I had a disaster this morning in trying to dig up a poorly rose in order to move into a pot for tender loving care. Dug around it with a spade, grabbed hold of the main stem to steady it and promptly snapped it right by the graft. Really upset at the time but ordered another bare root, which my lovely son has just said he'll pay for as my Xmas presie from him.
I spent most of yesterday in and out of the kitchen, doing a stint, resting etc. My back soon lets me know it has done enough. Finished making some marzipan fruits, jointed a leg of lamb, and had a roast lamb dinner last night. 8 portions for £6.00 from Tesco's special offer. The reward for my efforts in the day. No dog walk so I have promised Rob a longer walk today but it has started mizzling and looking very grey outside. Not very inviting. I am still enjoying the sporadic flowering of my sasanqua camellias. The flowers get so battered by the rain and wind, such a shame as they are lovely. The pale pink one is just coming into flower.
Hazel poles are finally all trimmed and ready for NDN to collect for runner bean supports / pea supports / cutting into kindling. Some of the poles are nearly 50mm diameter and over 4m long (even after trimming) and they're (mainly 😉) nice and straight so they make excellent sturdy supports. There's now a huge pile of shredding but that will get done 'sometime' next year.
On Tuesday I weeded and cut back the small border out front. Thought that would take about an hour tops - but it took all morning. The vinca major, self seeded brambles and bindweed have all gone absolutely crazy this year with it being such a wet summer (they are used to struggling in near desert conditions) and the vinca and brambles had put down root wherever they touched the ground. Absolutely loads of new plants to dig out properly instead of just cutting back the parent.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
I've sunk my two compost bins slightly into the soil at the end of the new garden. I've even started to fill one.
I came across a few surprises. The previous owner has left a box of driveway bricks, which will come in useful for weighing down the edges of the bins. Also, there are more trees (or large shrubs) than I'd recalled. Some have provided greenery decoration for indoors (holly, conifer, bay), and some may have to be removed entirely, as they are taking over.
Other shrubs I cannot identify - a challenge for Spring, or reliable parents. Some tools have been left in the shed, along with dozens of terracotta pots behind.
There are definitely three water butts - all already full. The previous owner has left a brief message to say that her subscription for the garden waste collection expires in April next year, so we can make use of this. How kind!!
The hedge at the end of the garden is actually a dozen or more conifers, plus several other trees of unknown types (unknown to me).
There really is more to this place than I thought. 😊😊😊
Posts
We shall see.
I am still enjoying the sporadic flowering of my sasanqua camellias. The flowers get so battered by the rain and wind, such a shame as they are lovely. The pale pink one is just coming into flower.
On Tuesday I weeded and cut back the small border out front. Thought that would take about an hour tops - but it took all morning. The vinca major, self seeded brambles and bindweed have all gone absolutely crazy this year with it being such a wet summer (they are used to struggling in near desert conditions) and the vinca and brambles had put down root wherever they touched the ground. Absolutely loads of new plants to dig out properly instead of just cutting back the parent.
I came across a few surprises. The previous owner has left a box of driveway bricks, which will come in useful for weighing down the edges of the bins.
Also, there are more trees (or large shrubs) than I'd recalled. Some have provided greenery decoration for indoors (holly, conifer, bay), and some may have to be removed entirely, as they are taking over.
Other shrubs I cannot identify - a challenge for Spring, or reliable parents. Some tools have been left in the shed, along with dozens of terracotta pots behind.
There are definitely three water butts - all already full. The previous owner has left a brief message to say that her subscription for the garden waste collection expires in April next year, so we can make use of this.
How kind!!
The hedge at the end of the garden is actually a dozen or more conifers, plus several other trees of unknown types (unknown to me).
There really is more to this place than I thought.
😊😊😊