Just before it started to snow today, at approx 2pm, I was taking pictures of the Gravel Pit Allotment Association Site, which I believe, and I’m now a Trustee off, as we our a Registered Charity. The top soil has raised the level, we are currently waiting for the top soil to settle.
it was a lovely day, and I went for a quick walk with my new Wellington Boots!
Twenty-four days until Christmas 2011, so lets treat you to a blog a day! the Andysworld! Advent Calendar! (just without the chocolates!).
My Wellingtons Boots or Wellies for many years, have been in a very sorry state, they’ve split and leak!
So with my Birthday money from Family and Friends (Thank You!), I’ve purchased a new pair of Hunter wellies - Hunter Argyll Short Knee Wellington Boots.
I did not purchase from Hunter, but a local business in Yorkshire TotallyWellies.Co.Uk.
Old and New Wellington Boots
I had to get the Short Knee version, because as Lindsey, said “you’ve got fat little legs” - I just look like “Compo” now!
I’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
We cook with a lot of aubergines and chillies, so why not grown your own. I’ve had success for many years with growing chillies, but never had aubergines plants fruit, I think it’s been too cold in the plastic greenhouse, so these seem to be doing well in the porch, which gets to temperatures at 46 degrees C in the sunshine!
Chilli plant
Aubergine or Eggplant for our International visitors
Aubergine or Eggplant for our International visitors
Biodiversity at its best!
Head of a Bull Thistle, Common Thistle, or Spear Thistle 'Cirsium vulgare'
When was the last time you saw a Common, Bull or Spear Thistle for the Goldfinches!?
This is not an excuse for weeding the garden, this is trying to attact species of flora and funa into the garden. I’m hoping that when the thistle flowers, I’ll be able to get a photograph of the gold finches feeding on wild flowers in the garden.
![Bull Thistle, Common Thistle, or Spear Thistle "head"](http://andysworld.org.uk/blog/wp-content/gallery/biodiversity-at-its-best/thumbs/thumbs_thistle2.jpg "Bull Thistle, Common Thistle, or Spear Thistle "head"")
This patch at the bottom of the garden, by the dying victoria plum tree, is left untouched for the insects, bees and birds to visit.
I’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.
To regularly water my hedge automatically I am going to use a Hozelock AC4 Water timer.
Hozelock AC4 and AC1+ Garden Water Timers
I have removed my Hozelock water timers for storage over winter to protect them from frost. I also remove the batteries from the units, to prevent battery leakage, and insert new batteries the following year. The only problem is I have forgotten how to program them, and I can never find the instructions , and Hozelock do not have the older models listed on their website anymore, just the newer timers. Programming is not very user friendly or intuitive, So for myself and other readers (or Googler’s (hi!)), I’ve stored the manuals here, so they can be found. (next year!)
Hozelock Instruction Manuals
Hozelock AC1 Model 2705 (old model) Timer Instruction Manual (pdf)
Hozelock AC1 Model 2705 (current model) Timer Instruction Manual (pdf)
Hozelock AC1+ Model 2700 - Timer Instruction Manual (pdf)
Hozelock AC2 Model 2706 Timer Instruction Manual (pdf)
Hozelock AC4 Model 2707 Timer Instruction Manual (pdf)
Hozelock AC Pro Model 2701 Timer Instruction Manual (pdf)
What is odd, is that current Hozelock water timer model all have the same model number 2705, as the old model!
Next year, I’ll know where to find the manuals! In the Cloud!
Finally complete the border for the privet hedge today, the weather held off this afternoon to complete the rest of the border, Lindsey also help me, so it did not take much longer to complete the border for all the hedge and install the Hozelock water soaker. I just need to install the time I have in the fish house, so it can water the hedge twice a day, for an hour each time, and I need to add the fertilizer, and hopefully the hedge will grow and fill in the bare patches.
So if the weather is good tomorrow, cut the lawn and hedge!
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