A tip too good not to share !

I don't know if you watched the BBC Gardeners World last Friday ? and for those of you abroad who can't get it anyway you might like this very handy tip. Ms Alys Fowler, one of the gardeners on the programme and author of "The Thrifty Gardener" (great book by the way) gave a great tip for growing seedlings on windowsills. I'm sure it's happened to your seedlings when they start to grow they stretch to the light from the window and they have to be turned every so often. Apparently according to Alys this weakens the growing plant and makes it spindly.
She made a light reflector by cutting a cardboard box so that it had a low side,( the front) and on the high side (the back) and base she stuck on some silver kitchen foil. This cleverly reflects the light and makes the growing plant straighten up as it's getting light now from front and behind it.

I personally didn't have a box or the time, so I covered a piece of cardboard with foil, I just tucked it around and didn't stick it down. Then I put the pots into a windowsill propagator base and stood the foil reflector behind the plants and the base held it in position. The plants as you can see below are now lovely and straight and no need to turn them.
It worked for me !

My big shed is up and we have given it a coat of Ronseal rich red cedar ( the previous owner had done 3 sides in this colour) I probably would have chosen a rich brown,but it looks good anyway. I have painted the door a bright blue and also the fascias over the eves front and back, it looks great,and is so spacious. We have put up shelves and tool hooks, I love it. I will post a photo soon.

The wallflower border is now in full bloom and smells so lovely and looks amazing, not bad for £2.99 for a big pot last autumn, then split up and grown on in individual pots before planting outside. Bargain !!

Without the foil reflector, plants stretching to the source of light.

With the foil reflector, plants nice and straight, not bending over.

The Wallflowers outside the lottie greenhouse in full bloom.

A leisurely day at home !

I would love to report that I had a busy day at the lottie, but the true is I haven't ! I had my sister and brother-in-law come for lunch, so apart from watering the seedlings and hardening off the garlic that I had growing in the lottie greenhouse, that's all I have done with gardening today. Oh ! and planted a few more seeds, more about them at the next post.

It's nice to have a break though and we had a lovely day, with good company and a glass or two of "Pimms" hic ! I did take a couple of photo's that I thought I would post, ( not all taken today) The first one is a comfy corner of my Summerhouse, the second is of one of my orchids blooming again at last! The third is my hyacinth before it flowered (sadly dead now) I love it when they are fresh and green before blooming. Last of all is the lavender that I grew from seeds last year. They were going to be a lavender hedge for my plot, but I think they have all died during this cold winter. If they grow any more leaves I will be delighted, but they look dead, (not in this photo) and when I broke a piece off it didn't look at all green. I will have to be patient and wait and see.

Help I think I'm obsessed !

I really do think I am obsessed with my seedlings and plants, to the point that they are the first things I look at in the morning, apart from the husband that is ! and that's before I have had my breakfast. I am not sure that this is a good thing, but I can't help myself. The seed trays are on the study windowsill, so as I raise the blind in the morning I have to inspect them, and then I usually turn the trays around as they keep going forward towards the light. (probably trying to escape my prodding !)

If that wasn't bad enough I have now taken to poking around in the vermiculite (very carefully ) to see if anything is happening underneath, and I got really excited this morning as I could see little Echinacea leaves (such teeny tiny little plants) just beginning to appear. Sixteen of them so far. Does anyone else do this I wonder ? or is it just me that's impatient ? Then I go and check the seedlings in the mini greenhouse. Then there's the ones on the kitchen windowsill !! HELP !

I dread to think what will happen when I sow the next lot, I don't think I will ever get my breakfast until lunchtime.

It's got to stop I don't want to be obsessed, or am I possessed ? So tomorrow I am going to have breakfast first and then do the seed round.

I don't have a plant photo today, I am posting instead a photo I took at "Mottisfont Abbey" last week of the beautiful Mosaic Angel there. She is stunning to see, the photo can't do her any justice.

One last thing, I just want to say a thank you to everyone who visits my blog and especially for the comments. Its so lovely to know that you are stopping by, just like friends calling in. I don't always get to answer the comments but I try too especially if it's a question. I also love visiting your blogs as often as I can.

It's been one of those busy busy days

I have had one of those days where if I had to say what I've actually done, I would have to really think about it, all I know is that it's been very busy. I have pricked out and re-potted tomato seedlings & onion seedlings, ( the onion seedlings went into huge seed trays for more space ) I had a bargain buy of some Pansies reduced to 50p- yes ! 50p !! how could I resist. So they have also been planted up in my window boxes.

I have made tomorrows lunch, which is Butternut squash & tomato soup. I also baked a pumpkin pie. I had some pumpkin puree in the freezer from my last pumpkin. We had that as our pudding this evening with some fresh low fat cream, it was delicious.

I have also been preparing my sewing. I am making another Pooh Bear cushion for my next grandchild due to be born in a couple of weeks. I have traced the design onto my fabric ready to embroider, and bought the fabric and wadding to quilt the cushion yesterday. I have posted here a photo of the last one I made for my grandson Bertie (16 months ago)