My gardening DIARY
MONDAY Around our fruit bushes, in raised brick-edged beds, the soil has sunk so we’re topping it up with manure. It isn’t fresh but not completely ro ed; providing we keep it away from direct contact with stems and buds, it’ll do nothing but good – and bring up the level.
TUESDAY Despite vowing to get every single established plant living in a pot into the ground, there are still small collections lurking. They stand a be er chance of survival if they’re in the ground, so every day we’ve vowed to plant five of them (providing it’s not frosty).
WEDNESDAY Mice ate some of the first peas we planted in modules, but we’ve developed a cunning strategy to insure against further incursions. Our module trays with 54 compartments fit snugly into a few vacant plastic storage boxes. Lids off during the day, but on as soon as it gets dark.
THURSDAY
The wild primrose,
(pictured), is a favourite flower. We have lots in the garden, all grown initially from seed. Whereas our Barnhaven primroses are beginning to show flowers, none of the wild primroses has a single bud visible. Worth waiting for.
FRIDAY The stream that runs through the shady part of our garden has been at full spate, carving out a deeper channel on the east side of our shady bit. Every so often it overflows but it’s at its best and noisiest when running strongly.
SATURDAY Should have sown broad beans back in autumn, but we’ve sown them now, individually, giving each bean its own half-litre pot. Once they’ve grown big and strong we’ll plant them out – the variety we’re growing has crimson flowers.
SUNDAY In the raised beds at the bo om of the garden, our snowdrops, all galanthus
‘S. Arno ’, grow alongside ophiopogon. The two make such a simple but striking combination.
Lockdown and working from home has made me appreciate the great outdoors even more. From a visiting redwing outside my window to a woodpecker busily drilling into a tree on one of my morning walks, it’s a good time of year. I’ve even changed my views on ivy, which I’ve always considered dull and gloomy, but when you see how many birds seek out shelter and insects buzz around, I can now appreciate how beneficial it is.
On a recent sunny day, it was good to get back on the allotment to do some weeding, especially around the strawberries that were planted last year. This season’s choice of potatoes are ‘Charlotte’, a firm favourite, and ‘Desiree’, currently chitting indoors. I enjoy planning where everything will be grown. On a neighbouring plot, a rose bush was positively glowing with orange rosehips.
A neighbour’s rose bush glows with hips
The fact so many people have been able to use gardening as a way to stay fit both in mind and body during the last year has to be positive. We’re so lucky to have a garden large enough to keep us busy all year round, although I have to admit even we had to take time away from the garden after the new year period as continuous