Strawberry Friday

 The rabbit problem surely can`t get any worse....

.....we found all the newly planted cabbage plants (Romanesque and summer brocolli)

completely eaten away, even the maturing ones.

And if you can`t see them, it`s because there aren`t any left.

They were covered in fleece secured at the edges. How did they get in? There are no holes in the middle.

It is such a waste of time and effort. The trouble is we are running out of replacements.

Anne has some ideas up her sleeve.

Watch this space.

On Friday evening we went to the garden quite late in the afternoon. I laid carpet and spread old chipped bark just outside the polytunnel. We have left a large space here for access.

Steve continued to work on the sedum roof.

Anne invited us to barbeque with them at the little house.

We sat on the decking until the sun went down at 9.15. 

What a spot Tim and Anne have chosen for this tiny home!

It is perfect inside with pretty curtains, fitted furniture and a sofa covered with a blue throw.

 

We had strawberries for pud, some of which came from the garden.

Paula made herself comfy in the star-gazing chair.

On Saturday the orphan lambs were released into the field for the first time.

I wonder what they felt as they explored, with the grass under their hooves

Two varieties of cucumber fattening up.

They obviously like the heat.

 Paula weeded the courgettes and French beans. At least they are intact. 

Let`s hope I haven`t spoken too soon.

Steve created one of the middle raised beds. Anne and I filled it with manure 

and lovely soil from the farmyard.

The tomatoes are really starting to benefit from the manure and deep planting. The tops are noticeably a deeper green.

 We moved the dahlias in front of the tunnel for a splash of colour. 

Don`t know if they will survive a move in June.

And finally, my newest nephew Frazer came for breakfast with his mum and dad last week.

It was such a lovely day we sat in the garden to eat.

My brother James, has celebrated his first ever Father`s Day with Frazer and Julia today.

Fairlight End Open Garden Part 2

I don`t know if anyone realises what it means to open your garden to the public.

It`s like wearing your heart on your sleeve, exposing all your garden ideas, ideals and being brave enough to leave some areas as not quite perfect.

Someone once said to me, "Please don`t make your garden perfect. It makes us all feel so bad."

A great deal of thought, planning and creativity have gone into this garden, not least of which is the ability to envision what it will become in the future. Not an easy task and difficult terrain to contend with on top.

I cannot imagine having such scope.

After a delicious lunch, we explored the upper garden areas....

.....the gravel garden......

.......the raised beds....

....where flowers mingle with vegetables and fruit......

 

..... and tantalising glimpses of the house.....

.....the greenhouse.....

.....the standing area.

Finally we made our way down the stepped path dotted with Christopher Lloyd`s favourite paving plant, the little erigeron daisy.....versatile and tough.

 

When I first saw this photo, I was a bit cross to have captured the figure, but on second thoughts I am quite happy for him to be in the picture as it were.......after all, it is doubtless, someone else 

enjoying the garden as much as me.

A truly inspiring experience.

I hope they made lots of money........

and.....

.....how come the sweetpeas are so much further on than mine?

Fairlight End Open Garden part 1

I have taken so many photos today that I shall have to divide this entry into two.

Fairlight End is open under the NGS today and tomorrow. It is a stunning garden in our village of Pett and we are so lucky that it is within walking distance of our own home. Perfect.

Many people helping out are friends and neighbours ...... Steve Harris on the gate, Alan Cook directing traffic, Mary, June and Doreen in the kitchen.

And many friends and neighbours are also visiting so all in all.... a lovely experience.

A warm, balmy day with wispy cloud formations, no need for cardies or jumpers.

Lunches with home-grown produce, being served on the terrace.

We made our way to the meandering meadows via paths cut through swathes of wild flowers, 

winding  past tumbling ox eye daisies......

....with views back up the hill....

.....and so to the lakes teeming with wildlife.....plopping frogs, moorhens, enormous swooping dragonflies, 

darting electric blue damselflies......so hard to capture on film.

And all around the lakes, wildflowers.....

orchids, daisies, yellow rattle, knapweed, buttercups 

and many grasses.

We wound our way down towards the woods and climbed back up towards the house.

And then we had a delightful lunch sitting on the upper lawn with its views to Fairlight, 

chatting to an ecologist with interesting tales to tell. She had been relocating reptiles.

And that seems like a good place to make my break.

More next time.

Sedum Roof Started

We have had two visits since my last post. On both occasions it has been baking hot.....in fact too hot to work in the polytunnel. However today, the sky suddenly went dark grey and there was a downpour.

How lovely it was to be inside the polytunnel with the rain pattering on the brand-new plastic, making patterns like strings of beads.

I weeded, spread better soil, cleared an area ready for another path and tied the tomatoes.

I`ve labelled them with different markers so that we can easily see what varieties are doing well.

Here is the new rabbit wire ready to put up. When ..... I do not know.

Here is the view from the bottom window towards the Owl yurt.

The pond is looking very pretty and it`s crawling with wildlife.

Can`t resist the frog photos.

The poppies are stunning.

Steve began the sedum roof and wondered why his legs ached ..... up and down the ladder with the turves.

It looks good already.

When the rain had cleared, the garden looked particularly green and bright.

I picked a cheerful bouquet of calendula.

At home I bagged up our poor little black and white woodpecker baby, 

to show my godchildrens` children tomorrow.

We think he flew into the garden room windows, as that`s where we found him.