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Morning Light: The Fetchland Gardening Wire

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Velociraptor 9 Apr 10:24am, 9 Apr 2025 74,669 posts	Quote Pin Velociraptor A dicentra I planted last autumn and wasn't optimistic about has come up very well. More pleasingly, a row of fancy hydrangeas I put in around the same time in the hope of an eventual hedge, which I thought hadn't survived the winter, were laughing at me with their little green leaves when I was weeding the border last night. The fritillaries in the boggy lawn have been excellent. Four years on, a few self-seeded ones have appeared in the gaps between the clumps I planted. We've been leaving them to set seed each year, so hopefully that trend will continue.
Columba 12 Apr 6:05pm, 12 Apr 2025 22,747 posts	Quote Pin Columba I like fritillaries. I really should get some. Two years ago I bought two gerberas, and planted them in two tubs on the patio. I fully expected them both to die in the winter, but one survived to the following year, and flowered away brilliantly. So, come the autumn, I thought I'd see if I could nurse it through the winter again, by moving it close to the house, wrapping the tub in bubble-wrap (I don't have a greenhouse) and covering the top with fleece when frost was forecast... All went well, many leaves died but it retained a few green ones... Then. lulled into a false sense of security, I failed to cover it one night and we had a hard frost and everything went brown if not black. Two days ago I started to clear away the dead leaves prior to replanting the tub with something new. And what was my surprise to find tiny green leaves underneath all the dead stuff. So maybe I have another gerbera summer coming along.
Curly45 12 Apr 7:47pm, 12 Apr 2025 5,086 posts	Quote Pin Curly45 I always miss the fritillary time in the garden centre, along with hellibores. We have some of those, but I want more as they are early flowering and come out before the snowdrops here. Always brings a bit of colour when its grey and cold. A tiny Acer type tree has finally decided to put on some leaves on our 3rd spring here. I was about to take it out as it had been bare for 2 😂 it's a lovely purple colour. Our cherry trees are also flowering this year which is unexpected 😍 they don't fruit, but it's all good. I'm having slimey pond issues though. No frogs this year, next doors pond was where ALL the action was so it's a little sad. Still finding frogs in the garden but none have taken residence this year. Want to get a bigger pond on the go in autumn so that should help. I would love some newts.
Red Squirrel 14 Apr 2:49pm, 14 Apr 2025 25,422 posts	Quote Pin Red Squirrel I’d like a pond and already have a stream at the side of my garden + a bigger body of water at the bottom (The Black Burn), where the 2 meet. I’d like to create somewhere for the local frogs, toads and newts to live and breed. Anyone know how I can utilise the stream to create an extra still body of water?
3M 14 Apr 8:59pm, 14 Apr 2025 26,096 posts	Quote Pin 3M Can't help with the water, I'm afraid RS. I've got 2 cucumbers and 3 sweet peas germinated so far. Not exactly a huge number yet, and none of my tomatoes are showing any sign, but I'm hopeful a few more days will do the trick!
Gooner 14 Apr 9:48pm, 14 Apr 2025 23,684 posts	Quote Pin Gooner If you dig in your pond a short distance away, you could then dig a shallow channel and install a sluice gate in it at the stream end for filling/topping up/general flow control?
Gooner 14 Apr 9:48pm, 14 Apr 2025 23,685 posts	Quote Pin Gooner The above was for @Red Squirrel
Angus Clydesdale 16 Apr 4:53pm, 16 Apr 2025 27,934 posts	Quote Pin Angus Clydesdale I think you need permission from SEPA to divert a watercourse. Probably best to check.