Pruning Shrubs

[Robinia]

Have any of you lovely gardeners hard pruned, into old thick wood, any of the following shrubs and had them live to see another year?!!  I read all the books but there's so much conflicting advice when it comes to renovation pruning.

Olearia haastii (Daisy bush)

Lonicera fragrantissima (winter honeysuckle - think this one will be ok)

Cotinus (smoke Bush).

[woofgang]

It's the weather. I have been headachy grumpy and emotional all day. DH has been totally sweet and I am having an extra glass of wine...a bottle will still last me 3 nights so my liver is safe.
I tend to think that complicated equals bad idea by And large but that's probably just me getting old.

[woofgang]

Just been watching Vera as we recorded it, gave up. A bit too angst ridden and Wallenderish for me, also okay to have a scruffy heroine but she looked like a bag lady.
Night all pleasant dreams.

[shaneystar2]

Well.....it was OK but nothing special .As usual the books are better than the TV production .

Yes we could do with some rain..Even here where it's usually lovely fresh sea air ,the air quality is bad in spite of todays very gusty wind .It's just stirring up the dust .No wonder we're dizzy and emotional :)


Hope you're enjoying the snooker Jude .Mr S is watching it .I watch bits but don't follow it like I used to . I remember sitting up to early hours watching the marathon final between Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor .
I find it's getting like tennis .Big hitters ,no characters .

I'm going to make a cup of something and stagger off to bed .
Have a peaceful night chooks and sleep tight .

[shaneystar2]

Oh and Ps Jude ...my bro C has IBS and he's 77 !
He's had no end of investigations ( cameras up and down etc ) and they can't get to the bottom of it ( pardon the pun )
He thinks it's a gluten problem or some other food that doesn't agree . .So yes,men can get it too.
Nite nite xx

[netibiza]

Morning my tiggeywinkies! Ah shame about Vera was so excited and am only just downloading it now, still will give it a go tonight.

Overcast and drizzly here (not that we get drizzle) sort of light rain! I can't breathe when it's drizzly, get all clogged up/

Not sure if it's a fiesta here or not cos yesterday May 1st was on a Sunday so they may take today in lieu!

My IBS sort of cleared itself over the years, by that I mean I don't get those awful cramping pains which used to cripple me, I just get the runs and the drys!!

[netibiza]

Shaney have you been watching "If walls could talk" all about the origins of rooms, I find it fascinating although have only seen the bedroom up to now, 2 others to watch.

[Robinia]

Morning all...bit chilly again.My garden's looking a mess with the blossom all over the ground & dead eucalyptus leaves everywhere.

I thought Vera was ok, but I like easy to follow plots and it was...I even worked some of it out myself :o) In an interview Brenda B said herself she was like a bag lady in it.

I caught most of 'If walls...' yesterday neti, about the bedroom. I'll have a look on Iplayer at the two I've obviously missed, it was good.

[netibiza]

Yes robi, there's the living room, and the bathroom (I will find it fascinating to see how that came about as they didn't have them.)

[Robinia]

I'm not getting much done today, good job my walls don't talk.
Can anyone tell me, I might be going daft of course, but there's a new aber called Arti...didn't we have another one many moons ago?

[Robinia]

btw neti, I thought about you last night as I came out of my own bathroom and almost tripped over the spider sitting on the landing...I won't tell you what happened next....unless you upset me

:o)

[Jude123]

Good Morning Biddyfriends everywhere. Hope you are all ok today under your individual circumstances..
Thanks for your comments on IBS Shaney. I have been a bit concerned fr my son because I think he has been a bit stressd since his marriage broke up and I think sress can unset your tum can't it. He is better than at the beginning of it all and back at work so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I'm going to see Be My Baby tonight. It's about girls going away as I did soI'm curious to see how it will appear as it was written by someone who wasn't around in those days, It has had a good write-up in the paper so we'll see,
I'll drop you an email if you would be interested as I don't want to go into details on here OK.

Robi my eucalyptus is fading fast on me too. My friend trimmed it for me so I'm hoping it will sent some new shoots out but it doesn't look too hopeful.
I wonderif your husband likes the new young player Shaney His name is Judd Trump
and he's a brilliant potter. I think it a real game of skill working out all the angles etc.
I'm really looking forward to it. I think I must be the only sport mad biddy on here.

Laters gater(s)

[Jude123]

http://i55.tinypic.com/63upgj.jpg http://i55.tinypic.com/15whz4h.jpg

A couple of piccies in my garden. The goldfinches haven't been for a some days as I think there's a cat putting them off.

[netibiza]

SHADDUP Robi! My niece posted on FB that in the next room was the biggest spider she had ever seen, so why was she sitting there, I would have been gone >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[Robinia]

Yes Jude, my eucalyptus has a few signs of life but I'm fearing the worst. Lovely little the pic, I do love the goldfinches, they're coming to me every day now. Send emails any time you like!

SHADDUP Robi?!...ok neti, I'm upset enough now.....well, what I did was.....and then....eek!...well anyway I had to......now being couriered at top speed to Ibiza... :o)

[shaneystar2]

Hi folks
Another lovely sunny day but chilly up the lokes .
Yes Neti that If Walls Could Talk is very good .This week is the kitchen .She's a good presenter .Lucy someone ,a curator at Hampton Court .What a fab job .
I'm glad my walls don't talk though either as I'm busy doing nothing .

Yes Jude, sounds if your lad has been stressed .I've noticed IBS gets worse when I'm worried about things .Nice pics btw .Love the little goldie .We get lots round here although not in my garden unfortunately .But there's lot of trees wherer the flit about and often one perches on the TV ariel or roof and they sing lovely .Yes do send an email xx
Hope everyones OK otherwise .

I'm a little spider ,watch me spin .....How could you Robinia :) And then posting it to Neti ? Tut :)

[woofgang]

going to look thick now....are they goldfinches, we get those, I had no idea what they were. Lovely garden...Its a pretty day here today, we are all feeling fairly normal and have just been out looking at mowers and pressure washers. We will buy on wed when DH gets his 10% off at B and Q.
DH wants one of these as well either the pearly white one
http://www.suzukicycl...sa/2011/GSX1300R.aspx
which I think looks quite super hero
or in metallic grey which looks more Wolverine type superhero, not gone wrong but rough around the edges.
My didn't someone wind up chatterbank last night....silly boy, fairly silly opinion too...okay to have a view on what you want to do but not to spread it to others. and NEVER IMO a cause for celebration.

[woofgang]

PS my roses look like they will be fabbo this year which makes up for the lawn

[jno]

his views on capitalism have always been very dog-eat-dog, woofy. I've suggested he go and live in the USA, where many people feel the same way as him, but funnily enough he loathes the very idea of the country, so he stays here and cllects the dole whihc he thinks ought to be outlawed! But he does endless unpaid work searching out answers to AB questions, so I can't see why he should be banished because othere people are upset.

</political statement>

That's lovely, Jude - what are the white flowers? I recognise the laburnum - funny because I've just come across a photo I took of our laburnum in blossom, and it was taken in late May last year. I hadn't realised things were so much earlier this year.

[Jude123]

It's a double white lilac Jno. I planted it when it was a twig about 45 years ago.I have 2 of them and one ordinary lilac coloured.

[shaneystar2]

I'm not upset by him Jno ..I just don't think he should be pushing his views and encouraging people to do themselves in or wishing that sort of thing on vulnerable people .If he wants his life to end like that it's his affair .

A capitalist drawing the dole ? Hahaa....talk about a hypocrite .
( End of rant :))