Tomatoes from start to finish 2009

Tomatoes planted neatly back in March


Now the border is overgrown and has to be defended from dogs who are partial to tomatoes

Different varieties have self seeded themselves all over the garden. We have cherry and plum tomatoes which must have come from tins



All the self seeded collected up and potted, now known as tomato hospital

Common or Viviparous Lizard - Lacerta vivipara / Zootoca vivipara

Since spring time I have being seeing lizards around the garden. First lizard I saw had absolutely no tail, then more recently Ive seen what looks like the same lizard with a black stump. I see the lizards basking in the sun usually near to pots, or seed trays, this is presumably so they can run for cover and so they stay close to a supply of insects.

Lizard with no tail, This photo was taken in March 09. I now know March to be the month Common or Viviparous Lizard wake up from hibernation.


What we think is the same lizard in July. This one appears to be regrowing a tail.


I looked up the lizard and on the brilliant website Reptiles and Amphibians of the UK.



It helps that there are very few native British reptiles or Amphibians so it wasnt hard to find. It could only have been the rare Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis) some of which are found near to where I live in Hampshire except that these are much larger than those I have seen.

Nice plants in the house and garden

Aloe vera populating the worktop in the kitchen

Nice purple plant, dont know what it is but very popular with the hover flies


Self seeding cyclamen


Begonia looks fantastic


My strelitzia is doing brilliant in the warm conservatory


South African plant is flowering


Walnut sapling, the only survivor of the sheep attack

The vegetables grown so far

This is what the vegetable plot looked like back in March

Runner beans

Self seeded tomatoes growing in the beetroot



Butternut squashes


Courgette

Little Ray has flower buds

By the looks of it wont be long until Little Ray flowers for the first time, unfortunately the weather here has changed as of today from hot and humid to blowing a gale and torrential rain (end of the British summer). I might have to move the plant into the garage to wait out the rain.

6 mixed Angels Trumpet hybrids

On the 7th of August I started off the packet of mixed Brugmansia hybrids. 10 days later I noticed the first seedling poking through. I microwaved the soil first to sterilize it, then placed the damp seed tray in a propagator. The packet says the seeds take 1 to 2 months at 20c to 25c, I have a thermometer in the propagator which reads that its hot enough without adding extra heat. So far I only have the one seedling but its now 3 inches tall in only 19 days.

Long time since last blog - dog photos

This is Sheep, she enjoys eating anything and everything especially chocolate, gardening and sign language. She dislikes going for walks (she lies down), water and being told NO!





Handsome Floyd loves swimming, sleeping in beds, playing with stones. Dislikes the hoover, being laughed at and other dogs we meet on walks.