May Bank Holiday

Recovered from illness so back outside. On the Saturday we had a family expedition to a local Garden Centre where I spent some of my garden vouchers. I bought Salvia turkistanica, Achillea 'Cerise Queen', Hyssop, Runner bean and climbing bean plants, Rock Rose, white Campanula, and an Anemone. Also quite a lot of compost and a magazine.

When we returned home, I cleared the stone pots that had been left by the previous owner, and planted the Hart's Tongue Ferns in them. They are now outside the back door where it is fairly shady. We moved the trough so that it was at the edge of the patio near the large border and planted the three alpine plants in it. Should look pretty there. The hyssop was planted in the herb bed, and the rest are waiting for a home. I may split and repot the Achillea.

On Sunday a friend came round and we attacked the second vegetable plot, clearing it of weeds and sinking the boards in around the edge. We were unable to screw them together as the wood was hard and our tools weren't up to it! However, they are in and supported by the soil. Looks good! I will wait a week before planting anything to give the bindweed and willowherb a chance to show itself. I did discover that what I assumed were daffodils were actually leeks so these were gently split and replanted in a row rather than a clump. I guess they must have self seeded.

We also attacked the border by the path and dug all the weeds out. I lifted out a particularly grassy bit and used it to replace some turf on the edge of the lawn. Bit of a bodge job and I could feel my old horticultural lecturers staring over my shoulders and shaking their heads in disappointment. Again, I will leave this for a week or so before starting to plant to allow the soil to settle and the weeds to come up.

We finished the day with a big roast dinner followed by a fire in the chimenea that the previous owners left behind. It works well!

On Monday I pricked out and potted up lots of seedlings - I would be better to use flat seed trays rather than modules next year I think. I also split the Achillea into three plants. Earlier in the day we paid a visit to my Mother and retrieved a tin bath that I planted up some years ago with Sedum spectabile as well as some Sempervivum. The Sedum is thriving but the Sempervivum isn't. The former will be planted into the borders at some point for some late summer colour. We also popped into another local nursery and bought some sweetcorn seedlings and a small carving of a Green Man face, as well as scrounging some module trays. Always worth asking!

Slow worm