Between the Storms

It has been a busy few weeks in the garden between the wind and the rain of February and early March, with the weeds, wildflowers, vegetables and garden plants beginning to grow rapidly. I took the plunge and cut the grass on a day when it seemed reasonably dry; the lawn looked awful for a few days but is now recovering. The clippings were mixed with shredded paper and put in the compost bin.

Borders are slowly being tidied; I have cleared a small patch near the fence and transplanted a Hemerocallis ("Day Lily") and an Iris to it from the vegetable patch where they had been overwintering. Another Iris has been potted up and popped in the mini-greenhouse as it hadn't sprouted. It has started now. The mixed border by the water butt has been cleared of pernicious Geranium seedlings, and everything remaining is flourishing, as is the Melissa officionalis ("Lemon Balm") by the compost heap. 

The Fuchsia 'Mrs Popple' that I bought in a sale last year has finally been planted in the flower border near the patio and is now sprouted. The Rudbeckia plants that were in the vegetable plot have been potted up until I have somewhere better to put them. On the opposite side of the patio I have planted, eventually, an Alchemilla that my Mum gave me last year, whcih seems to be taking, after months spent bare-rooted in a plastic bag in the lean to. I have put vine eyes and wire along the fence to support a thornless bramble I found there, which I hope that will produce lots of blackberries.

One vegetable patch has been cleared of overwintering perennials and weeds, with a daisy transplanted into the lawn! The garlic and elephant garlic planted on the Solstice is going strong. Seeds have been sown, including Broad Beans, Sugarsnap Peas, Kale, Cauliflower, Spring Cabbage, Swiss Chard, Sunflowers, Sweetcorn, Echinacea, and ornamental Alliums. Many of these are now sprouting.

Finally, green paint has been purchased and I have started painting the shed - the wood is rather dry and sucks the paint straight up!