So far I've bagged ten bags of clippings and I've run out of garden waste bags so the rest will have to wait until I get some more from the council.
Here's the tree! It now just needs a cosmetic 'rounding' off now like I said, once it's settled. We are getting new fence panels at the end of May. My blue paint is already waiting!
Here are yet more shots from my garden!
Beautiful, perfectly purple petunia.
Three of my lovely black tulips which are getting darker as they age along with a rogue imposter!! But it has pretty pointed pink petals so it can stay! 
The herbs are taking well. You can see sage, two types of marjoram, oregano, parsley, tarragon and coriander. Round the other side are purple sage, thyme and dill. I've not decided what to put in the top yet so it's not full to the brim! You can also see the edge of the lawn that needs a haircut and the shed, built by the HG, which needs finishing. ( sigh ) 
I picked these up in Poundland today! The HG calls it Tenpoundland because I seem unable to spend anything less in there! They just seemed to be perfect for me!!
After a couple of comments on my last post, I'd like to share this photo of the Maypole we have at school. 
We got it for the Queen's Jubillee and much fun was had learning to do it. We had a day of activities and my job with my colleague was Maypole dancing and Country dancing! Much time was spent untangling the ribbons! We sometimes get it out for the Night Owls to playwith. Much chortling went on when one little Owl gave a quote for the website. "We had fun learning how to poledance!"
It still makes me laugh!
Right, I think I shall how retire into the garden with a cup of tea and my new book before tea. It's Thai chicken curry tonight. I made it last night. Mr 19 has been concocting Dimebar Milkshake. So no doubt I've the aftermath to survey before yelling at him to jolly well come and clean it up! Why don't they clean up NATURALLY???
Lots of love from
Rachel * Pole Dance Teacher* Radiostar xxx
HG is spot on with his Tenpoundland. I can't spend less than that when I go in either. It's addictive just throwing things in the basket because they're only a quid. Then I do the " might as well get 2 or 3 while I'm here" routine as well.
ReplyDeleteAmy did 'pole dancing' at primary for a dance festival, not sure they still do it though. We always did it when I was at school and one of the after school classes was country dancing which I loved.
Your plants are looking lovely. Had to laugh at your bright pink intruder. Maybe Sadie planted it when you weren't looking. We have a tree that needs cutting. It's gone beyond us doing it now so we'll have to get the professionals in. Will have to look up when the best time to do that is. Hope you've had a lovely Saturday. We went to see the Willard Wigan exhibition. Brilliant. xx
I saw your post Suzanne, what a brilliant day and to get to meet the artist was just the icing on the cake! I've no idea when's the best time to chop away at plants, despite having a load of horticultural books! I just do it and hope for the best!!
DeleteOMG, I have a bay bush which I cut the lower branches off to make it look like a small tree, this spring I have planted it in our garden, is that what we have to look forward to a huge tree, better keep an eye on it. Your flowers are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm guilty of letting mine get away from me! I never intended for it to get so big!
DeleteWow I never knew they grew that big, I do like blue fence paint. Your plants are looking lovely, really like the black Tulips.
ReplyDeleteSeeing the Maypole bought back memories x
I love my blue fences! I blogged a few years back about painting them. I make such a mess!!
Deleteteaching innocent children pole dancing?! What on earth are you doing woman! ha ha. Got to love kids and the stuff they come out with.
ReplyDeleteLove your Bay. Ever so slightly worried though, have two either side of front door and don't want to see them that massive in years to come!
Your flowers are gorgeous. The dark tulips look like Queen of the Night. Gorgeous. We had them in the back garden, but over the years they got less and less and eventually vanished. Probably into the night. (Did you see what I did there?!).
Have a lovely evening. your curry sounds scrummy.
xx
I was so sure I posted photos last year of the bulbs I bought, so I've just spent a happy hour looking back to see if I could find what I wanted - which was to confirm your naming of them. Alas I could find the group shot of the bulbs ( including the cheeky pink ) but not the black ones! The curry was divine. It's a Hairy Bikers Dieters recipe using light coconut milk. I also call it my Frigging Sexy Gorgeous curry, because that's what it is!! And less calories than you'd think!!
DeleteIf you keep on top of your Bays, they'll be fine. I left mine to run riot for a few years - when the kids were little - no time lol )
Oh my gawd......we have an NDFC here too. The other day it dug up part of the beautiful pink peony I planted last year and crapped in the hole it left. I hate cats.
ReplyDeleteI am also another ten pounder in Poundland....lol-x-
Boooo to the NDFC digging up your peony plant. Blooming things. Why can't it dig up in its own garden??
DeleteSo, just to set me straight, is that a Bay tree as in bay leaves, that you put in stews and soups and things?? I am quite certain we can't grow that here, but that is one healthy tree that you grew from a tiny little cutting. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteYa, you use the leaves in cooking. Why won't they grow where you are?
DeleteDespite our primary school being opposite to a pub called "The Maypole" we never did any at school, neither did the two eldest at their primary so it was quite a novelty when we moved and found maypole dancing a regular thing for the youngest.
ReplyDeleteI love the country style piano accordion music that is used for the maypole dancing. I don't recall doing it when I was small though.
DeleteIt's a wonderful tree. My little bush pales in comparison but, I guess, with a more or less container garden there'd be nowhere to put a beauty like yours. Mine sits by the back door and regularly has leaves torn off for cooking. You could dry your clipping leaves and flog them! :-)
ReplyDeleteJ x
I'm lolling because the first ones would be past their sell by date by the time I finished bagging up all the leaves!!
DeleteThat's a grand bay tree. My mum planted one in their garden many years ago. It was triangular in shat an every year a blackbird nested in it. Dad chopped the tree down a few years ago it got way to big.
ReplyDeleteHow about some parsley and chives in the top of your herb pot or rosemary. You've given me an idea to do my strawberry planter up as a herb one instead.
The Maypole is lovely. Does it have a heavy base? Ours was wooden and was place into a hole in the ground.
Carolx
It's a heavy base s it doesn't topple over. I'm curious now as to how much it was!
DeleteI've some chives in another tub, but yes I think I'll plant chives and some cut and come again salad leaves.
Lovely tree, I have hedges that need lopping too and a eucalyptus tree unfortunately it will have to be me as there's no one else to do it, your flowers are lovely especially the petunia, I have just bought some bedding today I hope my petunia's turn out as healthy as yours. Your curry sounds yummy it's gonna be a boring jacket potato for me. :) xx
ReplyDeleteAh, Maypole dancing - that brings back memories of single plaits, double plaits, umbrella, circling and spider's web. Oh, sorry to mention creepy crawly things! :) Hope the itching stops. The garden's looking lovely.
ReplyDeletexx
Pole dance teacher eh? A useful string to your bow :-). Love all the flowers and I remember your black tulips from last year - looking good xx
ReplyDeleteI remember doing (May)pole dancing and country dancing at school - I loved it!
ReplyDeleteCut those ribbons off and it could have a second life spicing up the lovelife of some burnt out teacher! xx
ReplyDeleteCos they know Mum does a better job!! ;) LOVE those black tulips. And the frilly frou frou ones!!
ReplyDelete