Posts

Singing to the Seedlings

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Hello m' shiny orbs, See here -  https://youtube.com/shorts/K3ohA8jAaR4?feature=share    Do you sing to your seedlings? I do, whether the like it or not. I did audition for a part in the choir singing 'Zadok the Priest' at the weekend's Coronation. I even had the right getup - teapot for orb, soup ladle for sceptre . I stole my youngest daughter's crown. Strangely I didn't get a part, but I thought I'd share my beautiful singing anyhow. The neighbours are treated daily to this mock operaticness reverberating from my bathroom. Just like Jimi Hendrix, that's my preferred practice space. So I might not be here next weekend. Monsieur thinks I'll be locked up in the castle for treason. I'll just argue that a fortnight of Covid plus cabin fever have altered my normally perfect state of mind. I also suspect the music used in the clip will flag a You Tube copyright strike, but we shall see.  I shall leave you with some lovely pictures of my convalescence

This is May Day

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 Happy Beltane, May 1st marks the start of summer in the Gaelic calendar. Here in our little Cornish corner things get a bit weird with crazed hobby horses running through the streets, colourful Maypole dancing in school yards and wickerman-esq bonfires out in the fields. The earth is alive with fervent energy. I simply cannot keep up. This past week I have been struck down with Covid. For three days I lay horizontally. In real time, I watched the trees form their green canopies from their witchy winter frame works.  It will be a short garden update today...     Before the lurgy... A seedling swap at a private creekside house. Each year the family open up their garden for charity and encourage visitors to bring spare plants for the table sale. They also sell delicious refreshments. Trachycarpus furtunei -offspring from Long Mizzle's 'Mama Fuzz' I took with me some baby Trachycarpus fortunei plants. The lady organising the plant sales was delighted at my plant descriptions

Sometimes head gardeners need a break

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 Hello m' cherubs, The seed sowing season is upon us. Much like my coordinated washing, I like to sow in themes of colour. Please don't be fooled into thinking I do all the garden jobs by myself. It is important to delegate. I've actually been actively training up the littlest one. Hopefully I'll be able to get some extra feet up time, with an endless supply of hot tea. The biggest one is currently chief tea making apprentice.  That's all for today folks. The sofa, granny blanket and a good book are calling. Please send gossip via courier pigeon. Lulu x   More recent blog posts can be founds here -  https://longmizzle.blogspot.com/

Dot dot dot

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 Hello m' dotties, It has been a wonderful Easter weekend. You can probably guess where I've spent most of it? Of course, the garden! Since September I've been missing some packets from the Alpine Garden Society seed swap. It was driving me potty as I had looked everywhere for them. I had intended to sow the remaining seeds in autumn. All the logical places were checked: the potting bench, my tupaware store in the fridge, the cold cupboard in the downstairs toilet.  Then on Friday night, as I was Marie Kondo-ing the living daylights out of the airing cupboard (as one does on a Friday night), they revealed themselves. They had been sat in the sun lotion basket! Well, I had to do celebratory dance and found it hard to sleep after all that excitement. Before they escaped again, I got them sown into freshly washed pots and window propagator. Fingers crossed it's not too late and they hatch ok. The lost alpine seed list From South Africa: Romulea gigantea,  Lacanalia carnosa

Lost Pudding Pit & other winners

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 Hello m' stray pickles, Firstly, thank you so much for all the good luck messages last week! It was very sweet of you. Monsieur calls it my 'most favourite day of the year' - The Falmouth Spring Flower Show. Although technically it is on all weekend. The transportation was the greatest challenge this year as the weather had decided to blow a gale on the Friday hand in. As I opened the boot of the car, the paper flowers on my youngest kid's exhibit took wild flight across the car park. A frantic chase ensued, my green mac whipping me in the face. Even before this, I'd managed to break my constructed floral headpiece the night before. Luckily Gorilla glue came to the rescue. To top it off I spectacularly toppled a pot in the car, in spite of granny driving at a steady 20 mph. An emergency in-boot re-pot was required! Above: ready to load up the boot Goodness knows how Tremough Gardens transported this tall cactus - Oh but how wonderful the show was when it opened on