Just us

I have an itch to sew, I will require a small table cloth for under my new tree this year, these Christmas fabrics are not new, some I have had for years. I just need to decide on what design for my patchwork, do I keep it simple or go all out. I have everything except some thinner wadding.

We popped to B&Q, hubby required a few bits, I looked at the dead plants, clearance section. I was not looking for a tiny hosta, but this one came home with me, half price, just £6.

 A meeting with Kates boss goes horribly wrong, he is now missing and Kate can't tell anyone what has happened, chasing people smugglers whilst keeping on top of everything, how can she resolve everything. Book 76 read this year.

Kates work and life is fallen apart, she is struggling to find answers, the people she needs to talk to are hiding, terrified, who can she trust. Book 77 read this year.

Kate is newly promoted to DCI, she has two capable teams on her serious crime investigations, she has more time to catch Williams murderer, but are they aware of her actions. This set of 5 books were a great read, there are two other series from this author, but for now I want to come away from police detectives. Book 78 read this year.

We had a quiet weekend, we were both tired, I have a cold, along with my other issues it has dragged me back down, this week I have more tests, one I am really not looking forward to, needs must. I have tried to enjoy the last of the warm sunny days, we are due a week of rain, brilliant for the garden, no so good for the soul.

Daughter is also unwell, so a quiet time for everyone, we did Saturday night bedtime, they had watched a film together and were all ready to go to bed. We only watched a small part of Strickly come dancing, I'm really not sure of the new presenters, hubby feels the same, but Strickly has been a huge part of our Saturday nights for years.

Back home

 We had a lazy Monday, popping to a garden centre local to where we were staying, we had the most amazing lunch, I got these plants, the begonia which is a houseplant was reduced to £3. The other 3 were on a get the 3rd plant free.

We did bring treats back with us. Bara Brith, the fruit is soaked in tea before baked into the cake, Welsh cakes which are dropped scones and apple crumble biscuits, which looked to good to leave behind.

I had loads to pick from the garden, tomatoes, a cucumber, runner-beans and carrots, 2 are huge, a nice harvest. We had 20 mm of rain whilst we were away, so my garden looks good.

We walked along the water edge a couple more times on Monday, by teatime the rain arrived, along with new neighbours next door, who had 2 small yappy dogs, they barked at everything, so we were ready to head for home on Tuesday morning. We consider ourselves very lucky to have warm sunny days, it rained overnight twice, each morning it dried up quickly.

Our car journey was mainly motorway, M4, A34, M3, M27 and a total nightmare, heavy rain and water everywhere, it was a slower journey that our trip out, very poor visibility the whole time, we were both glad to get home.

We had a few issues whilst away, I tripped over a rock on Friday, fell and banged my knees and ear, luckily I was carrying a soft bag with 2 fleeces in which broke my fall. Hubby was shut out of our bank account on Saturday, they informed him by text, our Halifax account is now Lloyds bank, hubby had to reset a transaction, which the bank stopped thinking it was fraud, it's sorted now, it took almost an hour, he had to repeat himself to 3 different departments. 

It's great to be back home, we did a shop at Lidls on Tuesday, this morning daughter had my car to do the school run, we then drove to the garage to collect her fixed car, rest of the day is at home with hubby relaxing.

More rain please

 I purchased two blue lavender plants for the front of this square bed, it will save me having to get bedding plants each year for the front. I have a white lavender in the middle and in each front corner there is a bleeding heat and hellebore. 

The back corners have a Chinese witch hazel and a Forsythia, in the middle is a variegated evergreen shrub, which I can't remember the name, I have gaura and astrantia  plants on both sides and an aster daisy in the middle space, I aim to fill this middle section with perennials. This bed does get sun from mid-afternoon onwards.

I popped a plastic liner in hubbies old biker boots, the plants did not survive this summer, but this pansy, which I did not plant did, very pretty. 

My pyracantha, which I planted along the back fence looks dead, it had been in the ground just a couple of years, I will leave it in hope it might come back, everything else is surviving, my white rose in the corner has not bloomed since early summer.

The ground is still very dry, digging the hole for the lavenders I quickly came to dry soil, they are planted in hope the rain due again in a few days will help them settle. For many years I mainly used bedding plants to bring colour into the gardens, I always said my flower beds were too small for all year interest. Since the garden refit 3 years ago, I have changed my planting, I still love to see blooms, I now enjoy the texture and form of plants as well, I have shrubs and perennials to ensure I have something to look at all year round.

My three flower beds are almost sorted, the heatwave has killed off a few plants, most things have survived, I'm sad I'm unable to keep the huge daisies I love alive, I have purchased many and been gifted many which have come from local gardens, none have survived.

Survival test

The square photo is the day I transplanted the small hydrangea into this huge pot in my back garden, it had signs of new growth, I added rose food to the compost and give it fresh topsoil and loads of water. I have moved the herbs into the back veg section. Second photo is a couple of weeks later, after a trim of deadwood.

Another plant from hubby's front garden, this white lavender was in a pot by the door, now its in its permanent spot, it's already looking much greener and should fill this space, its been having loads of water, this is a sunny spot. I have plants which should fill this square bed.

My Chinese witch hazel was put into this spot earlier this year, it was doing well, now sadly it is wilting, it could be a number of things, or just this heat wave, I have been watering it, it's a case of watching and waiting. I've had this plant since October 2020, it was tiny.

We decided we would cut back our acer this year, one section had died back, I removed all the dead wood a while ago and we can see new growth. I spoke to our arborist, he suggested we cut back a low branch which was rubbing against another, it has left one side bare, we can look at the new growth later in the year and cut back more to balance it.

I got a water hyacinth for my pond, in hope it will clear the water, I do need to be careful with the plant, its a fast grower, I can cope with that, I will need to carefully dispose of any unwanted new growth, it can't be allowed to get into local waterways.

I gave in and moved plants in the hot weather, I can nurture them rather than hubby ignoring them, I planted a few gaura plants, I've grow from cuttings. I don't have any intentions to move any more plants, I am letting my sweet peas go to seed, I will collect them for next year along with other seeds.

I have sown another mixture of lettuce and two rows of carrots, I can just see their shoots, the cucumber plants is producing more, whilst my tomatoes are stubbornly staying green, I have a few runner beans now to the top of their sticks and a couple of flowers forming. 

I have very little to do in the garden, we save as much grey water as we can for the flowers, shrubs and tree's, I use the hose (no ban here) for the fruit and vegs, I am harvesting blackberries, they are small and hard, I am freezing them to use in crumbles over the winter, the raspberries are beginning to form.

We can sit in our sunroom early morning and evenings, we can sit in our seating area mid afternoon onwards, from 11am to 2pm we are inside the heat is just too much for us. We read inside and chat outside, making plans for a few more breaks.

Shh don't tell hubby

After chatting with my sister, I searched for table, dessert, hardy green grapevine, I found one with  5* reviews, so I ordered it, it has been grown in the UK and is already hardy, it won't be ready to fruit for two years, I can wait. She set the challenge with if I can grow them so can you, I have a perfect spot for it once the temperature drops, for now it can stay in it's pot.

I popped to look at the plants in our market, his plants are always sturdy, I'm not a dahlia lover, I do like red pompoms, mum always grew them in her garden, so this one followed me home, plus 6 begonia bedding plants for my big blue pot. I have taken 2 cuttings off the dahlia, they do root well in water, hopefully some extra free colour by next month. 

Kitchen window sill is a sunny spot, my spider plant loves it here, it looks good in my hand painted pot, in front our my latest cuttings, dahlias, white lavender and more gaura 

Foolishly I then saw Farmer Gracy had their tulips listed and went a bit mad, I am determined to have a good show next spring, I already have new pots, I think I had better stop looking and pack my bank card away. Last year the tulip bulbs I got from our favourite garden centre either had loads of bulbs failed or in a couple of cases the wrong colour. These will arrive September time.

To finish the deals, I got this gypsophila at Lidl, just £1.99, it's in my big blue pot with half of the begonia bedding plants. This one does not grow too high, not need, just another I saw it so I got it. I think it looks much better than just begonias, hubby took the other 3 for his front garden.

I used the poppies from my summer silk flowers here, so the arrangement looked a bit pale, I was looking for replacement red blooms, until these orange ones caught my eye. I'm happy it fills the small corner by the patio doors, bringing the garden inside.

It has been an expensive couple of weeks, I can always find nice plants and bulbs, I keep saying the garden is full, but I always find spaces, I happily pass on purchasing anything for the house or myself, I have been recently been good on our last trip to B&Q, I did not look at plants.

We are on our delayed couple of days in Oxford, the weather is cooler for us, it's a few years since we visited, I love all the old buildings, this being our last trip away until September when the children will be back at school, we will stay local for the summer holidays, we plan to pop to Somerset to visit family, the village and towns are not so full of people, our area is always very busy.

Out front

 Hubby takes care of the front of the house including our side entrance, this clematis has gone wild this year, flowering much lower and earlier in the season, the hope is to have an arch of flowers. On the other side we planted this philadelphlus last year, it was a small plant and it did not grow too much, this year its putting on loads of growth and hopefully at some point white flowers, we would love them to meet at the top and tumble into each other.

We spent an hour cutting back all the tall overgrown shrubs along our front wall, our neighbour planted everything next to the low wall on her side, it's all very overgrown way past the height of our roof, we now don't get much sunlight in our office in the mornings, at least we were working in the shade, it all encroaches into our space, so it needs sorting a couple times a year.

After all the rain the back garden is looking good, I chopped back the fleabane daisies they were going wild, they will grow back quickly. Just a few gaps to fill, I have loads of smaller plants not quite ready.

I love this time of year, seeing plants returning, growing our fruit and veg, only small harvest, enough to keep us happy, we try to keep to seasonal produce, which means we enjoy them for just a short while.

Our little people had a trip planned to visit their daddy, a short flight from Southampton airport to Netherland on Thursday morning, sadly George pick up a sickness bug which was going around school and is staying with us, daughter was really upset on leaving him, but cancelling the trip would upset his brother and sister. Friday morning he was better, sadly no way of getting on the trip, so we plan loads of extra special fun together. 

Hubby was not too happy with me, I'm still not 100%, family is everything, mummy will be back on Saturday, just waiting to see if I get his bugs.

I'm not going to say it...

 We are sitting out this heat wave, I do a bit of gardening first thing, I water later in the evenings, I have a lance on my hose, its a longer pole with spray at the end, allows me to water the base of plants without bending, this is when I am most grateful for a small garden. These roses are stunning, they change colour as they open, I cut it back last year so the flowers are lower. They hide the gap between the fence and garage, by the end of the summer they will reach the top of the fence.

I adore this bed, just 3 years old, these fleabane daisies are a froth of colour, the aquilegia behind are new this year, four plants, I'm happy if they propagate and I have loads more, my snowberry plants (2) are slowly growing and will fill out in time, my astilbe is in the middle and should shoot up soon.

I love pots you can give plants the correct environment to grow, Kirts grass hair is better than I imagined, I do like to have a few pots displayed together. Just a few of the pretty flowers here in our garden.

I will trim our olive tree, its full of blossom and getting bigger than we want, another tree we both love, we have had this tree since 2019, I feed it once a year and clip it often.

Another loved plant is my pomegranate, I started a seed way back in 2017, its been in this pot since 2022, it was moved to behind our seating last year, I've stopped clipping it and would like it to grow higher, its not a tree. I do have herbs in pots at both ends of the seating area.

I have been careful when purchasing new plants to remove weeds from pots before planting, I also prefer to grow from seed, which helps keep weeds at bay, so I don't have too bigger issue. I am pulling the buttercups from my back fruit bed, they are taking over, lesson learnt, they need space. In my side bed I have meadow rue, it's a pretty low green ground cover, all through the summer I am pulling it out, it spreads by root and can be a thug, I do like it around my big herb pot.

We did not see daughter and little ones on Tuesday, they stayed home, where they could play inside in the cool, George was going to have a sleepover, but he's not sleeping well, so we postponed it, whilst sad not to see them, we understand their welfare is always most important. I found sitting outside under the parasol with the slight breeze best, the morning temperature was 29°, as it got hotter we later went back inside.

Growing up

My pyracanths is spreading along the fence, this plant should grow to the end, it soon will have blossom which the bee's love and in the winter months red berries for the birds. I have two Jasmines, one is my winter jasmine, we see tiny yellow flowers when everywhere else is bare, the other which is still tiny I can't remember it's name.

 My honeysuckle is as always top heavy, I do get flowers, I took a cutting which rooted and I planted, so hopefully I should have another plant further along. 

I potted up my mock orange, for now it is placed here, I was thinking of moving further down the fence to fill out the bare section, this gives lovely white flowers, it's better in a pot as it can get huge. 

 This back fence is slowly filling out, the white rose in the corner has loads of stems, I am trying to fan them out, in hope I can block out the garden behind, with a bonus of being able to have cut roses in the garden.

I am not a fan of plants growing up fences, I know garden designers will always suggest to grow things up to blur your boundaries, I do love to see a tidy fence, we painted ours grey so they become a feature. Along this back section our fence is low, years ago we added the wire top to stop the neighbours cats getting into our garden and fighting with our cats. Now my mission is to have a wall of greenery, with flowers when I can, I can only see a small part from the house, but I am often working in this area, so it pleases me to have the extra good looking space. Our neighbours have a huge shed and do not use their back section.

Our soil level is higher than the garden behind, and they have 3 trees close to our boundary, so it is necessary to have most things in pots, along with a couple potato bags and my leaf mulch bins, it's a full area, wide enough for my water but and compost bins on the other side, my centre path is not huge but it works for me.

Hubby is still working in the garage, he does not require my help, which is OK, I can always find things to do in the garden, I have cut back the daffodil leaves, they were turning yellow, I have also cut back the bluebells, they had gone over, I can see what's growing in my side bed, I am hopeful things will return. My peony is not doing well, plenty of leaves, just two buds, one has opened, the other is distorted and won't grow. I have loads of buds on my climbing rose, the three bushes are still just leaves.

We voted yesterday,  local elections are important, our council has done well, not full of debt, now we wait the results.

New life

My pomegranate is coming back to life, I love the colours of these new leaves, hopefully I may get a few flowers on it this summer, I moved the pot last summer and it does seam happy, no signs of any distress, before I kept it trimmed to a lower height, now I will let it grow, it will make a nice backdrop for the seating area, along with my herbs. This plant I grew from a seed, started back in 2017.

I mixed loads of flower seeds and sprinkled them into these two bags, I used these for cut flowers last year, I also have freesias in here as well, most of the seeds should do well it's a warm sunny spot. This for me is proving a successful way to start seeds, the bags protect them from the worse of the weather and snails.

I removed six lupins seedlings from the above bags, I love to grow them, sadly they never return after their first year, these will be useful to fill gaps. The tray at the bottom of photo I have completely forgot what seeds I have sown, I checked with Lens, it can't make it's mind up, could be forget-me-nots or cornflowers, its a case of wait and see.

I also planted some bulbs, liatris spicata, they have tiny flowers on stalks, I put two packs in the back of my square bed last year and nothing grew, so once these are bigger they can go out.

My hubby purchased a plant for our garden, it was market day on Wednesday, the plant stall is good. I made comment I loved these bottlebrush plants and one would go in my pot, which is in a sunny sheltered spot, I had just popped my astilbe in it, but I can place it elsewhere in the garden. As I was deciding hubby paid the man, I'm happy with my latest addition. 

I have been out most days looking for snails, I know where they hide, catching them early helps my crops, I do have beer traps I can use, for now I search by hand, there are not many weeds, I have them under control for the moment. My cucumber plants is growing well, I have 4 tomato plants, hoping for a good harvest this year and loads of lettuce plants at various stages.

I have also purchased another astrantia, it's a pink flower, I do love these plants, I want to dig out my penstemon, it's too big for the spot, plus last year there were hardly any blooms, I also got 20 french marigold plants from B&Q, my own seeds failed germinate. It's truly naughty to purchase more plants, I have plenty growing in the greenhouse. 

It's been a quiet few days, I have hurt my left shoulder, I've had problems since 2010, when an operation left me with nerve damage and a weakness, all I can do is rest, which is not so bad with the sunshine, I do wish the very cool wind would drop, it's nice to work outside but still cool to sit for too long. Today they have promised the wind will disappear, I have high hopes, I have a few jobs to sort in the square flower bed.

Thank you for your kind comments regarding our garden, whilst I do most of the work these days, it's a space for both of us, our refit back in 2023, was the final stage, ensuring its a much easier after 17 years we have done all the hard work, we know what grows here, I am an organic gardener, I use no chemicals anywhere, watching the wildlife gives us as much pleasure as seeing the blooms. I don't regard anything here as work, I'm happiest with a set of snipps in my hand, either deadheading or keeping things in shape.

My peaceful place

 April is a great month, so much new growth to be seen on all the trees in garden surrounding ours, making a colourful backdrop, our Magnolia is now filling out, I adore this tree, happy we keep it smaller. My red acer had a hug dead spot on the top right had side, I have cut all the dried wood away, it now looks lopped sided, I'm trying to convince hubby it needs a huge trim. 

My fleabane daisies are coming into flower, I have been tucking all the bulb leaves under the new growth, I won't cut them back as they are mainly hidden. My astilbe in the middle is growing back, I have popped the rusty frame around it, it's not really needed, I just love the look. I have 4 aquilegia's along the back, they will show soon.

My square bed is all sorted in the back section, my forsythia is thriving in this new spot and fills the corner, in the other corner I have planted my Chinese witch hazel, it was potbound, a neighbour has hers in the ground and its doing well. I do have space at the front for other plants, this bed again is how I wanted it. I put an astilbe in the big pot, I purchased it as a tiny plant, its now a good size.

My side bed is still full of bulb leaves, I will leave this bed for a few more weeks, I can see loads of plants returning, soon summer plants will dominate, for now I can let the bulbs die back and gain strength for next year. My bunting is years old, it's faded and dirty, I will remove it, I can't decide if I should make another lot to go up, I have had coloured lights here, they never last too long, humm, might look good bare.

There is almost nothing to do in this ornamental front section, it is how we like it, this is going to be a year of enjoying the space together, my greenhouse is full of plants, not sure where I can put them all. I can get dirty finger nails in the veg/fruit section, with the bonus of loads of lovely fruit and veg and of course my greenhouse. I did pop some spring pots under the red acer, something has been digging in them, so I will move them to the back section of the garden, I still have some space there. 

Since one of the huge elderflower trees has shifted in our neighbours garden, ours is now getting more sunshine, it is making a huge difference to the space, in time it will grow back and cast a huge shadow, the others are taller than our own magnolia tree.

Sunday we did nothing, it was another dry sunny day still with a cool breeze, we ate lunch outside, I did water the pots, again they were bone dry, I sat and did cross stitching for a few hours, such a restful day, the little ones played in their own garden so daughter got some relaxing done as well. Monday I did some housework and then outside again, enjoying the lovely weather.

The mornings and evenings are still cooler here, the days full of sunshine is very welcome, it's been a long wet winter, and I am more then ready for summer, even if I have to water often.

Glasshouse

 I've cleared the plastic greenhouse cover away and moved the frame back to use as shelves, this space is busy at this time of year. I need to try and clear all the fallen leaves from the back of the greenhouse, it's along our neighbours fence and a struggle to get to.

My peanuts are growing, I have ten plants so far, which should be enough, they will be grown in two bags and kept here inside the greenhouse, they need a hot sunny space. Molly wanted to start some more, they are shooting, when she next comes here we can start them in compost.

I have loads growing, I snipped the growing tops off my sweet-peas, they are now filling out.

More guara cutting in hope to have loads of the wonderful plants, on lower shelf is fleabane daisies for daughters garden. I have sown some saved french marigold seeds as well.

My daffodils are going over, I have cut the heads off them and have tied some of the smaller bunches, it's important to allow the leaves to die back on the bulb, this process gives the bulb their energy for next year. I have bluebell and camassia buds showing, the colour keeps coming. I shall move some of the pots with bulbs in as they go over, they live behind the garage the rest of the year. 

We have picked the first of our rhubarb, made a crumble with apples, we both enjoyed it, it's always the first harvest of the year, it is an early variety, I have a wire ring around the crown, which I fill with fallen leaves, they protect it through the winter and once broken down nourishes the soil.  

I got some stone (pebble) edging to cover my pond sides, the stones are small and I was worried about the 'glue' used, so I have used them elsewhere, I really do not want to damage the ecology of the pond. 

Days are now dull, the wind is much colder, so the garden seating stays covered, I still check the garden every morning, watching the separated plants growing in their new spots. Hopefully the better weather will return soon. 

Changes

I have put some of my pots on the raised bed, these are all hardy plants, I am waiting to see where gaps are, these are the fillers. I have sown two different lettuce seeds, plus radish and spring onion here at the back, I want this raised bed to be full of salad stuff. I have planted some of my Ranunculi plants, for now in pots, I have more to go into the ground, two of the foxgloves are also in the ground, the rest can stay in pots for a bit longer, I'm always planning for more colour. 

I popped to B&Q for some slate, and looked at reduced plants, as you do (well I do), the saxifrage was reduced to £2 per pot, the white crocus were full price, I just loved them.

My daisy bed looks much nicer with the daffodils and white crocus planted, the crocus are in front of my hyacinths around the central daisy, the saxifrage are in the chimneys. I don't require anymore spring plants here. I'm just waiting for the fleabane daises to regrow. 

Most of my spring bulbs pots have been move to this area, we can see it from the house. I have changed the railings, this one hubby cut down for me, it was at the back of the garden, the red acer now can grow free, before it was getting tangled in the higher railings.

The taller railings are now along this path in front of the greenhouse, I hope it will help keep the huge rhubarb leaves from falling over my path. It feels much cleaner, hubby did a great job of sorting here, the last two arches were cut shorter, hubby has lifted them to the same height, attaching them to the raised bed, only I see this bit. The previous shorter railing can be seen here. 

Every year at Christmas I get hyacinth bulbs for an inside display, I love their scent, once they have died back I have been planting them in the garden, I try and mix colours, now I have a nice display, most are in the daisy bed. This year I still have my white blooms in the greenhouse, I am going to replant them for another show this year inside. 

Moving the railings was on my short list of jobs to do, we had chatted together, hubby was not sure, he is happy to go with my ideas, he now likes this configuration, it was the biggest job for this summer, or maybe not, I get ideas for improvements all the time. I've been outside most days this week and loving it.

I am sorry to all my northern readers, who are itching to get into your gardens, here down south we are a couple weeks ahead, this warm sunny weather is great to get ahead on the garden task and hardy plants, it's still far too early to work with anything tender.

I am keeping my head in the sand over world affairs, I worry about so much, mad men creating war can't be one of them, hopefully Starmer will hold his ground and keep us out of it, we did fill our car with petrol, it was a quarter full, now with a full tank it should last at least 6 weeks. 

I am busy altering costumes for World book day, Molly and George on Thursday at Will on Friday, Will could not get the uniform he wanted, so I'm being creative.