Dinosaurs in the Orchard

May is marching on relentlessly and the planting out also seems to be relentless. I have been very good at just taking only what we can manage, to the garden. And none more so than the dahlia tubers. In fact today I got the last ones in that I have allocated so that was very satisfying.

It was sunny and warm but I ruined my orange Toms as I forgot to change into my rubber clogs. The ground was very wet after yesterday`s rain. Debating whether to put them in the washing machine. 

Today it was nicotiania, lavatera, ipomea and cerinthe.

We found the lettuce eaten by rabbits .... due to a hole in the rabbit wire and they had also found a way in to the 6 sunflowers in another bed. It is quite disheartening.

But it is best forgotten and we strive on to seal up holes with bricks.

This bed is doing well.

I cannot believe how long it has taken to clear these beds of overgrown perenniels with matted roots. Steve has been breaking it up with a spade to help me out. I did the very last bit today. Now I shall have to start back at the beginning again. 
 

In my last entry, I was worried about putting the sweetpeas in too early but they are fine and I have tied them up for the first time and fed them with a comfrey mix.

The guinea pigs need to watch out because the dinosaurs are loose in their run.

The veg beds are starting to look good. 

 

Pinks and purples seem to be the order of the day.

 

 

And I had to rescue a drowning fairy.

 

She`s safe and well now.

 

 

Metal Frogs and Fresh Ferns

We had one very warm day in the week, with a very welcome lunch outside, the smell of suntan lotion wafting around and vests off!!

Today the vests are back on plus an extra layer as it was sooo cold. We had to sit in the polytunnel for our teabreak just to warm up.

I didn`t know whether I was doing the right thing but I put in the sweetpea row. It is completely surrounded by netting, keeping them warm and keeping out any stray rabbits that might get through the wire netting..

 

Next I trimmed this shrub bed edge. It took ages. At the same time I was checking the wire fence for gaps. 

By the time I get to the end of the edging, I will have to turn round and start all over again.

 

I got a few more dahlia tubers in ...

Rawhide

Wizard of Oz

At home I checked on my dahlia cuttings and was delighted to find them doing exactly as I wished ..... roots coming through the paper pots. The idea is that the whole thing can be potted on without disturbing the roots.

I had seven today. 16 to go.

 

 Last year the cuttings I took made fantastic plants.

 

In the polytunnel a foxglove is flowering in all its glory ....

 

..... whilst outside there are still tight buds .... a clear indication of the difference a polytunnel can make. Incidently we did not plant this foxglove.

Yesterday we visited friends and were gifted this lovely tray of ferns for the fernery.

 

And this metal lily pad with a bright green frog which looks like it has always been there.

Thank you Nick and Sally.

 

The newest ladybirds are ready to be hidden round the garden and the first poppy seedlings I sowed are showing.

 

 

Things are starting to move.

 

Scatter Seeds and Flying Fairies

Oh it has been so cold. We have a back-log of plants waiting to be planted but the nights are too cold. We are still lighting fires in the evening and we have yet to breakfast outside.

At the garden Anne was giving the tortoise garden a spring make-over and Hollie was busy mowing the lawns.

My jobs included a barrow load of chipped bark, 14 packets of scatter seeds to sow and five dahlia tubers to find homes for.

The flying fairies, now three years old, are guarding the scatter seed bed. I put in godetia, candytuft, poppies, larkspur, clary. I hope it does better than last year when it was a bit of a wash-out.

 

 

The poor cob-shed door is going to need a lot of rather difficult repairs this year and the insides could do with a jolly good clear-out.

 

The strong winds blew the door almost off its hinges during the winter.

 

We did manage to sit outside for our teabreak. This was the view.

 

The cherry blossom was lovely and there`s a great place to sit and admire it.
 

 

Steve got more potatoes in and erected the bean poles.

And between us we dug over a part of the raised bed.

We will give it a good raking down next time.

 

We were ready for our lunch by then and went home with rhubarb and broad beans.

 

 

First Broad Beans

The greenhouses are overflowing. The coldframes are full. And I still do not trust the weather. I had to make a new tunnel on the veggie beds at home in order to accomodate the ever-increasing trays of bedding. Luckily I am just beginning to plant hardier things out, such as calendula, cornflowers and statice. And they are desperate to be planted.

These are cornflowers "Blue Ball."

I am still sowing seed such as basil, hollyhocks and home-saved schizanthus but mostly it is potting on. I have not yet come to the end of my supply of square pots but it is looming.

Today it has been sunflowers and French marigolds. I have also started to plant my dahlia tubers. Seven at the garden ... "Rawhide" and "Boogie Woogie."

 It is a patch on the raised bed alongside alstromeria, and marked out by canes.

And I have also planted my double row at home. I made a pretty basic mistake, by planting three shorter varieties amongst taller ones, having not checked. Goodness knows what the colour scheme will be!!!

It is important to know the heights of your plants in full growth. I sometimes write heights on the back of the label.

Here are some of my seedlings, waiting for attention or, more growth before pricking out.

Pink Ipomea

The minute petunias

Rudbeckia Gloriosa

Nicotiania

And just in case I don`t have enough dahlias (!!!?) I have started taking cuttings from shoots. I found this very satisfying last year and the plants I gained this way, did very well. This year I have used paper pots which will mean no root disturbance. They are currently on the propagator.

 The tomatoes are coming along well. I have fed them today with a weak seaweed solution. I`ve potted on aubergines and peppers which improved overnight because of this.

And here is my bargain of the day. Ten beautiful petunia plants for £1.89 from Aldi. My brother managed to get me four packs. I`ve potted them all on. This lot was less that £8. 

What a bargain.

And finally our first broad beans from the polytunnel along with rhubarb for crumble. Yum yum.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pincushions and Green Tables

Just recently my 14 year old great-nephew pulled my pincushion apart (with my consent, I hasten to add.)

It has been my intention to do it for some time. 

In the end he pulled out 165 needles, some embedded inside and not found until it was actually dismantled.

It was great to see some of my favourite needles come to light once more.

Here is my new pincushion with some fairly appropriate fabric.I have not put all the needles back in!!

 

We are still decluttering, most of which involves making decisions. We had a lovely wooden tray but its too heavy for general use. We decided to turn it into a table. It will sit between our adirondak chairs as we watch the sun go down, probably holding our wine glasses.

I am currently coming to the end of an extensive project for a new baby in the family, due in May. It is a crochet blanket backed with fleece. I hope the baby will be able to kick around on it in the garden.

As I was finishing sewing strips together, we watched this bluetit pinching the string holding my clematis shoots up. I`m not sure how it could see to fly away.

 The local woods are lovely as always ..... bluebells, anemones, celandines and primroses in swathes, as well as foxgloves and campions to come. I have walked in these woods all my life and it is right next to our house. It is also very close to the garden at the farm.

 How lucky are we.