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.

Fairies, Gnomes and Flumpies

Things have been hotting up, as the first yurters are due at the weekend. Tim and Anne are trundling round the campsite getting everything shipshape. We have been trying to neaten things in the garden. 

I did a bit of strimming. The log seats are in situ. The fairy garden is done. The gnome home is done. I have added some new bunting and some gnome heads.

I have also been creating some new gnomes for the stumpery. They will peep out from hollow logs and in between ferns. This afternoon I have just given them a bit of waterproofing spray which I hope may make them last a bit longer outdoors.

Next to the gnome home where they store their treasure in a log cave, there is a fairy cave of larger proportions.

I have created some new sitting fairies to go in there.

Some of them have got such funny little faces but they will all be happy in their new home. They too have been waterproofed for longer life. The fairy cave will be my next job.

The middle flower bed is done .... hooray. Steve had to break up the matted roots for me with a spade. They now have well rotted manure spread around. One more flowerbed to go. They have been very hard work.

The split plum branch is smothered in blossom. How can I prune it off. I am thinking of sealing the crack with duct tape.

We harvested our first rhubarb. Goodness me it was lovely.

I have been turning the huge soft pompoms into all kinds of creatures.

Flumpies

Hedgehogs
 

Still 6 to go so watch this space.

HAPPY EASTER to everyone.

 

The Return of Gandalf

 Gandalf has returned. Hooray.

It is so nice to have him back again. He suits our garden down to the ground.

I was very excited as we loaded the components into the car. It was such a lovely day that we were able to assemble him outside the polytunnel.

Now this scarecrow has had several incarnatons. This will be the third.

(Once he was Doctor Who. Once he was a pirate.)

It was a bonus that we did not have to construct a new body.

I had to dress him before the head went on. The arms are jointed so dressing is easier. I still struggled.

At this stage he was ready for his head. Steve screwed it on after adjusting slightly.
 

After this, I decided that the arms were out of proportion, so Steve was able to elongate them at the wrist.

I padded out the chest and shoulders with old stuffing from sofa cushions, to balance out the whole look.

Anne bought a beautiful Celtic brooch which I attached to the bag. It was a perfect touch.

Finally I sewed on a cloak across his shoulders and trimmed his beard just a tad.

Now he is ready to grace us with his presence in the garden but for now he will guard the polytunnel for us.

 

Welcome back Mr Gandalf.

Fluffy Flowers and Hippie Scarecrows

Seed sowing has begun in earnest and Steve has managed to get some onions in today despite the previous wet weather. 

So far in the flower department, we have sown sweetpeas, calendula, cornflowers, cosmos and ageratum. In the veggie department we have sown lettuce, spinach, sprouts, peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes.

Today I have done quite a bit of rearranging in both greenhouses at home to make more space .

It was lovely in the garden today. The birdsong was amazing. We dismantled the pirate scarecrow as he is going to become Gandalf. He needs a new head. His lower regions have drooped so we hope to hoist his trousers up a bit higher. Once Gandalf`s long grey gown is on, they won`t be seen.

Then Paula and I weeded the tiny fairy garden, recreated the path with sand, glitter and glass pebbles and covered a few bare areas with moss.

 

I have been checking all the fairy garden components. Most are fine for another year.

The hippie scarecrow got a new waistcoat.

 

The wooden toadstools have had a lick of red paint.

 

See what you can spot in this picture. It must be getting warmer.

I woke up a few days ago with lots of crafty ideas. I have three boxes of fluffy wool in the loft and I had been puzzling over what to make. It is not easy to knit up or crochet with.

Someone gave me this huge pompom maker so I made massive pompoms. They may be future hedgehogs or a furbie type of creature. They are soft and cuddly.

 

I`ve also had a flower loom for some time and I`ve never used it. I tried some fluffy flowers, was pleased with the results and ended up making 45. I shall be stringing them together with leaves or decorating bags.

 

Here is the flower loom. Up until now this craft has never appealed to me. But once I began I could not stop.

I`m glad I did not throw it away.
 

 

Happy Spring days to everyone.