Ta Daaaaaaaaa!

The old veg bed has gone, all of the soil has been moved, it has been dug over, weeded, the trellis moved and then re-concreted in, new beds made and turf laid!

I am now broken! Getting to old for all this heavy work. So if ever I mention doing a big job again, please tell me NO!
The view now the 3 Silver Birch and the apple tree have gone.

I am thrilled with the extended lawn, I think it opens up the garden.
Just tidying up to do now. All the top soil lined up by the office is off to my friend in the village. Loads of seeds planted and to be planted. Then its just a matter of jet washing anything that looks dirty. Weeding, chucking rubbish away, as I still have far too many plant pots. The old sleepers will make a new planter once the neighbours on the right decide to replace the old fence panels. Sorting out the veg beds. But that can all wait, as I'm off to visit mum next week.

2013 a Mild Winter!

We have had a lovely weekend working away in the garden. It was just like an Easter weekend, so lovely. Yesterday we where busily sorting out the bottom where the new lawn is going, hopefully the turf will be in later this week. Today I was doing some light work, hoeing, as the soil needed breaking up and whilst ho,ho,hoeing I found thisone of my many Xanthosoma's, now this is tender and I forgot about it, so it has been out all winter, instead of in my heated greenhouse, as you can see it is already shooting.

This is one of my hardy bananas, you can see I wrapped one up for winter but this one has been totally exposed. I had hoped it would get 'mushed' over winter as I need to reduce this crop abit, but as you can see it has come through fine and is growing away already!

The Trachy which I think I will call 'Trevor' (because I can) has had abit of a tidy up. I cannot believe how much he has grown. When I opened the garden in 2012, my giraffe, was just poking through the top, he is now dwarfed by Trevor. I cut off some fronds as there are already 5 spears pushing out. I think it likes all the rain we have had.

I just love Trevors trunk, it is so fluffy and whispy. Some people I know strip these back so they have like a shiny trunk. I am not sure I like them this way, but even if I did, I would probably not do this as it would mean climbing a ladder as the Trachy got taller to strip it, and Im not good with ladders!!

Must remember to start the Gloriosa seeds off, as I thought these looked amazing growing up Trevors trunk last year.

Did you spot the difference in my last post? My neighbour has had 2 of the Silver Birch Trees taken down. So with them and the apple tree gone, I cannot tell you the difference it has made. I think the plants will enjoy the sun. Although my shady area plants may have to be moved now!

Spot The Difference!!!

Can you see the difference, I know it will make a huge difference to us and our garden. Quite excited!

1 Weeks work in A Day!

What a glorious weekend we have ha, so brilliant to see that round shiny thing in the sky. Doesn't it cheer everything and everyone up, it also shows off the dirty windows, a job for later!

So having now committed to getting rid of the lower veg bed, and knowing we have to turf this area, we decided to crack on. Saturday found hubby and I digging out about a foot width and spade depth. We carefully bagged this up (into the empty biomass pellet bags) barrowing it up the garden and through the house. We managed about 2-3 bags a barrow load.

The posts where cemented in but we also managed to break that up and remove it with out wrecking the posts!!
At about mid day we where 'Cream Crackered' so stopped.

Sunday after a good breakfast we started of again, this time with help from K (eldest) and E (her boyfriend) who put us to shame. He carried 2 bags at one time and wheeled a barrow with 6 bags in!!!! Must be getting old!!

So here we are at 1pm Sunday, when we stopped to light the bar-b-que then watch the rugby!

I believe they have saved us 2 weeks work!

Once we have dug out the plants by the compost bins, removed the sleepers (which we are re-using), dug and raked the soil, any excess going into a planter we are creating from the old sleepers we will be ready for turf! ( I hope) by the end of the week (ish)

This bagged top soil has now been put on Freecycle.

Tango enjoying the sun.

All Change...... Again!!!

Before I get on with what I'm changing, just to let you know I managed to get the gro light fixed. We tried a new bulb, fuse etc etc then I took it to a funny little man in town who does all things electrical. He said 'I can't work miracles', as its a sealed unit. I said 'Fine, I just want to know if its working or broken!' Went back 3 hours later, all working, cost £5!!!! Bargain! Well chuffed.

Anyway, yesterday was a beautiful day so I decided to dig over the veg beds, but as usual got distracted. The first bed as you go down the garden, I had wanted to use to extend the jungle. As we live in a democratic household, I was out voted so this now has to be returned to veg! I need to find a home for the cardoon, but then got distracted trimming back the neighbours laurel hedge!

The third veg bed was easiest to dig over, you will see the neighbours apple tree in the next garden, she has decided it would be safer to take it down. Currently she has chopped of a few of the large branches and the difference this has made to my garden already, is amazing.

The fourth, veg bed next to hubbies office was added when we had all the building work done 3 years ago. It was never the most successful veg beds, so we had considered planting some tropicals in it!!

Last night, now the evenings are lighter, when everyone comes home from work and they know I have been in the garden we wander down discussing, the 'whys and wherefores'. We got here and a long discussion ensued.  I explained the rose was coming out and some tropicals where going in! We all agreed it was a difficult bed and had never really worked for what it was built for. Then K (eldest daughter, becoming a big gardener too) said 'put it back to grass'.  We all looked at one another, talked more and agreed it was the best option!!!
It will open up this part of the garden, but bearing in mind this was all put in by the builder could be a challenge.
So the plan:- 1. move the trellis (which I have an awful feeling is concreted in!!) to up against the compost bins. 2. take out the sleepers to be reused by the pond. 3. Then find somewhere for all that soil??????????? 4. Seed or turf.
All to be finished before June/July in time for the Village Open Gardens!!!!!

Why didn't we think of this last year when time was on our side!!!!