Community Gardening Update - part 1

The community gardening project has had a slow start but is really starting to take off now. We must have about 20 or 30 members who are involved in the project at Antrim Castle Gardens. Back in April we designed detailed planting plans and chose mostly perennial plants for the site, however, during May- June there were various delays that meant our group couldn't meet. Then at the end of June we had a phone call that a large number of bedding plants were at our disposal if we wanted them. This was great news as our group had only been involved in digging over and weeding beds thus far.

Left: A range of plants (lobelia, begonia, alyssum, geranium / pelargonium, snapdragon, perilla) are given to our group.

First, as a group, we discuss ideas for planting.

We agree a planting scheme, then we get suck in - this is the fun part!

Above and Below: This is our first planting result as a group. We're all quite happy with the result. Soon we will be using the glasshouse in the background to grow from seed.

I usually take the photos, however, I'm in this one (far right).

To see the 1st blog post on the project - click here.

A further update on the community project (part 2) will be posted later this week.

Copyright: All words and photos are property of Kelli's Northern Ireland Garden.

Time to Make Plant Feed 'Tea'

It's time to make home made fertiliser for the garden - and it's FREE to make. This year I'm combining comfrey and nettle to make a brew of 'tea' that will feed both the flowers and the vegetables in the garden.

Left and below: A comfrey plant that appeared in the garden - a weed as such. I leave it in the flower border as the bees love it and I can make fertiliser from the plant a couple times each year. Aren't the flowers pretty when photographed up close!

Above: I've taken the approach Monty Don demonstrated on the TV show Gardener's World. He stuffs as much comfrey or nettles into a bucket, adds water, and puts it in a shelter position for about a month. Then its a case of diluting it with water to use in the garden.

Above: This is a small container I filled with nettles a month earlier and covered with a lid to 'brew' - it is now quite smelly but perfect to dilute (about 10 parts water; 1 part brew) and used in the garden. Nettles are nitrogen rich and are said to provide a good source of nutrients for plants, especially those growing in containers.

For a video on how to make Nettle Tea for the garden - click here.

For instructions on how to make Comfrey Fertiliser / Tea - click here.

Copyright: All words and photos are property of Kelli's Northern Ireland Garden.

Before and After Shots

It's always interesting to see how plants develop so I thought I would show a few before and after shots of some plants as they have developed in the garden.

The Aquilegia / Columbine (pictured above) look great in its prime (left) and about four weeks later they're full of seed heads. This is one plant I can't bother to remove spent flowers - way too much work!

Above: Potatoes emerge (1st June) and pictured below several weeks later (22 June).

Above and Below: Potatoes growing in a container with two weeks growth and some earthing up in between photos.

Above: Salad bed at its infancy (26 May).
Below: Salad bed approx six weeks later in July.

The chives keep multiplying. Above photo taken 1st June and three weeks later in flower (below). 

I'm hoping to organise my photo library soon to get more 'before' and 'after' shots - if you have any, please do show them on your blog!

Copyright: All words and photos are property of Kelli's Northern Ireland Garden.