Button Bonanza and Bunnies

Here we are on the last day of February. 11 of those days have been spent indoors due to the weather.

This is unusual.

So lots of clearing out going on round here.

One of my tasks this week was the button box .... in a bit of a mess. Now my button box is unlike my Mum`s or my Gran`s.

Mum had an old round sweet tin and Gran actually did have a box. I loved rummaging in them, sorting by colour, size etc.

My button box is a large plastic storage box, containing even more boxes. Each box is a colour.

And yes I do have a lot of buttons.

Over a year they do get a bit muddled.

I really enjoyed myself.

As I did it, I had a LOT of crafty ideas which included cards, crochet flowers with a button centre, bracelets, earrings etc.

I even tried some out.

 Later I made a lot more.

 This afternoon I made some cards .

They are in sequence.

(The baby bunnies tails need to be improved.)

 

My other latest bunnies are made from the fabric samples I was given.

They will be suitable for babies.

 

Let`s hope there is a decent break in the weather in March.

 

 

 

Mabel`s Makeover

Many years ago I used to visit a delightful nursery called Rats Castle, just outside Battle. I was often on my way to see my sister Lee who lived in Netherfield.

At the back of their huge polytunnel, a jasmine grew. On warm days, when in flower, the jasmine filled the air with exquisite perfume.

My idea was to replicate this experience in our own polytunnel.

A couple of years ago, with this in mind, I planted a jasmine there, with high hopes.

But all we got was incredible growth (with no flowers) above and below ground with twining shoots twisting round chairs and tables,  ..... until it became a nuisance.

Today it came out.

This left the side of the polytunnel clear.

Paula and I replaced the chipped bark.

 

In the meantime Steve continued with the last bit of fencing.

He also screwed on Mabel`s new head.

Paula and I struggled to dress her but of course it was so much easier with articulated arms.

Here she is in all her glory.

She won`t be venturing out for a while.

 

The new birdboxes are ready to go up at a later date.

 

Exciting purchases today in the local Aldi ....

gladioli, crocosmia and iris ....

all £1.49 a packet.

Excellent value.

 

And here is the next one who needs a pretty desperate make-over.

 

 

 

 

 

Red Roses and Toasty Tunnels

We may have had some pretty bad weather lately, 

with Storm Ciara and cold winds. But today more than made up for it. What a glorious sunny day.

There was still a chilly wind but I was soon sweating due to 5 round barrow trips for chipped bark, which is in the furthest farm yard.

After a tea-break, I lifted the carpet in the polytunnel to reveal the tunnels beneath. 

 Luckily we haven`t fallen down the holes because the carpet is spread over the top.

I chopped the soil level, relaid the carpet and spread new chipped bark. It looks very smart.

Of course it was toasty in the polytunnel, so my other job was there too. One of the scarecrows is having a make-over, or perhaps I should say ..... reincarnation.

The clothes are sorted and the materials for the head are spread out on the floor ready to start tonight.

I will post a blog entry on how I do it, at a later date.

 

Some signs of spring.

Tiny buds of forgetmenots

and helleborus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the meantime Steve was busy putting in two posts to complete the long fence.

At home we had a good rest in the garden room before embarking on our job list.

Steve completed our new greenhouse which is very exciting.

 

At the end of the day, my Valentine present arrived .... a bit early .... but nothing stays secret in this house for long.

I am very happy.

Happy Valentine`s Day everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

Dahlias: What`s Not to Love

Well it might seem odd to think about dahlias now but in February we sometimes need to look ahead, not just for the biggest choice but because we need cheering up in the gloom of February.

(Having said that, today was glorious and primroses and celandines are blooming in the lane.)

Now is the time to find the best range of dahlia tubers for sale, in the garden centres. Pick the fattest, healthiest ones and don`t be afraid to take all the packets off the hooks til you find them. At home you need to open the packets and keep them frost-free.

Not all the following pictures will have names but I will do my best .... I always keep the packaging. But I may get some wrong.

Twynings Smartie and Darkarin

 

All from seed and they produced good tubers.

Unknown.

 

 

Here is my dahlia bed at home in October last year, with a healthy smattering of Michaelmus daisies.

And here is a trug full of dahlias from Freshwinds Garden.

Notwithstanding the dozens and dozens of dahlia tubers currently over-wintering in the greenhouses, I am not averse to the call of new ones to try.

 And no doubt a few more will be added before planting time.

 

Easy to grow and they look fabulous.

With warmer winters we may be able to leave them in the ground soon, instead of lifting them each year. 

 

Why not try some this year.

 

Granny`s Plastic Flowers

As the first yellow daffodils appear, both in the garden and around our village, I have got myself into the spring mood by making some daffodil fairies.

A couple of weeks ago I was in Dunelm, a local furnishing retailer, when I spotted some artificial flowers.

They remind me of my Granny.

Years ago, one of the washing powder companies gave away free plastic flowers and my Gran had a vase of them in her front room.

These days they are a lot more realistic.

I spotted some daffodils. They were £3.50.

They are not entirely made of plastic any longer.

At home I gathered all the materials I needed.

I pulled the daffodil heads off and proceeded to make the fairies using pipe cleaners, wool, net  and wooden beads.

 

Now they are hanging in the front window.

A little promise, for the Spring just around the corner.