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

Ooooh, that sounds like the 'sharp intake of breath' scenario, where they make it sound much worse than it is....then charge you for it

You have done your research. I can feel some stiff competition coming on here

I'm hoping to get some quality garden time over the next few days Its in desperate need of weeding and i've so many plants to put in yet

So what did you find in the meadow?

Yep, they've said they can get it going, but can't keep it going and it could be a big job. All I ask for is a bit of luck now and then, and I get...?

The main boiler at the hotel has packed up too, and can't be fixed until at least the weekend, so there's likely to be a bit of a smell round here for a few days...

I found a pink flower and a white flower in the meadow. I went out and really tried, but I think I just need a few days off to get my breath back. Problem is, I get bored so easily that even if I did I'd be wanting to get on and do something anyway

Have you broke a mirror or walked under a ladder? The bad luck can't continue you know. Maybe these will help

I saw Bovey heath on springwatch lastnight. You are so lucky to have that place I havent seen a lizard or slow-warm in years, we just don't get them here

Have you tried meditation? Its supposed to help you relax It does'nt work for me though Trying to make my mind go blank is like trying to convince a dog it can fly.

I know my bad luck, it can go on for as long it dqamn well likes, as far as it is concerned The enforced breaks don't really help that much, as I tend to stay up half the night and waste half the next day by sleeping in!

Still haven't seen the SW programme, as I've been too busy Might get to it later.

I've tried meditation in the past, but it never did very much for me. Maybe I'll just take time out to do something like the Camino A4044893 again

Why didn't that link?

A4044863

Probably because I got the link wrong

Jeez Rich, if your that bored i have a garden thats in desperate need of weeding and mowing I can even crack a whip so you don't slack

I've only been abroad once in my life. I really enjoyed it untill i got food poisioning that kinda put me off.

Has it really been five weeks??? I'm really sorry - it's not often I refuse an offer of a good whipping, even if I have to put a bad days' work in to get it...

Any luck with that thong you mentioned yet?

*promises to stay in touch better from now on*

Hi Rich.
Nice to hear from you again

It seems i was released from my thong, in a rather surprising way

Theres been so much happening here, i havent had time to get bored either.

Last week i went to Kew, it was a fantastic day. The weather was glorious. This time we walked round the 'wild' area. I think i was starting to bore Maz with my plant identifying We saw lots of birds too. One of the strangest combinations was, a golden pheasant feeding alongside a grey squirrel
I took some great pics, especially of the carnivorous plants.

In other news. My garden is proving to be full of surprises. There is a strange moth visiting my flowers. I've never seen anything like it. It is'nt in any of my 5 butterfly & moth books. So now my boss is going to search the net and see if he can find out what it is.
I do love it when something like that happens

So, hows things down your part of the world?
Are the plants doing well? Has the pond got any life in it yet?

'cracks the whip' Nice sound eh!

Yes, I look forward to coming to see you again, especially if you're going to be all stern with that whip Sorry I didn't get to the thong first, thats all I can say

The pond is full of pond-skaters, and the birds are absolutely delighted with it, especially the greenfinches I've got all kinds of odd and pretty flowers growing in one of the messy sections, but part of the other one got dug over by mistake - I lost all my tiny violets The plants you gave me are quietly doing well Nothing surprising, though a common blue damselfly has been visiting!

Were you identifying the flowers at Kew with the key, then? I really should give mine another go, but it does get baffling at times!

Amazing how the prospect of being whipped, can make a person popular

I did'nt use the 'key' to identify the plants I don't seem to be able to get to grips with it. Its either a case of me knowing to much or its just too complicated.
The ones i was'nt entirely sure about, i looked up in my trusted old wild flower book

Did you get the pics of my orchids?

It does'nt take long for wildlife to find a pond eh! The first thing i got in mine was pond skaters, followed by thousands of mosquito larva
The newtlets are doing very well, some of them are nearly ready to leave the pond. I found out that, if there is'nt enough food to support the baby newts, they remain babies and stay in the pond untill next spring. How is that!

Surely it's doing the whipping that makes one popular?

The key is tricky, it's so hard to get to grips with and I keep going back to finding saxifrages There's a great DVD-ROM called 'Interactive Flora of the British Isles' that I seriously recommend - costs about £30 but is worth every penny.

I did get the pictures of the orchids, but was really busy that part of the summer, so probably very rudely didn't reply They look fantastic!

I presume the mosquito larvae will reduce in number when the next bigger part of the food chain appears? We've got a few pips around here that should take care of a few of them, anyway Would be great to get newts moving in!

Yes, i think your right. The saying 'it's better to give than recieve' definately applies in the case of whipping

Hey you're lucky to even come up with saxifrage. I just end up confused. I know i'm doing something wrong, if i could just figure out what

Do you think i should start feeding the birds again? There does'nt seem to be many small insects around this year, and i wondered if the birds were suffering as a result. I normally only feed them untill spring. I was taught many years ago, that chicks need insects to feed on, they have more protien and are better for them than seeds and nuts.

I did'nt see any mosquito larvae this year. I guess they all got snaffled by the newts
Apparently, if frogs spawn in a garden pond then the newts will not and vice versa. So i reckon it's whatever amphibian gets there first.

I'll look out for that DVD, it could prove to be handy, thanks

I'm awful, aren't I? If I get a lot of posts in one day, I usually leave a few to reply to later, but keep bloody closing the tabs by mistake

So, should we line up a weekend of keying flowers and lashing then? I'd be a lot happier if someone else would balls up the keying as spectacularly as me, and as for the whipping, well...

As far as feeding the birds goes, I've found the blue and great tits go mad for them early in the year, but greenfinches visit more and more as the summer wears on. Maybe different birds have different dietary needs at different times of year? I've always understood that seed is ok, but not big nuts as younger birds can choke on them.

I caught a damselfly laying eggs in the pond on film; delighted with that

You'd have to provide a whip though, mines at the cleaners! So is it 2 lashes for a saxifrage and anything goes for other mistakes?


I hardly ever see greenfinches in the garden, maybe thats because i don't put seed out in the summer. I shall get some and see what visits. I never put out nuts, we have a resident squirrel My neighbour must have bought at least 3 new nut feeders last year, all supposedly 'squirrel proof' - not to our squirrel though

the wildlife must like the new pond eh! That is good news. I'll look at your pics today, then i'll be a real smart-arse and try to identify which damselfly you have

I think i deserve everything I get for saxifrages

The greenfinches have only sttarted coming since I put the pond in, they really do seem to love it there. They're always popping in for a quick bathe and to admire their reflections

Have you found that the ammount of wildlife has increased since you put in the pond?
I've noticed far more things visiting my garden. Its amazing how much difference just a small pond can make.

A couple of years ago, i put up a bug box. I don't know if anything has made use of it during the winter months. Anyway, its certainly being made use of now. Leaf-cutter bees have made it their nursery They have sealed up some of the holes with leaves, i think thats where they have laid an egg?

I had no idea greenfinches were such vain birds....Does my bum look big in these feathers?

I think ladybirds especially make good use of them over the winter; I made some a while ago and I've just found them, forgot to put them up

The pond has made a huge difference, I think it's all about building a food chain. I've got a few aphids which I'm steadfastly refusing to spray, as I want them to get eaten by something else - I'm in for the long game My greenfinches have every right to be vain, I think they're lovely and they clearly agree with me!

Will you put up the boxes before winter?

If you're in for the 'long game' You best throw away that nasty spray. With all the birds and stuff, you won't need any bug killers.
Just in case you are plagued with lily beetles again next year, there is a 'garlic barrier spray' which you can spray on your plants before the beetles find them. Apparently it also acts as a plant food, which is fine by me. Its totally organic so won't harm anything else.

Aaawww..aint you just a big softy. No wonder the birds feel at home in your garden.

I'll put the boxes up sometime next week; I've been busy scooping out the bogs and changing the make-up of the soil, it was too heavy to work very well. I'm now covered in

I don't use 'nasty spray' anywhere, anyway. The guests are quite surprised at my reaction when they point out the aphids to me 'Oh, good, food chain!' I'll remember that about the lily beetles

Taken some more photos so there might be some more things to ID for me

'Aaawww..aint you just a big softy...'

What are you going to plant in the bog garden?

I finally got round to finishing my entry on the Lily beetle. I'm still finding them on my lilies I was too late in discovering the garlic barrier for this year.

I'll be happy to identify more stuff for you, as long as its not plants, you have a good 'key' for doing that

at the Aawwww bless!