A week in the life of my hamsters - February

[Member ID2]

Thank you gardeners!
The hamsters are not inside the pots. They are in the ground under the slabs and pots. The pots are to keep cats and foxes away.

I have lavender somewhere in the garden if its still alive. See what pops up this year.
I didn't know that i had to trim the heather back but will do that from now on.
I think that shrubs are too big but will look into the ones suggested.

Last year i tried to grow what the hamsters ate. I planted a few carrots that disappeared but they didn't like them anyway. Courgette and cucumber. I think snails ate the flowers so they were a non starter.
I'm a bit unreliable when it comes to watering

 

[Member ID2]

My OH planted 50 crocus bulbs in the grass one year when he was a lot younger. He even bought one of those planting tools.

Not one crocus appeared! I think he did plant them correctly.

I tried begonia bulbs or the other ones one year in a hanging basket but nothing happened. His dad, who is a keen gardener had a look, came back in and said "you silly cow, you planted them upsidedown".

Gone off bulbs.

 

[Maz]

In that case I'd probably grow herbs in them Rosemary is lovely and has nice blue flowers a few times a year. You could have some thymes and bulbs in another pot and some parsley and bulbs in another pot. I give flat leafed parsley occasionally instead of veg to our hams.

 

[Maz]

You can't go wrong with daffodils! They always grow Also bluebells would be lovely. They never fail. We have some in the front garden - plant a few and they spread in the soil and you get more each year. They tend to flower in May and last quite a long time. I love cutting some to have in the house. When they die off you could just stick some wildflower seeds in there and a bit of mulch and have flowers.

If you like herbs for cooking, rosemary, sage and thymes are the main ones. A sage plant is also really lovely in a pot. They have nice leaves and gorgeous blue flowers all summer that attract bees. It's not evergreen so you'd need bulbs as well.

I mainly have bulbs and shrubs in our garden as they're very easy and need very little work - and they just survive everything.

 

[Member ID2]

Herbs is a good idea!
Herbs and heather. Sorted. Thank you!

 

[Maz]

If it was me I'd have rosemary in one pot, Sage and a few snowdrops in another pot. A couple of thymes, chives and some bulbs in another pot. Chives flower at least twice a year and have lovely purple flowers. Both rosemary and sage have lovely blue flowers and both are popular with bees.

These are the chives from our garden. You just can't kill them! They grow year after year. I bought a chive plant rather than trying to grow it from seed.

Another thing I bought plants of was cowslips. They also spread each year (slowly). I love cowslips as they remind me of my childhood from grass verges and they're an endagered species now. They flower about the same time as the bluebells - maybe a bit later - May/June.

The chives cheer me up just seeing them when the flowers appear. And they flower more than once.

 

[Member ID2]

I'm not keen on daffodils, tulips, pansies or anything like that.
I like spikey or grassy plants.
I'm going to get another couple of heathers and herb plants. Thyme, rosemary and sage.

The garden is a bit wild, organic and attracts a lot of wildlife. Bumble bees are my favourite. They are beautiful.

 

[Maz]

And chives?! Spiky grass! Sage and Rosemary are quite slow growing unless you get a decent sized plant to start with. Chives and Lavender just grow full size year after year. You could maybe add some strawberry plants too - I had some strawberries in a hanging basket last year - so I had my own supply. There weren't that many but they were nice for the hamsters.

 

[Member ID2]

I have cowslips growing as well.
I also have a few packets of forget me not seeds. Every time i have to have a hamster pts the vets send me a handwritten sympathy card with the hamster's name and a small packet of forget me not seeds.

I suppose i'm more into wildflowers. My alltime favourite flower is the wild cornflower. Reminds me of my childhood.
In those days we were allowed to run free and play in the woods and fields. No phones or laptops in those days.

That's a lovely photo of the bumblebee on the chives flower.

 

[Member ID2]

Chives, yes. I had chives but where did it go. Good idea.

 

[Maz]

By the way - I like the other things in your pot area. A statue - what is it? Looks like old Father Time! And a bowl with turquoise in?

 

[Maz]

Cornflowers would be good - edible for hamsters too I also grow wild marigolds. Not the little bedding plants you see (those are French Marigolds) but the traditional English ones (calendula) which are edible for hamsters (and humans). They are quite long and leggy though - a lot of wildflowers are. I am no good at growing vegetables, but I had a go during the pandemic and had a small vegetable bed with some carrots and beetroot. And managed to get quite a few carrots. Anyway to get to the point - the marigolds were planted in with the vegetables as they deter the pests that can attack carrots - it worked very well.

So English Marigold (calendula) you just plant from seeds and they grow the same year. I think they come back the next year as well. Some of mine did. But don't get French marigolds by mistake - they arent' edible.

Old English Marigold Seed

In the 1940s and 50s these were very popular cut flowers but are hardly seen these days. A mix of three distinct beautiful varieties. Hardy annuals.

www.victoriananursery.co.uk

 

[Member ID2]

Oh, forgot to answer that.
That's Hercules but can't remember where he came from.
I like masonry and love gargoyles. The uglier the better and have a few of those around the garden. The statue lying down is a Pixie.
The hanging things are chandeliers from boot sales and colourful things in the stone frog bowl are glass marbles. I love marbles and bought 500 off ebay once. Postie wasn't impressed.

 

[Member ID2]

I heard that marigolds deter pests but didn't work so i must have bought the wrong ones.

 

[Maz]

I get all my herb seeds from that nursery, they have a lot of old fashioned wildlflowers and herbs. But you can buy them anywhere. Hyssop and borage are also wildflower herbs. Borage flowers are edible for hamsters too. I'm not sure about hyssop so wouldn't risk it, but hyssop infusion (tea) is extremely good for shifting coughs.

 

[Maz]

I got a packet of these seeds last year but haven't planted them yet It's a wildflower mix that contains all the old fashioned ones including cornflowers, english marigolds and blue flax. Not much maintenance needed. I always wanted a cottage garden with no grass - just all wildflowers and a path up the middle. But haven't had the time to do such a thing!

Molly's Cottage Garden Flower Seed Mixture

A stunning selection of flowers that will not only look stunning but will attract wildlife too. So easy to grow and well worth it.

www.victoriananursery.co.uk

 

[Maz]

Or they have this wildflower mix for attracting bees, which has cornflowers and borage in it.

Milly's Honey Bee Flower Seed Mixture

Especially blended for nectar production and pretty flowers! It will encourage all those pollinating insects into your garden and look amazing.

www.victoriananursery.co.uk

 

[Member ID2]

I'll have a look at this nursery. There is one here in Wiltshire that specializes in traditional plants. I'm trying to remember the name of it....

 

[Member ID2]

Just look at how messy Bernard's wheel is after only two nights running! Finley's is nearly as bad so Bernard must be winning their races.
I only wipe them with a damp clothes and warm water. They can keep their smelly scents, the little stinkers.

ps don't show Orko

 

[RainbowBrite]

Poor you having to clean their wheels so much.