Gone potty? Plants gardens and lawns .

[JayCS]

never pruned, the ground was beautifully covered in ver pretty show of white petals. Miss the tree covered in white then the ground covered.

No plum's grew on the tree? , My grandad used to have a snowdrop tree, I remember the times it flowered + all went on the ground, it was super pretty!

"never pruned" not meaning "no prunes ever on it", but meaning: not cut, like our cherry usually.
This year I thought I'd see if pruning a bit of dead wood out might improve the fruit quality, cos only every 3rd one was edible the past 2-3 years... But only as far as the small ladder could reach. Bit risky, but went well.
So for old time's sake.... 3x our cherry in different light (morning, hailstorm in the background, evening)
Plus a lilac blossom....

As you can see (#3-6) I'm now using flagstones from our quarry to protect the moss, grass and hopefully meadow flowers from me walking over it all the time, cos you can see my pathways, esp. as much as I've been doing. My wife revels in finding the negatives in everything, so whilst before she complained about me tramping down the grass, and gave me the idea to use flagstones, she now complained it looks like a graveyard. Usually I argue back and then find a way of complying as she "suggests". But sometimes I just hold against it. Like the other day she said - like often - I'm tramping on some flowers, I just laughed: I'm planting 1000s of new plants and yes, I will be tramping down the odd plant or two in doing so... The graveyard effect like some of her other reservations will lose itself once the flowers start growing in June (the patio pots look dire and silly at the moment, I agree).
I originally got the sandstone to build a stone pyramid, and then to improve the patio with its pots. So I've been getting bigger and bigger ones. There's a building site (where I'm getting most of the stones from) up the road which has pointed me to the fact that all our houses are apparently built on this sandstone quarry, as a neighbour said that when one of the houses next door was being built there was sandstone under it too. Luckily they've not started building yet, so every few days I decide I still haven't got enough stones - not sure if I ever will have. I get them in cotton bags, cycling there and back. I think it's been about 10x up to now, so 40 bags. Some from another quarry bit at the top of the hill.
First time I felt crushed in the evening. Then I realized I need to change the way I carry them. So now I carry them as short as possible. And when carrying a whole bag of loot back to the bike I walk moderately slow, carefully and without using my arm muscles, letting them hang. This has been brilliant training, cos this extreme situation has taught me how to use my energy and strength more efficiently. Even when I feel I could use it fully, I don't. Like when putting on my rucksack I now swing it on to something half high, then something else higher, and then on my back. Even if I could get it up directly. Which feels strange, image-wise. Like limping so it doesn't hurt, whilst others assume if I'm limping it's hurting. Story of my condition. Doing things in a conspicuous way so I can manage it better. I care less and less what people think, but there's still quite a big part in me that thinks about what people might be thinking. I'm working to get that part in me down more and more.

 

[Auriel]

There's purples too!!!

 

[JayCS]

There's purples

More Deep Purple/Lilac? The solitary tulip maybe too? (must've trampled on the rest, so more next year....)
Plus my new muesli bowl stand when doing the morning round....

 

[Auriel]

Oh, my. the one on the top left Is STUNNING!

 

[Harpy]

"never pruned" not meaning "no prunes ever on it", but meaning: not cut, like our cherry usually.

No never trimmed, pruned or hacked at lol mine plum was bountiful but possums enjoyed a lot more than we did it seems.

This year I thought I'd see if pruning a bit of dead wood out might improve the fruit quality, cos only every 3rd one was edible the past 2-3 years... But only as far as the small ladder could reach. Bit risky, but went well.
So for old time's sake.... 3x our cherry in different light (morning, hailstorm in the background, evening)
Plus a lilac blossom....

Definitely a gorgeous flower.

As you can see (#3-6) I'm now using flagstones from our quarry to protect the moss, grass and hopefully meadow flowers from me walking over it all the time, cos you can see my pathways, esp. as much as I've been doing. My wife revels in finding the negatives in everything, so whilst before she complained about me tramping down the grass, and gave me the idea to use flagstones, she now complained it looks like a graveyard. Usually I argue back and then find a way of complying as she "suggests". But sometimes I just hold against it. Like the other day she said - like often - I'm tramping on some flowers, I just laughed: I'm planting 1000s of new plants and yes, I will be tramping down the odd plant or two in doing so... The graveyard effect like some of her other reservations will lose itself once the flowers start growing in June (the patio pots look dire and silly at the moment, I agree).
I originally got the sandstone to build a stone pyramid, and then to improve the patio with its pots. So I've been getting bigger and bigger ones. There's a building site (where I'm getting most of the stones from) up the road which has pointed me to the fact that all our houses are apparently built on this sandstone quarry, as a neighbour said that when one of the houses next door was being built there was sandstone under it too. Luckily they've not started building yet, so every few days I decide I still haven't got enough stones - not sure if I ever will have. I get them in cotton bags, cycling there and back. I think it's been about 10x up to now, so 40 bags. Some from another quarry bit at the top of the hill.
First time I felt crushed in the evening. Then I realized I need to change the way I carry them. So now I carry them as short as possible. And when carrying a whole bag of loot back to the bike I walk moderately slow, carefully and without using my arm muscles, letting them hang. This has been brilliant training, cos this extreme situation has taught me how to use my energy and strength more efficiently. Even when I feel I could use it fully, I don't. Like when putting on my rucksack I now swing it on to something half high, then something else higher, and then on my back. Even if I could get it up directly. Which feels strange, image-wise. Like limping so it doesn't hurt, whilst others assume if I'm limping it's hurting. Story of my condition. Doing things in a conspicuous way so I can manage it better. I care less and less what people think, but there's still quite a big part in me that thinks about what people might be thinking. I'm working to get that part in me down more and more.

Thanks for the beautiful photos. I have looked at them a lot.
The stones look great , once they have settled in,

 

[Harpy]

Because the pots are still problems for me, how to make them appear natural,
that'll be something you might be able to make suggestions about...

Try using a huge pot without drainage holes fill with water, get a solar pump and your new water feature will be ready for frogs. For a better look set it up on some bricks. Then use different sized pots and clump them around water pot. Sometimes I think people place pots too organised,

 

[JayCS]

Sometimes I think people place pots too organised,

Hahaaa, my wife would laugh her head off if you meant me....
Love your water idea. The zinc tub (sez my dictionary....) I preferred to turn into a sandarium, cos I'd dug some sand out, and am hoping bees will like it.
OK, here goes...
This is the flowerpots area on the patio. On an inch of mulch. With an inch of mulch, rest earth (from under the cherry tree), in and between them. Sandstone all around.
I actually wanted to hide the pots under earth, but I'd put the seeds in already, and didn't want to stop them growing by putting 1-2 inches of earth on top, as most say 1cm, half an inch.
To at least do something I laid a few conifer branches and ivy roots on them, like in the "sandarium" (last pic).
The sandarium is aiming to be a bee hotel, the pots the dining room, and the stone piles insect and lizard hotels.

 

[Auriel]

The word mulch effects my gag reflex (even in written form still has an effect)

 

[JayCS]

The word mulch effects my gag reflex (even in written form still has an effect)

Best to say it in German then....
To learn it listen to "How to pronounce EICHHÖRNCHEN in German?". That's as she (DontTrustTheRabbit) says probably the most difficult German word, kids here need years to learn it. It takes her >3 minutes to explain it.
To say 'ch' she there recommends copying a cat hissing (or giggling, but without a sound).
Right, now you probably have very different problems and wish you'd stayed with the gag reflex instead.... (gag in German is "würg" bei the way.... )

 

[Auriel]

Um, ok. Who is she? And what's the issue with this rabbit? (Is it some creepy someone dressed up?/rabbit with rabies? Is it someone off youtube teaching us words in German like mulch and don't trust the rabbit? My head's spinning

 

[JayCS]

Do you have your blueberries in pots or in the ground?

Seeing them today reminded me of your question. In the ground. But not doing half as well as the blackberry and raspberry. However maybe I planted it out last. Also a hazel shoot was covering a bit. First time I had to make a triage choice after a few months of just letting things come as they can. But I deflected it by tying the hazel backwards. But the hazel is shooting everywhere, so I could kill this one. Ah, or re-plant it in a place where nothing grows, under the cherry.... Or while I'm at it, all of the cheeky ones.

 

[JayCS]

Um, ok. Who is she? And what's the issue with this rabbit? (Is it some creepy someone dressed up?/rabbit with rabies? Is it someone off youtube teaching us words in German like mulch and don't trust the rabbit? My head's spinning

Hahaa! Yes, youtube, I knew you'd guess and I like heads spinning a bit, as long as no one pukes. At least not on me. No, no, that was a joke, that was a joke.
So to put it straight again: It's a nice youtuber, German, speaking English, don't need to get the creeps or the rabies from her at all. i didn't actually look why she calls herself that.
She's actually teaching Eichhörnchen = squirrel, but the ch is the same as in Mulch = mulch.
Oh, and I forgot that the u changes too, of course. (Just to get heads spinning a little again.) German Mul- is pronounced like a rhyme to the English wool. No, no, the Welsh wool, i.e. the Welsh L. I remember the first time I heard someone Welsh say film - just like the German pronunciation. So it should all be dead easy for you. OK, easy, not dead. (Joke alert!)

 

[Auriel]

I'm gonna have a lie down now. Jay, your post made me feel the need to do that

 

[JayCS]

I'm gonna have a lie down now. Jay, your post made me feel the need to do that

Oh dear, sorry for the overload, hope it wasn't as dramatic as it sounds!

 

[Auriel]

Just confused me a bit, I've got it now your telling me how the pronunciations are with the word and how don't trust the rabbit teaches, it's ok, you're still my favourite boy on the forum to banter with