# Summer blues



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Feeling a bit down as we haven't managed to get away in the van

But realised we haven't seen our garden in bloom during May and June for a while as we are always away

So here is a few photos to share
Though not sure it will work

Aldra

Can't get it to accept more than one photo


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

*Summer blues cont*

So here is another:smile2:

Aldra


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## jo662 (Jul 27, 2010)

Love the pics,and hope you can get away later in the year.
Thinking of you two,and hope all goes well for Albert/


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Fish are jumping:grin2::grin2:


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Looks lovely. Dont let Ray see those fish, He will be wanting to come round and haul them out for a photo.

Maybe we should hold a MHF rally at your house, just to cheer you up! 

Hope you do manage to get away at some point.


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## Blizzard (Sep 21, 2009)

Beautiful garden Aldra, thanks for sharing and I hope you manage to get away at some point.

I have exactly the same problem with posting multiple pictures. I get the option to load several at a time, but when I attach them, only the last one will download ??


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

What a beautiful garden Aldra! And that Wisteria! I am so jealous because I have always wanted one but have never stayed around in one place long enough to grow one. Hope you can get away soon. Best wishes to you and Albert.........

Caulkhead (aka Andy) X


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We usually miss it in full flower Andy 

It's budding early May when we tend to travel, and fading in early July when we get back!!

So every cloud has a silver lining

Aldra


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## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

What a lovely garden you must have. Do you know what the rose in the first picture is called? We have a similar one, though not as big. You'll be enjoying seeing the garden in all its glory. 
Lala


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Another view of the back garden and pond

Albert tends it all, although the front lawn is AstroTurf so no mowing, easy to hose clean, and no meadowland when we return:smile2:


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

lalala said:


> What a lovely garden you must have. Do you know what the rose in the first picture is called? We have a similar one, though not as big. You'll be enjoying seeing the garden in all its glory.
> Lala


I think it's All Gold , Lala 
We planted it over 20 yrs ago
Flowers continually through to autumn

Aldra


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## Christine600 (Jan 20, 2011)

What a wonderful garden! I understand it's frustrating not to be able to go in the MH but as Plan B goes it's not too shabby!


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## MEES (Apr 20, 2006)

Every cloud Sandra we too are tending our garden though it's quite hard work!


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

aldra said:


> We usually miss it in full flower Andy
> 
> It's budding early May when we tend to travel, and fading in early July when we get back!!
> 
> ...


We have noticed that Wisteria is very widespread in France, especially the further south you go. So although you may not see yours in flower I guess you must have seen a fair few on your travels, which kind of makes up for missing your own. Maybe???

Andy


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

True Andy 
Although that's 

I wonder what ours is like?
This year it's looking good

The bluetits have gone, no activity around the box

Which was a hive of activity

I really hope they hatched their young 

The colony of sparrows are in full swing

We buy bird seed and fat balls in bulk

All in all the whole of the garden back and front

Is alive

We lost one of our fish
Over twenty years old

But together with his deceased mate

He spawned a load of offspring

Life goes on
We go on

The cycle of life

Aldra


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

What a nice garden! And we've had some good weather for you and Albert to enjoy it.

We have a similar experience - usually we are away in May and June, which is when our garden is at its best. But we are here this year to see it.

Very interested in your astroturf, Sandra, we've been thinking of putting some down. Was it difficult to put in? And where did you buy it? Linda.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Linda, we bought it from a supplier

They would have laid it too

You choose the quality you require, they have guidelines according to intended use

It was an expensive outlay but ours has been down for years, a quick pressure hose twice a year and it looks like new

Easy to keep clean when the hound uses it , can be disinfected, can evenbe hoovered!!!

We put our own down
Remove old turf
Sandy gravel pressure tamped( we hired a tamper)
AstroTurf 

Especially handy in the winter or wet weather
No muddy dog feet in the house!!
Sandra


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

Thank you so much, Aldra. We do get someone to cut the grass while we are away, and we have to keep some grassed areas for the grandkids and dog!

But we have an area at the front of the house where there is a big conifer hedge. The roots have made the surrounding area so dry that very little will grow there - except a few weeds!

It would look much tidies with astroturf.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We removed ours because of the dogs

They were always muddy when it rained, their wee killed off patches

Some areas were very dry, near the conifers like you, some very wet

The turf comes in different grades for dogs, kids, kids who play football etc

For us it's been perfect, Albert waters it with diluted disinfectant, to ensure no urine smell, and leaves the spray on it to rinse it well

At the moment he is hoovering up the laburnum flowers with a leaf collecter

The trees are beautiful but the fallen flowers blow into the house, or blow onto Shadow and he brings them in on his coat
He starts a month of weekday daily radiotherapy on Tuesday
The kids take the van when we finish it, mid July to the end of August 

so we are hoping that the Cancer will take a break and allow us to go away in sept through Oct 
We may need to reassess the time the kids have it next year

But they take their kids, our grandkids and really love it

I'm not sure if and when we are no longer able to use it we will continue to finance services etc just for them

Financially not a problem except only three of the six kids use it
And the money will belong to all six eventually 

Should have stopped at two kids

Only which two?
And we would be missing some of the ten g' kids

Sandra


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

A quick picture of said lawn


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

And remember 

We live on a busy main road

Close to the centre of bury

The ten foot clipped conifers and assorted trees, yew, pyracanthas etc shield us and our wild birds from the outside world

The ivy and Virginia creeper covered walls back and front provide nesting and food

To say nothing of the sacks of bird food and fat balls we provide

We are single handedly maintaining the town sparrows which are a declining species (smiling emoticon except I'm on quick post)

In the back the top pond is full of breeding frogs in season which in turn help us with the slug and snail population the Ivy's attract

The problem is, creating an oasis in the middle of surberbia ( spelling iffy)
Clipping Ivy's and conifers
Takes skill and time

Alberts
So without him it will no longer be possible

But until then people who pass through the arched gate in the conifers
Will take a deep breath and say

Who could know this is in here??
I know

Sandra


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## JLO (Sep 27, 2006)

Your garden looks lovely Sandra..an oasis of calm


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