Gardening diaries - friendly discussions (part 2)

Hang in there Upsy
So far no thunder or rain......the wind is blowing over a couple of potted dahlias but most plants so far are swaying, bending but not breaking. I cut down one of the tallest delphiniums ....7' plus......because it was destined to be flattened. Still very humid

 

Fingers crossed for you Upsy, keep going strong. Also receiving the much welcome storms but worried about the tall delphiniums, am hoping my staking has been good enough.

Went into London today for the day, Regent's Park has some amazing borders & planting schemes in Mary's Rose Garden. However, the 40c underground was not so great, neither was the non air conditioned First Great Western train back home, stagnant with no air flow! Toilets also out of order. The most expensive yet unreliable train network out there, eh.

 

Thanks everyone, not sure whats worse - not really getting the full pic of what is going on with little sis, albeit knowing she is safe ,responding to meds and has all her friends supporting her ...or withholding info from my dad! I lay awake last night battling this out in my head, putting myself in his place and not being told about any of my boys, if god forbid they are ever in that same situation ...would be so awful that I don't think I would be able to forgive not being told the full truth........but then my sensible head tells me he would just get confused/muddled and feel the same stress and sense of being helpless as we do , but at 92 his body might not be able to cope ....just hope we are doing the right thing. Broke my heart phoning him today and engaging in chit chat with him and trying hard to avoid little sis's name in case it jolts his memory about her being in hospital and prompts him into asking questions that would require me to ......'bend the truth'

@Verdun .......loving your avatar

 

I understand, empathise and sympathise with you Upsy
We have to protect too, dont we? Your dad may cope with the "bended truth"???? Sometimes though we under estimate how folks will cope....I myself have worried about how to explain difficult things but in fact the event of it was easier than the worry of it (?????)
You say your sis is responding to her meds and is in safe hands so, hopefully, she will be fine
Ha ha glad you like my avatar but my nose is not quite as red in reality :rasp:

 

Thanks so much @Verdun , your words are very wise and in a way I fully agree with you......but then...... my worry is that as dad lives alone ( apart from his lovely old Lab ) what he may feel when alone with nobody to talk too and indeed comfort him. He is a very proud man and still does his utmost to be there for his family and keeps a 'stiff upper lip ' in front of us all, but he is getting increasingly ' fuddled brained' and I worry that this proud old man hasn't got someone to share his thoughts and worries with when we all go home......I've never seen him cry , even when we lost mum, simply because he kept strong and was there for us.....but I know for sure that when alone he did....and still does. I'm a coward I suppose and can't take that chance of pushing him to an extreme that his failing body might not cope with.......but then ....am I wrong and being unkind, I really, really do not know.

But once again thanks for your thoughtful reply

 

Morning all, @Upsydaisy good that your sis is responding to treatment.
You might be able to tell your dad some of it. Could you stay with him for a bit,see if he's ok when you tell him.

 

Good morning ...

@zenj Lotus lilies is a very apt name. Such a stunning colour. I must look out for it. @Upsydaisy Hope you family hold up together and all get well soon.

Yesterday was son's graduation. In the marquee, they had a little announcement about awards for the Music and Fine Art department. Son's name was the last one read out. We were both very pleased.

@Mark56 - you chose a wrong date to get stuck in the train. It was breezy and quite humid and London could be hell in such a hot day. I fanned myself whilst having a Nando meal.

Last night was quite frightening and I had 3 pots on the ground this morning. Rain was minimal, but the thunder and lightning were maxed out. Well, at least, no need to water this morning.

Have a nice day to all!

 

@alp that's good news, about your son.
:bigthumb:

 

Morning all looking very grey here thunders forecast ,I put hedgehog food out nightly and a large one comes around 10 pm or later last night I looked out about 11 ish was dark but I noticed something at the bowl much smaller so I put the garage light on which shines on the back it was a baby hedgehog and close by was the big one I watched them for over 30 minutes running round snuffling about and both visiting the pond for a drink wonderful stuff .

 

Programmes to watch
TONIGHT
BBC 2 8pm new series
The Sweet Makers:a Tudor Treat
4 modern confectioners use original recipes to recreate a Tudor sugary banquet and discover in the process how our national sweet tooth transformed Britain.

BBC 2 tonight instead of Friday
Gardener's world.9pm

 

Wow! Would love to see that, @zenj !

Try to put out the food a bit earlier to see if you can take a pic of the baby.. How exciting..

I had filled up most of my feeders. The green one was emptied in no time. Shame is that the tits were put off by the aggressive sparrows and the spot underneath the feeders are now covered with sunflower seedlings..

@Logan Thank you. 22 and he's still very much a child at heart.. We have agreed that we will visit NT gardens and houses as much as we can.. Looking forward to going to Hyde Hall Flower Festival.. Hope they remember that inflation is DOWN! Please don't put up the prices.. I hope to buy 3 plants for a TENNER!

Hope you can hear me, RHS!

@Logan Thank you for the programme update! GW for me!

 

Morning folks
Congratulations to your son alp....brilliant news
Sheer devastation in Coverack yesterday.......on the opposite coast here in Cornwall from me where we had no rain at all. My paramedic nephew was called out and described it as horrendous. The main road there is a "pile of rubble" now....just washed away. Amazingly nobody was killed!!
Wonderful hedgehog story zenj

 

Yes, horrible scenes from Cornwall, @Verdun . I remember this policewoman who bought a house on a hill top without viewing it only to see it tumble into the sea because of the loose sand of the area. And the severe storms often batter that way.. I nearly wanted to tweet a heroic note to the rescue team.. No laughing matter. Imagine you're working on helicopter rescue, with all the lightning, thunder and gale force winds and lashing rain working against you .. Please say WELL DONE to your nephew .. My son has had an easy ride and he said to me, I'm better than you - you only got a 2:2 and I have a 2:1.. Compared with your nephew, he's zilch .. ONE to your nephew. I often have to say to him that that doesn't count in real life..

 

In Dobbies - I have one of the biggest feasts for my eyes.

Streptocarpus-mania

Don't know the name..



I thought the first one was Gold dust, but then I saw the 2nd one which I think IS Gold dust.


They look too dusty to my liking.

The ones below could be Nerys - quite pretty



This one is a pretty one - could be called Caitlin



Wow and Polka dot or blacklace..

An interesting indoor plant


I am not sure I like these delphiniums


They look as if they needed a wash or repair.


Achillea - I'd love a red with gold centre.. on the hit list..

 

Morning all ...what weather we are experiencing.....such extremes!

Can I first start with a huge apology to @alp for going off subject on her lovely thread:sorry:

Secondly thanks everyone for your kind words and good wishes for my sister

Last update and I promise to not mention things again.......no news so far from hospital. Wise words from @Verdun gave me food for thought......and now Dad knows everything.

Older sister and I are going up at for the weekend to see baby sis ...and staying in her house without telling her or the ( weird) friend!!!!!...... and we will tidy it up and stock up her freezer too, might cause an upset.....but it will eventually blow over, in the wider picture of events this will soon be seen as a minor detail!
All we know is that she will remain in ICU for sometime....so we take comfort from knowing she is in very safe hands.

@Verdun,so awful down your way ....keep safe.
Three cheers to your nephew and his colleagues....they do a marvellous job whilst placing themselves at great risk too.

Many congratulations to @alp's lovely son

@Logan hope all is well with you and that your knee is behaving itself.
We will stay close at hand to dad to monitor his responses to events ,but as I said .. it's when he's alone that is the worry!

Definitely a Wellie Wearing Wednesday!!!
Keep safe everyone