Out with the box

In with the hebe.

Thank you for the suggestions for what I should replace my diseased box balls with (that sounds nasty) and I have decided on hebe, for now at least.
My second nearest choice was for yew, but I shelved it for now, simply because it was quite pricey. I think I will get one anyway when I can find a small, cheap plant or cutting, but this will be a long term project, for now, I wanted those bare empty pots filled with a nice replacement.

I went for hebe because it is very prunable (is that a word?) it has nice a long season of flowers, this one does anyway, and at the moment it is very cheap in my garden centre - always a good incentive. I know it can become a bit leggy and woody and I am going to learn about very careful pruning techniques to try and avoid that happening.

The variety I plumped for is Hebe Raspberry Ripple and here are the two plants

looking very smart in their pots (anything would look smart after the brown, dry dying box to be honest. They have interesting foliage too and mark the edge of the path near the less than interesting covered cat litter tray that is my raised bed (so far the covering has done the trick nicely, but the time is coming soon when it will need uncovering - how long before the word gets around in the cat community?)

Here is a picture of this variety of hebe in flower:

 I think it is rather lovely.

The wonderful early Spring weather has been a delight, long may it continue. It's tempting to start getting things in the ground, but don't worry, of course I won't, it could snow yet! The seedlings are all coming on really well on my window sills and I am about to put out washing onto the line for the first time this year, this sounds very dull, but believe me it still remains a treat after years of living in flats.

I built a rustic frame for the area I have marked out as a dahlia patch, after seeing something similar in the Sarah Raven flower catalogue. I liked the way it blended in and looked natural when surrounded with flowers, much more so than canes which can spoil the look if you ask me.

I hope it doesn't collapse like a deck of cards at the first tiny breeze, that WOULD be embarrassing. I will add more twigs as and when they become necessary but it is a good start. Lucky there were loads of nice rustic looking branches lying about after the gales of a few weeks ago.

Final photo of the day is of my rhubarb which has come on a treat thanks to all the rain. Won't be long before I am enjoying my first rhubarb crumble.

RIP box balls.

Yes indeed my two lovely box balls have succumbed to blight. I am very sad about this as I loved them but as also they are quite expensive to lose.
Box blight has no known cure, is caused by fungus and will have been brought on by the excessively damp Winter here, it spreads only to other box (buxus) so at least everything else in my garden is safe from it. Thank goodness I don't have a whole knot garden.

 You can see them here looking healthy and happy, but they became:

The two little ones seem safe for now, but I will keep an eye on them.

I liked them because they marked a good spot on either side of the grass path and it looks a little bare without them.

So no more box, I can't afford to lose expensive plants like that so I am now looking for alternatives.
I am told Hebe is a nice alternative with the advantage of lovely flowers once a year. It can also be shaped nicely to look like a ball too. I could try yew, but it, too is rather expensive and I don't want it to grow excessively large. I have sweet box (sarcococca confusa) already in the garden and don't want any more although the winter smell is wonderful. I did even wonder at a couple of hydrangeas as I could ditch them in a dark corner when they get to that stage that I dislike so much (yet others seem to love) but they too are rather expensive and I really want something that I can keep there year round. So hebe is at the top of the list, but I am more than prepared to think about any other suggestions. Something I could topiarize (is that even a word?) would be nice..

Spring Time

Oh yes, we've made it to the official first day of Spring, and rather than the weekend of promised snow the papers have been over-emphasising, I have woken up to the most beautiful weather for a long, long time here in Lancashire. Sunny and bright, but there is a Spring change in the air too. I know we are expecting a cold spell next week, but nothing can dampen the spirits on a beautiful Spring day such as this

To begin with this photo will only make sense as being amusing to anyone who knows Victoria Wood:

A new shop has opened up near me, one wonders at their using this name.

(Sorry to those who don't get it, but Acorn Antiques was a fictitious shop used in a spoof soap opera in the 1980's, you'll understand why it so amused me if you remember it)

So I have been out gardening (of course), getting on top of any potential weeds before they get on top of me for starters.

But first let me show you my new toy:

A cold frame. I have wanted one of these for ages and was delighted to find one being sold off at a garden centre for a song (OK, not literally).

Protected from any frosts are my new project of a herb bowl which so far has in it sage, oregano, thyme and lemon balm. On the left are some campanula, hollyhocks and delphiniums.

On the subject of my electric propogator all I can say is WOW. These things really work. I have had trouble germinating seeds in the past because I keep a relatively cool house and sometimes they have taken weeks to germinate. Well these surpassed all expectations and had all germinated within a week. In fact they are well on their way.

The sweet peas are huge after just 2 weeks:

Way too big actually, the trick will be in slowing things down (yes, you don't need to say it, I know I was too early, I just couldn't help myself).

Other things are not quite so far on fortunately, but happy enough.

I have put up a trellis and hanging basket for use later in the season. The plan at the moment is to plant a pot of morning glory for the trellis and I haven't decided what will go in the hanging basket yet.

The photo highlights that I really need to get the jet wash to deal with the moss on the brickwork. I will borrow my brother's when I next see him.

My pot of iris are looking lovely.

Here is today's view of the garden:

The new bed is a bit bare, but you just wait. But the grass is in such a state!

Finally a photo of my self inflicted wound, done during the night - who knows what I was dreaming about but it wasn't fluffy bunnies:

OW!

Signs of Spring in Photos.

There are signs all over the garden of Spring now (about time we had a break in this rainy, miserable weather) so I went out with my camera to capture a few moments.

 Snowdrops are in their full glory

a nicely weathered pot of dwarf iris and crocus, these literally appeared this morning. I don't like my pots to look pristine, much preferring the well used look. The moss that has gathered all over this pot is a pretty spectacle in itself I think.

Such a wonderful colour.

My daffodils at the base of the apple tree, just coming. 

 The beginning of this year's rhubarb crop.

My tulips, the bath is full of a now forgotten colour, looking forward to finding out what I chose, with three long tom pots crammed full with cream tulips all now poking their heads through.

Not all is good though, my lovely two box balls look very much to me like they might have box blight! I think there is little I can do if they have and I will just have to destroy them.

This is a good time of year and everything seems happy enough, box aside. 

Monday Morning at 9.14 and my high horse.

It's Monday and, yes, it's raining again. I was determined to get out in the garden and take some photos of all the emerging Spring flowers but there's no way I'm putting my wellies on today so that will have to wait.

Had a good and interesting weekend as I was the adjudicator at a music festival. So Saturday morning at 9 am saw me with the pleasure of listening to 4 hours of piano players all playing their party pieces while Saturday afternoon I judged the singers (mostly from Wales it seems). It was very very heartening to hear the huge amount of talent from these pianists, it is easy to become cynical in these times when lots of young people want instant gratification and praise from very little effort, but to get to hear youngsters who have clearly put hours and hours and hours of practice in was a complete joy. Luckily, as is so often the case, there was a very clear winner in every class, the first of which was a boy of about 15 who played the piano with such poise and dedication and understanding of the instrument that I was literally bowled over by him, it was also lovely to find him unassuming and modest of his talents. There were also 2 brothers who must have only been about 11 and 13 respectively who both played some of the hardest pieces in the repertoire, almost note perfectly to a standard that any adult professional pianist would be hard pressed to reproduce. Practice time must be divided incredibly in their household as, to play a piece this well would take about 3 hours practice daily, that is true dedication in a youngster. Is it any surprise that I have no time at all for crap TV talent shows which often show someone weeping because they didn't get through, whilst wailing soppy remarks such as 'I just want it so badly, this is my big chance'. No it's not, it takes huge amounts of effort, work and dedication to be a master of your craft and in the end only you are responsible for the work you do with any talent you may have rather than looking for that person who will give you a career on a plate. Most of them have to get real, it comes through hard work and determination and hours and hours of work, every single day.
So it was with pure joy that I heard kids with this grit and determination play and it restored my faith somewhat.
The afternoon was a different story, not that it was any less enjoyable, but the average ages of the singers in all the classes were between 50 and 80 probably. This says a lot about how we are losing our tradition of classical singing in this country and I wonder if in 40 years anyone much will even do it any more. Maybe most people don't give a flying fig that much of this wonderful music will be lost with the next generation, but I do.

So I will leave you today with a youtube video of Renee Flemming singing Gretchan Am Spinnrade (Gretchan at the Spinning Wheel) by Schubert, purely for the example of someone who has mastered the technique and craft of singing but more importantly for the outpouring of emotion that comes from that old favourite of feelings - LOVE - when put in the hands of a master. We all know and understand the feelings expressed, but Schubert has managed to find that desperation and put it into music. It's well worth the effort of 3 minutes listening and if it touches just one person then it was worth it.

The translation is below the video.

My peace is gone,
My heart is heavy,
I will find it never
and never more.

Where I do not have him,
That is the grave,
The whole world
Is bitter to me.

My poor head
Is crazy to me,
My poor mind
Is torn apart.

For him only, I look
Out the window
Only for him do I go
Out of the house.

His tall walk,
His noble figure,
His mouth's smile,
His eyes' power,

And his mouth's
Magic flow,
His handclasp,
and ah! his kiss!

My peace is gone,
My heart is heavy,
I will find it never
and never more.

My bosom urges itself
toward him.
Ah, might I grasp
And hold him!

And kiss him,
As I would wish,
At his kisses
I should die!

Time off

Nothing much to report here. Survived the storms with just one panel blown out from the greenhouse which was duly fixed by me the next day. Weather is nasty still, if it's not blowing a gale it is raining so I am holed up indoors rather than outdoors.
Anyway, nothing much going on right now except to report great success from the electric propagator, what a little beauty it is.
Will be back in touch when something interesting happens.

Update

Thought I would write an update on how things are going since my 'big' decisions at the end of last year.
Currently I have 5 students, so my teaching practice is slowly building and it is great, I really thoroughly enjoy teaching singing and my students seriously seem to get something from it, they are all happy withe me as a teacher anyway. So that was a lucky gamble that paid off.

Meanwhile another startling thing has happened that was rather unexpected. It has become known about the place that I am no longer really prepared to do long rehearsals away from home so much, and on the back of that I have been asked to stand in in Don Giovanni later in the year. What this basically means is that when the cast member is unable to do one show in a run of 20, someone (ie me) steps in and does the show for them, because it is a role I have sung a lot of times. It is quite nerve wracking because it will be performed on only a 2 hour rehearsal on the day, in other words, I'll be making up the movements as I go, with the help from the other cast members of course. Certainly a nice thought that it will keep me singing and performing, but I won't have to go away for months at a time to rehearse, in fact the whole episode will only take one day of my life (the man who should be doing the part is getting married on that day instead, so he's forgiven). Sounds good to me. Here are some photos of me in the last production of Don Giovanni I did 8 years ago:

Mean and moody.

Oh it's fun to look back.

The duo partnership we set up (baritone and piano (me)) has been advertised about the place a bit, we have one music society interested for their 2015-16 season (yes, it is so far away as to be almost laughable I know, but that is the way these things work) meanwhile we plug away at it, trying to get more.

And finally I am judging 3 competitive music festival competitions in the next month, which is always enjoyable.

So if the money is not exactly rolling in, then at least things are moving in the right direction, I am hoping to build on my reputation as a singing teacher, as this is largely word of mouth, so now I have some students, hopefully they will talk and more will come.

So a quick update from chatting about gardens (because, quite frankly the weather is so bloody awful that there is little to say on the outdoors).