It’s been a busy month. All the activity has really been outside. At the start of the month this was challenging due to the freezing weather, but the second half of February had unseasonably glorious weather and we were able to move on quite a few projects. With help from our glamorous assistants:
Removal of the Caravans. We considered keeping these and giving them a new lease of life. Several visitors were particularly keen that we gave them vintage makeovers… But we decided we did not need the additional work and removing them would give more flexibility to the garden. So off they went.
Orchard. I finished pruning the apples, and had just started clearing the boundaries when our neighbour asked if he could bring a mini digger round to clear the dyke from our side. There’s a solid conifer hedge on his side that makes access difficult, whereas the reeds and brambles on our side would grow back, so we agreed. The dyke between us was blocked by a lot of silt backed up behind a few large branches and a large tree trunk, but although it now looks a little like a World War 1 battlefield, the water is flowing slowly out to the main cut alongside the lane. It will all be levelled and covered in green again soon…
Potting Shed. At last! The best shed in the world was delivered and installed. It fits the space beautifully, I just need to get rid of Mount Harpsbridge now.
Raised Beds I like having fixed raised beds for a lot of the vegetables, and although there is too much space to have them everywhere I have planned for twelve alongside the polytunnel to get started. Using boards the size of scaffolding boards, pre cut to 10 foot and 4 foot (3 metres by 1.20m for the youngsters), which were delivered at the start of the month. We were loaned an ancient rotovator by a neighbour. I don’t really get on with powered machinery, and this one was a beast as once started it did not have a neutral or reverse gear. However it did do the job of turning over the soil so that it could be levelled for the beds. With Christine’s help we had seven assembled by the end of the month. When they are all complete they will need a little more aligning and levelling to sit neatly on the slight slope, but this will be done as they are filled with compost and topsoil from Mount Harpsbridge.
Gates Pretty self-explanatory…
Cats. Chester as usual has been assisting everywhere, and also testing the potting shed for catnaps. Badger has finally come out of hibernation and ventured outside for the first time since November when we brought him down. He still prefers the hearth to the outside world though.
Garden. Bulbs are starting to come out, and the unseasonable sunshine has made the place look a bit more spring like. The snowdrops were wonderful and over too soon. A bit of moving around the garden of some permanent plants, and general tidying up in progress.
In other news, the log pile was replenished, and we went for a cold and frosty walk along the promenade at Sutton on Sea
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