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IN OUR GARDEN 2023

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Put some tulip and hyacinth bulbs in pots yesterday, bought from a supermarket, very reasonably priced. Did a bit of tidying in the front garden yesterday too.

Lots of ivy leaves falling from a dead ivy on a tree at the front! The council own the tree and they cut the ivy that was growing on the tree to kill it off. Thought I'd done the leaf duties! It's nearly dead now, so the leaves should be off soon.
 
NOTSHARP said:
A lovely morning here, but a week ago, these were under snow.





Some, exposed to the wind, have not done so well.




But, with a wee bit of shelter,





We could be back into minus temperatures by the weekend. o_O

Steve.
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First photo. Are they Polyanthus or Primrose ? I can never tell the difference ! Whatever they are they are really cheerful.
 
Just spent a hour in the garden. Pruned two shrubs which had got a bit woody (berberis and spiraea). Found some more mini daffs and crocus out. A bit hidden from the kitchen window so a nice surprise.
Then planted 2 primulas/polyanths (whichever :D ( to brighten up the front).
 

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Able to prune another shrub this morning. (Garden bin now full so rest will wait until it has been emptied on Friday).
However, I was delighted to find some plants shooting. This is for Lyn - both my "harringtons" are showing signs of good growth. :D

This was last year

In the garden 2022

https://www.rhs.org.uk/prevention-protection/potentially-harmful-garden-plants Managed ti open it this time. I can't see angelic there, our friend used to grow it and eat it.
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 

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pjmburns said:
Able to prune another shrub this morning. (Garden bin now full so rest will wait until it has been emptied on Friday).
However, I was delighted to find some plants shooting. This is for Lyn - both my "harringtons" are showing signs of good growth. :D

This was last year

In the garden 2022

https://www.rhs.org.uk/prevention-protection/potentially-harmful-garden-plants Managed ti open it this time. I can't see angelic there, our friend used to grow it and eat it.
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
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great jan ..us harringtons are a sturdy lot :D :D
 
A "brisk" South Westerly today, giving a cold feeling temperature of 3 Deg., so I have been looking at some older file pictures on my laptop, in a nice warm sitting room.

I may have posted this before, and my apologies if so.

A friend in Redditch had Nightingales nest in his garden in 2020. If memory serves, the BTO came along and ringed them, and my Pal took this picture at that time.



Quite a rare sight, I would imagine.

Steve.
 
Forgive my ignorance but I spotted this on my patio today. I have my frog spawn in the ponds and everything seems OK. But what is this? Why on the patio? I don't think I have a toad. I thought perhaps that a bird may have hoiked something out of the pond and dropped it but I have looked up dragonfly eggs or lavae and it doesn't look like the stuff I have seen online, though I did see dragonflies in the ponds last summer. I thought I would pick it up with a piece of card by sliding it underneath. I was going to put it in a water bucket. However, it didn't want to budge and is stuck like glue to the slab. All very odd. Any ideas or suggestions?

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www.midlandspubs.co.uk said:
Forgive my ignorance but I spotted this on my patio today. I have my frog spawn in the ponds and everything seems OK. But what is this? Why on the patio? I don't think I have a toad. I thought perhaps that a bird may have hoiked something out of the pond and dropped it but I have looked up dragonfly eggs or lavae and it doesn't look like the stuff I have seen online, though I did see dragonflies in the ponds last summer. I thought I would pick it up with a piece of card by sliding it underneath. I was going to put it in a water bucket. However, it didn't want to budge and is stuck like glue to the slab. All very odd. Any ideas or suggestions?
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No picture. o_O



Steve.
 
www.midlandspubs.co.uk said:
Forgive my ignorance but I spotted this on my patio today. I have my frog spawn in the ponds and everything seems OK. But what is this? Why on the patio? I don't think I have a toad. I thought perhaps that a bird may have hoiked something out of the pond and dropped it but I have looked up dragonfly eggs or lavae and it doesn't look like the stuff I have seen online, though I did see dragonflies in the ponds last summer. I thought I would pick it up with a piece of card by sliding it underneath. I was going to put it in a water bucket. However, it didn't want to budge and is stuck like glue to the slab. All very odd. Any ideas or suggestions?

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If you have Sturgeon in your pond, I would say that it is Beluga caviar. If not, I go for Toad spawn.


Both options could be completely wrong of course. :D




Steve.
 
NOTSHARP said:
If you have Sturgeon in your pond, I would say that it is Beluga caviar. If not, I go for Toad spawn.


Both options could be completely wrong of course. :D




Steve.
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I do not have fish as they would hoover up my tadpoles. I did have a lone fish appear two years ago - an egg must have come attached to a plant I bought. He was taken out of the pond, fed to a decent size and then taken to the local park to start a new life in their pond. I don't think it is from a toad. I think they still go for wet or damp places but lay them in a string rather than the clumps of frog spawn that I am delighted to see again this year. I was worried about the increase in corvid birds in our area [Jackdaws and Magpies] as they will eat the frogs. However, it would appear that my amphibians have developed a secret strategy and are hiding well. I normally see them mating in the spring but they have done their naughtiness during the night. I have spawn in three ponds so hopefully the next generation will be OK. But this clump of whatever it is on the patio is puzzling me?
 
I'm sure it's not toad spawn which is in long strings. Wonder if it is frog spawn pulled out by a bird or something and has died off. Not a clue otherwise
 
johnny082 said:
I'm sure it's not toad spawn which is in long strings. Wonder if it is frog spawn pulled out by a bird or something and has died off. Not a clue otherwise
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Yes, having delved a wee bitty deeper, I retract my Toad spawn idea.
I did wonder if a Heron could have flicked it out of the water, or dropped it, trying to carry it off.


Steve.
 
Ooh, I hope you find out what it is! Raining on and off here, just like yesterday. I'm sure it's early April showers. I will stick to indoor jobs. Luckily I got my car cleaned yesterday, in-between the showers.

Looking forward to seeing my bulbs come up that I purchased from the supermarket.
 
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