Thursday 14 August 2014

The vanishing grey shed and the mystery of the missing fushia

So, good morning to you, I hope you're well. I've decided that I don't update on my garden escapades enough. So rather than bludgeon you all with long posts I might try and update a bit more regular like. (Stop groaning). Some days not much happens but when it does often there's lots to do and the muscles are willing. So I thought I'd tell you about the shed, one of three, this one is grey and has a lovely wee porch to sit under. Anyway it started life on the terrace. Why there's a shed on the terrace, no clue. Seemed like an odd place to have one.
The shed, was hogging the morning sun spot. It gets sunny in that corner of the garden at about 6.30am and it was hogging my 'sit and have my morning cuppa' spot. We had a chat, it agreed to move. As mentioned before, never come to dinner here and ask can you do anything. Like move a shed before the starter. Anyhows its happier here and aside killing a Fatsia by landing on its head, no real harm done oh and the honeysuckles hacked back too now, but we know that don't we.
What it did though was open up the bed behind and expose the most gorgeous Fushia. Fushia magellanica  'Alba' or var. molinae is a beautiful shrub, semi-hardy that thrives in coastal gardens. Many forms of it reported at the local St Andrews Botanic Garden by Prof Crawford. Happy and proud of its new view, I trimmed out the dead wood and raised the canopy. It looks right bonnie. Or should I say it LOOKED right bonnie. However, what I didn't know was we'd get the tail end of Hurricane Bertha. I should have listened to the hounds they knew something was a brewing.
Lots of soft sappy growth previously guarded by shed, canopy was heavy and unsurprisingly we lost quite a few limbs after the winds. Not particularly bad winds, but the heavy growth did for it. Victim of its own circumstances. So sadly and with a heavy heart (and suitable dark clothing) yesterday it had a wee haircut.
I did say a wee hair cut. Well actually I suppose now its completely bald and down to the wood. The thing is, when you start pruning sometimes its hard to stop. I have now locked the loppers and the pruning saws up. Just in case I get into a frenzy again. [Jobs like this are always good when someone's particularly annoyed you, turn that energy into positive action, I say.] And NO the gate still isn't up. Thanks for asking but the posts are in and the area is now clear for a wee fence too.
Whilst the bees who loved it too will be sad for a while, there's oodles of it in the garden still. And, it will come back beautifully. The corner will be full of its bonnie flowers and it will adorn the shed nicely.
I hate this kind of gardening, cutting a plant down in its prime, but it was unfortunately necessary. OK so its my fault that the shed shifted and the plant was exposed, but long term gain for short term pain. Sorry missing fushia, you'll thank me one day.
See I told you there's still oodles left. I'll be propagating this soon, its a gorgeous plant. Hands up if you want some. In true copycat style, I ordered a professional garden drawing of the patch here when we arrived. Well I've been trained to do them, so I got the pens out instead. Not sure I'll show this one to the tutor though.
Long gardens require wallpaper to allow you to draw it all in. One day I'll do this bonnie, I promise.
The scribbles and scrawls on a bit of old wallpaper and a notebook page I think do the garden justice beautifully. On closer inspection however.........
Scrawly garden drawing from the first week here.
Most of the plants in this section of the drawing are shifted, as is the shed and the washing line. Honeysuckle has also had a hard haircut and the debris gone, Fatsia squished by shed landing, sorry about that, evil Senecio, about to flower in lurid yellow also, gladly, gone. Its more slash and burn than haute couture at the moment. But needs must. There's an ormanental veg patch to get in after all and a productive garden to grow. 
The ornamental veg patch first draft. Bonnie eh.
Obviously I commissioned another pretty drawing. Arbour, arches, raised wooden beds and possibly a gazebo. But you can tell that right? No? Oh well I might have to scribble something a bit better in future.Ornamental and beautiful this garden will be. You heard it here first.  The chickens are currently clearing area one (the top right hand side of the future garden). They're moving to the second phase (right lower bed and Tracy Island) later this week. Clever girls.


In the mean time, gardening for the day over, we headed to the local beach. This is my grandpa's beach, he kept his boats in the harbour here, other people call it East Sands, to me its always Granpas beach. We holidayed here as children, its now where we've made our home. Near the beach, not on it obviously. Although that grey shed might make a great beach hut and it doesn't seem to mind moving........
The hounds like it here too. A fine place to wash your paws and have a stretch after some hard core hacking back in the garden. [They supervised.]
Afterwards, a nap of course. Hard work all this supervising and beach walking.
So that was yesterday and this is Haggis right now. Aside a bit of dead heading and putting the gate posts in not much else done in the garden. I'm researching fruit (Kiwi's and Banana's which will ripen outdoors in the UK) well that lovely terrace has a huge south facing wall and I have a near empty glass house and conservatory to fill with edibles. Seems a shame not to find something to soak up all that sunshine. Haggis snores on, no interest in fruit.

And as for shorter posts. OK I lied. Breakfast anyone, you've earnt it.

So kiwis


Great set of varieties and into there. 

A great page, any recommendations anyone? Outdoor ripening Kiwi you will be mine. 

I've an eye on a mini banana too.

6 comments:

  1. Many happy hours spent mooching on that beach - lived in the Gatty flats there for a year when at the uni!

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    1. How funny I parked beside them yesterday to walk the mutts. Small world indeed.

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  2. You had your wits about you getting that shed moved Fay-- well done. (Do you know the Twitter acct called 'fifty sheds of grey"?) Anyway I am warned, should I ever show up for supper. The fuchsia will definitely return, and is infinitely propagatable-- which maybe isn't a word but I know you will be ok with that. My similar fuchsia is wilting in afternoon sun so watch out for that. But the hummingbirds love them, like the crocosmia which I know you grow. Your place is looking so well and comfortable and I am entirely jealous of those drawings. Quite a lot more detail than mine... Still I'm happy to read that you move things around and change your mind a lot, so important or anyway it's how I do it. Max sends summer wags to your little guys.

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    1. PS I gave up twitter, with limited proper internet/phone service the dial up version we have in the country here is just to difficult for it. I do like FB though, easier for me to be long winded and badly spelt too.

      I guess at some point I should try again, I'm just missing out on too much it would appear.

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    2. Now dear heart on the subject of Grey Sheds (a fine series it seems with a bit of research right now, how could I have missed THAT) now I'm pondering if that Mr K might have been off up to no good (or very good it might seem) during the long months when I was pining for you both? Advising on sheds, I'm sure if he were off being creative, he might have had an accomplice, but a lady never tells of course.........

      I change my mind alot in the garden. Its like garden yoga. Keeps me supple.

      Looking at my three sheds of grey (mumma, daddy and baby) in a whole new light now...Off to read some Sheds of Grey.

      I told my friend about it today, turns out she had it already. Everyone does.

      Genius she said. Of the books, not me, clearly.

      I'm off to wear a dunces hat for missing such genius.

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  3. Coooo-er, your exploits with that fuchsia aren't half making me want to get our scabrous viburnam out! It'll give me something very rare.......space for a new plant. Yay!!

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