Getting back to normality

Apologies to my readers. I should be getting back to normal with blog posts about dykes, greenhouses and lawns again very soon.

Needless to say, with the aid of a very very long extension lead, I've managed to completely mow one side of the dyke down to about a foot of the water surface using our trusty electric steel bladed mower. It was back breaking work to say the least. Now I need to do the other side, but that will have to take a back burner for a week or so as my annual reunion with my friends will be coming up soon. A little late for a housewarming, I should have quite a good turn out this year with friends coming from as far away as Letterkenny in Ireland (Hi Paddy!). It will give me a chance to show off my handy work in the garden over the last 2-3 months.

Greenhouse update: I hate catepillars!!! Lots of foliage devestated by those hungry little blighters, yet I'm determined to have organic vegetables so every evening I or a delegate have been removing our green and stripey friends to the bottom of the garden where thay may either enjoy a diet of nettles or be themselves a diet for our winged visitors. My seedlings are coming up well but they've been put outside as the greenhouse was drying them up too quickly between watering.

Another ground spreading conifer planted. This time down beside the rhododendron near the greenhouse as the border was looking a little sparse in this area. Speaking of rhododendrons, we have a plan to convert the front raised border into a haven for acid loving plants. It's easy to maintain pH different to that of the environment in a raised bed so, thanks to my Mother-in-Law weeding/howing it on a daily basis for the last few weeks, it's now a nice clean slate in which to establish the ericacious beauties.

No posts for a few days as I'm planning to take our boat out again. Soon I will have a boating blog. I'll post the link here when it's up and running.

Week Out

I went back to Ireland for a few days to see relatives for a week. As you can see, the blog has been pretty thin on the ground recently. Don't worry, I will sort out the picture of the garden since the JCB has been in another post.

While I was away, my mother-in-law and her partner kept things ticking over nicely as well as doing other things over and above what I'd been expecting. The lawns were mowed, the beds were hoed, the greenhouse watered etc, but they also did loads more weeding that I'd expected and sorted out the raised bed. Before I left, I had planted some fruit trees (2 raspberry and 1 gooseberry). I dug an 18" trench and filled it with rotted grass... however as this was still stinking and had not completely rotted, my Mother-In-Law removed some of it and added some bonemeal and blood so that the trees would have a chance...... see I'm a total novice at some things!

Planted a few conifers the day before I left, in the spaces left by the removal of old ones. A tall one beside the greenhouse and the groundspreader near the shed. My wife helped with these discovering first hand that Junipers, whether dead or alive, can give you a nasty rash.

I recon I'm back up to speed now on the garden since my time away so things will start to be done again.

Yesterday - JCB Day!

More to come.

More stones cleared from dyke side. Sowed Lupins, Red Hot Pokers, Stock, Wallflower, Iceland Poppy & Hollyhocks. Removed runners from one strawberry plant in the greenhouse. Result, a big tray of strawberry plants.