Inbal Bland

Hi

Here I am lol.

Going to do the same as you regarding a new kitchen, but in a couple of months or so. In fact I may be doing a lot inside and out. Just kicking a few ideas around at the moment.

I went out to feed the birds and almost fell over a hog on its way to the pond for a drink. It was a bit narked with me as he sort of looked over his shoulder as if to say hey watch what you're doing. Watched it for ages as I have not seen one in the garden for a long time. Had a female jay in the garden as well not seen one of those for ages either.

Problem now is with all the rain here the birds only come in small numbers if at all. So last couple of days I only put food out for them when they turn up. Wonder where they go to??

Bazza 

Hi Baz

Our birds don't care if it is raining.  I just go and stand on the step, they see me and all the chattering and shouting starts while they wait for me to throw the seed out - they don't care about the rain at all.  Today we had five magpies and 2 crows.  Once they go all the little birds arrive.  We had siskins, chaffinches, sparrows, robins and a whole lot of different tits.  We also got a thrush and a couple of blackbirds.  It was magic!

Last night I was watching the fox outside.  He arrived quite late and I couldn't make out what he was doing then realised he was delicately picking up and eating the seed that the birds had left.  He (or she - still can't tell the difference) is a really handsome animal - has a lovely tail and is a pretty pale ginger colour.  It is nice to know the seed is not wasted and they all share it.

Judith

A tiny bit of me, ( the bit that has to go out into the garden for at least 15 mins three times a day) wishes our birds didn't come when it's raining

Bazza, My Irish birds said to tell you that Welsh birds must be real softies !LOL 

I guess your hog was out and about as it was so mild, I imagine it was a big healthy looking one as it nearly managed to trip you up

Judith

Hi

Well I have my birds trained. Or I thought I had. Every time I go out to feed them I rattle the tin and they usually fly near. By the time I get back in to the house and look out of the window they are usually stuffing there little faces, or should I say beaks. But because its been raining lately and no matter how hard or often I rattle the tin they do not turn up.

They must be sheltering somewhere and they look out and think I'm not going out in this. Of course they could of all gone on a > cheap < package holiday as long as it was not on >higher perches<. Cant think why they've disappeared

Bazza 

Perrycornish

Hi

You know what, I am a bit ashamed that my birds appear to be scared of a bit of rain. After all  they only have to turn up under shelter of the bird table and stuff there faces. What do they want me to do, put a tent up?, come and collect them by car?. Here we are living on the side of a welsh mountain and they behave like a load of cissy's lol. 

At least my hog was something to be proud of, big fat and waddling along, reminded me of a girl I went to school with. Oh eck!!!

Bazza 

lol Bazza

Kitchen won't happen for a few months here either, got to sort the ownership of the house first.

GOOD NEWS ON GARDEN FRONT!!!
hubby will let me spend money buying loads of plants weeeeeee!
I'm apparently allowed to spend around £200 for plants (don't really need too many shrubs as I got those last year but it's time for some perennials/herbaceous loving)

 I've sat down with one of the Jparkers catalogues and had a look through. Do you think it's worth while ordering from a catalogue? How big are the plants normally when you get them? Or maybe ordering from ebay's a better idea?

 I'm at work most of the time so I don't get to see the birds at all now, although I doubt any of them are in the garden with these winds and rain.

Now I think about it what's a good tree/shrub as a hidout for birds?

Inbal Bland

Hi

Thats good news, get the cash off him straight away before he spends it on something else.

Tip 1 J Parker has a bad reputation with some people

Tip 2 Perennials and herbaceous a darn good choice but remember that you will get seed and cuttings from them so no need to buy lots.

Tip 3 look for a local market that sells plants they are a lot cheaper. Also places like wilko and Aldi and Lydl. Any tree shrub with leaves on is a good hideout for birds. Take your time and look for something out of the ordinary that your neighbours dont have.

Spend wisely and you will reap the rewards. Then you can stick all the pics of your "new" garden on here for us all to admire. Nice one.

Bazza 

Hi again,

I'll do my best, it's finding what you actually want that's a pain. We'll see about this spending spree, I just did a list on the website to see how much it will be and suddenly he went "we could do with waiting another month" lol. We'll see how that goes, I'm normally very forgiving for his spending sprees so I'm not giving up on this.

Regarding the tree for the bird - as we're planing eventually to take those trees down I think it's only fair to supply the wildlife with some other shelter, plus we could do with something that can withstand the winds. I think the gardens at the back creat a corridor for wind, although our left side is a box hedge.

Thanks for the advise Bazza, much apreciated!

Inbal Bland,

Hi,

The plants you get supplied with from catalogues are normal only small plugs. My friend and I have had a lot of things from JParker that we have not been happy with. My advice would be wait until spring and then go to a car boot sale, you usually find loads of good cheap plants.

I started selling my spares at our local car boot sale a couple of years ago and it has become a bit addictive. I only charge around 1.50 for perennials and 2.00 for shrubs you find quite a lot of people who do the same and there are some great bargains to be had.

Trudi

Hi Trudi and Shirley, happy new year!

Trudi

I've seen it mentioned on another thread about car boot sales, I've never been to one and I would never have thought you can get plants there  

I'll keep that in mind!

By the way, my hubby says plant prices are going up soon so we're off to the local garden centre this weekend to buy some stuff (they're actually pretty good on prices there).

Trudi Wynn

Hi

Have the ducks arrived yet, this weather is perfect for them !!

Bazza

Shirley Gaskin

Hi and welcome and happy new year to you.

OK I give up mars tiggy winkle, huh ??? 

Bazza

Hi Bazza,

No the ducks have not arrived in the garden yet they are a bit late this year. All the fields round us are under water, there are loads of swans and ducks on them so maybe they will come when the fields dry up a bit.

I am really fed up with the rain the garden is drenched there are loads of puddles on the lawn and around the trees and there are so many jobs to do. Mind you at least the house has not flooded so I count myself lucky.

Trudi 

Trudi Wynn

Hi

Yes the flooding is a disgrace as is the governments handling of it. You would think that as we are surrounded by sea, it would be a relatively easy thing to run drain off pipes in to it. Maybe its because the government cannot make any money out of it like they could if the pipework was for gas or oil. Its the same old story people have to stand by and watch as their homes get flooded time after time. As I said its a disgrace.

Fingers crossed you do not get your home flooded, that would be heartbreaking for anyone.

You may be right perhaps there is too much water for the ducks at the moment, maybe they only come to play on your nice dry manicured lawn. Roll on spring eh !!

Bazza 

Hi Shirley,

The picture of the swan is from Warwick castle when we were there last month.