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Gardening resources and tips, etc.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Stokey Sue » Wed May 05, 2021 8:35 pm

I think Corsican blue is almost a rockery variety? It's on Jekka's site that I linked to

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby PatsyMFagan » Wed May 05, 2021 8:40 pm

flowerland1 (2).jpg
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flowerland2.jpg
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I can't quite fit in the 10 basket plants that are hidden by the front row :roll: ;) :thumbsup

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby PatsyMFagan » Wed May 05, 2021 8:42 pm

Stokey Sue wrote:I think Corsican blue is almost a rockery variety? It's on Jekka's site that I linked to


The labels said 80x80cm for Severn Seas and 60x60cm for Corsican blue ... it looked a much nicer shape and is smothered in flowers :thumbsup

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Stokey Sue » Wed May 05, 2021 10:02 pm

Bizarrely mine is still in flower it has usually nearly finished by now, it's the early season survival station for the local bumble bees, I reckon it comes into flower for Valentine's day even if there's snow on it. Though I tend to see random flowers almost year round

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby ZeroCook » Thu May 06, 2021 9:54 pm

.

For Patsy - putting on here as better than on wild chatter I think. Just my 2 pence worth re your fencing job.

TBH I don't think you were overcharged, if you possibly break it down like this :

Method1
£460 total less 200 for materials (5 sleepers @ 30 each plus misc bits) = 260
260 for two workers' time = 130 each for 2 hours work = 65/hour each.
Not really so much when broken down imo. And don't forget to deduct VAT which comes to around 90+ for the whole 460.

Or you could do it this way:
Method2
£460 total - VAT @ 20% = 368
less 200 for materials = (5 sleepers @ 30 each plus misc bits) = 168
168 for two workers' time = 84 each for 2 hours work = 42/hour each.

Am sure there are other ways to break it down but prob not so different in the end.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby PatsyMFagan » Thu May 06, 2021 9:59 pm

thanks Zero ... that wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't a cash job with no tax of any kind being declared :roll:

:thumbsup

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby ZeroCook » Thu May 06, 2021 11:40 pm

.

I know. It's such a huge chunk. But I won't get started on that topic :(

What I would do if I was pretty sure that they weren't going to pay tax on it: You could "suggest" (aka flatly insist) that they give you 20% off for cash in hand otherwise it will have to be a cheque because you're ("possibly"/"probably"/"definitely") going to declare it to try to claim the VAT back for house/property repairs (or something plausible) . My guess is that they might go for it.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby aero280 » Fri May 07, 2021 12:34 am

But...

It's more than two hours at your house. He and the boy had to go and fetch the sleepers, or else he had to pay a delivery charge.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Pampy » Fri May 07, 2021 12:58 am

ZeroCook wrote:.

For Patsy - putting on here as better than on wild chatter I think. Just my 2 pence worth re your fencing job.

TBH I don't think you were overcharged, if you possibly break it down like this :

Method1
£460 total less 200 for materials (5 sleepers @ 30 each plus misc bits) = 260
260 for two workers' time = 130 each for 2 hours work = 65/hour each.
Not really so much when broken down imo. And don't forget to deduct VAT which comes to around 90+ for the whole 460.

Or you could do it this way:
Method2
£460 total - VAT @ 20% = 368
less 200 for materials = (5 sleepers @ 30 each plus misc bits) = 168
168 for two workers' time = 84 each for 2 hours work = 42/hour each.

Am sure there are other ways to break it down but prob not so different in the end.

He might not be VAT registered

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby ZeroCook » Fri May 07, 2021 1:52 am

.
Quite. Which is why I suggested that if he isn't, Patsy might ask for a cash discount.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Pampy » Fri May 07, 2021 2:29 am

But he doesn't gain anything by being paid in cash if he's not VAT registered.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby PatsyMFagan » Fri May 07, 2021 11:48 am

I've decided to pay up and shut up ... The Dad is retired now, only doing bits and pieces here and there. The son though has got a very good reputation for excellent work, so whilst he was a last minute helper, I think I got a better job because of it.

I have already said that I have known the family for years and the Mum and Dad live almost opposite me. I already have issues with my neighbours both sides - that's awkward enough.. :roll:

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Suffs » Fri May 07, 2021 1:20 pm

I think that if it solves the problem and lasts a reasonable length of time then it was fair value ... if it doesn't solve the probem, or fails within two or three years then they should remedy the job ... and for remedial work I would pay for materials but little or nothing for labour ... but to be honest if they're reasonable people they shouldn't charge for remedial work (other than materials) after a short space of time.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby KeenCook2 » Fri May 07, 2021 5:43 pm

Hello, we got to Kew today and I asked them about the Gardeners' World 2-for-1 offer.

Apparently when you book, if you scroll down a long way there is an option that lets you put in the offer code and then you only pay for one.
But, you must take the actual paper token with you when you go or else they will charge you for the second ticket.

Hope that helps :thumbsup

The bluebells were magnificent and we found something called the Woodland Walk which reminded me a lot of Wakehurst, although without the stream. We'd not seen it before.

I took far too many pictures :lol: Here are a couple!
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More bluebells at Kew.JPG
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Bluebells at Kew.JPG
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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby PatsyMFagan » Mon May 10, 2021 9:35 am

Suffs wrote:I think that if it solves the problem and lasts a reasonable length of time then it was fair value ... if it doesn't solve the probem, or fails within two or three years then they should remedy the job ... and for remedial work I would pay for materials but little or nothing for labour ... but to be honest if they're reasonable people they shouldn't charge for remedial work (other than materials) after a short space of time.


An added bonus is that it has given me a another area to plant up.... The soil in the bottom half of the garden is very loamy and easy to dig.. the downside is everything wants to grow there including escapees of yellow Phlomis (Jerusalem Sage) which is growing like topsy (but quite easy to dig out )

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby KeenCook2 » Mon May 10, 2021 10:19 am

Glad all working out Pat :thumbsup

I have a slight bluebell predicament. Some years ago I planted a couple of dozen English bluebell bulbs in the green. They never grew, this year there are a couple of half-hearted attempts. But, there is a ridiculously healthy Spanish bluebell - I obviously didn't plant it so I guess it arrived via a bird or something. We need colour and flowers, but should I nevertheless get rid of it or should I allow it to multiply and provide the flowers next year? Tricky!

The next door neighbour has a front garden full of Spanish bluebells, as have several front gardens in the local area.

I saw very little point in planting any more bulbs this year as there is a family of squirrels that dig everything up as fast as I put it in :evil:

The snowdrops I planted at the same time have also never flowered.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Earthmaiden » Mon May 10, 2021 10:50 am

A bird or something planted a bluebell or bluebells in my garden many years ago. Every year I pull them up after they've flowered, bulbs and all and the following year they're there again and spread further across the garden. They've gone into next door too. Together with the unwanted grape hyacinths whose teeny new bulbs I pick out of the soil all year round, there's always a carpet of blue at this time of year. It's quite pretty and I'd hate to tell you to pull the bluebells up and then you have no more next year .. but ...! Perhaps it'd be worth putting the bulbs in a pot? That said, the bluebells don't do any harm unless they grow all over things you don't want them to.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby scullion » Mon May 10, 2021 2:00 pm

the problem with spanish bluebells is that they are more prolific and hybridise far too readily with the english ones - with the ultimate loss of the latter. if your neighbours have the spanish ones i would say there's no point in planting english ones - they wouldn't be there in a few years anyway.
if you do, remember to pick the flowers before they go over and set seed. (and pick the spanish ones for the house as they come out!).

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby KeenCook2 » Mon May 10, 2021 2:46 pm

Good idea to pick them (it :lol: ) before they go over :thumbsup Having got one this year it'll be interesting to see how many there are next year.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Tue May 11, 2021 12:27 pm

I have been picking mine. I have some strange ones which are not English, but are scented. Some people have suggested they are very old and weedy hyacinths, but I am not convinced. Could be hybrids?

It's very hard to get rid of Spanish bluebells (and crocosmia!) I thought I had pulled all mine up, but I have a lot this year. Apart from hybridization, they have too much foliage and choke out other things. I am blaming lack of success in one bed with alliums on them. The bluebell foliage harbours lots of slugs...

I am not sure if this is just one of those things where you notice something, then you notice it all the time, or if it's really the case that there seem to be three cornered leeks everywhere round here this spring. I've seen whole front lawns of it plus it growing out of walls etc. I don't have any yet, but... It's a pity proper wild garlic isn't so prolific. (for me... Another pathetic show of it in my garden. What I plant just doesn't see to spread.)

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