Funny old month. First half all as normal: Visitors showing off their new cars (I’m looking at you Dad) and others calling to take advantage of our bespoke-assemble-it-at-home log shed service. Workmen fitting windows. Then Bam! Coronavirus and the new normal – everyone staying at home or 6 foot apart. We are fortunate to be able to be stopping home in such a lovely spacious place, and with plenty to do without leaving the boundaries.
New Windows – fitted before lockdown. The two on the front of the house had started letting inwater during February’s storms, not a lot, but enough to indicate that replacing them now rather than later would be a good idea. The downstairs bathroom window was also a bit draughty so that one was changed too.
Most work this month went to clearing the last stretch undercover in the lane side of the garden. I think I’m going to stop calling it the veg garden, as it has nearly it’s only about one third veg, one third fruit and soon one third flowers. So all of the ‘stuff’ on the covers was moved, covers lifted. Then a fire with all of the wood that was not shreddable, nor suitable for the stove., then the monster machine was brought out to turn the top few inches, then a lot of raking. Hopefully get seeds sown early April then flowers in the summer. The Area that we did this with last year was weeded and readied for it’s share of seeds and pre-sown seedlingss.
Elsewhere in the garden: The orchard has been kept reasonably tidy. The corner by the goose shed has been given a sort out, although it will be kept ‘wild’. The hedging roses in the back garden have been given a good prune The grass cutting season has started. This is Andy’s keep fit exercise, getting his steps in behind the mower.
Inside the potting shed and polytunnel. The good news is that lots of seeds have been sown, and some are ready to harden off and go out. The bad news is that there was an unexpected (i.e. not forecast) really hard frost in the middle of the month that killed off all the new growth on the fuchsias. The plant that I think is a hardy kiwi* was randomly damaged too, some buds withered, but others unaffected.
* Identity yet to be confirmed as it was left by previous owners, and hasn’t flowered or fruited for me yet
Signs of definite spring. Some colour, other than the yellow of daffodils starting to be seen in the garden.
In other news: Another ‘small’ log delivery to see us though to spring. A large branch split in the storms last month that needs converting into logs sometime. A loaf of bread from the start of the month before it became fashionable to bake your own. The swans are back and investigating nesting material (and eating leftover bread), and a seagull that doesn’t want to be left out.
Chester meanwhile has rediscovered his straw bed in the polytunnel, and now checks it out when the weather is fine, but otherwise continues his usual duties of ‘helping’ and napping.
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