Idle chat - OLD

Last post 06-08-2010 3:28 PM by admin. 7645 replies.

• 21/04/2010 07:41 PM
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 9,474	Locked Reply | Contact  I look forward to seeing your photos Gardenwhimsy. My water butts are almost empty too Roger, and you're right Susiq, we always need to moan about the weather  We don't have any rain in the forecast at all and if the forecasters are right, the first day of summer (20°C) should be with us on Sunday which seems a bit odd when tonight is supposed to be freezing point! sue1002

• 21/04/2010 08:03 PM

  richardpeeej Location: Leicestershire Joined on: 22 May 2009 Posts: 3,498

  Locked Reply | Contact Congratulations on your exam results Roger- I'll do the same as Eva and have one or two for you when I am out with my pals down the local tonight. Good idea with that box!! I have been out watering the plants today Sue, it has been a lovely day here and I use the hosepipe as I have just set up a water butt to collect rain water off the shed roof- it is empty at the moment. Good luck with your seed buying tomorrow. Your spring water supply sounds lovely Susiq-you will have to bottle it and sell it ...lol-but not to me when I come up and see you. Hope your daughter has a safe trip home. Carla-I will have a look at your watering idea. Hope you had a good day today in work.  I wonder where LIllyrose is?   ---abandoning post  without permission or explanation...lol -Richard

• 22/04/2010 05:03 AM

  gardenwhimsy Location: Centralia, Washington USA Joined on: 11 Apr 2010 Posts: 35

  Locked Reply | Contact Could you explain the term water butt?  It sounds like you're collecting water but through what means? I took some photos tonight after planting some more shrubs.  I need more flowers/shrubs like I need another hole in my head... but I can't get enough.  My motto seems to be if there is bare ground plant it  I think all gardeners have the same motto... I hope this link works.  I went camera happy...so forgive me. Any tips for deterring the hungry bunny would be appreciated. http://flickr.com/gp/fagerness/pmV6d0 Carla

• 22/04/2010 08:01 AM

  RogerB Location: Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire Joined on: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 360

  Locked Reply | Contact Hi Carla, I can't see photos at work so I'll have a look at them later. A water butt is essentially a barrel that holds about 50 gallons (UK) of water, you can get both larger and smaller version, you can put a down pipe into it to collect water from guttering on your house, shed, greenhouse etc. Has a tap at the bottom to fill your watering can from.   Give it a go - it might just work!

• 22/04/2010 08:05 AM

  EvaInNL Location: Holland Joined on: 25 Sep 2009 Posts: 1,758

  Locked Reply | Contact Morning all, we had some rain last night and it looks like some more on the way, dark portentous clouds... Carla, I just love your garden! Don't know where to start really, and I'd be raving about it all day! Besides a succesful gardener you make some great photgraphs as well! Well done you! Water butts are big plastic or wooden barrels that you use to collect rain water in.When searching for a pic to show you I came across these 2 examples, the first a more unusual one :   Sorry BB, Roger, you'll  have to wait till you get back home to see the pics... You asked about the watering situation on my plot, I'm very lucky, our plots are below the water level of a main channel used to manage the water levels in the surrounding area (meadows and fields), so there's a constant trickling of underground water down into our gardens. The top soil can be parched but 5 to 10 cm down it's still moist, so I don't need to water much, when I do it's from the tap that also gets it's water from that same channel (included in the price of the plot). Will check out your water conservation thread in a mo... Roger, hope you had a chance to celebrate, I certainly did ,  I had your success to celebrate and also, late yesterday afternoon I heard that my promotion finally was approved! It only took 6 attempts over 3 years, but it's finally in the bag! Lilyrose is away visiting family/friends I believe, she'll be back soon (I hope) Richard. I'm surprised Digger hasn't been online, I know he/she (?) is away in Ireland, but still, they do have internet there don't they? Ok, I have to move to the office now, they're reparing the concrete in the balcony above me, using big drills and after last night I'm a bit senstive to loud sounds...

• 22/04/2010 09:51 AM

  richardpeeej Location: Leicestershire Joined on: 22 May 2009 Posts: 3,498

  Locked Reply | Contact Morning all nice sunny day here but cold at the moment. Lovely pics of your garden Carla with your Koi pond and flowers. Bella Mae is cute too. Well done on your job promotion Eva -that's some good news.I don't think I would like a water butt like this first one in the garden Eva -the second one looks good though with the feed from the downpipe. I can't quite see how the second one works though maybe the pipe going to the downpipe from the butt is a combined filler and overflow!.Thanks for the news about lillyrose. Digger is a man Eva! - and what a man! hope he is OK as he has not been on for a while-he is probably enjoying the guinness over in Ireland or working on a new gardening invention. Hope your head is OK..lol We had a celebratory pint for you last night Roger down the local. -Richard

• 22/04/2010 09:52 AM

  RogerB Location: Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire Joined on: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 360

  Locked Reply | Contact Congratulations on your promotion, Eva. Does that mean you get to work harder or smarter, or both? Interestingly enough, I can see the pictures of the water butts. Celebrations were very muted last night, had to be up at 5 a.m (as usual during the week).and I need my sleep if I am to get anywhere near being able to function the following day. Hope the workers on the balcony above you don't disturb you too much. Enjoy your day Give it a go - it might just work!

• 22/04/2010 10:39 AM

  BB Location: Hereford Joined on: 12 May 2009 Posts: 729

  Locked Reply | Contact Good morning all, another beautiful one here. It seems congratulations are in order. Very well done Roger on passing your RHS exam - I'm sure that took a lot of hard work. Eva - well done on your promotion at work, does this mean longer hours, more responsibility and a small monetary gain like where I work? Many congratulations to you both. I can see the butt pictures too. I would love the 'butt butt' at the allotment. That would be too funny! Unfortunately I can't see your photo's yet Carla - I will look later. The man in the next allotment to me seems to have 'taken me under his wing'. He has been offering me tomato plants for the greenhouse. He has dug up some parsnips for me and yesterday he gave me a load of lettuce seedlings to plant out! I think I am going to like this allotmenteering BB

• 22/04/2010 11:20 AM
  RogerB Location: Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire Joined on: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 360	Locked Reply | Contact I've always found fellow allotmenteers to be friendly people - always willing to share things from tools, young plants, fully grown produce and advice (even if you don't follow it). Glad you're getting used to it all BB and finding the same welcome from your new neighbours that I did with mine. Give it a go - it might just work!

• 22/04/2010 12:17 PM

  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 3,125

  Locked Reply | Contact Yes RogerB and BB, I think that must be SO nice to have helpful people on hand - thats what I'm missing. What lovely pictures Carla, lovely garden, your acer and magnolia are stunning, and your dog is just way too cute. Congrats too to you Eva, well done, you must be very pleased - hope the drilling doesn't go on too long for your poor head - at least it must be a pleasure to escape to the office! Lovely day here again

• 22/04/2010 01:57 PM

  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 9,474

  Locked Reply | Contact  Lovely pictures of your spring garden gardenwhimsey. Well done with getting your promotion Eva.  I just love that first waterbutt pic, bet they are quite expensive though. It sounds like you're well in with your allotment neighbour BB and putting those young transplants to good use Did your daughter make it back ok Susiq? It's sunny here today but quite cool to go with it. sue1002

• 22/04/2010 02:04 PM

  richardpeeej Location: Leicestershire Joined on: 22 May 2009 Posts: 3,498

  Locked Reply | Contact It is lovely day here too Susiq so I have been in the garden making a concrete base for a ball planter that I made which is on the top of a wooden pole. I had forgotten there were drainage holes in the  pot that I used for the mould and some of the cement ran out through the bottom -not much mess though and I cleared it up before OH could see it. Glad someone is looking after you at the allotment BB they sound friendly there and it will be good to swap things when you want to, I am still waiting for my allotment. The people here are very friendly too, In hindsight I should have held on to my plot there. Hope you are having a good day Roger after your early start. -Richard

• 22/04/2010 04:53 PM

  gardenwhimsy Location: Centralia, Washington USA Joined on: 11 Apr 2010 Posts: 35

  Locked Reply | Contact Good morning to all, The waterbutt picture made me laugh...very funny.  Quite a conversation starter... I can see how they help save the water bill. I will have to look into getting one here.  I will probably coose the more sedate version. Congrats on your promotion Eva, I hope your noise sensitivity has improved throughout your day. BB how nice to have a new gardening friend at the lotty.  Like Roger, I think it's great that gardeners are always swaping plants and advice.  It is nice to know we can always learn something new. Richardpeeej, What is your planter made from?  Is it really a ball?  Can you post pictures? Thanks Susiq for your advice on Travel Lodge. The cottage in Burton-On-The-Water that I had my heart set on is booked. I'm back to the drawing board for our time in the Cotswolds.  Any thoughts?  Off to get a load of pea gravel, there is always something to be done in the garden    Carla

• 22/04/2010 05:40 PM

  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 3,125

  Locked Reply | Contact Thanx Sue - daughter made it back fine and was in work for 7.30 am - she had a time and half getting back, stopped at French passport control at 4am, which took forever, but I'm just relieved she's back in one piece, she had loads of horror stories from other people she met along the journey who'd been travelling for days trying to get back to the UK, so all in all she didn't do as badly as a lot of people had. YEEEUKKK Richard, I'm glad you'd cleaned up your mess before OH had realised what you'd been up to! Hope it works out OK in the end tho'. By the way, the water you will be enjoying up here is on the house Forgot to say Eva - I just loved that water butt BUTT! Carla - have you thought of staying in central Birmingham? Not as pretty as the outlying villages, (but a fabulous city - its even got a Harvey Nics and a Selfridges - sorry thats the ex-shopaholic in me!) but would be a great base for visiting the surrounding areas, including the Cotswolds, the Black Country and the NEC - don't know what is on there in May, but there's usually loads of fabulous stuff going on at the NEC - google it to find out the venues for May!

• 22/04/2010 08:53 PM

  richardpeeej Location: Leicestershire Joined on: 22 May 2009 Posts: 3,498

  Locked Reply | Contact Here is a link to the pictures of my planter I made Carla. I have it held up in the hole in our outside table at the moment and it is not planted up yet. I made it from two old lamp shades that OH didn't want any more and a broom handle that I varnished.! I have been out in the garden all day planting up herbs, cementing, putting up hanging basket brackets and tidying around and cleaning up the mess Susiq! -glad your daughter arrived home safely. Thanks for the water. Has Sasha recovered from her op now Sue and all her hair grown back? -Richard