Poppy Patchwork


My little bit of this big World

Wednesday, 12 March 2025

More jobs done

I have been struggling to keep Lilly off my veg beds, she quickly learnt how to get under the nets, I do not want cats on my veg beds, so hubby went online and got me this netting which is used for fruit cages. We had to change the frames as this is heavier than the simple pea netting, using bits we already have. 
My raised bed in behind the pond has always been used for flowers, being so high it does dry out quickly, I dug down a third and placed a membrane across the soil, I then sieved the soil back, I have added blood, bone and fish, the plan is to make it into a salad bed, it's in a sunny spot, I hope the water will flow through slower, hubby will make a net frame to fit on top of the wooden sides to keep animals out. I have left one section for flowers I have a fushia which tumbles down the front.
We popped to a couple garden centres, I found a pack of 20 tiny plugplant snapdragons, which looked nice, I have popped them into bigger containers, which once grown will fill in some gaps in the garden. I also have my mixed sweet-peas in their long root pods, I have picked the growing tip from each one in hope they get bushy.
I got 2 packs of bulbs, the back of my square flower bed needs a few more plants, these are very bee friendly and much cheaper purchasing plants, here 18 possible plants for £7.98. I have already planted them, they all looked healthy with some growth on.
Sue from HerinHimout2 blog was commenting about Simon Akeroyd, he works with RHS and has so much good useful information which he passes on, I follow him on Instagram. These are my garden books, I often look through them, both of the Simon Akeroyd books are very good, I did have some Monty Don books but his books are not as informative as these.


I got 2 bags of John Innes compost, 40 litres, BOGOF, so 80 litres for £6.99, my favourite garden centre now has a reward card, this was one of their March deals, I do prefer good quality compost, and of course it's peat free. We are visiting local garden centres, we are looking for new garden recliners, hubby at 6'2" finds most recliners a bit short for him, so we are now looking for chair and stool, I'm enjoying have a look at all the plants, this is already an expensive month.

Tuesday afternoon we worked outside, I did the bits shown above, hubby started cleaning the patio, he has a brush attachment to his power washer, which made getting the green off much easier. The net frame for the raised veg bed is using tall runner bean poles, the bottom half at each end with a flexible pipe, the middle is a top jointed pole with a vertical pole, I got them when Wilkinson's closed, I have more than I need. 

Lilly is outside every day, she is happy in the garden, as yet not climbing, if we come inside, she comes in calling for us to go back out, hopefully we will have a lovely summer where we can be outside everyday. We are getting through our (ahem my list) of what we want finished before the growing season starts, it is a small garden which I do like tidy lines, every chore outside is a joy to me, I wish I felt the same way about housework. 

9 comments:

  1. I see you've got an Adam Frost book too, I really like him, much preferring him to Monty Don.

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    Replies
    1. I'm the same as you,I find Monty does the same old stuff, most of it doesn't interest me.

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  2. Geoffrey Smith and Geoff Hamilton were my favourite TV gardeners when I was growing up. I think my smallholding hero writer is John Seymour. His self sufficiency book became my bible and inspired me to get an allotment and now a smallholding.

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    1. Geoff Hamilton was brilliant, spot on with eco gardening, years ahead of the rest. Not heard of Geoffrey Smith, I do like my eco gardening book, great tips to change to a more sustainable approach.

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  3. Pleased you are getting through the list of jobs to do, you have certainly been busy.

    All the best Jan

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  4. I'm very lucky in that the cats usually keep off my raised bed. However, I dug the soil at the weekend, and I'm keeping it covered just in case. X

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    Replies
    1. I hoping she will use the flower beds much the same as Grace and Purdy did. I will always need nets as we have foxes in a neighbours garden.

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  5. I think I've seen Simon Ackroyd on Instagram and found his posts to be quite useful. Maybe I should follow him.

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  6. You are certainly getting through your garden jobs ready for Spring. I hope the nets work to gently persuade Lily to stay off your raised beds. I did enjoy watching Geoff Hamilton when he was gardening and Adam seems to garden in a similar way. I like the style of both these gardeners.

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