The EU RR is on it's Way!

Well unless anyone has serious reservations about it, looks like the Robin will be returning to your doorsteps, probably won't be until February though.

I can't remember how long the last one went on for, we did split one packet and sent them the opposite way round, I have a feeling Evert ended up with two packages in a very short tme span LOL. I'm surprised we haven't seen him here for a while but I expect he's busy with school or is it college now?

Very well said, Baa; I think the idea of a circulating round robin somewhere in the back of our minds is a more important element than the seeds themselves - perhaps we should add in a tiny present or two ??
I wonder about Evert as well - my wishes for his career anywhere he is.

............. waiting ...............

Dimitri

Hi folks, just a quickie to let you know I'm back in town.....seems it hasn't got as far as me at the moment..all good.

Might be hit and miss on here for a while, cat was taken ill while we were on hols, just come back from visiting her in the vets, seems she'll be in there for a few days (hubbys already panicing about the bill)

My Auntys just died ,another sisters husbands dementias taken terrible a turn for the worse, and another sisters just been told that she has something wrong with her spine ,and that she won't be able to garden or walk much any more, so she's gutted .

Why do things always happen when you're away?So my sisters have all had a really horrible week trying to deal with everything.

But it was really nice to see all the children together, and got in lots of cuddles from the Grandchildren.

Will take more time tomorrow to read exactly whats going on.

Sorry to hear about all your troubles. It is tough when close familly have failing health. I hope your cat is better now. I think vets must be making millions when you see how much they are charging.

I'm looking forward to receiving the seeds. Not sure what I'm going to put in it yet, and yes I will go along with your suggestion to send it round again.

I've not done much gardening recently. We've been having the pointing on the house re-done and everything has been covered in red dust from grinding out the old mortar. Then they seem to have got cement and brick dust in the central heating vent so that has been playing up.

I like to hear about your hens, and Beetle the duck. I've lost a few of my old hens this year and decided to get four new hybrids last week. I've got two Warrens - the deep red ones with bits of white on their neck and tail and two Daisy Bell which are blue/black with white pencilling on their neck feathers. I hadn't heard of them before but they are very smart, upright little birds, and one of them does a little dance when I let them out of the hut in the morning. It runs round in circles very fast, jumps up in the air, and then goes round in a slow circle with one wing stuck out like a matador's cape. Then it behaves quite normally for the rest of the day. Strange but entertaining!

Just thinking - do you think the R.R. may be delayed a bit by the build-up of post for Christmas?

Getting quite excited.

Pat

Sueone, I'm so sorry to hear about your Aunty, your sister with the spine trouble and other sisters husband, I sincerely hope neither case is as bleak as it may appear right now. I also hope your cat gets well soon and the bill isn't too horrendous!

Please just let us know if we can do anything to help.

Dimitri, you are probably right in that it's the connection between we gardeners that is the important thing. The excitement of receiving a suprize from like minded friends makes it just that little bit extra special perhaps? The addition of little gifts is a delightful idea too, perhaps that could be part of the next round?

Patbarr, little Beetle earned himself a new much larger indoor 'cage' by sheer dint of effort in growing larger, although he is now rarely with us during most of the day, he still sleeps in the house. His breathing isn't great and although he's growing well he's very light still, that is apart from the sheer fuss he makes when we have tried to make him stay with the other ducks but when the time comes... He hates his new bride with a passion (who has since run off with the Silver Bantam drake) and has somehow managed to convince the other ducks that he has all the answers to life and they follow him about. If they peck at him, Beetle runs indoors, demands I attend court on the lawn and parades me around the other ducks squeaking loudly. It almost seems as though he is a gangster trying to put the frighteners on anyone who tries to bully him ... see this human, I'll set her on you if you don't do as I say. Could be the duck form of protection money.

The hens and other ducks are very bold when the weather gets colder, I caught the White Star hen watching Bo eat his breakfast near the door and then trying to peck up some of his food when he was foolish enough to take his head out of the bowl. One day, if we don't keep the door shut, we may find the hens without heads and a smug dog!

Warrens are a good solid standby bird aren't they! I've not heard of a Daisy Bell either so I did a bit of googling http://www.glencroftpoultry.co.uk/hen_house.htm what a pretty little bird, sounds like they have some character too. I'll keep an eye out for those when we come to look for new birds next year. Thanks for the tip!

The package has been posted for a week so it shouldn't be too far away from Dimitri now. It may become tangled in the Christmas post but lets hope it isn't :)

RR arrived today, no time to open it yet - it looks small from the outside - more news tomorrow.

Best wishes and many thanks


Dimitri

Baa, I loved your description of your clucks and ducks....they all have characters of their own don't they..I chuckled when you were describing the 'gangster' of your mob!!...

Things settling down a biy now, getting to grips with Christmas shopping at last, never been so disorganised...spent most of yesterday on computer frantically ordering things.

Can't wait for the parcel to arrive, though I suspect that it may be caught up in the post at this time of year.(Not that I've added to it as I haven't even bought my cards yet!) I was lying in bed this morning thinking that once Christmas is over, we've Spring to look forewards to.While I was pegging out my reindeers at the start of this week, I kept seeing tiny green shoots poking out from the soil, my bulbs slowly emerging.

Where do the years go?

Unfortunately our cat had to be put down that same evening we got home, the vet phoned about 8 to say that she'd been fitting, and he had to put her down there and then. So she's now buried under my cherry tree , hopefully guarding it from the blackbirds that come and nick the cherries every year...But we'd had 18 happy yeras with her, her son Gizzy though is lost, and spends all day walking round the house howling, needing reassurance all the time.

I'm going to spend the day today, checking all the seeds I've sown over the last few weeks, there are some in the greenhouse and cold frame that I've not checked since they've been sown.Probably need watering.Not been near the greenhouse for two weeks...I try not to look at the back garden as I walk through it, needs a lot of tidying up, though I tell myself that all the experts tell you to leave it now until Spring ..

Very impressive collection of seeds from some plants I never heard of - i.e. there is little chance they will make it in my hands and in the blistering Cretan summer. This is a good reason to remember in the future to write here in advance what everybody puts in, so the others can see where an experimentation has some chance of success.

On the other hand, I am amazed at the clarity of the seeds collected, especially the very tiny ones - I always wonder how you all can manage - my seeds usually have some husk as well.

And why do all use plastic air-tight bags? I thought paper bags are better for seed survival - although they allow survival of bugs as well.

Well, I am adding several tree seeds as well, in the hope that they will be of some interest to some of you.

And the bag goes for the next recipient tomorrow morning, as urgent delivery mail - my compensation for keeping it till now and keeping all of you waiting. If an excuse is allowed, I had to go to Athens for my mother's annual religious ceremony (one year from her death) and came back last night.

And I still wonder what these japanese vegetables are, Baa... Being afraid of failure, I will stick to the ones I know.

Dimitri

I always wondered too Dimitri about the plastic bags, I thought that they had to be in something breathable.

I've quite often had seeds from reputable suppliers in these little plastic bags,so i know that they''re o.k. to use, but when reading articles about seed collection, they tell you to use paper.

Going to get my seeds out this morning and sort through them, put them into sowing order ready for start of sowing season.

I'm also determined this year (or should it be next? ) that we're going to plan our sowing for the allotment, it was very hit and miss last summer.

Thanks Dimitri!

I use the plastic grip seal bags for transportation mainly, I found they have far less chance of seed escaping in those, particularly when the outer envelope is going to have a long journey, it saves them from being soaked too. I agree they are no good for storing very fresh seed but they are ok if they are only in them for a few weeks when they are thoroughly dry. The other bonus that no longer really applies to us is that they make it easier for customs to see what you're sending and if they do need to open them, they are easy to seal.

I prefer to use glassine where I can and am slowly converting most over of the stored seeds to that rather than paper envelopes.

Getting the tiny seed clean is literally a pain in the neck and I usually end up putting some dust from the pod or bits of husk in there too.

The Japanese burdock (Gobo) is Arctium lappa, the same as the burdock you can find in Europe only these are commercially bred in Japan for their vegetable/herb market where they have bred the wild bitterness out of the leaves and roots. Unfortunately like their wild cousins they can seed everywhere if allowed. I'm still trying to find an easy recipe for dandelion and burdock pop so if anyone has one ... :)

THe RR posted today for Netherlands - I added :

oleander seeds (2 packs): I have single-flowered and double flowered, white and pink. Any crossbreeding may have occurred; single ones have stronger wood, double ones are more aromatic; very tolerant of draught, if watered it will keep flowering for many months.

karob seeds ( 3 packs): evergreen tree with lustre green leaves and sugary large pods in September - In Crete it never needs watering, fertilizer or spraying - I love the taste of the sweet flesh of the pods.

olive tree seeds: seeds from olive trees grow as wild olive trees, give a very knotty, hard and interesting trunk, with small shiny leaves and very small bright black olives, they are very suitable as a bonsai. As now all olive trees are produced from cuttings, this is a chance for a true wild olive tree. I have included old and fresh olive stones, I don't know what is best for germination, the dry seed or the oily one? I made only one packet, take a few from there , and leave some for the others as well. If you want more, let me know before March: I can provide you with as much as you can dream.

rudbekia hirta : ( 3 packs) this is a rather tall variety, (1 meter) that gives large bicolored flowers with yellow periphery and brown center - here, husks and seeds dance together in eternity, so plant them a few at a time, because if you do one-at-a-time I am afraid you will call me names...(how do you people manage to obtain miniscule seeds absolutely pure??)

cosmos sulphureus : what a wonderful plant !!! 3 packs, big, you can share them easily if you only want a few - sorry, I am left short of plastic bags. And you can go for a few laughs to the big debate as to what it is: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/553601/

acacia (2 packs) (not known variety name) : A tall tree, no thorns, fine leaves, small ivory - beige flower puffs, slightly bigger than the usual yellow ones, very nice tree style, very long and thin seed pods. Germinates very easily.

and last, and least, cardiospermum: an annual climber with many green small physallis-like puffs, yields black spherical seeds with white a heart-like or smile-like figure on them - I love them.

Well, that's it folks.

I have plenty more seeds of these and other plants, I am too busy to write down details, to clean tiny seeds from husk etc, but I enjoy whatever communication I can get on the matter. Feel free to ask for seed or info - there is nothing to lose.

I thank Baa first, and all of you after, for all the atmosphere the EU RR has created.

Best wishes for Christmas

Dimitri

Can't wait Dimitri for the package to come round, I love trying different things.I fancy an olive tree...Ray, the chap next door has one growing in his lawn, and my daighter used to work on Rhodes, and tells me of the olive trees outside their apartment they used to sit under...I can dream...aaahhh...

My sister had an Acacia, but lost it mysteriously after a year (suspect nasty neighbours might have had something to do with it! ) So I'd love to give those a try also, then I could present her with a new one ( I know, I know, it'll take a couple of years...)But we gardeners are a patient bunch if nothing else!

The cosmos sulphureus I love, but don't always have much luck with it, I normally end up with a couple of spindly plants left out of a whole sowing, don't know whre I'm going wrong with that one.The normal Cosmos does well for me here.

They sound a wonderful selection Dimitri. I would love to try an acacia too, I love the scent. I think most of your plants will need a bit of extra cosseting here in the UK, but I enjoy trying new plants, and I have a heater in the conservatory to keep the frost off.

Regarding the plastic bags, if the seed is dried sufficiently it keeps quite well in the plastic, after all the seed companies quite often supply seed in sealed foil containers which are also air tight. The seed keeps best if it is quite cool.

It sounds to be a fascinating choice of seeds. Can't wait.

Pat

Hi, Patbarr, I will collect some acacia seeds especially for you and send them over directly - if you wait until Tuesday, I will then go to Heraclio, an hour's drive, where the flaming (or glowing) acacia is on all pavements, and get some of those seeds for you as well.

And today I picked plenty of excellent seeds from my white wisteria - if they are of any interest to any of you..

I wonder when the RR will reach Holland - there was a strike on Wednesday and Thursday, the clerk received the envelope, but I am afraid it spent a couple of nights in Rethymno - well, nothing I can do about it.

All the best to you all, and first of al to Baa who organised the RR.

Dimitri

Thank you Dimitri and all the best to you too and to everyone else here :)

I like Cardiospermum seeds too, I hadn't thought of the white heart as a smile but come to think of it some of them do look a lot more like a smile than a heart.

Hi..have'nt been on line for a while..I've had problems with the connection..the cable had a little burst so my provider had to dig to repair this..I'm glad to hear from Dimitri ...wonderfull replacements you've put in...I'm looking very much forward .. I can hardly wait to receive your envelope.

I just managed to collect some seeds from the "glowing" acacia, and some from my white wisteria - the question is, where do I post them to? Holland or whoever is on next? Or to both ?

Dimitri

ARRIVED ARRIVED ! Your package has arrived today ! Thank you Dimitri..I 've just taken a peep in the envelope..it looks great..this evening I 'll take a closer look. After that..the package is coming to you Pat !
Dimitri.. You can better send the seeds directly to Patbarr..thank you for the offer..I'll make my choice from what is in the envelope and this is difficult enough for me allready.
Also ..thank you for your best wishes and nice christmascard.

Best wishes and Happy Christmas everybody, and thank you Dimitri for gathering the acacia seeds. I've had two lovely holidays in Crete, one in Georgeopoulis (can't remember how to spell it) and one further East in a small village. You are bringing back memories of the wonderful scenery, plants and archaeology. Thank you.

I'm getting very excited about receiving the R.R. now and will try to put some useful and interesting seeds in it.

By the way, one of my new hens has started laying. We've had one everyday for the last five days, and she has found the nest box today. All the rest were laid off the top perch but didn't break, so good shell quality!

Thank you Pat! Best wishes and a merry merry christmas for you all too. The RR envelope went in the mail today. Well...I 've replaced a few packages and put in a few extra's. I've taken a lucky dip and put some splashes in it again. I' ve tried to replace the seeds with a selection of this and that: vegs, annual and perennial flowers, small and tall...I hope you'll enjoy.

Thank you all for the wonderfull seeds !

If the RR is running again ...please count me in.

Just wanted to say:
Merry Christmas to everyone on the European forum. It's been lovely meeting you all this year, and swapping seeds and stories with you.
Maggi xxxx

Thank you Saya, I hope you're feeling much better now!

Patbarr, fresh eggs for Christmas breakfast, can't beat them (that was an unintentional pun, sorry)

A big HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you all and a very healthy and prosperous NEW YEAR!

A happy Christmas to you all, and a great New Year too, see you all after the festive season.....

Will be seeing both Grandchildren this weekend, all my Christmases and birthdays in one....

Love Suexxx

Oooh Baa...I 've caught a bad cold again...I 'm just not made for this climate I guess...it's wet and cold overhere..the snow is pretty though..thanks anyway.

Pat...nothing yet in the mail..? I 've send out the envelope ASAP..I hope it 'll arrive at your place still in 2005.

You all have a merry slide into 2006 and I wish you all a prosperous and healthy New Year !

Thank you Lenne,

The package arrived today. What an interesting selection. It's going to be very difficult deciding what to have. I'm always drawn to more tender plants which is a bit daft in Yorkshire, especially in this weather. It hasn't got above freezing today, there is a slight covering of snow and more forecast for tonight. I'll have another look through them tomorrow and narrow my choice down a bit from the 20 or so I like today!

Happy New Year everyone

The package will be on its way again at the beginning of next week.

Best wishes,

Pat

It's not just Yorkshire that is a little silly for those tender things Pat. When we moved here I thought I'd be growing all those little things with the minimum of protection, but it's colder here at times than where I was in Kent. This is the first day for three weeks that the temperature has been above freezing in the morning, and it got down to at least -8C if not lower. No snow to protect things either, just hoary old frost. Very beautiful BUT.....

A happy new year to everyone :)

It's been like that here too Hilary- crisp frosts every morning, have to break the ice on the pond and the hens' water, and just a sprinkling of snow; this morning turned much milder, but wet and grey. Things do seem to fruit and flower 2 to 4 weeks earlier here than in England though, so it must be warmer in Spring and summer.
Happy New Year to everyone.
Maggi xxxx

Yes, there's much more sun
We can grow fruit that wouldn't ripen properly in the UK etc etc
I notice you are zone 8a too Maggi - I thought it might be warmer over the border :)

Not much warmer I guess Hilary; we're up in the hills a little (pre-Pyrennees). It's milder on the coast -people have citrus trees growing in sheltered spots in their gardens just a few miles from here in San Sebastian - my citrus trees are in pots and are at present shivering under a fleece against the farmhouse wall...
I tried to find where you live on the map also, but couldn't find the exact spot. Are you near Tarbes? Very beautiful area.
Maggi xxxx

OK, just seen on another thread on here that you have more or less answered the above question about where you live. Sounds wonderful, you should post some pictures. Does anyone have the address of the Google earth website you mentioned?

Sorgina, Just type in Google Earth in the search and it comes up with all the instructions to down load and everything.

I've made my selection today and replaced them with mainly vegetables (sorry). They are some of my favourites though. I will post it on Tuesday morning when the post office re-opens.

I've actually had a gardening day today and feel so much better. I've turned two compost heaps and emptied the third, and spread compost in the greenhouse borders to liven them up a bit before I start planting again. Tomorrow I'm going to plant some Red Duke of York potatoes which have started sprouting, some parsley seedlings and a few small lettuces which have been lurking modules for too long. Might sow a few seeds too and get the fleece out for when the weather turns cold again. I think I'll clean out the propagator too.

Thanks for the help Pat, and well done! You have been busy!
Maggi xxxx

Thank you Patbarr, my apologies for extra tardiness lately, we had a connection hiccough and back to Dial up for a couple of weeks and I've found the site, even with DSL now running is slow slow quick quick slow.

Sueone, if you pop by here and haven't seen your d-mails, please take a peek, I have a message for you.

A Happy New Year to All,

and a little question: should I send the various seeds I collected now and I could not add into the RR and to whom?

Will you wait for 3 - 3 days Patbarr so I send them all to you, or should I send to everyone who has already got the RR ?? Postage and package is no problem for me, anyone interested send me back your addresses, as I did not keep a copy of the address sheet that was in the RR

waiting to hear from any of you

and at least the address of the next one, in case Patbarr will not wait.

Dimitri

This message was edited Jan 3, 2006 5:34 PM

Hi Dimitri, Happy New Year.

I've just returned from posting the package on to Sue, so you've missed me.

So, Sue, it should be with you tomorrow - Wednesday.

Baa, perhaps you can let Dimitri know where to send them - did you say they were going round again, or were you listing what is left so we could have a last choice? Anyway, you are in charge and have organised it wonderfully so I'm sure you'll let us know.

I love flowers, but seem to have much more vegetable seed. Does everyone else have predominantly one or the other? I was just thinking that there seemed to be more flower seeds in the selection and wondered if it was most people's preference, or whether the vegetables were fewer because they were the preferred choice.

You can see the cogs are turning as to what goes in the next R.R.

Regards, Pat

Pat, I love all seeds! However, perhaps I would say I prefer veg seeds in an RR as I can justify getting yet more seed on the grounds that I can grow something to eat from them....
Then again, herbs are edible and attractive, climbers don't take up much ground room, fragrant anything is great in containers on the patio, (can't have too many of those)..........
Maggi xxxx

Hi Pat,

i'm waiting...I'm waiting...come on postie!!......

I'll clear the table ready to sort out the goodies....can't wait....brightened my day no end.

my sister and i were sat discussing yesterday what to do at the allotment this year.We've made a plan of attack (so the theory goes anyway!) And were deciding what to plant ( a few more flowers) I already have a row of orietal poppies up there (not enough room in my tgarden to plant them all...)

Any suggestions for the best place to buy raspberrys, loganberries etc? As we want to fill up the fruit side a bit more this year.I did buy a blackberry last summer (£15.00!!!!) and the bloomin thing died.

Will hang onto package until told otherwise.

Sue

Dimitri

You're welcome to send them to me for inclusion in the next round but that won't be for at least a month or so but I'm happy to do so if that's easier for you and the people who want the seeds.

If those of you who have asked for Dimitris seeds want them earlier would you give him your address please :)

Patbarr

There were 25 veg and herb and 35 ornamentals when I sent it off so it was almost equal amounts. Obviously I have no control over what goes in after it leaves here I can only ask but what you could be seeing is that several people have put in a few extras from their ornamental lists which makes it seem like there were more ornamentals to start with. I remember one of the last RRs was sent with 60 packets and came back with over 95! Something I didn't mention above but others have done here was that we used to list all the seeds we took and replaced them with and any extras (bit late for me to mention that now!)

Sueone

£15.00 for a blackberry?????? eeek I hope you got a refund! We have plenty of the true species you are more than welcome too (hehehe) I can't say I've ever bought fruit mail order but here's a list I've been using to see if someone will graft an apple for our neighbour http://www.plant-seed-mailorder.org.uk/soft_fruit.html that might be useful.

Cheers Baa,

We do have wild blackberries on our plot, but the council keep coming and cutting them down....despite us saying that we were trying to train them against the back wall...

seeds arrived safely yesterday afternoon (what ever happened to early morning post? )Didn't get chance to go through them properly as sod's law, I had a stream of phone calls and visitors.

I shall be locking my door today, and hiding away in the dining room, so's I'll be undisturbed.

Need to look a few things up too, as some of Dimitris seeds are unknown to me, but I'm intregued by the olives, reckon there'd be a chance to get them to grow here?

Sue