wordless Wednesday

I would so love to have a sea of daffodils the only problem is it would take up the whole garden. 

Wordless Wednesday

Camellias are such lovely shrubs although I can not grow them in my own garden it is always nice to go and visit a garden that has lots growing.

What a Lovely Weekend

Although the forecast for Easter weekend was not good it has turned out to be a nice weekend so far fingers crossed it continues until Monday as there is lots to do in the garden. Although it is Easter weekend I have not had much time in my own garden Friday and Saturday was spent working in some of my customers gardens. It is the same on Monday as well one of the jobs I have been wanting to do for a wile was to enter the compost heaps all three of them they hold a m2 each of compost. the first was full of compost that was ready to use on the garden and the remaining two where turned over one into the other until we have an empty one ready to start filling again. The compost heaps are very important to the garden as they are the main supply of nutrient's for the garden especially as we grow using the no dig method. This took up most of the day with interruptions such as dropping of and picking up the daughters and cooking dinner but it was a good job well done and much needed. today I am turning my attentions to seed sowing  in the garden carrots, leeks, radish, spinach etc. spinach is one crop we treat almost like lettuce. With lots of regular sowings through out the year as we do use a lot in the kitchen we are still picking the crop we sowed in October last year and it should see us through until the crop we sowed in March is ready.

Wordless Wednesday

Lovely Winter Aconites and Snowdrops

Time for a change in the garden

We have been in this garden now for over 6 years it was a complete jungle when we moved in the first year was spent just clearing levelling and digging out unwanted shrubs.

The only bit of clear ground was a small square lawn 3mx3m and a path around the outside which you had to fight your way down until you got to the back of the garden. Where it was not so overgrown it took a lot of work to clear it all the only original plants that survive are a conifer more out of laziness as the one that was next to it nearly killed me trying to dig out the tump so I thought it will be happy where it is. There was also a miss shaped Bay tree this has romped away since it was freed from the shrubs around it that where slowly strangling the poor bay tree.

But like lots of gardens they become due for a change as plants grow out of their allocated space or as the use of the space changes over time. When we moved in our girls loved there slides, swing ball and paddling pools so a large lawn was needed to fit everything on it but now they are teenagers they no longer want their slides and paddling pools. They really venture outside as the Wi-Fi only reaches 6ft into the garden at this point they go into panic mood and retreat back to the safety of the house.

 I neglected the garden last year for various reasons so this year not only do I want to get it back to a nice tidy garden I also want to make a few big changes to the place. It is always fun to be able to make a change to the garden whether big or small every so often it keeps you keen.

Do keep on popping back to see what changes we have made to the garden and how we get on making the changes through the coming year.

2017 the year we go No Dig

I have grown in many different styles over the years but I have always been a big believer in feeding the soil and not the plants. Every winter I cover the borders with good garden compost or well rotted manure letting the rain and worms take it down into the soil beneath witch is basically No Dig Gardening.  

With out calling it such but I would always get the spade out to dig over the soil it has been drummed into me since a young age you always dig the soil. I remember the first day at Horticultural Collage it was all about the many types of digging single, double or Bastard trenching if it takes your fancy. So it is very difficult to resist the urge to put the spade in the soil but resist I must I have always noticed beds that have not been dig and just had good compost placed on top. Always grow the best crops with the least weeds and more healthier plants. Also what could be better than not having to do any more digging though the winter so should get a bit more time on my hands to do some more writing. Do pop back to see how we are getting on with our No Dig Gardening this year and hopefully we too can inspire you to take up this method as well.

Getting a bit fruity

It's that time of year again where all the fruit is ripe at the same time so you have no idea where to start picking or just what to do with all that fruit you have.

I have several patches of fruit around the garden but my main patch is at the back of the garden by the greenhouse. It really dose get a lot of sun in this part of the garden this is why I originally chose this spot. we have two rows of raspberries two rows of strawberries a row of red, white and black currents mixed up grown as fans, Japanese whine berries growing up the back wall and finally a row of sauvignon blanc grapes.

 The currents have been under the protection of a net for the last couple of weeks as I was not taking any chances this year I lost most of the crop to the birds last year they where not getting them again.

I pealed back the netting to reveal the shiny red, white and back berries the red currents are so shiny you can almost see your face in them you can see why the birds are attracted to them so much.

After a few hours of picking and very red hands and fingers later we have several bowls full of yummy fruit. Now what to do with all this fruit some will be turned into Jam some will be frozen to use to use over the winter. The rest will be made into lots of yummy deserts over the weekend eaton mess and summer fruit pudding spring to mind.