Rainbow Wool and Early Bluebells

We have had several frosts. Luckily I was one step ahead and covered all the new seedlings each time. However two days ago I did not open and shade the propagator and by lunchtime a lot of tender seedlings had keeled over. Thankfully they all recovered after sitting the trays and pots in water.

It is just a reminder to be ever-vigilant. 

The warm sun was very welcome today especially for those celebrating Mothers Day. But there was a cold wind.

At the garden I planted a huge chunk of cardoon from our own front bank. It always causes a stir with visitors but we lost the row there, for some reason.

I put plastic bottles round them. Who knows if rabbits like cardoons. Possibly not as the leaves are a bit hairy. I hope they survive as the bumblebees love the pollen-laden flowers.

Nearby the raspberry rows needed pruning and tying, a job usually done in the autumn. Its not finished but its well under way. Steve brought chipped bark.

He also planted onion sets. The ground is raking down nicely.

 

In the shrub bed the magnolia stellata and forsythia are quite a sight.

In the pond the striking kingcups are just starting to flower.

 

At home we have been creating new cottages for the fairy garden. The main part has been protected with yacht varnish which helps it last longer. Now I am just waiting for some spray yacht varnish to be delivered, for all the trimmings.
 

Our next joint job is to find a half log to replace the tiny caravan.

 

Some time ago my sister Paula, bought me some lovely rainbow wool and I thought it was time to create something. 

Mittens .... the ones on the left ....

...... and a basket of balls which I couldn`t stop making.

They might "become" something else.

 

I have a large quantity of fluffy, soft wool so these shoulder bags, suitable for carrying a mobile phone, have kept me busy.

And the soft furry hedgehogs are proving very popular with the children in the family. Might have to make some more.

 

We had a lovely walk in the nearby woods this afternoon and were astonished to spy the first bluebells. This feels very early to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Benches and Rhubarb

A rather grey day but at least not too cold. 

A pile of chipped bark  waiting for us. 

Steve got stuck straight in .... five barrows. Me .... I only managed three!! 

I cleared around the insect hotel .... nettles, goosegrass, buttercups. I even trimmed some of the trees there. Next we barrowed chipped bark into the cleared space.

 

The paths between the veggie beds look much neater. Anne has barrowed so much of this.

Talking of wheelbarrows, we`ve decided we need a new one or perhaps we need to replace a few parts. Only one of the three is of any use.

 

Steve has completely dismantled the lovely pallet bench which was a general plant pot dumping area. It has collapsed. So the area underneath needed a good clear out .... stones, crocks, couch grass. We are going to miss the bench though and will be looking out for a replacement or at least something to be converted.

This is a picture from 2021 so its had a good innings. 

The rhubarb has come on in leaps and bounds.

And the wonderful eye-catching lime-green spurge .....

..... so interesting close up.
 

We even managed an afternoon in our own garden.  And we saw a bit of sunshine.

The sun has moved rather quickly to the edge of the wood so this is my view as I sip my glass of wine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big Bumblebees and Primroses

 Well March has bounced in with glorious sunshine, warm days, butterflies and huge bumblebees. 

 

It seems less than a week ago that I sat with a blanket over my knees looking out on yet another grim day. But how quickly it changes.

And I am well aware it can change back!! 

An update on the seed snails ... I peeped yesterday as I couldn`t wait to see what was happening.

I carefully unrolled the first sweetpeas I sowed and this is what I found. The roots were coming out at the bottom. I rolled it back up. Absolutely no need to do anything just yet.

Since then we have done quite a lot more.
 

Here are some tomato seedlings.

Tiny tiny pink gypsophila.

Cosmos.

And lots more doing very well.

 

Another experiment is on the go. I saw this idea on facebook. Dahlia tubers (small ones) are placed in ziplock bags with a little bit of soil and sprayed with a bit of water. At night I have closed them up. In the bags are my favourite dahlias that I want to increase.

When the tubers start to shoot I am hoping for cuttings.

In the past I have used large open trays with soil and laid out the tubers. But the bags are space-saving.
 

Indoors the potato tubers are spread out on egg boxes in my craft room. This is to develop the eyes and we call it chitting.

 

In Aldi last week, I found these lovely plants .... aubrietia and arabis .... £1.89 each. I think they look very pretty in this coloured pot.

 

And I am particularly pleased with these mini-dafs .... 

Tete a tete deluxe.

 

 

Finally a little bunch of native primroses which grow wild in our garden, reminding me of primrosing expeditions when we were children and also in remembrance of my Grandad Magan whose birthday is today.

 

Vibrant Blues and Baby Agaves

When are these last dreary days of the winter going to end?!!

Such greyness, so much rain, it seems endless. Here we are, nearly at the end of February, where we should have had at least a couple of decent days.

As I stood in my greenhouse a few days ago with packets of seeds in my hand, I wondered why I was even trying. So I came indoors and lit a cosy fire!!

To save being indoors for yet another day, we decided to go to the garden ..... we didn`t stay long. 

So dismal, with light rain in the air.

I took a few photos and then we had a welcome cuppa in the polytunnel. At least it provides some colour and warmth.
 

Cornflowers are growing in the sacks of our own compost, along with chickweed.

The agaves will need repotting and they are producing babies. It might be a precarious job. 

 

A spot of vibrant blue, provided by "Blue Ensign" pulmonaria.

And then home earlier than usual to check on the greenhouse and I am happy to say the first sweetpeas are up in their seed snail packaging.

I moved pots of hyacinths to the patio to create a good view from our kitchen.
 

 

And I picked some camellias to cheer myself up.

 

And finally .... here is a sight for sore eyes.

 

Trying Seed Snails

 I have read a lot about this on-line and was determined to try it out. On the surface it looks like a great way to save space and at the same time give seedlings more root space. So here is the beginning of my trial.

I thought I would be better off using large seeds .... sweetpeas.

I had wondered if I would have enough space on a workbench to spread it all out. On youtube I found someone with some common sense who did it in a tray and rolled as she went along so I used this idea.
 

The roll is made up of old capilliary matting and packaging.

My mixture, which I made up myself, is bought soil, a bit of garden soil for micro-organisms, grit and vermicullite. Not in any particular quantities.

To begin with I put the seeds in and then rolled it up but as the roll got fatter some soil fell out including the large seeds. So I ended up making up the roll and putting the seeds in afterwards.

The roll is tied with string made from our old teeshirts. And a label of course.

I stood each roll in a large flowerpot mainly to keep it altogether.

Then I placed them in a tray of water to soak up, rather than watering on top. They have been in the propagator all night. And I have only just removed them. 

In actual fact I don`t think they need the propagator. Sweetpeas will germinate without extra heat.

Some seeds are in ordinary pots.

For the results watch this space.

One thing is for sure, the rolls do take up a lot less space but I reserve my judgement.

One more hint I got from youtube in the evening .... the soil could be a little damper so it doesn`t fall out when you place it upright.

But .... the first seeds are planted .... hooray.
 

 

 

 

 

A Few Rays of Sunshine

Searching for the bright spots today .....in a week of miserable weather .... a few rays of sunshine.

We were desperate to get outside so we did go to the garden.

We waded squelching and squishing through the main gate .... such a mess at the moment.

We are advised at this time of the year to keep off the grass but its impossible to get into the garden without doing so.

As I look around it feels such a long way from anything remotely spring-like but on closer inspection the signs are there. 

Behind the polytunnel a celandine nearly out .....

....... a violet ....... 

 

......and most astonishing of all, newts tussling like crocodiles over a slug in the pond.

 I fished them out with a net and did not expect to see four.

After taking the photos I popped them back in. What an amazing sight.

And another welcome splash of orange.

 

We hadn`t intended doing many jobs but we did spread some old carpet on cleared veggie beds.

 

We had a nice teabreak in the polytunnel with my sister Paula, Anne and Hollie with  Lila and baby Donald. Paula and I had our first cuddles with Donald.

And lastly here is a picture of the dead hedge which is filling up nicely at this time of the year.