment of plants from Buckingham Nurseries in November. Unfortunately, the rotten winter slowed everything down and the plants didn't arrive here until after I'd left for France. So they've had to be potted up for now, not ideal and much more difficult to transport when the time comes but at least they shouldn't suffer too much of a check when they're planted out.

The trouble is that I shall forget the varieties almost immediately and my documentation skills aren't great so I'm going to list them here for safekeeping.

5 Strawberry, Cambridge Favourite
5 Strawberry, Aromel
1 Blueberry, Herbert pot grown to add to the one already in place
1 Kiwi Fruit, Jenny (Chinese Gooseberry) I'm hoping this will fertilise the Hayward
2 Elaeagnus ebbingei 8-12ins pot grown the start of the Forest garden...
1 Blackcurrant, Wellington XXX
1 Blackcurrant, Ben Connan
1 Raspberry, Autumn Bliss (Pack of 5)
1 Raspberry, Octavia (Pack of 5)
1 Raspberry, Polka (Pack of 5)
1 Gooseberry, Hinnomaki Yellow
1 Gooseberry, Whinham's Industry
1 Red Currant, Redstart - 2 year
1 White Currant, White Versailles
1 Tayberry, Buckingham

Now all I need to do is make a list of deer fencing.

1 comment:

Robert Brenchley said...

A friend of mine put one of those big cyclamen hybrids in a bed beside their door. I warned them to get it inside before winter, as they're not hardy, but of course they didn't. Much to my amazement, it's still alive. There are no leaves, but the buds are still green, with a trace of colour. I suspect a really wet, mild winter would be more likely to do for it, as plants can often stand cold better than wet.