Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2025

Good afternoon all.

Too hot for any gardening for me today - I'm a lightweight, can't stand anything hotter than the low 20s. Went to collect prescriptions this morning before it got too hot. Now catching up with paperwork... even considering turning out a cupboard in the bedroom... however, I haven't ordered any spring bulbs yet, so perhaps I can postpone the cupboard tidying while I look at the list from Farmer Gracy.

I agree, @Goldenlily26 , that price you were quoted seems a bit steep for clearing a bank. And if he does come, keeping a close eye on what he's doing would be a good idea...

 

Another butterfly in the garden this morning: I think this is a (rather tatty) silver-washed fritillary, enjoying the ragwort flowers in the meadow.

 

Good afternoon all. I read your post about the jobbing gardener @Goldenlily26 with some concerns. I do think that you are being charged too much and I am even more concerned about him mentioning he would use glyphosate. Several councils have already banned the use of this as it has an adverse effect on biodiversity. In December of this year there will a nationwide ban coming into effect. Not only does it get rid of the weeds, but it can affect pollinators like bees and microorganisms within the soil. It has also been linked - but not as such proved - that it can affect human health as it is thought to contain carcinogens. Given a choice and erring on the side of caution, I would not want this anywhere near my garden.

 

Lovely picture again @Liriodendron. Thank you.

 

Hello all.

When we got back from Daniel's yesterday it was after 8pm and I had watering to do, so I didn't get around to posting yesterday.

I agree that £100 for 3 hours work is a lot, @Goldenlily26. OH's lovely gardener charged £22 an hour and he was skilled. Don't know what the new one charges now, similar, I think. I agree that the brambles will grow again. I don't know if selective bramble killer is still available. Glyphosate has been banned in France. I used it for the drive, nothing works now. Personally I don't think there is enough evidence yet to show if it causes cancer in the sort of quantities a gardener would use.

I overslept this morning, didn't get up until 10am I'm not doing anything much today, too hot outside. I only went out to put washed bedding on the line, will go out again soon to get it back in. Don't know where the day has gone though it's gone quite quickly. I watched Destination X.

We had lunch indoors at Daniel's yesterday as it was too hot outside, 41°. He has air conditioning, which was a relief. We wished we'd brought our books as all the family apart from his wife, who was cooking, went to sleep after the late lunch. They were all in the 5 big bedrooms and the sofas in the sitting room, leaving just a small sofa in the dining room for me and OH. We were 8 adults and 10 children. Not Daughter 2 and her 3 children as they are on holiday in Portugal where it is cooler. Not oldest grandson as he is working in the holidays.

 

Good afternoon to you all!!

Oh for a sprinkle @Allotment Boy The land is dry!! Another hot day and another afternoon inside reading etc. (and a bit of snoozing!) I have brambles here and pulled out most of them. Little shoots are popping up, so gloves on, I pull them up and pour salt 'n vinegar into the hole. They'll soon get the message! Very few wild blackberries around here this year. Too hot and dry and not very sweet. I wanted to make at least one blackberry and rhubarb crumble.

I decided to visit my nursery this morning to prepare for a winter garden. Came out with a couple of celery plants, 2 silver beet (chard) 2 cauli, 2 cabbage and 3 broccoli. I shall have to squeeze everybody in somehow. I will not plant until next week. Meanwhile the plants are inside in the cool. Now to dig out that netting.....

I agree with all comments here @Goldenlily26 Check out some more quotes. If the chap turns up, you'll have to be strong and ask him to leave it - even if you say you will call him later or that you were looking for someone to redo the steps not just strim.

Enjoy the rest of the day

 

Bulb orders are much more important than tidying @Liriodendron

 

Studies show that glyphosate raises the likelihood of cancer and non Hodgkin lymphona by 41% in people who use it but I suspect those figures come from agricultural workers using it in industrial quantities and at very high strengths and probably without adequate (or any) protective gear. i don't think it's a problem for ordinary gardeners like us but it is also suspected to be a major factor in dying bee populations and I find that far more worrying.

I agree with the others @Goldenlily26. Put him off and get some more quotes. If the soil is moist, brmables are easy enough to pull out. Just spraying or strimming without care for the surrouning plants you wish to keep is going to cause far more problems than it solves and they'll come back anyway.

It's jolly hot here - 39C but feeling hotter and starting to get a teeny bit humid. OH and I have been out to lunch with our former neighhbours - beef cattle farmers who've retired to a very smart bungalow they've renovated in the next village. We ate indoors as it was too hot outside but still too hot for a 4 course lunch. Lots of good chat and laughter tho and I ended up driving home as OH tucked into Luc's home-made Pineau (white and red), then a Trouspinette, red wine with the main course and cheese and a glass of fizz with pud. He's now flaked out on a sofa.

I've been down to see the chooks and gave them their daily sweetcorn but forgot to check for eggs as I was distracted by the variety of bees, hoverflies and a buff brown butterfly on my dahlias by the gate. Wonderful.

If anyone knows a good rain dance, do tell. More 39C this week and weekend and not a drop of rain in sight in the 10 day forecast.

 

I've never been strong enough to pull out brambles unless they are baby ones.

 

Another who feels that you should cancel this chap @Goldenlily26 .

Speaking as someone who can lie with bare faced effrontery (), I would say that you've been talking to a very kindly neighbour/nephew/grandson about it and they are going to do it for you instead.

If you're not as brazen as me, ring and either do it over the phone or leave a message. If he turns up anyway, say you're sorry that he obviously didn't get the message, and repeat it. Look him in the eye.
In my experience, faced with a grey haired (not that I'm saying you are !) lady with a determined but polite expression, they always back down .

It's not worth the worry. As others have said, go for personal recommendation if you can, or something like checkatrade. Anyone who values their reputation will be only to happy to show you photos of examples of their work, and if it's local you can always knock on the foor and ask the resident for their feedback. I have.

 

It's interesting out there! While I was taking in the washing a few minutes ago, I was being buzzed by more damselflies, then there were a lot of swallows swooping over the garden. I couldn't see if they were catching damselflies or other insects. Meanwhile, the cooking apple tree was inhabited by 5 rooks, helping themselves to fruit...

 

Phew @Busy-Lizzie, I am surprised you are not a puddle on the floor with that temperature. They are obviously quite worried here about the heat wave, talking about 'danger of death'. which is very sobering, and giving us all sensible advice about staying hydrated etc. I've just had to put on my living room fan again as the temperature indoors has slowly crept up. I decided that I would wash my two winter parkas and a lighter jacket early today. Oddly enough, just as the cycle finished there was a little rain shower. It didn't last too long and I eventually got the three coats pegged out. I've just brought them in - all dry as bones so they can go back into the wardrobe waiting for the cold!

 

Oh snap @Liriodendron. I bet your washing is all lovely and dry too.

 

It is indeed, @Ladybird4 .

 

I am going to sign out for this evening as I am getting ready to watch The Sewing Bee. Stay cool and enjoy your evenings. See you tomorrow.

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