greenhouse – Matthew McKinnon's Blog

Positive Care Experience at QEUH: A Patient’s Perspective

QUEEN ELIZABETH UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL GLASGOW – In my last blog, I was telling you something about our holiday to the island of Tiree and our day trip to Loch Katrine, and then finished up by telling you of my hospital experience after having had a stroke. There have been many reports regarding problems at the QEUH since it was opened 10 years ago at a cost of around £575 million pounds, along with negative reports of the NHS in Scotland generally. I thought I would just like to add my ‘tuppence worth’ as a ‘stroke patient’ who last had a stay in hospital approximately 75 years ago!

It was around 3am when I had my stroke, and my wife was quick to dial 999, and the ambulance arrived within 10-15 minutes. A quick assessment and soon I was on my way to QEUH Stroke Unit where I received immediate attention. A few scans later I was given a cocktail of pills and transferred to a ward. The following morning after a visit from two physiotherapists I was moved to the stroke rehabilitation centre.

During my stay there I was impressed by what I observed, and blessed by the empathy and care of the nursing staff, and all the associate professionals along with, caterers, cleaners, and porters. I was truly well looked after, but not “molly coddled” and was encouraged to do for myself, the things I was able to do. The Physio / Occupational Therapy team were excellent, and had access to a well equipped gym and ‘mock up’ kitchen. There was also an arts class, and film night(s) which were great in helping people to take their mind off their current problems. Visitors were allowed and welcomed throughout the day, and some patients were allowed out to walk or in wheelchairs to enjoy the sunny weather. In my mind I was scoring this 10 out of 10!

During my stay, and since coming home I have been blessed with many visitors, including visits from two new great grandsons, but unfortunately don’t have pictures of them all. Here is a selection of smiling faces who came to encourage and pray.

While in hospital I was asked if I would like to take part in some research programmes, so after some discussion signed up for ‘The Pheonix trial’, which sounded really interesting. The study seeks to discover how our genes respond to different medication and if tailoring medicine to each individuals genes could lead to better outcomes, and save money by not providing medicines that are not giving the results intended. You can read more about it here – phoenix.gla.ac.uk

The local Stroke ‘Physio Team’ have also been excellent since I came home, so I have and am, being well cared for.

Well life has slowed down a bit, but we have been enjoying the garden, and some local trips and walks in beautiful weather, since I last blogged, so here are some pics.

In this blog I tell something of the trials and joys of life, and of the many loving and helpful people we meet along life’s journey. Not just family and personal friends, although they all so kindly gathered around to help in a multitude of ways, far beyond the call of duty, but also of so many others, whom until recently I had never met. It was moving to watch the nursing care given to other patients, for example, the 90 year old man being given a shave, and after shave lotion rubbed into his face, and made to feel comfortable. Later to see the equipment that was available to lift him out of bed into a wheel chair, where he was wrapped up for a walk to the hospital garden. Wow! I wonder how things might change for the sick, weak and those feeling emotional and vulnerable, also between doctors and patients, as and when the ‘Assisted Dying’ bill becomes law.

As a Christian, I believe that life is a gift from God, and that he created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, and so love and compassion for others is readily expressed in so many ways within society. But recent bills in the Houses of Parliament regarding the killing of the unborn child and the assisted dying bill I feel strongly opposed to. Surely we need to listen to the pleas for the unborn child, and provide more palliative care for the dying..

So does God care about you? Absolutely! Before Jesus Himself was betrayed, or heard the mob cry ‘away with Him we will not have this man to reign over us‘, before he heard the judge say ‘I find no fault in him‘, but was nonetheless handed over to be crucified, He spoke these words.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:1-6

I came to Jesus as a child, but it is never too late to come. Have you come?

Here is a prayer you could pray – Dear Heavenly Father, I confess that I am a sinner, and believe that your Son the Lord Jesus Christ died for my sins on the cross. I believe that you God raised him from the dead. I now repent of my sin and receive Jesus into my life, and confess Him as my Saviour and Lord. Amen

If you prayed that prayer, welcome to the family of God. John the Apostle says – Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12, 13.

A song to sing along.

If you have been supporting me in prayer, or have sent a card or message, then a huge thank you, and if you are one of my subscribers again a big thank you for following along life’s road with me.

Wherever you are I trust this finds you well, I’m always glad to hear from you

Matthew

Memorable Moments: A Year Through My Lens

If you are a subscriber to my blog you will know that every year at this time I like to look back on the year’s photographs, and set out some of my favourites, sometimes because I love the photo and at other times just for the special memory, and other memories they invoke! In these three photos below I hope you catch what I mean.

The above are not great photos, in the first two the boat was moving and I was ‘happed up’ with a life jacket. On this cool sunny day without a breath of wind, sailing off the coast of Tiree I felt it was one of these ‘time stands still’ moments when you feel over awed by the breath-taking beauty of it all! Since then, when I look at this photo I think of a similar moment on a boat on the sea of Galilee, just after dawn, when the boatman cut the engine and we floated in quietness on the still blue sea, when the sky and sea seemed to merge. Not surprisingly thoughts of the man who walked on these waters came to mind, and a chorus we sang as kids. Yea, beautiful. I know many of you will have had similar moments when confronted by the beauty of God’s creation.

The Chorus: By blue Galilee Jesus walked of old; By blue Galilee wondrous things He told. Saviour, still my teacher be, showing wondrous things to me, as of old by Galilee blue Galilee.

Now here is a selection of other photos that give us pleasure as my wife and I look over them together

A January walk in the park with Grand daughter, and greatgrand children

There is always a sense of excitement and activity as winter draws to a close and Spring is on the near horizon. Garden tools checked, greenhouse cleaned again, seeds bought, saved seeds checked, propagators and greenhouse cleaned, tube heater check along with it’s timer control. Finally glass cleaned and floor disinfected. I’m smiling, it’s all go now!

Late Spring and Summer we try to get out and about, and we are spoiled for choice, some of these places you may have seen before.

Now for some summer photographs:-

Autumn and Winter photos :-

Many in our world today look ahead with fear and trepidation, which is not surprising considering our news bulletins filled with stories of war, doom and disaster, and considering the war, sorrows and turmoil of the world in 2024.

This reminded me of the poem read by King George Vl in his speech to the nation in 1939 just at the start of the 2nd World War. It was a poem written by Minnie Louise Haskins. Here are the words of the first verse.

Quote: And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year; “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown”. And he replied: “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than a light and safer than a known way“. So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And he led me towards the hills and the breaking of the day in the lone East. Unquote.

A poem said to be a favourite with the late Queen Elizabeth ll, who is credited as the person who handed it to her dad.

Personally, I have recently been reading words from the book af Acts regarding what the Apostle Peter said to the religious leaders of his day just after the resurrection of Jesus, you can read the whole story in the book of Acts chapter 4. He said
“Jesus is the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12.

These words were behind the inspiration for a new Christian song written and composed by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, which has become one of the favourites of this century. So if you feel the world is becoming increasingly chaotic, and you are in danger of giving up hope, have a read of the words, and check out the song om You Tube and you’ll see why it has become so popular. And may you find new hope and purpose in life, by coming to know this Jesus of whom it speaks.

In Christ alone, my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live, I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

I wish all my readers God’s blessing in 2025

“Rain! Rain! Rain!”

As kids we used to say a childish rhyme ‘Rain Rain go to Spain and don’t come back to me again‘. There are many derivations to the words in that nursery rhyme, which evidently has its origin back in the 17th century! I don’t know about ‘going to Spain‘, but February was one of the wettest months here in the UK, and there were many times when we just wished the rain would stop. It also continued into the month of March, but I guess that is all part of what it means to live with a maritime climate!

All of that besides, we did manage to get out and about as best we could, mostly to local parks, but two places we reached a bit further afield were Stirling Castle in Stirlingshire and Culzean Castle in Ayrshire. In the winter and early Spring all these places can be enjoyed more easily in what is normally a much quieter season, so here are some photographs.

First our visit to Stirling and the Bannockburn Battlefield and Memorial, where on this site in 1314 a battle raged between the Scottish and English armies. The site is beautifully maintained by the National Trust for Scotland, and surrounded by some stunning countryside.

Inside the National Memorial building the battle is dramatically displayed by means of some very clever modern technology and sound effects. Arrows fired at you whizz over your head and when you turn-around soldiers are falling on the screen behind you! There is also a battle room where you are talked through the twists and turns of the battle. It’s all very well presented and is well worth a visit. Here are a few photographs.

Then on the 2nd March we made a trip to Culzean Castle on the Ayrshire coastline, one of our favourite places. It was nice to see the snowdrops and daffodils flourishing, and even some of the rhododendrons were in flower! Photographs below:

Certainly all that rain makes everything very green and as we approach Easter it is lovely to see the grass growing and flowers again appearing in our garden, and also in the local parks. Seedlings are growing well in the greenhouse within a couple of propagators. This week the clocks Spring forward so we will soon be enjoying an extra hour of light in the evenings, Hurrah! Here’s a few more photos:

I often wonder when I plant these dead looking bulbs in the Autumn, or see what looks like dead bushes and trees bursting into life, why anyone could possibly conclude that all this came about from nothing, and just by chance, baffles me. In my garden and greenhouse I often feel compelled to pause and thank God for His amazing work of creation.

There is a Bible verse that seems to well encapsulate these thoughts, it reads:
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20

God’s eternal power and divine nature are however more clearly seen in his Son Jesus Christ, the God Man, who Himself said ‘He that has seen me has seen the Father’. So if you want to know what God is like, marvel not just at nature but look to JESUS and His story recorded in the Scriptures!

At Easter we see demonstrated in the clearest possible terms various aspects of GOD’s divine nature, His Love and Grace, His Holiness and His Justice. His Love shown when Jesus on the eve of the feast of Passover, (Exdous 12:1-13.) shows Himself to be the sacrificial Lamb slain for us, by dying in our place and stead and for our sin, and here the Christian Communion service is inaugurated.

And again His Grace, which we don’t deserve is seen as he offers us forgiveness, on the basis that He took the punishment for our sin, Someone has said Grace and Justice kiss each other at the cross. How amazing is that, surely the greatest story ever told.

Isaiah the prophet (740-680 B.C.) so vividly describes the death of Jesus in Chapter 53 of His book. (its a must read if you have never read it) all these years before it took place including the phrase “he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”. John the Baptist at the beginning of the Jesus ministry just after Jesus’ baptism declares “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”! Far too many other references to mention here.

I don’t know about you, but for me it is the most profound thought that has ever occupied my mind, expressed with such pathos and truth by the Apostle Paul “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” How profound is that?

At Easter especially, but throughout the year we sing this hymn which I find encouraging and challenging, why not find a quiet place, to sit and contemplate and enjoy!

I hope the weather is kind to you wherever you are this Easter, and that you have a great time, but never forget how much God loves you, and the price He was willing to pay that you might become His child.

I’ve been a Christian for many years, if you would like to talk please get in touch.

Matthew

Colours Galore – Garden Joys and Surprises

Every Spring and early Summer I look forward with anticipation to see the outcome of all the things that have been planted in the garden and greenhouse. My earlier blog at the start of June showed photographs of Spring flowers and the early growth of vegetables in the greenhouse. So how did they all turn out? Well as always the results were mixed, but we keep persevering. Lately I have grown the large begonias, and they are lovely, but they unfortunately keep bowing their heads so they are hard to see and appreciate. Next year, all being well, I think I will give the dhalia’s a try. 🙂

Let’s start with summer flowers.

The fruit and vegetable side of the garden has proved quite productive, in spite of my earlier misgivings about my tomato plants. Four types of tomato were grown and they all produced a good crop. I also tried a new cucumber seed for smaller fruit and they were better than my expectation both in numbers and taste. Peppers were not so good as I had insufficient space in the greenhouse, so put them outside where they didn’t receive the care they deserved and were damaged by slugs and bugs! Those in the greenhouse did much better 🙂 We did get a bowl of gooseberries from two small bushes, which were stewed and sweetened and consumed with our morning cereal. Rhubarb was fertilised this year and gave us two crops for crumbles and pies.

Here are some of the results.

Greenhouse with three bags of potatoes and one carrot bucket

Other bushes and plants also brought some real colour and charm. This is the year of the hydrangeas I think, as they have been superb.

Last year, this little Acer tree looked as if it was almost gone, but I decided to give it another chance and surprisingly it burst into life! It certainly needs repotted, but I am just awaiting the right time to do so! Everything and everybody needs another chance!

Finally, my willow tree at the bottom of the garden is not looking good this year. I saw the resident grey squirrel hanging upside down from one of its branches in early summer and I thought, is it chewing the tree bark? A neighbour commented that her apple tree was also looking poorly, so on checking on line I learned that squirrels eat the bark from trees and also use strips to build their dreys! So sure enough the bare patches on both tree barks seem like conclusive evidence! It’s the squirrel!

Reflection: Now we look forward to the Autumn colours, and the Spring flower planting, if all goes well. I’ll finish with the words of F E Pettingell 1899

Through the changing seasons, of the changing year, with its light and shadow with its hope and fear. Through each glad fulfilment, and each sad defeat, we have safely journeyed, and again we meet. Through this changing year, by His guiding providence we assemble here.

Well many of you I have not yet met in person, but thank you for reading / following my blog, and by God’s grace and mercy, and through your faith in Jesus Christ and commitment to Him, we shall meet one day!

Enjoy what remains of Summer – Matthew!

Catch the Joy of Summer!

Yes, here in Glasgow situated in the world’s northern hemisphere the daylight hours are extending, and today we enjoyed sunshine from its 4.40am rising until its 9.50 pm setting! What a special gift is that! The garden is slowly coming into bloom and everything is looking beautiful!

It is amazing to watch the budding trees and Spring flowers give way to Summer bloom, and to see and hear the excitement of the birds as the they prepare their nests and get ready for the new chicks to arrive. We have blackbirds nesting in our hedge every year and their song in the evening is enough to cheer the saddest heart.

Springtime

Early Summer

The greenhouse is now catching up, with tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and courgettes all coming on, and with three bags of potatoes planted and a bucket full of carrots. My two hanging baskets are now out, but the flowers for them were bought from the nursery. My tomatoes are causing me some concern as they look a bit ‘spindly’ but hopefully they will come on ok.

The greenhouse

Talking about potatoes, tonight we enjoyed some fresh buttered Ayrshire potatoes with beans, coleslaw and ‘corned beef’ for dinner. It reminded me of my mother’s love for Ayrshire potatoes when I was a small boy, and that wasn’t yesterday! 🙂

Tatties and corned beef!

And of course, this summer in the UK and Commonwealth we are celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th Jubilee, and events are being held all over the country. This week at our church we had a service and afternoon tea for senior citizens and it was a special and joyous occasion. Most of the folks there remembered her coronation all these years ago! We recalled her faithfulness and servant heart through all the ups and downs of life, and remembered her faith in God, which in her own words has sustained her, and enabled her to fulfil the vows given at her coronation! Across the political divide I think it is true to say that the vast majority of citizens in the UK are delighted to honour this lady for her commitment, grace and loyalty sometimes amid adversity.

Wherever you are, and in whatever season I hope you are well. Here is a new song we are singing in church these days, it is beautifully sung and the words I find encouraging and inspiring too, for all of life’s circumstances.

Matthew

‘Garden’ please come in!

I was given a new arrow shaped notice by some of the family that simply says ‘Garden‘. So all that pass by are being encouraged to have a look. So no pressure, but we’d best keep the bit nearest the gate looking tidy 🙂

This year I tried growing different varieties of fruit and vegetables in the greenhouse with varying amount of success. Cucumbers, and tomatoes, in spite of early misgivings, have all produced a very good crop, tomatoes in fact a bumper crop. The coloured peppers have been ok, but the fruit has been a bit on the small side. Potatoes and carrots grown in bags and bucket have been fun to grow and I think the results were amazing. Cropped 100 potatoes from the ten sown, and the carrots yielded 22 from the bucket and plant pot. (See the video below)

After a promising start and much care and attention my bags of strawberries produced an abundance of leaves and shoots but only a handful of small strawberries. So what did I do wrong? Perhaps they were fed too much with a strawberry fertiliser bought online? Help please. My two small gooseberry bushes produced their first fruit this year, but not enough to make jam. The rhubarb also produced its first decent crop this year enough for some rhubarb crumble on a couple of occasions. The apple tree is looking good, but too early yet to pick them.

In my last garden report I was able to show you some of the flowers that were enjoyed earlier in the year, so here are some pics of those that have appeared since.

Now here’s the wee video on Carrots – ‘From Seed to Freezer‘

Reflections

Today I spent time again in the garden and greenhouse. But yes, today has also been a day of deep reflection. As I sit here writing this blog infact, thoughts that I had earlier, have come flooding back, causing me to stop and ponder. After breakfast I was reading from a magazine a short report regarding life in the country of Northern Macedonia. I consider myself quite well versed in geography, but I knew little or nothing of this relatively new country in the Balklands, which was previously part of Yugoslavia. So that kept me busy for a while doing some research, looking at pictures of its people and countryside online and reading of the diversity of its people and its economic poverty. It is evidently amongst the poorest nations in the world, where people have suffered so much in my lifetime.

Then like everyone else we were confronted again on our tv screens by the chaotic scenes at Kabul Airport in Afghanistan. The sense of fear and desperation was palpable in people’s voices and faces, as thousands make every effort to flee from the threat posed by the Taliban, after they so easily over-ran the country.

We have been recalling the promises made by Western Nations just a short 20 years ago, saying that we would never abandon the Afghan people. They must ring hollow in the ears of the Afghan people now.

We often say that the world now is a global village, but how helpless we feel in these situations to do anything which we feel would make a difference.

I was recounting that Jesus was in Israel at the time of the Roman occupation and oppression. There is the lovely story in Matthew’s account of his life, where it says ‘Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.’ What an apt expression of people in Afghanistan and in so many parts of our world today, ‘harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.’

Last night our Church was praying especially for the situation in Afghanistan, and for all those ‘harrassed and helpless’, perhaps in the near future we can help be the answer to our own prayers. Meantine the message of Jesus’ love and compassion continues to be beamed around the world. His death and resurrection make fulness of life to all who will come to him a reality.

How blessed to have a garden, and to live in a country that has known peace for the last 75+ years.

I trust your garden has flourished in 2021.

Matthew

Early Summer in the Garden and Greenhouse

It was a very cold Spring here in Scotland, but in early May the weather started warming up at last. Here is an update on the garden and greenhouse –

Daffodils were a bit of a disappointment this year as a spell of frost and snow arrived just as the flowers were about to open, but amazingly some did survive, and the tulips coming on a bit later more than compensated as they seemed to go and on!

It’s nice to see the rhododendrons and clematis in flower again, without too much effort from me, and also the shrubs and bushes bursting into life, not to mention the apple tree and lilac, which shout out to you ‘summer has come’! I’m afraid I haven’t done too much this year in the way of planting ‘annuals’, but I have however planted from seed some french marigolds, sunflowers, tom thumbs, coleus and cornflower, and some begonia corms.

The greenhouse is doing fairly well, and this year I’m trying to grow quite a few different fruits and vegetables. Cucumber ‘F1 Socrates’ is proving to be fantastic, the cucumbers are smaller in size but delicious in taste and are cropping very well. Tomatoes are Tigerella, Shirley F1 and Ferline F1. The latter is one I’m trying for the first time, it seems to be struggling a bit, but it may come away yet. There is a variety of peppers, three bags of potatoes, one bucket of carrots (Autumn King 2) and two bags of strawberries, and lots of ‘tom-thumb’ lettuce. So between cutting the grass and keeping everything in trim its enough to keep me busy. Here are some photographs of progress so far.

Reflections

With the wonders of camera, computer and the www, I have been able to show you the best of my garden and greenhouse. What I haven’t shown you are the plants some slugs have eaten, the parts of paths that need weeding, or my Spring plant pots that have yet to be emptied and cleaned. In a small garden it is difficult to find a spot to hide them away 🙂 I guess if you are a gardiner you are in much the same boat!

Got me thinking, ‘social media’ is a bit like that, we (including me) tend to emphasise the positives and try and bypass the negatives. The ‘about me’ section on Facebook usually paints a glowing picture of the person we would like others to believe that we are, and seldom do you find folks telling you how they have messed up! But of course we all do at times.

I’m reading a book this month entitled ‘Gentle and Lowly‘ by Dane Ortlund, concerning Jesus Christ he says, ‘in the four gospels accounts given to us in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John there are 89 chapters of text, but there is only one place where Jesus describes his heart. (The heart in biblical terms is the centre of who we are, what defines and directs us) So what will this man Jesus, who claimed to be the Son of God say? He says, ‘I am gentle and lowly in heart’. Ortlund goes on to say ‘The posture most natural to him is not a pointed finger, but open arms’!

You can read the full words of Jesus in Matthew 11 v 28-30. Jesus said – “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Now there is an open invitation, but folks are so loathe to come.

So I’m thinking, what two words would you or I use to truly define ourselves on social media? Mmmm, let me get back to you on that …..

Happy gardening!

Matthew

Time for Strawberries?

Well they are not quite ready yet! The ‘bare rooted Karona’ strawberry plants only arrived this weekend! So thoughts of strawberries and ice cream, strawberries with morning cereal and evening salad, and strawberry jam, will just need to wait a wee while, so stop licking your lips! 🙂

I’ve grown strawberries a few times in the past either from seed, or from plants bought at the garden centre. This year looking on line I came across a nursery selling ‘bare rooted’ plants so thought ‘that sounds interesting’ but what like are they and how do you plant them?

The plants arrive by post – two bundles with elastic bands!

Not quite ‘love at first sight’! Is this the right time of year with snow around and temperatures below freezing? and what’s the procedure? Thankfully with the wonders of the internet I found the answers to these questions, time will tell if they are the right answers!

Separate the plants and soak overnight in water.

I had already ordered a couple of strawberry bags as strawberries featured in this year’s ‘garden plan’ so it was good I had these ready in stock. Here are some pics of the planting.

Watering and fertilising tubes, the felt keeps the tube from clogging while planting! The top of a lemonade bottle makes the perfect filter funnel for watering tube!

So working from the bottom of the bag and filling with compost as you go the plants were put in place making sure the crowns of each plant were above the compost. So now its time to call in the ‘boss’ 🙂

Greenhouse is currently unheated, apart from a 80 watt tube heater.

I only scored 9.5 out of 10 for missing one of the planting holes 🙂 So will these strawberry dreams become a reality? Watch this space, but I have every confidence in the Creator.

Other signs of life in the garden

So time to look out the gardening gloves and the spade and trowel, Spring is on its way!

Happy gardening!

Matthew

PS: After one month the strawberries are all showing signs of life!

Green Grows the Garden – but how green?

Summer is almost over for another year and the garden is starting to show the signs. The heather is out and the apples are ripening on the apple trees, just in time for the apple and bramble jelly, and the flowers are just past their best.

Summer coming to a close for another year!

This year we spent more time in the garden due to the virus pandemic, and as always we derived much pleasure in watching everything grow and flourish. The weather was mostly dry and sunny from mid March to mid June, but then reverted to a typical Scottish mix of rain, followed by sunshine and showers, and at times blustery winds.

Here are some of the flowers and plants that we grew this summer.

This seemed to be ‘the year of the Gerainiums’ as they have been flowereing profusely in pots throughout the summer. My ‘Cosmos’ were rightly called ‘Sensation’ as they grew over five feet tall and were like bushes. Still the bees loved them. A new plant for me was Gaillardia, and they seemed to take forever to flower! Some are very beautiful, some quite dramatic and others seemed a bit odd! Ive got mixed feelings about them, so they are on the ‘maybe ‘ list for next year!

The greenhouse was also in full production as floweres were mostly grown from seed, along with three types of tomato (Shirley F1, Tigerella and Sweet Success) and four or five types of peppers. (Golden Bell, Antohi Romanian, Frigitello, Red Cherry and Hungarian Hot Wax)

All the plants produced well, and we have been eating the fruit from the beginning of June, now the small cherry tomato plant is the last one which is still cropping, well named – ‘Sweet Success’.

It was good to have some visits from our grand-children and great grand-children as the lockdown was eased, they are always keen to help ‘GG’ in his garden 🙂

I hope my fellow gardeners have been encouraged in their gardens, its been good to see photographs from other friends and bloggers.

This year our visits to National Trust gardens and properties have been curtailed, but we may manage to squeeze in a vist even yet!

Matthew

PS: Talking about ‘brambles’ we got these today from ‘God’s Wild Garden’ free of charge, and just across the fence!

How Green Grows our Garden

How does YOUR garden grow?

Well ours started with great promise in the Spring, but like most years it has had it successes and disappointments as the year has progressed. Never-the-less it always gives us great pleasure, and overall is looking very pleasing to the eye. Of course it also gives you a sore back and shoulders at times 🙂

First of this years tomatoes – picked 18 July

I was a bit late in getting started in the greenhouse this year, as I was trying to cut down on the heating costs. For my tomatoes I tried using some more expensive seeds that I had stored from last year, when they were a great success. They seemed to grow well initially but are currently looking not so good. It may be down to the watering system that I am re-using, which I had tried once before without a great amount of success. It supposedly allows the plants to draw water when / and what, they need, but I wonder if it draws too much water in the colder days and not enough when the plants are growing? I would appreciate comments from fellow gardeners.

I have also grown flowers for planting out. Nothing too exotic – Antirrhinums, Cosmos, Aubrietta, Narsturtiums, sun flower and geraniums, and as always had more seedlings than I knew what to do with!

One of the borders next to the hedge I’ve covered with cloth and stone chips, and re-arranged it with flower pots. I always felt that my plants there did not do too well because of the hedge, but I also am trying to reduce my garden maintenance now that I’m an octogeranian!

A special success was the planting out an acer tree, which had been in a pot for years, and I had to cut the root to get it out of the pot. I did not give it much chance of success, but amazingly it seems to be thriving now that it has been set free.

I trust your garden is giving you pleasure too, and if you don’t have one there are plenty of wonderfull gardens around to enjoy. We recently visited Kellie Castle Garden in Fife – wonderful!

Today I received ‘J Parkers Autumn’ catalogue encouraging me to plan for Spring! HaHa, oh well it is good to keep planning ahead!

“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.“

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: