Garden 2015, no 1

Garden 2015 no 1

It’s a year since I posted here. I thought I’d finished with this blog, but it seems not, I’ve changed my mind and decided to reopen it. Looking at the last blog I posted, which was in March 2014, I notice the pink blossom of the wild currant bushes were all in full bloom. This year there has been almoat no pink blossom from the wild currant bushes, I’ve no idea why, they simply hasn’t bloomed this year. Last year was one of the best displays of wild currant blossom I’ve ever had and this year, nothing.

Last year I wrote Mr Frog was all alone with no Mrs Frog. That didn’t change, last year, no courting, croaking frogs with billowing chests, no frogspawn and no tadpoles. This year at the height of the courting, croaking, froggy season, I counted at least eight single froggies all paired off into four couples. On the day after the eclipse my small pond was full of frogspawn. State of the pond now is; it’s still full of frogspawn but the spawn is full of tiny, mini, wriggling tadpoles to be, all busy munching their way through the nourishing jelly and on to freedom in the pond.

The other major difference from then to now is the lack of veggi garden. Last year I kept my word and cultivated, raked, levelled and seeded the veggi garden and what was left of the lawn. This year the whole area is back to lawn, it’s looking good and has already had its first haircut. The hedge that borders my garden has grown, last year they were little more than saplings, this year they form a hedge. This year, the hedge which is made entirely from native hedgerow species has hawthorn blossom and tiny furry willow buds in it

I’ve had help in the garden this year, my 13 year old grandson has started coming over to stay once a month, so far he’s helped me clear out both sheds, given a first coat of paint to all the blue fences, cut the grass and strimmed the edges. Next time he said he’s going to make a start on the white paintwork. I’m grateful for his help, much as I love my blue fences painting all of them every year was becoming a bit of a chore.

All of these photos have been taken during late March and early April. There are almost 40 photos here; they show how well my little garden is blooming already this year. The snowdrops have come and gone, the daffs are in full bloom, the forget-me-nots (my favourites) are just starting,  I’ve seen a couple of little blue Anemone in pots (I don’t even remember planting those), the tulips are about to flower and the bluebells are all up ready to bloom in a couple of weeks. I particularly like the dog wood at this time of year, the new red wood is at its best against the freshly painted blue fence. The Buddleia is looking good, I cut it back at the end of last year and now it looks as if it’s ready to take off again. All the books say to cut Buddleia back in the spring, and I usually do, but for some reason I forgot that last year and cut it back in the autumn. I was worried that I would lose it but so far, I’m pleased to say, it’s looking strong and healthy.

I’ve tidied up most of the pots. Some are empty, what ever was there last year obviously didn’t survive the frost, but lots of the herbs are growing well already and my gooseberry bushes are looking really good. I’ve thinned out the strawberries, thrown out what looked too old and kept the new runners. The cherry tree has so many little buds I have great hopes for it this year, nice it begins to blossom it will look lovely.

I have so much in this tiny garden people sometimes forget how small it is, so to get a little perspective, the last photo was taken from across the road. 

From here you can se that my house is an ordinary little house, in an ordinary street, and the corner garden that is mine is really quite small.

So….. that’s my first garden blog of the year, this year I do intend to continue adding updates and photos on my little garden.

 

Garden 2014 no 2

Garden 2014 no 2

My garden is changing this year, I’ve decided on my priorities, and much as I love my blue fenced garden, I need to prioritise painting time above gardening time.
So far this year I’ve done virtually nothing. I’ve pruned a couple of flowering shrubs, tied some bits back into place, had a general tidy up and cleared away the rubbish. Now I’ve run out of time to do anything else because; it’s almost time for the annual trip to France. In a couple of days I leave for a month in France and when I get back, I’ll have week or two organising my garden.


I went out there this afternoon to take a few photos and do a bit of tidying up before I leave. Some of the spring flowers are in bloom, I have periwinkle, daffodils, wild currant blossom, and rosemary all in bloom. The fruit trees are in bud and even the little yellow pond flowers are in full bloom. I can’t remember the name of those little pond plants but what ever it is, the frog seems to like it. He has returned for about the third year in a row, So far he hasn’t honoured me with any frogspawn this year but I remain hopeful. I have had frogspawn in the pond in previous years but this time I don’t think Mrs Frog accompanied Mr Frog, looks like he’s going solo this year, maybe she’s just been delayed and will turn up soon
.

The snow drops are all gone now, I had loads this year and they did last quite a while, but now the warmer weather has arrived, they’ve all died off.   I think I’m going to miss the tulips and the start of the bluebells this year, I can see loads of foliage and tulip buds, but I think by the time they flower, I’ll be away.

This year my garden is  destined to become a less time demanding, less labour intensive place and a more,  ‘sit and chill and watch the world go by in-between painting sessions’ sort of place. The veggie plot and its grass verge is all getting rotavated, raked, seeded and turned back to grass. The veggi containers will be emptied and stored, the herb pots are going to get a serious talking too and those that have become too overgrown with grasses and weeds may have to be sacrificed. I think I’ll be fence painting again as well, I painted most of my fences last autumn but we have had so much rain, they all need doing again. I think the excess rain over the winter added about three normal years worth of wear and tear to the paint work out there.

So, this is the view of my rather neglected garden that I’ll see as I drive away, but as soon as I get back, it will be gardening in earnest time.

Garden 2012, no 17

Garden 20112 no 17

So here I am, now 17 days post surgery and at last beginning to feel more like my normal self. So much like my normal self that I’m getting very agitated about the state of my garden. I may be feeling better, but heavy gardening is out of the question. I spent about an hour and a half out there today, the weather was lovely and it felt so good to be back outside.

The first thing I did was check the pond. Its now covered in duck weed but that’s ok, the water underneath is crystal clear, I think the duck weed actually helps clean the water, it puts long thread like roots down into the water and seems to suck up all the impurities.

And to my utter delight, I found a tiny baby frog; it’s so young it still has its baby tadpole tail attached.

I’m worried about the state of the weeds. I’ve kept on top of it all year and now the combination of a couple of weeks neglect and excess rainfall has resulted in weed heaven. I’m afraid by the time I’m fit enough to weed the garden the weeds will have sent down those long roots that are impossible to get rid of. My tub of nasturtiums is completely overrun with weeds and grass. I think the only thing I can do with that tub is too empty it out, remove the weeds, feed the compost and get ready to start again next year. I’m waiting a little while before emptying it out because its producing a lot of seed ready for next year.

The grass was so long you could lose things in it; I did manage to cut the grass because I only have a little strip around the veg plot. It was long and wet and took forever to cut, but I managed. It needs another cut and the edges need doing but it looks better than it did.

I also cut all the dead flowers off the buddleia, that tree is only about 3 or 4 years old and its taking over all ready. If it gets any taller I won’t be able to reach to cut it so I guess next year it will have to be cut right back.

I found myself getting tired in the garden, and I came indoors to make the yoghurt. 

Todays harvest was Lettuce, spinach, beetroot, spring onions, a few nasturtium leaves and a little chocolate mint. The chocolate mint was cut right back before I went into hospital and already it’s covered in new growth.