Gardeners World (for those that thought Bagpipes was strange).

[Bobby G]

Ken, there were more 'strangers' by the time the record came out, so there was a band to support it by touring, which sounds a bit grand. What it actually meant was about 6 gigs which gleaned sales approaching double figures. Oh the stories I could tell about the rock'n'roll lifestyle. Wasn't it Brooce who sung about 'Glory Days'? :erm:

For more general garden hints, any of Dr D G Hessayon's 'expert' books are good e.g. Shrub expert, Flower expert, Rock garden expert, Jazz garden expert (mainly poppies'n'hemp, that one), there's a big series of 'em.

I think Dr D G Hessayon is a front for a team of writers and experts though.

Cheers, Bob

 

[Rogerb]

Pete Thomas wrote:
I'd go for what I wish was still in my garden. Unfortunately it got a blight of some kind but is a shrub that grew to tree height. It has the most amazingly beautiful scent, even at this time of year.

I don't know how you spell it but it sounds like Olly Agnes.

That'd be Elaeagnus, I'd say, and Bob's wiggler would be Weigela.

Be careful about getting large-flowered hibiscus... mine definitely don't like frost and especially not cold winds 🙁
There are smaller flowered varieties, like Bluebird which are frost-hardy.

If you want something pretty bomb-proof, brightly coloured and VERY vigorous, there's Lantana Camara, but beware... it will take-over a bed, so don't put it with owt else!

 

[Bobby G]

That's the one Roger, a weigela! Ours seem to cope with most things, and they are very nice.

Ken, I've just checked back and you seem to have a very varied climate, what with frost, snow, and unpredictable prepissitation. Presumably in Spain it's generally hotter in summer than here in the UK.

What with all this climate change malarkey, who can tell what's gonna happen (not only in general but in particular what will grow where)? Some people have been aware of it for decades, but it seems finally the world's governments might have caught on and might try and do something. Although apparently one of the side-effects of global warming could be that here in the UK it might actually get colder. Something to do with the Gulf Stream, or something. Typical.

Would another side-effect of global warming be that we will all be playing a little bit sharp?

Btw, buddleia is also known as a butterfly bush, because it attracts butterflies.

Cheers, Bob

 

[ken]

Pete Thomas wrote:
OK, it's Elaeagnus

Thanks Pete, will have a look.

Pete Thomas wrote: Ask your garden centre for the pretty one that smells nice,

Are we still talking plants here, or are back to Russian brides. Perahps there's a 'scratch and sniff' internet dating site out there... orrible thought!!

Thanks Pete.

 

[ken]

Bob Green wrote:
Ken, there were more 'strangers'.....

Gotcha Bob. No hankerings for a new band?

Thanks for the book refs etc. This is only gonna be a one off I guess, I'm really hopeless at gardening.

 

[ken]

Bob Green wrote: What with all this climate change malarkey, who can tell what's gonna happen (not only in general but in particular what will grow where)? Some people have been aware of it for decades, but it seems finally the world's governments might have caught on and might try and do something.

Arrrr.... global warming and governments is one of my soap box topics... particularly with the US government. I'll say no more.

 

[Bobby G]

I remember as a young teenager reading about 'the ecology' in the alternative/underground press, so that means it's taken something like 35 years to become recognised, by governments, as a central issue that affects us all rather than the mutterings of a bunch of paranoid cranks.

Ain't that always the way though :cry:

Cheers, Bob

 

[spike]

Crack me up, - living over here in the colonies, I sometimes feel like I'm completely out of touch, then I come on this forum and read words like "malarkey" - brings me back to mother earth, haven't heard that word for - it must be decades - out of interest the German translation suggests "Blabla" and the Danish "Sludder" must nip up to Copenhagen one day, talking as is my want a lot of Sludder.
gruss - spike

 

[Bobby G]

The colonies! Imperialist nincompoop! What a palaver! Is that enough poppycock and balderdash for you? 😛

Greetings from the old country, Bob

 

[spike]

. . . . there is one corner of every foreign land . . . .

 

[Bobby G]

Ken wrote:

Bob Green wrote:
Ken, there were more 'strangers'.....

Gotcha Bob. No hankerings for a new band?

Thanks for the book refs etc. This is only gonna be a one off I guess, I'm really hopeless at gardening.

Well, after I left JC in 78, I embarked on a solo 'career' that stumbled on for 25 years (hard-to-find copies of my cassette-only album are still changing hands very, very, quickly), interspersed with stints in many bands, usually as bassist, although for a while in the early 90's I became confident enough to play electric guitar in a couple of bands, including fronting my own band for a while. Some bands I played in went on to biggish things, but always after I'd left. Does that tell you something? Possibly.

Yes, I do have a hankering to get back into a band again, now that I think I could get away with it, although I have been quite happy playing at jams. It's just hard to pin down what style I'd like to play in as I love so many different musical styles, but something rootsy with some blues, r'n'b, ska, soul, jazz and funk would be lovely, either as a sole horn or part of a section, but then I would be quite happy in a Van der Graaf tribute band... 😉

Cheers, Bob