Monday, 8 September 2008

Enys finally gets a word in edgeways

From Enys
Finally and at last (if of course this works) I've got onto our blog. Now of course I can't think of anything intelligent to write. Helen is working really hard with all the dye plants that we are both growing, how she puts up with my nagging her (to try all the odd plants that I find in some obscure book I've found) I really don't know, but she always indulges me!!
As you can see my Indigofera has been used and I can now see a little bit more out of the kitchen window, the two small ones which I brought in from the greenhouse are much happier and have really begun to shoot.
We still have a mass of Dyer's chamomile to pick once it dries up, and the greenhouse is still has many Persicaria plants seeding nicely for me. I've potted on some Chinese Wood in the greenhouse into bigger pots, I'm leaving some outside - but in case I lose them. The rabbits and pheasants are a real pain, they even ate some newly planted roses that I had carefully grown from cuttings, had to cage them in wire. The rabbits also pruned my Echium vulgare (Vipers bugloss), Dyer's chamomile, and Coreopsis (actually I must admit this did create very bushy plants, so it wasn't all bad). They didn't like the taste of Phytolacca americana, that was probably too foreign for them.
I hope I remember how to get this on the blog.
Enys
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7 comments:

  1. Helen8 September 2008 at 20:47

    Hey Enys that is fantastic glad you managed to make it onto our joint blog even if it took shingles to get you there!

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  2. A9 September 2008 at 10:38

    Hello Enys, I was a lucky recipient of one of your Persicaria plants and have had great fun nurturing it and also dyeing with the leaves. I'm hoping it will survive the winter in the porch. I'm amazed how quickly it grows. I shoved the leafless stalks from my dye experiment into compost and so far they are living. It's nice to read about your dye plants and Helen's experiments and I think finally I've sussed out how to leave a comment! Amanda

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  3. Woolly Bits9 September 2008 at 17:39

    hi Enys,
    I think Helen is lucky to have a "supplier" of dye plants close! I have to grow my own, defend them against DS and DH (who likes to mow everything down to the ground:() and do the dyeing all on my own:)) does your phytolacca fruit well? mine doesn't. it always forms flower buds, but never opens in time, the cold just cuts it down. I think I'll have to dig the plants out and overwinter them in the tunnel! I had one P. acinosa, which fruited like this once...

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  4. enys9 September 2008 at 21:21

    To finally made it it onto the blog and gets comments is really great. I shall be inspired to write more often about my treasured plants. My baby Indigofera has just closed its leaves for the night, I'll work on how to get a picture onto the blog. Helen rang and told me that I had comments. My friend Sue who was listening to me telling Helen about the 'baby' closing its leaves for the night was laughing about my anthropomorphising a plant!!
    The Persicaria should survive the winter indoors, it didn't like the cold grenhouse but come the spring growing in my pots of geraniums were 4 Persicaria plants which had seeded themselves so obviously the seeds didn't mind the cold. As to the Phytolacca, it's growing but the plants are still only 2-3feet in height. Last year they only produced a few berries, but the plants are stronger in their second year, we'll have to wait and see if it grows through the winter. The ones in pots died right back but returned in the spring. Maybe I'll cover it in fleece and keep some in the greenhouse and talk to it a little - don't forget every time you breathe you make a little flower happy.
    Enys

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  5. Leena10 September 2008 at 10:35

    It is really interesting to read about your dyeplants as I like to grow some of my own, too.
    I have one Indigofera tinctoria plant in a pot, I guess I have to try to overwinter it indoors instead of dark cold cellar? I am afraid there isn't enough light indoors in the winter, our windows are not very big and in the middle of the winter we have about 6 hours daylight anyway. But at least I have to try:)

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  6. enys11 September 2008 at 20:10

    Hi Leena
    About the Indigofera, mine are happier in the house with the constant temperature from the Aga. Last year it lost all its leaves and I thought - help - it's going to die but in Spring it came back to life. I read somewhere that it was deciduous, but can't put my hand on that source of reference. Maybe you could treat it like I treat my geraniums, by keeping it somewhere frost free and just watering it enough to stop it drying out? Maybe that will work, failing that just keep it in the house and hope for the best.
    I've just brought my Persicaria into the house, I'm lucky I've got wide window ledges so there is plenty of room for all the precious plants.
    Nice hearing from you.
    Helen came over today for rhubarb leaves and some Baptisia Australis, I now wait for the results.
    Nice to hear from you.
    Enys

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  7. enys12 September 2008 at 14:27

    Nice photo, Helen, this evening I'm going to put some of mine on. I've picked/harvested a tray full of Dyer's chamomile which is now drying on the upstairs window ledge. Still plenty more to pick. Next I'll pick the Coreopsis, take Cariad (the wonder dog (bitch actually)) for her afternoon walk and then relax for a few hours (shingles makes you exhausted) and let DH make supper.
    Dye for now
    Enys

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