Boxing Day mooch-about the Garden

So I took a leisurely mooch-about in the garden and decided not to attempt tidying the gravel area today after all .
       I noticed my Sempervivum pots were in need of weeding .

 I just cant believe how quickly these have become choked with moss , grass and weeds ,but it was a pleasant and therapeutic half an hour or so plucking it all out ...and I had a sweet little Robin serenading me too .

 These are some Sempervivum babies I am bringing on . I try to keep the different varieties all neatly labelled , but annoyingly some of my writing has worn off .
 I need to get another bag of horticultural grit to top dress them with .

 In the greenhouse I am delighted to see this Ornithogolum longebracteum  beginning to put up her tall flower spire  (commonly known as the Pregnant Onion ) also known as Albuca bracteata .

                 Last year I clumsily knocked it over and it snapped !

 I found some 8 hour candles to put into that turquoise lantern behind the Pregnant Onion  .

The greenhouse roof is leaking  , see that green mesh above the old washing  up bowl ? It has one of those car window shades with silver foil on top of it to help  keep the heat in the greenhouse ..but see it is bulging with rain water from the last big storm a few days ago . I poke it and the water crashes into the washing up bowl below ...which under controlled circumstances then it does not splash onto my plants ..well that's the idea anyway ..it's working so far ! I have no idea how to fix the greenhouse roof ..sigh .

My plants , mostly cacti and succulents..do not like cold water dripping on to them during the winter !

                          Anyway , the plants look happy enough today .
It has been very mild here again today ..blue sky and not even the slightest breeze . There were so many people out walking along the cliffs and on the beach this afternoon....including us walking the dog ...yes .. it has been such a lovely  day for everybody .

 I have a few other South African Lillies all doing very well at the moment too .

Some of them I have grown from seed that came from the British Cactus Society a few years ago .
The other plants nestled in there , are Epiphyllum cuttings ,which are beginning to look as if they have taken root and are getting away now with some nice new growth ...if it turns really cold I will throw newspaper sheets over them to keep them cosy and warm .

These Epiphyllum cuttings look o.k and have probably put down roots ,but have not begun to show any signs of fresh growth yet. I might bring these indoors .
       The North facing window at the top of the stairs is the best place in our cottage to kick start Epie cuttings at this time of the year and I love to watch the new shoots grow .
( I,m thinking to myself .....is there any space on the windowsill at the top of the stairs ? )

So then I spent another half an hour weeding out the Veg Trug ..we have onions and Lettuces in there at the moment and a cover waiting in the wings with which to cover it should it turn icy .
 I bring in a nice bundle of the tastiest of Kale to have with our dinner later .
               A quick sandwich and off to walk the dog again .

                                                  Cheerio for now !