Garden Pick of the Month

[MrMarple]

Yes, I had a box of 50 fat balls in a box with lid. The rats chewed a whole in the box and ATE ALL 50 OF THEM. I don't want to see the size of the rats after that, probably bigger than the dog.

I've been putting out a bit of food (very small bit) for the robin that comes to the garden and today I saw him attack a sparrow that was trying to feed, quite harshly as well. Never seen birds guarding food before.

CC

Robins are notoriously vicious CC. I feed the birds at work three or four times a day, and the robin that sits and waits for me looks like a little gentle placid thing until another bird wants fed as well. Jeez, it's like Reservoir Dogs out there sometimes, it literally just divebombs anything that comes between him and his sunflower seeds. Fortunately the other birds seem to have realised that if they wait until he's finished, once he's gone, they're pretty safe and can have their lunch in peace.

 

[lynnonthelake]

that’s so true about Robins however I would love to have one come and eat from my handWe had 4 hedgehogs coming for food every night so have built them a hibernating house

 

[AndiK]

Robins are notoriously vicious CC. I feed the birds at work three or four times a day, and the robin that sits and waits for me looks like a little gentle placid thing until another bird wants fed as well. Jeez, it's like Reservoir Dogs out there sometimes, it literally just divebombs anything that comes between him and his sunflower seeds. Fortunately the other birds seem to have realised that if they wait until he's finished, once he's gone, they're pretty safe and can have their lunch in peace.

I have the opposite at my garden bird feeder. It’s the sparrows that see off everything else. I think it’s because there’s a family of them (I assume from the number and sizes) so it’s ”gang rule”and the adults are protective of the younger ones. The robins, if they dare approach, get dispatched. They are always on their own and the tits are only in ones and twos usually.

I do wish they’d rename tits. I’ve embarrassed myself too often telling people I’ve got great tits!

 

[Toril]

I’d love to attract the birds to my garden but there are loads of neighbouring cats that wander through it. I have got bird feeders hanging in my oak tree and also some of the Grumpy Gardener fat balls but the squirrels are more interested in those than the birds are.

 

[boffy]

The squirrels will take over I have had to buy squirrel proof feeders where only small birds can get access to the food

 

[SisterBliss]

The garden camera caught a rat eating the stuff that had fallen from the fat ball feeders that the birds weren't fussed on. I stick to suet pellets from Twootz now.

Rats! Ugh.....

Obie retrieved a dead one 2 days ago from parkland. He had to have his chops thoroughly cleaned, & chew a parsley denta stick....

 

[catzrcool]

Robins are very territorial. I actually feed our squirrels, they are really fond of monkey nuts. We have a hedgehog house and put food out all the time. It is generally occupied over winter. We have robins, blue tits, doves, , black birds, pigeons and lots of starlings. When it comes to birds squabbling nothing beats starlings.

I ordered those peanut butter jars, but not from Q. Ordered then from a local company Monday, came Wednesday. Haven't seen any rats though. Mind you, I guess having 4 cats help.

 

[candycane]

My sister used to have a fearsome cat that she took in as no one else wanted him. He used to terrorize my Border Terrier (who was pretty fearsome himself) so I'd like a cat like that who could see off all the vermin. Not sure Bry would agree though. I haven't seen any rats or mice for a while but we've a lot of snow just now so I'm sure they are all there skulking around for food.

CC

 

[SUPERCOOLWILLOW]

Garden Pick of the Month Febuary

Plants2Gardens 48x5cm Ultimate Summer Colour Collection £28.99 Delivered

http://www.qvcuk.com/ukqic/qvcapp.aspx/app.detail/params.item.718186

 

[boffy]

what a boring cheap to buy looking collection this is

 

[shopperholic]

Robins are very territorial. I actually feed our squirrels, they are really fond of monkey nuts. We have a hedgehog house and put food out all the time. It is generally occupied over winter. We have robins, blue tits, doves, , black birds, pigeons and lots of starlings. When it comes to birds squabbling nothing beats starlings.

I ordered those peanut butter jars, but not from Q. Ordered then from a local company Monday, came Wednesday. Haven't seen any rats though. Mind you, I guess having 4 cats help.

Same here I feed the squirrels too, after all we’ve all got to eat.

 

[catzrcool]

Not keen on sets of plants, this has the usual suspects that growers think we all want. I like to put my own tubs and baskets together. Love trailing verbena, million bells, diaschia, but not the bog standard colours. Would rather go to the nursery and pick my own, or grow them from seed. Stripey ones, splotchy ones, ones that change colour as Summer goes on. I do like begonias and dahlias, then again I like the weird looking ones. I love love Alstromerias. They are the only lily that doesn't kill cats. Seemingly they are not a proper lily, they are Peruvian ones, and are safe for cats.

 

[candycane]

what a boring cheap to buy looking collection this is

I bought the P2G TSV last year with the pebble pots and it was glorious. It wasn't cheap but the planters really did look good all summer. This collection is a bit bog standard plants you could get anywhere and those begonias are cheap as chips from any website.

CC

 

[boffy]

I bought the P2G TSV last year with the pebble pots and it was glorious. It wasn't cheap but the planters really did look good all summer. This collection is a bit bog standard plants you could get anywhere and those begonias are cheap as chips from any website.

CC

With that kind of budget for that basic looking collection I could do far better in my local Homebase or B&Q. One of the most stunning displays I do most years is Begonia trailing Apricot shades from T&M and purple trailing lobelia that I do from seed. Works beautifully in the hanging baskets, tubs and window boxes. Everybody comments on it. I try not to do it every year

 

[Kathy]

I have the opposite at my garden bird feeder. It’s the sparrows that see off everything else. I think it’s because there’s a family of them (I assume from the number and sizes) so it’s ”gang rule”and the adults are protective of the younger ones. The robins, if they dare approach, get dispatched. They are always on their own and the tits are only in ones and twos usually.

I do wish they’d rename tits. I’ve embarrassed myself too often telling people I’ve got great tits!

Your 'great tits' reminded me of one really hard winter when I went to the local market and asked a chap on the pet stall if he had Fat Balls, I stood there and wondered why everyone about was laughing... until the penny dropped. LOL

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

With that kind of budget for that basic looking collection I could do far better in my local Homebase or B&Q. One of the most stunning displays I do most years is Begonia trailing Apricot shades from T&M and purple trailing lobelia that I do from seed. Works beautifully in the hanging baskets, tubs and window boxes. Everybody comments on it. I try not to do it every year

I’m a big fan of trailing begonia Boffy.
I normally like my displays colour coordinated or just one colour but after the debacle of Q plants last year I was taking what I could when I could (no garden centres or stores open here the entire lockdown) so my pots ended up a bit of a mishmash. Whilst it wouldnt be my first choice and perhaps I was just grateful for anything but the mixed ones weren’t half as bad as my prejudice against them all these years!

Do you find it’s better to have begonias placed where they aren’t being rubbed against all the time? I find at the front door my postie/delivery people knock the blooms off all the time yet those out of the away last forever.

 

[boffy]

I’m a big fan of trailing begonia Boffy.
I normally like my displays colour coordinated or just one colour but after the debacle of Q plants last year I was taking what I could when I could (no garden centres or stores open here the entire lockdown) so my pots ended up a bit of a mishmash. Whilst it wouldnt be my first choice and perhaps I was just grateful for anything but the mixed ones weren’t half as bad as my prejudice against them all these years!

Do you find it’s better to have begonias placed where they aren’t being rubbed against all the time? I find at the front door my postie/delivery people knock the blooms off all the time yet those out of the away last forever.

I have them on a really tall planter like a pillar. The window box is as wide as the windows and I have a large black Keter woven Hanging basket so all matching. Trailing begonias have very brittle thin trailing stems sadly

 

[JFB]

I’m a big fan of trailing begonia Boffy.
I normally like my displays colour coordinated or just one colour but after the debacle of Q plants last year I was taking what I could when I could (no garden centres or stores open here the entire lockdown) so my pots ended up a bit of a mishmash. Whilst it wouldnt be my first choice and perhaps I was just grateful for anything but the mixed ones weren’t half as bad as my prejudice against them all these years!

Do you find it’s better to have begonias placed where they aren’t being rubbed against all the time? I find at the front door my postie/delivery people knock the blooms off all the time yet those out of the away last forever.

Most if the plants I received from QVC were awful and I got my money back. Managed to get a mixture at Sainsbury's last April - the geraniums are still alive on the patio

 

[catzrcool]

I love the Apricot trailing Begonias as well. Had mine years. Just take them in November time, wrap in newspaper and put in a cupboard until March/ April. Year before last I left some out still in one of the hanging baskets and amazingly they started sprouting in April. I was quite amazed as I thought the cold might do them in, as I am in West Yorkshire. But they turned out even better than the ones I brought in. Excellent buy all those years ago.

Not about gardening or QVC, but about our garden. Our pond has been frozen over a lot these past weeks and last night I spotted a frog sitting on top of the ice, bet he/she had a cold bum, so had to lay a pan of hot water on top of the ice in the corner to melt a bit of it, and in he/she popped. Actually may have been a pregnant girl, it was rather large. So maybe the weather is set to improve if the frogs are about. We have a few males overwinter at the bottom of the pond. When the females arrive, we (and the neighbours) can hear them from the kitchen. Randy little beggars!!. Roll on Spring.

 

[SUPERCOOLWILLOW]

Garden Pick of the Month March

Plants2Gardens Fruits of the Forest 15 x Plant &Bare Root Collection £27.99 Delivered

https://www.qvcuk.com/Plants2Gardens-Fruits-of-the-Forest-15-x-Plant-and-Bare-Root-Collection.product.719857.html?productNumber=719857&sc=ISRC