Growing plants!

[Marie]

Well I know that growing things isn't exactly crafting but as no-one else is using this section, I thought I'd use it! Anyway it's a beautiful day today here in Leeds, my south facing balcony is bathed in warm sunshine and if it weren't for having a nagging migraine, I'd be sitting outside potting up my lily bulbs or reading. Unfortunately it's just a bit too bright for me out there.
Anyway, on Richard Jackson's advice, I started potting up a few of my lily bulbs a couple of weeks ago and put one of the pots into my mini "greenhouse" (ie little shelves with a plastic cover) and looked today and already there are a couple of green shoots coming up! Must be the sun and the "heat" from being in the greenhouse.
I've brought the pot indoors to keep it by the south facing window so that I remember to water it over the next few weeks. I love lilies and their scent (though not the messy pollen!) and I always try to have some growing since I discovered how easy they are to grow last year. This year I'm planning to pot up a few every couple of weeks so that I've always got some new blooms coming through so that I can cut some of them for the sitting room. Anyway that's the plan!
I'm chuffed about this, I've never been able to grow anything in my life (although have the world record for keeping poinsettias alive for over a year!) and I'm really enjoying watching these and other lovely plants grow.
That's crafting of sorts, isn't it?:):)

[Pam]

I love lilies too Marie. We grow them in troughs in the garden and they seem to flower for ever.

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k158/PamE24/P1000952a.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k158/PamE24/P1010021a.jpg

I'm just hoping they've survived the winter!

[Julie]

I adore Lilies too, used to grow loads in tubs on the patio, my faves were Regale and Stargazer. Sadly round here is now infected with Lily Beetle and I had to burn the lot.

Tempted to give it another go this year though, I liked the look of the pollenless ones they had on QVC a few weeks ago.

[Marie]

Well thankfully I don't get beetles on the balcony! I've just ordered 2 lots of the double bloom fragrant lily jewels from QVC, every single lily bulb I had from them last year came up beautifully and i had some wonderful blooms, like Pam's beautiful piccies!
Also got the tree peony TSV to put in big pots, also have some scented roses on waitlist so I should have a nice fragrant balcony this year, touch wood, fingers crossed etc....

[lolathelamb]

I used to love my purpose-built courtyard garden behind our bungalow when I was married before. Had loads of various tubs and pots, including lilies. Loved the garden but was not a happy bunny.
Now?
New hubby and I live in a ground-floor apartment, no garden access but glad I haven't got the worry of it. Still love to see a pretty garden though.
Enjoy your lilies, Marie. Photos later in the year please! Love yours Pam.

[Marie]

Enjoy your lilies, Marie. Photos later in the year please! Love yours Pam.
Yep, I'll be clicking away on my balcony when it all comes into bloom and looks nice and green and pretty!

[Rentochops]

Lovely blooms Maria, as for poinsettias I think I might be able to challenge your record, we've had one on the go for over 2 years!:D

[Pam]

Thank you Marie and Lola.

I love my garden. lol We left a beautiful garden and came to a field lol (it really was).
It's better now and we've put loads of plants in but I still miss my old garden.

I've had a look in the troughs and a few lilies are poking through, better cover them over.

[Marie]

As many of you know already, I live in a flat in the middle of Leeds, right on the river. Not only is my balcony/sitting room southfacing, but I'm also facing "down river" from the city, so the view is almost semi-rural. Now the first time I saw the flat, I fell in love with the view from the balcony and the massive floor to ceiling windows and the fact that there were horses in a paddock just across the river. I overlook the back of the Royal Armouries and every day from Spring to Autumn, they do jousting and other medieval displays in the paddock and the horses get to run round the paddock on their own for exercise when the spectators are gone. So not only do I have a lovely south-facing view, but I get to see several beautiful animals every day. Plus I have a perfect view of the jousting, although after 2 years of seeing it 2 or 3 times a day for months at a time, it gets a bit repetitive! But when the horses come back from their winter lodgings in the countryside, it's a sign that spring is on its way. I'm watching those lovely beasts as I type.
Sometimes I think that I'm a very lucky lady.

[lolathelamb]

You are indeed, Marie - but 'luck' is in the heart of the blessed!

[Marilynmcl]

I know this is an 'old thread' as it has been here since last year...to me it is 'new' as I am new here and have just read your message on your lilies which I too have in my garden...and I keep getting the pollen on my sleeves when I go to turn on my hose to water my pots....I know that you probably know how to do this but...just in case you don't .... my dad used to snip the pollen parts off the lilies with scissors and said that it does no harm to the lily and it stops the pollen staining your clothes or soft furnishings....I enjoy growing plants too but not very green fingered...in fact if growing weeds were in fashion I would probably win every prize going....I seem to have great success in this but I do try...am hoping to get some fruit trees for next year.....so fingers crossed...