Just been out to inspect the garden.

[Deedee]

I can't believe whats happening First stop was the greenhouse, Everything and i mean everything is looking amazing, CIDPs, loads of Succulents, Staghorn ferns, Cycads, TFs still have last years leave's with no brown on them Its that full in there i can't get to inspect everything but im really happy

The garden, Trex has buds, also a Calla Lilly underneath it is in Leaf! Trachycarpus's as usual are looking great with new spears, Some Ferns that usually die down for winter are still evergreen, Armandii has flower buds as do the 2 grapevines and all the acers, The Echium is still there at about 6ft! its lost a few of its bottom leave's and thats it, Mind your own business is still green! Tulips are coming up, a bit early i think, Geraniums from last year are still there with buds, EH.

Its lovely out there, bright Sunshine and warm, i think ill go have a tidy up and water the plants in the Ghouse, My mood has brightened, im raring to go

PS. The last time we had an early spring, summer was cr*p. Thats the Pessimist in me coming out

EDIT.. Colocasia still in leaf in the Ghouse, 3 small ensettie's in the garden haven't turned to mush! or the canna's, Spotty dotty still green, Big Daddy hostas are coming through and the Black Bamboo is still looking good also the Huchera are still in leaf, Ive been out and cut back stuff and tidied and swept and it feels good last job was to scatter slug pellets Little so*s are still active..

[kata]

First stop was the greenhouse, Everything and i mean everything is looking amazing,

Great stuff Dee, lets hope everyone is the same. I found a new Iris, wish I had boought loads more, still they will naturalise in time.

Click.

[Deedee]

Thats lovely Kata, when did you buy it?

[Dave Brown]

Having had -2.5C there is some frost damage but in general most things are looking pretty good. TRex have no leaves not as frosted, but just plain blasted off. The flowers destroyed by wind blast which wilted them as much as frost. Neighbour pulled down Ivy from two fence panels and replaced the panels two weeks ago these have been blown 3 feet from the posts and are now resting on my polytunnel

Washingtonia has southerly leaves smashed and swinging limply in the breeze. Trachycarpus have had leaves and seed branches blown downward and are flapping limply against the trunk.

Wagnerianus doesn't bend in the wind and is now rocking although planted over 5 years and doubled in size since planting. I suppose something has to give and if the leaves don't bend it gradually rocked the roots loose in the soil.

Lots of things ahead of normal but minor damage is widespread

[Deedee]

Sorry to hear that Dave, i would rather have snow than gale force winds, Was it your neighbours fault or was the wind that strong re the panels, I just noticed my neighbours fence swaying, I think 2 of the posts have snapped, her son only put it in 18months ago, ours haven't moved..

[Dave Brown]

Was it your neighbours fault or was the wind that strong re the panels, I just noticed my neighbours fence swaying, I think 2 of the posts have snapped, her son only put it in 18months ago, ours haven't moved..

Neighbour made a bodge job of new panels but we had gusts to 74.9mph blowing directly into them in the St Valentines Day Storm

[Deedee]

Is it a shared Febce? I think you need to give your neighbour some advice on DIY Dave..

[cordyman]

I can't believe whats happening First stop was the greenhouse, Everything and i mean everything is looking amazing, CIDPs, loads of Succulents, Staghorn ferns, Cycads, TFs still have last years leave's with no brown on them Its that full in there i can't get to inspect everything but im really happy

The garden, Trex has buds, also a Calla Lilly underneath it is in Leaf! Trachycarpus's as usual are looking great with new spears, Some Ferns that usually die down for winter are still evergreen, Armandii has flower buds as do the 2 grapevines and all the acers, The Echium is still there at about 6ft! its lost a few of its bottom leave's and thats it, Mind your own business is still green! Tulips are coming up, a bit early i think, Geraniums from last year are still there with buds, EH.

Its lovely out there, bright Sunshine and warm, i think ill go have a tidy up and water the plants in the Ghouse, My mood has brightened, im raring to go

PS. The last time we had an early spring, summer was cr*p. Thats the Pessimist in me coming out

EDIT.. Colocasia still in leaf in the Ghouse, 3 small ensettie's in the garden haven't turned to mush! or the canna's, Spotty dotty still green, Big Daddy hostas are coming through and the Black Bamboo is still looking good also the Huchera are still in leaf, Ive been out and cut back stuff and tidied and swept and it feels good last job was to scatter slug pellets Little so*s are still active..

Sounds like were getting the same weather today Dee, i've just been sat out with a coffee and fruit toast, first proper vitamin D boost of 2014 i'd say, back inside now and the jumper is giving off a lovely heat from the warm sun!

Did a garden inspection and everything is ready for Spring, just need the lawn to dry out a little first then I can cut it. My Echium is still going well, even geraniums both unprotected all winter. May as well take the fleece off my bigger Echium too!

[michelea]

Ive been out this morning too, first job was to clean out ferrets. I had a potter with a coffee and it was lovely out there. One of neighbours fence panels came down in windy weather few days ago...just missed palm! Dont think its really caused any damage to plants it fell on and neighbours on about replacing whole lot (hooray).

My cordyline has been blown over and trunk seems awfully dark like its rotting. Theres no spear pull and leaves look healthy???

Dickson fern still has its massive leaves. This year I didnt wrap whole plants up. Just stuffed straw in crowns and then a ball of fleece. Palms I just wrapped up trunks and crown protection. Time will tell!!!

A Phoenix canariensis had some straw stuffed in centre too (not loads cause ran out) and to my surprise it looks fine.

Roll on the nice weather.

Michele

[kata]

Dee,

I bought it at Homebase for a quid three weeks ago in the green as they say. bought baby Daffs too and a red Tulip all in the green. I just done a small bank border this afternoon with them all.

They all cost a pound each due to their small size..

I also bought a pink double Peony, if it grows or not will be a miracle even though it has shoots coming from it...please grow and bud up. I am so unlucky with Peony its not real.

My Basjoos are still under wraps in case it snows. Ensete was wetter inside than out so not well so I recycled it.

[Nigel]

Yep gorgeous day, even the standing water is disappearing rapidly. Really warm in the sun at lunchtime, gave all my plants their first watering of the year in the tunnels. It was like summer in there.
The most amazing thing is how much everything has grown in the tunnels this winter. I think trachys have just carried on growing. Once mid feb arrives the sun has enough ooomph to heat the tunnels in the day to very pleasant levels ... i feel repotting time coming on

[cordyman]

Yep gorgeous day, even the standing water is disappearing rapidly. Really warm in the sun at lunchtime, gave all my plants their first watering of the year in the tunnels. It was like summer in there.
The most amazing thing is how much everything has grown in the tunnels this winter. I think trachys have just carried on growing. Once mid feb arrives the sun has enough ooomph to heat the tunnels in the day to very pleasant levels ... i feel repotting t

ime coming on

Agree Nigel , my wags in the front garden on South facing slate slope have been pushing spears out all winter. What temp to trachys go dorment?

[stephenprudence]

My garden doesn't look to good, it's really struggling with these conditions though ironically it's the arid plants that are doing best, but the Trachycarpus doesn't look good, as the fronds have gone a sickly yellow colour perhaps it's the wet soil that is hitting it, but I expect it to spear pull in Spring (due to rot). Amazing that Trachycarpus's can't seem to survive here.. but it would take an impossible amount of work to remedy that!

That said it was a nice day today, and we reached 11.2C with glorious sunshine, first such day in a while.

[Nigel]

Agree Nigel , my wags in the front garden on South facing slate slope have been pushing spears out all winter. What temp to trachys go dorment?

Not sure exactly Cordy.... I am guessing somewhere below 8 to 10C.

[Clive60]

Apart from losing one old fence panel in the 80 mph winds Friday night the garden is undamaged although I don't have anything tall enough to get hit badly by the wind.