Mindful Gardening Newsletter No 32

Mindful Gardening Newsletter No 32

Today Bee and I are off to Enniskillen having got the car back from it  being in the garage for about five days and not having it available for around five days prior to that.  So, I have the idea to evaluate growing some lawn ideas which include: -

·       Chamomile Lawn

·       Clover Lawn

·       Wildflower patch

·       Grass Lawn.

Found a Youtube video where it is advised that one plant left over chamomile tea bags in the soil and leave them there.  With the above ideas (other than the wildflower patch) I will create a 3 meter square patch for each type of lawn idea and cover the area with netting to keep the birds from feeding on the seeds.

As regards the wildflower patch, I will spread some seed into a mix of sand and seed compost. (John Innes No 1).  The wildflower seeds do not want a medium that is over rich. I will find out what works and expand these areas into the orchard and out into the planned area for the labyrinth. It will be lovely to have the wild flowers fill the orchard with colour during next year. 

I have always wanted to have a chamomile lawn that I can walk on or lie down on because the scent of the chamomile is so calming and beautiful.

Stewarts Grove

Gallery of planting for back of Stewart’s Grove

I am clearing that aspect of Stewarts Grove which is behind the butterfly bench and plan to order some spring bulbs for this area which will include: -

·       Wild Tulip.

·       Irish Bluebells

·       Snowdrops

I just discovered that there are such things as “wild tulips” and that they suit woodland conditions which are the exact conditions that are available in Stewart’s Grove. 

Calendar of planting for the back of Stewarts Grove

The wild tulips are the item third from the top that blooms in mid to late spring.

Himalayan Knotweed Issue

Removing Himalayan Knotweed from Yeat’s Garden

Over the summer on the mound that is at the center of the Yeat’s Garden we have watched with delight the blooming of a shrub that I assumed I had planted there.  I loved the white flowers and the green foliage.

I didn’t recognize it as a plant that I know or had researched so we too a photo of it and used a plant recognition app to identify it as Himalayan Knotweed which is similar to Japanese knotweed.  How it got into the garden I don’t know but what I do know is that it can’t stay.

In Northern Ireland it is recognized as a seriously invasive species.  In the UK, I think you have to declare the presence of Japanese knotweed on your property as a legal requirement.  Its very expensive to remove if you engage professionals to do so.

I have purchased a kit with special needles that I will use to inject Roundup into the stems which will then be taken to the roots and that will make some impact on its ability to continue to grow.  I will monitor its grow next spring and use a second application. Then I will cover the ground with thick black plastic on top of which I will add a deep layer of compost into which I will plant either hydrangea or Lenten Rose.

I loved this plant.  It breaks my heart that I have to be so brutal to eradicate it, but it will take over the whole garden and drive out native species. It would be useful for any reader to be aware of the issues surrounding these invasive species because they can lead to high cost of removal.

The Newly Painted Potting Shed

Repainted shed which will have solar panels and add on lean too potting shed.

The shed has been painted during the past few days when the sun was out.  We had Lennon and Colleen do the painting in record time and it looks brand new.  This afternoon I played around laying out the way I want to have the solar panels on the roof and the way in which I intend to use the left over polycarbonate panels that were part of the greenhouse the blew down in the storms in early spring.

Trial layout for using the reclaimed polycarbonate panels from destroyed greenhouse.

This will be an enclosed area for potting on plants and will include a heated propagation table with a thermostat which will be powered by the solar panels.  This means that we get to start the seeds much earlier than usual which will mean we can begin to sow sweet peas and sunflowers together with vegetables to get a great seasonal start to next year.

Hurry Sickness

It’s that time of year when the natural world begins to slow down getting ready to go to sleep for the winter.  I was reading in the Happiful Magazine Issue 89 about the term “Hurry Sickness. This was a term coined by cardiologists Meyer Friedman and R.H. Rosenman. Its often linked to the need for perfection and control.

Here's a mnemonic for the word HURRY, tied to the concept of mindfulness:

H – Hold your attention: Be present in the moment, letting go of distractions. 

U – Understand your feelings: Acknowledge your emotions without judgment. 

R – Relax your body: Take deep breaths and release physical tension. 

R – Respond mindfully: Act with intention, not out of impulsiveness. 

Y – Yield to the present: Let go of rushing thoughts and embrace the here and now.

This mnemonic encourages slowing down and grounding yourself when you feel hurried, aligning with mindfulness principles.

Stewart’s Grove is my answer to any over engagement with “hurry sickness.”  I suspect that for many this is one of their major ailments.

The Vegetable Garden

Small harvest of tomatoes grown in tubs outside.

Pulled up the beetroot and they were so small we decided that they will have to go on the compost heap.  Would have been great if any one of us liked beet tops.  The plan for next year is to plant the beetroot in a raised bed prepared in the same way that we prepared the carrot beds over the last two years with fabulous success.

I have purchased a large bag of perlite for this purpose which I will mix into the soil and that means it is properly aerated and that the soil will not get compacted.  I think I also need to pay more attention to the way in which we feed the beetroot.  We plan to use seed tape as we did with the carrots.  This means we don’t have to thin them.

I love parsnips so there will be part of a raised bed given over to planting seed tape into a well aerated bed with perlite. 

With the four days of sunshine the last of the small tomatoes that were growing on the South side of the cottage eventually turned from green to orange and red.  So, the harvest isn’t massive but will be growing tomatoes in the polytunnel next year when it is eventually reskinned this autumn or winter.

Conclusion

Chamomile lawn idea for creating a way into the proposed labyrinth

Its that time of year when I begin to engage with more building and construction projects in the garden.  One of the YouTube video recommendations that popped up this morning was one with instructions on how to build a rose arch using branches from trees (some of which I have).  Another Youtube video that popped up is one that shows how to create a misting propagation bench which is another idea I am interested in.

Finally, I end with a reminder of what it is important to remember whether you are a gardener or not.  This is the fact that you are a part of something beautiful beyond the idea of your separate personal self.  Here’s a song I love to listen to as part of a YouTube music collection.

Have a great week and remember let silence speak to you of the secrets of the Universe – Rumi.