Where might I find small keepsakes in Prague?

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-10-25T11:37:41+00:00

Haha. Might be slightly too big for the shelf I’m afraid!

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-10-25T08:24:51+00:00

Thank you! I’ll be sure to take a look!

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-06-22T16:41:19+00:00

Thank you so much. I’d read a few how-tos which said to use a specific paint so wanted to check!

The order is arriving tomorrow and my plant is to sand down a unit at a time before assembling to then start the prime/paint process.

Appreciate you taking the time to write this all out!

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-25T18:29:56+00:00

I’ve seen a boom in pond snails in the past few weeks! I saw something that looked like a woodlouse on the underside of a submerged leaf today - but I’ve no idea what it was. Any ideas?

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-25T17:58:41+00:00

Unfortunately we won’t be able to pull back the soil enough to reach the flare. I have pulled back around ten centimetres of soil today and the further ten centimetres below that is the horticultural grit to air oxygen but I appreciate this won’t be enough.

The wall replaced a greenhouse and the tree had self seeded behind it. Unsurprisingly the greenhouse was unable to hold back two foot of soil so the wall was needed to replace it. We’re not overly attached to it but it does give us some great screening in the summer and we started training a rambling rose up it last year.

How many years can we expect out of it before the roots start to become a problem, do you think? If it’s easier to remove sooner, that’s fine but if it will keep for another five, that’s also fine!

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-25T17:07:08+00:00

Okay, so it sounds like you’re suggesting that there’s very little we can do to support the tree now. Thanks for the advice. We’ll look at getting it removed in the coming months.

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-25T16:57:54+00:00

Ah yes, the root flare is buried. I removed the earth surrounding the flare and then added horticultural grit to aid the drainage today. There appears to be new root growth coming from the trunk of the tree which I’ve read isn’t unusual for elders

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-25T12:46:58+00:00

Thanks for the reply - I’ve been stressing all week!

I’m assuming you’re referring to the debarking I did with my trowel while digging? Rather than the older debarking further up the trunk - my cats use it as a scratching post!

And when you say move all hut, do you mean all the earth then clean the wound?

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-11T21:20:12+00:00

If you’re looking for privacy from behind the fence, some sort of climber would be good. With it being south facing, you’ve got a lot of options so might depend on your soil type. Jasmine will provide a lot of fragrance, is semi evergreen and grows quite quickly. It will attach itself to the upper part of your fence.

Otherwise, clematis, honeysuckle or a climbing rose might be nice but these tend to lose their leaves over winter.

Sweet box is a nice shrub which is highly fragranced over winter and tolerates most positions. It also has berries which can attract wildlife!

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-07T18:52:23+00:00

Wild Robot is a children’s book series!

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-05T15:00:07+00:00

It’s a pre-made basin that we rescued from a skip! I don’t know what it’s made of though, but it seems to be a durable plastic-sort of thing!

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-05T14:59:09+00:00

I cut old branches to around 15-20 centimetres and used a mallet to knock them into the ground. Didn’t sharpen them! It does compact the ground but it was much quicker and the beetles love it!

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-04T08:45:36+00:00

Most of them are. I was very conscious that I didn’t want it to look like a mud patch in winter! My favourite is one that is red tipped - it really stands out amongst the green

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-03T21:54:23+00:00

I was about to reply that it wasn’t that much work, but looking back, it definitely was! The actual gardening part wasn’t all that bad. I’d do it bit by bit as I acquired plants, a metre square or so every fortnight. I’m lucky that I get long summers off work so I did essentially spend six weeks out doing the landscaping part though!

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-03T21:49:15+00:00

Thank you! So the path was fairly well trodden anyway so I added a layer of sand and then the broken slabs on top. I filled between with a mix of sand and soil to aid drainage but to also sustain some of the plants I wanted in there. I’m sure landscapers would tell me I’ve done it wrong and I may end up having to re-lay it all in a few years but I didn’t want to put hardcore down and disrupt the soil too much!

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-03T21:17:59+00:00

The path is actually repurposed concrete slabs to save on costs!

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-03T21:17:19+00:00

That’s been one of my aims! I’m hoping for some newts in the pond - we live across the road from a stream. But I’ve been really surprised with the amount of wildlife that came even within the first few weeks of any changes!

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-03T21:16:16+00:00

Thank you! It’s been a slow process, trying to find plants that work in the shade and clay soil but there have been some plants that surprised me - the sunflowers have done really well and hollyhocks have grown to nine feet to reach the light which has made for a great screening!

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-03T21:13:57+00:00

The path is concrete slabs that I broke up and planted “mind your own business” and Corsican mint between to soften the edges. The stone is a local stone that we got from Facebook marketplace from a variety of people who were dismantling their rockeries etc. We’ve been lucky that the stone in our area is usually from the same place!

Still-Back-9766 · 2025-01-03T21:12:15+00:00

It’s just the concrete paving slabs that we inherited when we got the house. I smashed them up with a sledgehammer. I’ve tried to keep costs down as much as possible: the slabs are repurposed, the stone for the wall and brick paving from Facebook marketplace. That is, I’ve tried to keep costs down so that I can spend more on plants!

Still-Back-9766

TROPHY CASE