How about a gardening thread?

[Odile]

Still got quite a bit of snow here- but the borders by the house are springing into life.

Just wondering if anybody here would be interested in a perenial plant swap event mid April. I could offer the venue, and participants could bring food for a picnic. Large inside room and covered area available in case of bad weather.

Anybody?

[Belgianmum]

Yes please. I had said to Kristanez only last week that we used to do that back in Belgium. We used to swap veggie seedlings too so that we all had some variety in our vegetable plots. I got my seed trays out yesterday ready to start sowing.

[Odile]

Great- the more the merrier. And excellent idea to swap veg plantlets too.

I have 100s of varieties of perenials to swap. Some are natives from here but many came from our garden in the UK. We did 4 journeys over with a trailor full each time.

[sups]

so ncie to see one here in fact i have been thinking about starting a gardening thread all winter thru. thanks oldie.

[Kristanez]

Sadly, I'll be in Canada. How would you feel about trading some seedlings for some baking once I get back in early May?

[sups]

just realised it is about those of you in the frenchswiss part of the country.

[telandy]

Picked up some parsnip seeds in Konstanz yersterday - Have some free if anyone wants. I an trying chick peas this year, just had sme seeds sent over from the USA.

[Odile]

	Quote:	sups
	so ncie to see one here in fact i have been thinking about starting a gardening thread all winter thru. thanks oldie.

OLDIE , you cheeky thing Actually you are right, lol, never mind.

Anybody welcome in the gardening thread even if you live with the 'Bourbines' Been in the garden tidying up this afternoon- I'll soon be able to get to those parsnips, if they are still there.

Kristin, come and see the garden when you get back. You'll have your lovely bike back for a nice ride.

[McTAVGE]

What a brilliant idea! Another thing that was very popular back home was to sell plants for charity, for those who don't have much to swap! (We started our garden last year, but found out quickly that soil and climate were not what we had in Nottingham!! But bit by bit we are getting something that looks more like a garden and less like a green rectangle.
I agree with the idea of a thread just for gardening tips, events etc...

	Quote:	Odile
	Still got quite a bit of snow here- but the borders by the house are springing into life. Just wondering if anybody here would be interested in a perenial plant swap event mid April. I could offer the venue, and participants could bring food for a picnic. Large inside room and covered area available in case of bad weather. Anybody?

[Odile]

We lived very close to Nottingham, same climate- and yet most of the perrenials we brought over to here, at 950m in the Jura, have survived and done very well and many are now ready to split and be exchanged. Will organise a date sometime in April. Watch this space.

[strollingby]

Would be interested too, my garden is only two years old so maybe I couldn't swap much but if I brought some yummy cakes could I come too

[Odile]

Of course, all welcome.

[Scottydog]

Also, does anyone know of any lovely gardens to visit to inspire those of us with very pale green fingers?
Of course i am thinking longingly of the National Trust type gardens, but will I be able to find anything like that in Switzerland?
That sort of information could also go in the gardening thread though!

[meloncollie]

	Quote:	Scottydog
	Also, does anyone know of any lovely gardens to visit to inspire those of us with very pale green fingers? Of course i am thinking longingly of the National Trust type gardens, but will I be able to find anything like that in Switzerland? That sort of information could also go in the gardening thread though!

If you are up for a day trip, Insel Mainau on the Bodensee (DE side) is sure to inspire:

http://www.mainau.de/

Go midweek if you can - weekends get very crowded - too crowded to really enjoy the flowers, IMO.

[Scottydog]

	Quote:	meloncollie
	If you are up for a day trip, Insel Mainau on the Bodensee (DE side) is sure to inspire: http://www.mainau.de/ Go midweek if you can - weekends get very crowded - too crowded to really enjoy the flowers, IMO.

Thanks Meloncollie - looks a lovely place to visit (even dogs on the lead allowed I see....!) The tulips remind me of the Dutch Keukenhof, gorgeous...

[Odile]

Most towns have got a Botanical Garden, but not visited any yet. Looking forward to going to our local one in Neuchatel in April - I've been told it is very nice. There is a couple of Alpine Gardens in the Valais I look forward to visit this year too- one in Champex Lac near the St Bernard Pass.

[JanerMacP]

Does anyone have tips on getting rid of blackberry bushes? They're taking over my garden, I pulled out one that was 5m long today!

[Rangatiranui]

I have (had ) a beautiful Jasmine vine that was geared toward covering a concrete wall. Last year it was flowering and filling the garden with fragrance when you stood in the right place.

Recently the leaves have gone brown

Was it frozen in the last freeze-wave? Water? Fertiliser? Any tips?

Are they sensitive things? Should I read it some Shakespere Sonnets?

[Odile]

That is a very tricky one Do you know if they are wild or cultivated blackberries? If they are cultivated, eg the large juicy tasty ones- then I'd prune right back to about 15cm, dig them up and replant in an area where they will have support and not be in the way (wear strong gloves). If they are wild- it depends where they are. I'd wait for the leaves to come out properly and ask the garden centre for a strong weed-killer to spray on if no other precious to delicate plants are not the same area, or a pond, etc. And I would wait before replanting to see if new growth comes up again - in which case spray again. Then cut all off when it is dead and burn- dig up roots and get rid - then start planting - but no veg or fruit in the area for one season. It is going to be hard work, I warn you.


For the jasmine, I'd leave it well alone, feed it but not too much, mulch it with fresh compost and wait + cross fingers. Hopefully it will sprout back again. (maybe not..). I always give plants three chances before I give up on them

Logging off to spend a bit more time out there now it is not so boiling hot.

[JanerMacP]

I think it's a mix. The ones I want to keep are in a patch and give millions of the most amazing berries. The ones I want to get rid of are choking my roses and two large rhododendron plants. I'm hesitant to use weed killer because I don't want to kill the beautiful plants that surround these prickly arsholes.

Thanks for the feedback, not all of the wild ones are around plants so this should help with some of it.