h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

... your birthday yesterday? I'm sorry I missed it by a day, but happy birthday anyway! I hope it was a good day.

If it's not until next week, then consider this a pending message...

No, it wasn't yesterday although that would have been with the transit of Venus taking place! Next week.

Thank you for the thought anyway.

I knew I'd get the week wrong.

Yesterday? Stupid how I can remember, but only a day late. Even if I get the week right...

I have saved some of those california poppy seedheads if you'd like them?

Yesterday it was. Not to worry, it's the thought that counts! There might be some left over and at the Atelier.

I'd love the seeds, thank you. They look so pretty. Should I plant them straight away? I'm guessing that in the wild the pods would just burst and scatter so that would be OK if I did that too? Or would they be better if I waited, or even started them off in pots in the Spring?

I was telling someone at work this afternoon about how fascinating the bunker is and how they should visit it.

About the seeds? Pass... I tried scattering some on the other side of the garden, and they didn't grow, so I'd try sowing them in pots. Or have a look on the net for help. I've had to pick them before they are ripe, so they don't explode and leave it until late, so I'm trying to get some in various stages of development for you.

Do you think there will be a school trip to the bunker?

I could ask Hypatia the Cranky Gardener about the seeds. I think it sounds like it's best to start in pots though.

A school trip would be . The link has been passed on but I'm not sure whether the 1970s has made it on to the history syllabus yet. I suppose when it does, that's when I'll feel *really* old!

Let me know what she says, and maybe I'll try some for me too. I'd love some in my front garden. I'd like to replace all the grass, so I don't have to keep dragging the lawnmower through the house!

You could get a goat?

I looked into that some time ago, because we could drink the milk too, but apparently they are too loud when 'in season' because they are calling for a male.

The only solution to that would be to get 2 goats then!

I had a brainwave and looked at a packet of the seeds in the shop. They can be sowed in March for flowering in July, or in September for early Spring flowers. Direct into the ground, no need for pots. In fact maybe I could do both.

I hardly ever have success with seeds sown straight in the ground, so I gave up years ago. I'm waiting to pick a few more pods, so there is a range of 'ripeness' to try, and then I'll send them on to you.

After watching Gardeners World, I think the trick is to get the pods when they are really, really ripe, on the day when they are ready to burst. Which is hard if you're not a full time gardener! A job for J as a pod watcher maybe?

My garden looks very windswept at the moment. I need to get out in the rain to dead head and tidy it up. I want to be able to sit out and enjoy it as much as possible over the summer, since for the first time in a few years I'm not using the break to move house.

I hope all is well? I'm neglecting emails at the moment in the huge busy rush that is the end of term. Say hi to Abi for me!

My garden is in a bit of a state now as well as I've had a few moments to get out there and weed, but not to clear up the piles of weeds - hopefully the rain will stay off for a while today, so that I can get things looking a bit tidy. I'll pop in and out of the garden in the mornings to look at the pods - if I pick one a day, I must get it right sometime?

I haven't been paying much attention to emails myself, so everything is fine here. I've just put another entry into PR, about slugs! So hopefully that's my h2g2 addiction sorted out for the day, and I can concentrate on the garden! Maybe we should have 'gardening' parties. Company makes it all so much easier...

I've just read the slug entry. It's really good. Well done! I heard a thrush singing its heart on top of a roof out the other day and I know that's rarer than it used to be because of slug pellets. I'll collect seaweed to try out next time I go to the beach. I'm guessing that would be good for the soil too, since fertilisers can be made from it.

A "gardening party" sounds like a good idea. I don't mind gardening alone though. It's a small moment of peace in an otherwise noise filled day.

Thanks very much! Slugs are reasonably close to my heart!

I've been out there doing a lot of tidying up, and have filled nearly a years supply of 'green waste' bags! There was too much for my compost heap. J has been 'helping' collect some hedge clippings, but I fear he's picked up about 3 twigs. Still, he's out in the garden with me, and we're both working up an appetite. Shame it's only half done - I've still got the lawn to mow.

The garden is alive with tiny frogs, so I'm hoping that there won't be a mass grave dug later on to deal with their tiny corpses.

Be careful collecting seaweed, in some places I don't think it's supposed to be 'picked'. Not too sure about that one everywhere though. One place in Cornwall I went to had the tractors out bulldozing it off the beach. I don't suppose they would have missed a piece or two from there.

I knew we had a "wittering on about gardening" thread somewhere!

I think I'll try and plant some of the seeds this week in a spot that gets full sun. I'll save the others for pot planting in very early Spring. It should be OK, the plant self seeds well. With luck I'll have some lovely spring colour either way. I think this is it? http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/product/6278/2?SA=1303 or something similar.

Later flowering Inferno sounds lovely too so I might look out for the seeds and plant at the front for Summer colour. http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/product/6241/2?SA=1303 "During summer days, Inferno can be seen from afar as it shimmers in the sun, or glows in the dusky light. The effect is amazing." Maybe I could grow both together, one for Spring colour and one for Summer.

It's nice on a day when you don't feel up to tackling the jobs just to read, plan and look at pictures. I always go to http://www.angliangardener.co.uk for tips, which is where I got the seed links from. It's a sensible site. "We don't really do trendy, we do what works and what people like in their garden." Good policy.

I like that inferno one. It doesn't quite go with my colour scheme (such as it is), but I'll look forward to seeing it if you plant it.

My garden is starting to look tatty now, but I haven't got the energy to go out and start fiddling, it's the house's turn at the moment. I ignored it for five years, so it's about time really.

I'm very disappointed that my chamomile seems to have disappeared. I wanted to make some oil! I'll have to pick up a few new plants. It's so expensive to buy. At the moment I've got peppermint and calendula (marigold) oil on the go, and will shortly have rosemary. I haven't got much of anything except the peppermint, but I'll have enough to see me through a year. I planted the peppermint in the garden, which some might say was a mistake, but I use it a lot, and I can't grow enough in a pot. I want to get some spearmint again - the plant I had died in last year's drought. Same properties as peppermint, but I like the taste and smell better.

I've got some seeds to sow today, so I shall sit in the sunshine on the step and make a mess. Then worry about the tattiness of the garden in the springtime.

I've also got to move the magical holly bushes this autumn. I call them magic because I don't plant them, they jsut appear. I've waited for them to grow sturdy, and I'm going to put them along the front fence, in the hope that they will block the litter from blowing in all the time. I'm not sure if I'll get berries, as you need male and female plants, and I won't know what I've got until they grow some flowers. As long as they've got prickles to keep people out, I'm not too fussed.

I have a lovely variagated holly by the front gate but it seems to attract litter. I'm forever picking crisp packets etc from it! It has berries though and last December I cut some for the house, which looked good.

I have lots of rosemary and I was going to freeze some to use over the winter. I have thyme too although the plant is quite small. They are in pots, so if the winter looks hard I can move them into the shed. Is it difficult to make the oil? I know you said it would be nice to put in the bath. Chamomile is very soothing isn't it? What would you use the calendula oil for? I have marigolds and I was going to save the seeds.

My own colour scheme doesn't exist really. I just like lots and lots of bright stuff that looks pretty from the house.

Maybe if it spears the litter before it gets into my garden it will be asier to clear up! I'm especially sick of the cellophane from fag packets.

I think infused oils are easy to make - collect the flowers/leaves, then pour the oil over it, leave in a warm spot for a few weeks then strain, repeat if you have enough flowers/oil/energy. Finding the oil in large bottles is the hardest bit, then the clearing up! I wrote an entry on it somewhere.

Calendula is made out of pot marigolds, not the french ones. I'm not sure which ones you've got. http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=calendula+officinalis Orange leaves are best. The oil is good as an anti-inflamatory, espcially if you use it to make a compress. It's good for anything to do with skin rashes, and sore or infected skin problems. Brusies, spots, evan as a lip balm. There's loads of things it's useful for, in tea as well. Making it into an ointment is good for sunburn, although for J's I mixed the sap/juice from an aloe vera plant with lavender oil and used that. He also managed to find himself in a peppermint bath, which I thought he'd resist, but he was fine!

I can go into more detail about calendula if you like.