Sunday, 27 May 2018
I had today and tomorrow to get as much weeding done as possible.
My coppicing of Leycesteria ‘Golden Lanterns’ seemed to have killed it. After tripping on the stump, again, I asked Allan to cut it to the ground.
Of course, the next day I saw that Leycesteria ‘Jealousy’, which had looked just as dead, was putting out one new gold leaf. Fortunately, Jealousy had made a healthy new runner or seedling before it died. I will have to buy myself a new Golden Lanterns, next time I see one for sale somewhere (probably not here on the peninsula, sorry to say).
The only part of the garden that looks pretty good is the front garden and the area of the bogsy wood that I weeded awhile back:
The rest has gone to Helena Handbasket.
Last Saturday, when Kilyn and Peter visited, you could still sort of see that a tunnel existed in the salmonberry grove. This week, it had closed up.
I clipped it open again.
Allan did a wonderful thing for me. I asked him to cut back the Lonicera fragrantissima, which he did. I had planted it next to a big old rhododendron which dominated the west bed, and with the rhodo gone (it blocked our view of the Cape Disappointment hill), the winter blooming honeysuckle hid too much of the inner garden. I had planted its offspring (from suckering) around the edges of the garden so now this one could come down.
Meanwhile, I weeded in a frenzy. The center bed is being particularly difficult because it needed and did not get mulch this past year. The other beds are lighter and fluffier. See the compost bins in the background? First destination when I can sift some is the center bed.
Allan mowed; the grass was long.
When he was this far along….
…with just the back area yet to do, I have found that I could rock the stump of the Lonicera with the strong shovel. I took over the mowing when Allan kindly agreed to dig it out for me. After:
Allan decided he had better go water the Ilwaco Community Building; it had been warm and dry and windy today. I asked another task of Allan; would he please take some water to one cluster of new plants at the port. He did, and a good thing, too.
[As I write this the following Tuesday, I am fretting that we should have, and did not, water those plants again today.]
At the community building:
Meanwhile, folks continued to have fun on Black Lake.
Tomorrow, Allan will have a boating day in Oregon. He has certainly earned it.
In the evening, we watched at episode of the excellent Shetland mystery series, which we got from the library on the recommendation of an astute blog reader. And then I actually had time, because I can sleep in tomorrow, to watch an hour long episode of Gardeners’ World from 2016 (episode 29).
I got to tour a gobsmacking Welsh garden.
A beautiful house:
In another segment, I reflected, as I used to do when watching the Ground Force gardening show, how much I wished we could get gravel of this warm tan colour:
I long for it, but all we can get here is dull grey gravel.
Helena Handbasket. Ha Ha HA!
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🙂 great band name, I think.
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I love the poppies. We are still waiting for poppy season here.
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I’ll try to deadhead more of them this year.
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So glad you’re enjoying the Shetland show.
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I’m grateful to have learned about it.
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A friend wanted a list of low violence old fashioned TV shows where the bad guys lose so I sent her a list and thought you might like these too:
The Detectorists
Understatedly delightful English TV show only an Anglophile could love.
Doc Martin
English TV show with grumpy characters against beautiful backdrops.
Rosemary and Thyme
Beautiful English gardens & a simple murder mystery that is solved every episode.
Call the Midwife
Set in late 1950s early 1960s England. Prepare yourself for the violence of birth!
Agatha Raisin
City girl moves to small English village with pesky murders every so often.
Midsomer Murders
Several murders happen off screen during each episode but the real star is the beautiful English towns.
Foyle’s War
Murder on the home front in England during WWII.
Life on Mars (UK version)
Cop is transported back in time to 1970s England. Amazing soundtrack.
Blue Rose
Think of a modern day, grown up Scooby doo gang set in Australia.
The Crown
Young Elizabeth just as she ascends to the throne.
Kingdom
Stephen Fry runs a law firm. Need I say more?
William and Mary
She is a midwife. He is an undertaker. They get together and blend their families.
Jeeves and Wooster
Based on the books by P.G. Wodehouse. Stephen Fry & Hugh Laurie. Yes, Dr. House is really English!
Time Team
Simply the best show ever made. Hours available on YouTube. Real archeologists digging in the UK.
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I have only seen half of these so thank you!! We adore The Detectorists. And Doc Martin. I think of that show when I see the valerian in my garden. A new To me Stephen Fry will get tracked down immediately. Friends of mine love the midwife show but it depresses me to watch stories about childbirth so that one is out. Loved the U.K. Life on Mars. And Jeeves and Wooster, Foyle’s War, Midsomer Murders. Had a hard time with the casting of a dishy blonde as Agatha Raisin! Rosemary and Thyme is another favourite.
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Kingdom now in position number one on my Netflix queue.
Other British shows I loved: Spaced, Black Books, The Royle Family. Allan adored Vicar of Dibley. It was a little too silly for me. Oh, not British but great: Flight of the Conchords .
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Hetty Wainthrop Investigates!
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I absolutely love the poppies! I need to find a place to plant them in my garden.
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They can become almost too many. I’ll save you some seed if I remember.
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