Thursday 16 April 2009

Spring Flowers





It is one of those days - a bit gloomy, a few drops of rain, dark clouds looming overhead but the garden can bring a smile to your face, just take a look at my spring flowers.

Monday 13 April 2009

Bluebell Wood



Its nearly that time of year again when bluebell woods burst into colour. On my afternoon walk I had a look at my favourite wood, but the bluebells are just starting to burst through, in a couple of weeks it will be a riot of colour. Have a look at some of the pictures I took last year.

Saturday 4 April 2009

Snowdrops in the Garden


In late February the snowdrops appeared in the garden, what a wonderful sight, little white heads drooping down - the first real sign of spring.

The Garden





Last year I inherited a garden from a friend. The house and garden had been rented over a number of years. My friend moved back into the house and on my first visit, I asked what was happening to the garden as it was very overgrown and in need of some TLC. My friend said if I wanted the garden I could have it and so a story began. The garden has two greenhouses, both very neglected and the beds and borders were full of shrubs and flowers that had become very overgrown and tangled with weeds. I am sure it was a lovely garden at one time. I spent the first month just clearing the green houses and pulling weeds from whereever I stood. I turned over a piece of garden behind the greenhouse, which was so full of bine weed I thought nothing would ever grow. I planted potatoes which I knew would work the ground. I planted a row of peas just to see what would happen and a wigwam of runner beans. at the side of the greehouse was a small strip of land in which I planted carrots, beetroot, radishes and lettuces. In the greenhouses I planted tomatoes and cucumber. That was last year - and I had great success, despite the bine-weed growing everywhere.
Last month I again started in earnest, cleaning up the greenhouses, washing all the pots and planting seeds. I turned over the soil, removed the last of the bine-weed and generally got ready for the season.
I mowed the lawns, tidied the borders and watched the birds build their nests. I am so glad I have a garden. I have alreadyt planted potatoes, peas, parsnips, carrots, onions, beetroots, radishes. The greenhouse is full of seeds: tomatoes, sweetcorn, lettuce, marigolds, basil, squash, courgette, cucumber. I read advice from www.allotment.org.uk
So watch this space to see what happens in my garden this year.