OneGuyFromBarlick

Do you know I thought we had a gardening forum but couldn't find it. Stanley, yesterday I cut my lads love back, in Brittany. It was nearly a metre high and it's stems were thicker than my thumb. It also had a rooted side shoot which I have transplanted in the herb patch in the field. It's brother in Rochdale on the other hand was a fraction of the size. Perhaps it's the red wine!!!

Sue wrote:Do you know I thought we had a gardening forum but couldn't find it.

We had one on the old site Sue but it had been overlooked on here. I have created one in "Other Hobbies" and moved your thread into it.

Here it is. It's just called Gardening and is in the General miscellaneous chat & gossip forum.

I hope you aren't watering your garden in France with red wine Sue.

I will move that thread into the new subforum as well so that it keeps the subject matter together. We have a lot of threads that have all been created in the general chat forum which should have their own forums. The gardening sub forum will allow different threads for different aspects of the subject.

I thought this was going to be a racy topic!!!! ( Lads love)

Thanks all. Moh, I call it southern wood, certainly ladslove leaves a bit to the imagination. no Wendy, perhaps the ladslove grows where I spilt red wine!

Glad son of Ladslove is thriving Sue. Mine is fine, a sturdy bush about 3ft high and all last season's growth because I cut it back down to the first two buds every spring. It seems to thrive on it!

I prune back in the Spring at home Stanley, but here it is now, as by the time we return in early March growth will be well away and pruning the old wood is difficult then as it has new shoots all over it. It worked well last year. It's about 10 centigrade here, warmer than our Spring. The end of December will be cold and January has the potential to be very cold depending on the wind but in February plants start to shoot and by March Spring is well underway

I think I'd prune it now Sue and before leaving it for the winter, give it some frost protection to safeguard any new shoots you trigger. Problem is that if they get too big they are vulnerable to wind damage.

What is it used for?

Well it used to be used as er to clear the gut, if you get my meaning. One it is just used as an aromatic herb. It is nice in pot pouring and in flower arranging. It is lovely in a herb patch. because of the aroma, especially when you walk past it. Mainly it is a ver pretty frondy plant. It is a member of the artemisia species. One of which is now used as a treatment for Malaria...but not this one.

It was very common to find one next to a cottage door and I often wondered whether people used to rub a frond between their hands just for the pleasure of carrying the scent round with them. That's certainly what I do. Could be a mild disinfectant as well?

I am not sure about the disinfectant bit Stanley. I don't think it possesses any active antibacterial ingredients

It certainly smells clean Sue. Hangs about for a long time as well.

Does it have small white flowers?

No flowers at all.

Ladslove or southern wood

Ah! It isn't what I thought it was.

Thanks Margaret. That is useful. I may try hanging some in the kitchen in France to try and keep insects away. I have used it in pot pourri. I tried doing it in the microwave. The microwave smelt for days afterwards

Welcome to the site Margaret.

Elder leaves are supposed to repel flies. Country folk used to grow an elder tree next to the outdoor privy for that reason (although it probably also provided flowers and berries for wine-making!).

It would be well nourished there....
Holly trees were planted near the house to attract lightning. Modern research has shown that there is a modicum of truth in this, due to the sharp points on the leaves. Look up static electricity, action of points.....