2010 YES!!! The "I'm so happy" thread.

[Arykana]

I am home - it is a happiness too 
if you are interesting in it, you can see some pictures of my visit in  Graz here:http://arykana.lapunk.hu/?modul=galeria&a=79230
I will bring you more photos, but today I am going to Budapest

[Ragged Robin]

Robin, the Edraianthus looks right as pumilio. It has a distinctive silvery sheen and tends to be a bit larger-leaved and looser as a seedling than as a mature plant. The Dianthus could possibly be D. glacialis and the Silene looks right as acaulis. The paler one, if you are lucky may be a white form.

Having said all that, it's really too soon to be quite sure, so post another pic of two as they grow on some.

Thanks so much Lesley    I am really happy with your ID - it is difficult when they are so small to ID by leaves alone and on the net ID photos usually concentrate on the flowers - I feel like my baby seedlings have got real identity now 

I picked up some chalk on the downs and will use it in the next soil mix for the Dianthus.

[Ragged Robin]

I am home - it is a happiness too 
if you are interesting in it, you can see some pictures of my visit in  Graz here:http://arykana.lapunk.hu/?modul=galeria&a=79230
I will bring you more photos, but today I am going to Budapest

Welcome back Arykana, yes it is a good feeling coming back after a holiday especially to see what is new in the garden - you are certainly travelling about 

[Lesley Cox]

Robin, Dianthus glacialis is one which is said to be a lime HATER! but Will Ingwersen notes in his book 'Manual of Alpine Plants" that it appears not to mind lime in cultivation. Maybe go easy on it at least to start with?

[Ragged Robin]

OK, thanks for saving me from doing the wrong thing Lesley   

[David Nicholson]

Just done a 190 mile round trip to buy in my compost ready for bulb re-potting to start next week. Why a 190 mile round trip? Well, I have long been less than enthusiastic about the quality of bagged JI composts available in local garden centres. A couple of years ago I marked a couple of bags and one of them is still there, so that's one good reason. The other is really to do with what is included in the mix; or these days what is excluded from the mix. JI's from the main UK manufacturers that I have tested (OK perhaps not very scientifically!) have been woefully short of loam and these days woefully short of peat and I'm not convinced by what they are using to bulk out their products.

Hence my 190 mile round trip to Green Ore on the Bristol road just outside Wells in Somerset. I first found out about this from Paul Cumbleton as Green Ore compost was the favoured brand at Wisley. I'm not sure it still is because of the RHS's view on using peat. But for me it still is the best range of JI composts on the market. Made on site so it is fresh and with excellent loam content, and you can see the piles of fresh loam in the mixing sheds. It's so good I may have a plateful for breakfast tomorrow

[Martin Baxendale]

David, I'm taking the family to Bristol Airport on Friday so will be within a few miles of Green Ore. Can you give me some directions as I may call in and grab some JI compost for snowdrop repotting. I assume you came up the A39 to the crossroads with the B 3136 at Green Ore. Can you give me directions in relation to the crossroads. On Google maps satellite view I can see a couple of places that might be it. Is it turn right at the crossroads coming up the A39 towards Bristol, then immediately left? And do they sell other composts too?

[David Nicholson]

Hi Martin, yes I came up the A39 from Wells to the Green Ore crossroad (controlled by lights) and turned right, probably signed Shepton Mallet. The compost site is more or less an immediately on the left. You can't miss it!!

[Martin Baxendale]

Thanks David. That's great.

[Lesley Cox]

It's so good I may have a plateful for breakfast tomorrow

Enjoy

[Arykana]

4! bucket of apricot transfered to jam 

[Ragged Robin]

Apricots are my absolute favourite I can taste and smell you jam from here Arykana, delicious

[Paddy Tobin]

Can you smell our more mundane Blackcurrant jelly?

Paddy

[Ragged Robin]

Can you smell our more mundane Blackcurrant jelly?

Paddy, "yes", in a word, blackcurrant jam has been my lifesaver over the past week (I've eaten 2 jars to combat flu!) not at all a match for your wonderful homemade blackcurrant jelly, which I'm now virtually imagining and hoping for a cure 

[Lesley Cox]

Oh yes, super jam and jelly and scrumptious on croissants. I hope you both have plenty lined up. A thick smear of apricot jam is wonderful too, on a pancake, folded over and blobbed with whipped cream.