Spring is definitely here!

Clocks went forward last night. Although I've been waiting for this day for so long throughout the harsh winter we've just had, I kind of felt a little cheated. Totally forgot about it until this morning when I woke up. I had the alarm set for six so I could get loads done in the grounds - but it turned out to be seven! Although I lost the hour, I still had one hell of a productive day. But before I talk about today, I've got to catch up on the happenings over the last few weeks since my last post.

All seedlings have been up for the past week or so... Peppers and Chillies were the last to germinate. Full list as follows.

Broccoli (Now pricked out into larger pots, worried that they look a little dead, but hopefully I'm wrong)
Cauliflower
Kale (No idea what to do with this. Must read)
Beetroot (Beautiful red seedlings)
Radishes (Crop 1 and 2 are already planted out in the greenhouse, did that last week and yesterday resp.)
Courgettes (Massive primary leaves on seedlings, not much germination from a packet of seeds)
Peppers
Chillies
Carrots
Leeks
Rocket
Lettuce
Potatoes (Maris Bard, Rocket & ? just starting to chit)
Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatos
Mange Tout

Spent last weekend - after sorting out seedlings, tidying up the flower beds, tidying up old dead foliage and planting a few things (Stargazer lily bulbs and a rose that we got as a houseplant and no-one was watering) AND mowed the little back lawn for the first time this year!

The lawn that I sowed near the dyke had turned really yellowy brown over the winter as I believe it wasn't getting enough water as the ground was permanently frozen, but luckily that is beginning to turn green and get a little more healthy looking. The lawn nearest the main road really needs to be mowed now, but I've delegated that to my Mother In Law's partner to do during the week. Not started the mower in a few months so I hope he doesn't have too much of a problem with it.... like I've had with the rotavator.

Other signs of spring.... Daffodils are FINALLY flowering... saw my first one last week. Shows how harsh the winter was, when they weren't even sprouting on St David's day! (Not sure about Wales though) We had a visitation from a pair of ducks last weekend. They stopped their waddling around the grounds only momentarily to have a few slices of mouldy bread - kindly donated by my wife. Probably looking for a place to nest, but their visit was only fleeting (about 4 hours). Buds have appeared on practically every tree except for the late foliates - beech etc. The dyke will probably need its first mow soon - and will need to spray the broadleaf weeds soon too. (Decided that as I spent way too much time last year on the dyke, I'm only going to look after our side and let the other side grow - apart from the strip along the road side. Another reason is that tortoiseshell butterflies seem to lay their eggs on nettles)

Anyway - on to today.

Only did two things today. Made about 20 paper briquettes (about 50 odd now) and totally marked out the entire path at the end of the garden, all the way from the back of the summerhouse near the chicken coup all the way - through the 'hills' (and far away) way past the bricks and round to join up with the other path at the back of the greenhouse. Included in this, I also marked out the circle for the feature just past the pot shed. I didn't just mark it out, I dug a 6 inch trench either side of the path down the entire length (apart from in the circle where the clay was as hard as concrete.). Total length of path, about 100m. Total length of trench digging - about 200m. Needless to say. I'm totally knackered.

Photos - and hopefully video to follow. Which reminds me, I've been taking a lot of footage of the garden lately and may do a monthly video podcast at some point in the future.

Right... Sunday roast!!