March 27th - 30th 2019

Bad day at work so took it out on the garden when I got home. Hence the second veg patch has been cleared! It was full of Willowherb roots and bindweed, but it all came out easily. I am sure lots of roots snapped off so they will pop up again soon, but for now it looks lovely. I shall leave it fallow for a while to see what pops up, and to give the cats time to dig it over again.

After that I sat in the sunshine with my daughter, drinking tea and eating cookies. She suggested that she make the old woodshed at the back of the main shed into a mini retreat for herself, which seems like a good idea. She also suggested we make a wildlife haven out of old wood. I absolutely agreed! We spotted lots of bugs and beasties while weeding, including earthworms aplenty, centipedes, shield bugs, common snails, and a woodlouse nursery between two planks of wood. We then went to the original veg patch and sowed a row of Spring Onion 'White Lisbon' in between the broad beans. There are lots of dandelions in flower now, and the deadnettles are flowering too.

I'm SOOOO glad we have a garden now. It is the best place to be after a difficult day, allowing space to process events, and enabling one to get rid of anger and frustration by digging, clearing, pruning and creating. It is also nice to sit in the spring sunshine with a cuppa and giggle with friends and family. 

Veg Patch 2

March 30th
I had to get into the garden yesterday evening, as the sun was shining and I was full of energy. I grabbed a spade and fork and attacked the last big patch of sedge at the bottom of the garden next to the new vegetable bed. It took alot of effort, as this lot were stubborn, but they are now out and we can consider what to do with that end. Need to remove a few brambles too, but that shouldn't take long.

This morning I haven't gardened, but sat in the sunshine for a bit soaking up the early morning sun and listening to the birds singing, then hung out the laundry. Later we both popped out for a bit and my daughter spotted a Speckled Wood butterfly resting on the conifer, and I spotted a ladybird. Lots of small spiders scuttling around in the grass too. Gorgeous!

Ladybird

Speckled Wood butterfly

 

March 22nd 2019

This week I have mostly pottered about in the garden. I cut the grass again, so the 'lawn' is improving. Yesterday I weeded the vegetable patch and removed a lot of Willow herb roots; these are long and white and break fairly easily, so I will have to watch out for those. I then raked it over and replaced the netting (damn cats). Speaking of cats, I have had two face-offs with the big ginger one this week. I won.

Today we uncovered the veg patch and planted heritage broad beans, garlic and shallots. I know you probably shouldn't mix them, but they needed planting and I don't have much space yet. I got a length of wood from the shed to form drills with in the soil, so everything was in reasonably straight lines. My daughter then wrote the name of each item on a lollipop stick and we labelled the rows. Watered everything and then put the netting back. Can't wait to eat some homegrown food!

Afterwards I started clearing the next patch, which wasn't too difficult. Should finish it next week if the weather holds. I also potted up a Buddleia seedling and sowed some wildflower seeds in a pot that a friend had given me, and sowed some sunflower seeds in pots.

Vegetable patch after planting.

Vegetable patch 2 before clearing

Vegetable patch 2 half way through clearing.

March 16th & 17th 2019

On a dry evening earlier in the week I weeded the tiny stretch of border between the path and the patio and replanted it with golden oregano that I had I a window box. I also cleared around the base of the rotary washing line and planted a bit of oregano there. Should be lovely when it spreads.

On Saturday , during an hour with no rain, I weeded the other side of the shed to the back gate, removing ash seedlings, cherry suckers and sedges, and then trimmed back the privet near the gate so I could open and close it more easily. After that I did some sedge and bramble clearing near the potting bench and found more paving stones. There are paths everywhere in this tiny garden! At one point I looked up and there was a robin perched on the low fence; we stopped and stared at each other for a while. Lovely! He then hopped around and found some grubs to eat.

Afterwards, my daughter and I took twelve bags of garden rubbish to the tip. Very satisfying. The garden is beginning to look clearer and I have high hopes for its future.

 

On Sunday I pruned the Hydrangea; I probably got carried away and removed a lot of stems. There was quite a lot of dead wood in there too, which also got removed. It hailed soon afterwards. Perfect timing! Later in the day I cut back the brambles in that border and discovered a dead Azalea and a struggling Rhododendron, as well as some soapwort (Saponaria). This latter is one of my favourite plants.

Patio and path

Side of shed

Side of shed

Near potting bench

Near potting bench

Hydrangea before pruning

Hydrangea after pruning

March 9th and 10th 2019

March 9th
I haven't done much recently, but got out this afternoon. I decided to cut down the Cordylines as they were too large and are not my favourite plant. They will probably shoot up from the base again anyway, so I may keep a smaller one. I then bagged up all the rubbish that was in thin bags, into strong sacks so I could take them all to the dump tomorrow. The garden looks much clearer now!

When I popped out there this morning, I was surprised by the number of small black spiders scuttling around in the grass near the compost bin and vet patch. Absolutely fascinating! I love spiders! I met two cats too; a ginger one, which scuttled off, and a tabby which gave me a staring contest from the shed roof. I won... Keep off my garden kitty.

Jobs for this month include:

• Build a wooden edge for the vegetable patch.
• Sow veg seeds
• Plant shallots and garlic
• Continue removing sedges and brambles.
• Remove tree suckers near shed.

March 10th
My friend came round and we spent the afternoon taking ten bags of garden rubbish to the tip, as well as other rubbish found in the garden. We came back and cleared down the side of the shed beneath the shelter, ridding it of brambles, willowherb and ash seedlings, not to mention rotting bags of household rubbish left by the previous owner. Lovely. We found a pile of bamboo canes and an old woodshed housing sandbags.

My chum also sorted out the wood frame that I couldn't take apart - she took a lump hammer and a saw to it, so the space in front of the shed is also clear. I just need to sort the other side of the shed and we're done down there! I removed an ash sapling from the cordyline border too. I think we will need another dump run at the weekend!