Spring

I haven't really done much outside lately. Repotting a few things and planted some stuff along the new fence. I'm waiting now for the weather to get to the point where the frost is not a threat and then I can plant out tropicals. Thought I would post a few pics of how things are looking at the moment.

New fence

Our new fence was put up yesterday and the improvement is 100%! It really makes the garden look nicer and will last a long time. Now I can get the things in down that side that have been waiting in their pots. So I will be busy again for a few days. I got my tropicals repotted and moved into the greenhouse where they will stay until I can be sure there won't be any frost. My grape hyacinths have been blooming for about a week and some of my tulips are starting to open. My magnolia is also on the verge of blooming. I decided to shift things around on the patio as well and have turned the bench toward the pond instead of the house. It will also look out over the tropical area when that gets planted out. Some of the seeds I planted are sprouting in the greenhouse so checking those every day to see what's popped up. It's just ALL growing now!!

Ponds and seeds

Well, I have slowed down a little bit since I did down the side if the driveway. Last Sunday I got my largest water garden planted. I had all the plants stored over winter in the bottom of the pond just in some pots of gravel. They seemed to overwinter ok and it saved some space so I guess that's the way to go. I need a few more plants for the other pots now. I'd like a miniature cattail and something that flowers so I need to do some research. I have my papyrus but can't put it out until the risk of frost is gone. The large one has a water iris, a mini water lily, and water forget-me-not. I'm thinking 2 plants in the medium one and 1 in the small. Most of my seeds have gone in now as well. I did the veg and herbs on Monday and the flowering and exotic ones today. I still have a few bits to go in but again I have nearly used all my compost! That's over 600 ltrs so far and it's still early!! I'll have to keep track of what I've planted and how it does. We are getting the fence done on the 22nd so I won't do anything on that side until that's finished. I'm glad it's finally going in as I've got quite a few bits that have been waiting to be planted. I hate when you can't do something because you have to wait on something else. Frustration!

Down the driveway

Another nice day outside and more work done. I finally got around to planting all the things I got for my driveway bed. 30 plants of varying sizes. I dug in some compost, sand, and some fish, blood, and bone into the planting holes to loosen up the heavy soil and give them a good start. I planted ferns, foxgloves, lupins, clematis, a mock orange, a Christmas box, a rose, and a few other bits. There's still a section near the garage that needs some plants so I'll have a look around and see what I have that needs a home. I also planted a jasmine which needs something to climb up. So there's still some tweaking to do but at least the plants are in. I still have quite a few other plants around the garden that need to go in. I've been waiting on those part

ly because we need a new fence but it's looking like I'm going to have to get the plants in and when they come and do the fence I hope they have enough sense not to trample on everything and wreck it!! Now that that's done I can get some seeds started in the greenhouse.

Strawberries

Well, today is wet, windy, and cold so not much will be going on outside! Yesterday was lovely and sunny out with quite a sharp breeze but the sun sure felt good!! The mailman caught me sitting at my table in the sun trying to wake up but he had the strawberry plants I ordered from e-bay!£9 for 15 bare root plants, 3 different varieties, early mid and late season. I put them in 3 large pots and covered with a layer of grit to hopefully prevent the vine weevil from getting in them and destroying them like they did the last time! Plus it will keep them looking more tidy and keep the mud off the fruit.

I am thinking of getting 10 more plants of an everbearing variety to stretch things out somewhat. Then I will have 4 types and can decide which ones are the best for production and taste. The other project I had a go at was getting the rest of the gravel up from the bed beside the garage. Chris had used most of it already for the concrete repair so there wasn't as much for me to move. I just dumped what there was down between the 2 greenhouses. I used up the bag of peat free compost to supplement the soil and now need some sand to try and lighten up the really heavy clay that we have. I will try and do that in sections and plant as I go. Once I get that done I will be fairly happy. Now I need to get some of these seeds started!

The good part

Oh it's nice to finally be able to see what all my hard work has been for! Knowing that the weather was going to go down hill a bit on Sunday I managed to get most of the patio and Mediterranean sections sorted. I am pleased with it for the time being. The backbone is in anyway. Hubby helped out by pressure washing the driveway off so that saves me a big job and some time. Part of my order came from Crocus came that morning too!! 2 clematis, a Christmas box, and a mock orange. Most of them have spaces where I want them but I'm good at changing my mind! Now I need to get the driveway bed prepared and sow some seeds!! Just have NOT had the time until now.

More tidying

Another hard day of work outside. Today I sorted down the side of the garage, which is going to be my Mediterranean section. I moved my red Japanese maple up by the patio doors, root pruned and repotted my bay tree and rosemary, and divided my feather reed grass. I shifted most of the plants as well as my bench and table. Now its just a matter of getting it all arranged so it looks right. I am sure glad I only have to do this job one time a year! It's hard work but satisfying.

Clean and tidy

We finally got the patio repaired on Sunday. Not a bad job for two people who have never laid any concrete! So yesterday I tackled the yearly job of pressure washing the whole thing. It was worse this year with the mess and everything all disorganized. The pressure washer wasn't working properly either, normally I use a sprayer/scrubber attachment but for some reason it wasn't rotating. So I had to do it a bit at a time with just the sprayer. It takes about 3 times as long that way...... I re potted some plants as I went along, things that were too heavy to move very far. Now comes the even bigger task of trying to figure out where things are going to go this year!! I have a basic idea of what I want to do but it's going to take some thought and a lot of shifting things until it looks right. I think it will be safe now to get my water gardens out and planted up too. There sure is a lot to do!!

First t-shirt day!

Today was the nicest day of the year so far, quite warm and the sun came out in the afternoon. I got quite a bit done today and am pleased with my efforts. The black and white garden is looking better, just need a few more plants and some bark mulch. I pruned roses, potted some lily bulbs, moved my rice paper plant ( hopefully it survives! ), divided a grass, planted a fern and 2 hostas, cleaned the bird bath, planted some iris, and started getting my west border ready to plant up. I've been through 140 ltrs of compost already!! At this rate the 280 ltrs I bought on Monday is only going to last a week!! There is so much to do!! We could use a month of beautiful days like today.

Getting started

Today was my first " real " day in the garden this year. It's been too cold, too windy, and too wet until today to do much. I started revamping my black and white garden today since things are starting to wake up it couldn't wait. I moved a Japanese maple and a black elder from some tubs and put them in the ground, which was quite a heavy job. I also moved a fern and a white bleeding heart to hopefully show them off a bit better, and planted some lupins and foxglove, both white. Some raking, general tidying, removing dead bits here and there,

and put some wildlife friendly slug pellets down around some things to keep them from getting munched. I still have more to do. I want to lift my eyeliner lily bulbs and move them and shift a couple more plants around. I may have to pot the lilies up until I can figure out where to put them. I also found a red lily beetle just laying in wait for them to come up. Consequently he got SQUASHED! The battle has begun!!

Newest project

While I'm waiting to get my patio back I've decided to start on my driveway bed. It's very long and narrow and doesn't get much sun. It runs north to south but with the houses in the way it's quite shadowed and the wind funnels down through it like a canyon. I'm going to plant it in different shades of pink, purple, blue and white with plenty of scented plants to waft through the air. There is already an old hydrangea with white flowers tinged with blue and pink and a berberis which wants a bit of cutting back. Also a fern which I transplanted a couple of years ago. I bought 4 more ferns of different types and 16 small plants such as lupins and foxgloves and am looking at getting a few more manageable shrubs and some clematis to fill it in. The end where the rubble is gets the most sun so I have a rose going in there in front of the fence panel. I will take the gravel up as well since it would cost too much to do the whole thing. Fingers crossed it will look really nice all year once it gets established.

Early February

Haven't done much outside for a while. Between looking for a water leak, the snow, and the freezing weather it's not really been possible. The water leak has now been sorted and it's just a matter of laying some concrete back down and getting it cleaned up.

I'm just REALLY glad this didn't happen AFTER I'd already gotten it all nice and cleaned up! These pics were taken on the 5th of Feb.

New Trees

Had a nice day out today at the garden center with Hubby. He bought us lunch and we picked up a couple of trees I had ordered. One is a silver birch and the other is an ornamental cherry called Little Pink Perfection. The birch will go in the front garden and the cherry in a pot on the patio. No pics yet as they are basically just a load of twigs. I also got 12 mixed color primroses. I got the trees for 1/2 price and in total spent 40 pounds. Pretty good bargain!

Early Iris

I have these iris growing in with one of my favorite hostas in a pot on the patio.This one opened up yesterday. None of the others around the garden are anywhere near blooming so it must be that they have been well sheltered where they have been. I love these little flowers, their colors are amazing and they are so delicate. I've got to remind myself to get more later this coming fall so I have masses of them blooming at the same time.

"Before"

Thought I should post some "before" pics. It's such a mess out there right now. Leaves, mud, weeds moss and gravel scattered all over. The pressure washer will be coming out when it gets warm enough and then I can start to get things nicely arranged for the season.

New Year in the Garden

It's a new year so I decided to keep track of my gardening progress online. That way I can look back and see how things develope over time. It's now mid January and frosty out so there isn't much going on although with the mild winter we have had the spring flowers are poking through. So it won't be long now before things get going.