Archive for the ‘flowers’ Category
Spring has Sprung!
Tuesday, March 28th, 2017Mantis Tiller modification
Monday, June 16th, 2014A few years ago, based on the recommendations from my Bro’ at Groundscaper, I purchased a Mantis Tiller, it’s brilliant, but I have just one complaint which I think is a design fault, the plastic throttle body, which is built into the carburetor body, keeps snapping off, as this is a weak spot.
The petrol 4-stroke Mantis Tiller uses a Honda GX25 engine, which is common to many petrol operated garden tools. The problem is that Honda do not supply the plastic throttle body as separate part, and you need to purchase a new GX25 carburetor body, price from Mantis UK – £95!
The support man from Mantis, did state, they could be purchased on eBay for £10!
This is the replacement part I purchased from Hong Kong – here, if you look closely at eBay, there are some available with a metal frame here
Originally, I was just going to transfer the plastic frame from the new part to the old part, but it did not fit, so a complete carburetor body swap was required, but before fixing back onto the engine, I made the following mod, to strengthen the plastic throttle attachment (Thanks Mike B. for the suggestion!)
some pictures
Back to Nature
Tuesday, October 1st, 2013We visited Scampston Walled Garden, at the weekend, here are some photographs I took…
these were taken with a mobile phone, not a DSLR with a macro lens!
Rosa filipes ‘Kiftsgate’ in flower on the Magnolia Tree
Friday, July 12th, 2013Too Hot for My Bee Suit!
Sunday, July 7th, 2013by joe, it’s hot today, I’m now hiding from the sun today, yesterday, I weeded the allotment for a few hours in the midday sun, and got sunburnt arms!
and today, at 1pm was in a full bee suit, inspecting the bees…must have sunstroke! I ate some honey comb straight out of the hive the other day, it was delicious!
Supersedure cells – bees have decided to make themselves a new queen, either the queen is damaged, not laying, disappeared, or old.
Update – these could be drone cells, and not Supersedure cells because they are too small and not vertical.
Honey Bees – Day 22 – After swarm arrived in my beehive
Sunday, June 30th, 2013Our Garden in March 2012
Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012Community Allotments in the shire! – £24,000 has been secured from the Big Lottery Fund’s Local Food scheme
Friday, August 5th, 2011I’m not sure, if I had, told many people, because I had a “gagging order”, but now I can say, “We are delighted to announce that a grant of almost £24,000 has been secured from the Big Lottery Fund’s Local Food scheme and we can now begin to action the plans for community allotments in the village……”
read more here at the Gravel Pit Allotments Website
My Heritage Peony
Thursday, June 16th, 2011I’ve always liked Peonies, I think they are wonderful plants, fantastic green foliage with super red blousy flowers, but maybe my fascination with them stems (sorry about the pun there!) back to the Peonies that were planted in my Grandparents [Poppy and Grandma] house in Bristol, in the 70s. [Lindsey hates peonies!].
Well, I’m very lucky to have part of that very same plant that was in my Grandparents back garden in Bristol, 30 years ago.
When my Grandparents left Bristol, the Peony plant was dug up, and moved with them, eventually to Wales. My Grandma passed away a few years ago, and the tuber was split into three, my Parents, Grandfather (other-side of family!) and me, got thirds of the tuber.
It’s taken 2 -3 years to flower, but here it is
So it’s nice to have a reminder of my Grand parents [Poppy and Grandma] in my Garden, and a link to Bristol!
So Heritage Peony, Andy’s Peony, or maybe ‘My Grand Parents Peony‘ is more fitting.