Productive space

My sister gave me this peace lily years ago, I had it in a pot for a while and then planted it into this spot, I'm not keen on it, so I dug it out, it regrew, I have dug it out 4 times and again it has grown, so for this summer it can bloom, it's very close to my rose bush and I can't get all the bulbs out, they multiply like mad. 

June is a good month for blooms in the flower beds, there are still gaps which are filling out. there is always  room for improvement. The roses are in full colour, my red bush is still buds, it has never thrived in our garden, the agapanthus have loads of buds, I have them in 3 different spots around the garden. I do love all the different blooms, I don't follow gardening planting rules, it more wild here.

These fleabane daises fill the back bed,

 I just adore them.

The veg beds and bags are doing well, I emptied my first bag of potatoes, which was mixed, they tasted great but just not enough of a harvest, I picked loads of broad beans and strawberries, sadly no carrots ready yet, my runner beans are setting their first flowers, I have tomatoes forming on 2 plants. 

My shallots are in two bags, the space I was going to use in raised bed is not yet empty, I have also planted one of my butternut squash plants, I moved the cucumbers out of the big pot, they were struggling. Everywhere has something growing filling all my space.

Lilly loves to hide, she is very happy under the raspberries, often at the back where she can't be seen, she is also very noisy and will often peek out when I am near.

Sunday I was home alone, hubby was out at a petanque tournament, his team lost in the semi final, it kept clouding over, so was not great to be outside, when the sun shone it was a bit too hot, the wind had dropped. I did sell my metal table and chairs, the lady was very happy with it which pleased me, I've had it for over 10 years, the far side of the garden does not looked cluttered anymore, I was sad to see it go, I have no where for my spring pots. 

Monday we took the bus to town, I had returns to give in at Next, we had a wander around, nothing much caught my eye, it's nice to be somewhere different. Tuesday was a day at home, not much to do, sat in the shade, restful garden time, enjoying the sunny weather.

Thank you for all your kind comments about the garden space, we have lived here for over 16 years, and most days we are outside, in the warmer months we are outside for most of the day. It is a small space with loads of different beds, all have edging to help keep it tidy, I regularly have a pair of snips in my hand, just 30 minutes each day can keep every thing looking tidy. Since the arrival of the new furniture we are sitting out much later in the evenings, I often now read, the seats are very comfortable.  

Sitting outside

Hubby rubbed down this table and chair set, I was going to get it dipped and powder coated white, after a changed around in the garden I can't find a space for them. So for now I have listed it on our local marketplace, there are a few sets already listed, I've not asked for a too high price, I've had interest most want a bigger reduction in price, I'm not hopeful it will sell.

We also sold our outside wooden set, last seen here, in a surprising move we chose a new seating set, originally we were going to wait until next year, we saw a great deal on this set, with an extra 10% off, making it too good to miss. The seating is bigger, the table smaller, here set low, it can be raised to dining height, the parasol is placed behind the bench, there is no hole in the table, it works, we do not want to change it. 

We both love our garden layout, it was always our plan to add a nicer seating set here, we don't require a huge dining table, we don't have the big BBQ's we once hosted, so taking advantage of a good offer, we now (hopefully) have finished all the expensive stuff inside and out. Plus this set fits into our space so it's working well, the 3rd chair is packed away, most days we would not need it, most of the seating stays in the shade.

All 3 chairs can be tucked under the bench section when stored, here you can see the 3rd now spare chair under the bench, the cushions are in the garage, so if we need it we can pop it together quickly. The cushions on the chairs are deeper which means all the seating is at the same height. 

I will always love our garden, together we have worked to make it our special place, we both love a tidy garden, I love the mixed planting and a tidy edge, I am extremely lucky my hubby will do jobs for me, some times he's unsure of the outcome, he does trust my vision. This space is a bit of both of us, I would not have a lawn, he would have flowers in neat rows, we are different, but we blend. We gave our little bench to a friend, she is a local photographer and works with local pre schools, she was very pleased with it, our little ones rarely used it, it's really nice to think it will be cherished by another. 

I have read most of this week, relaxing and not doing anything, I managed to do some housework, just a vacuum and a flick of a duster, we have not seen the little ones so no sticky fingerprints anywhere. Daughter came with Molly on Friday morning, it was sunny and warm so we sat outside, Molly trying all the different seats, telling us she loved them, she then checked the strawberries and blueberries for a treat.

The thunderstorms promised on Friday night turned into just a bit of rain, but the air has cleared and it feels less humid, Saturday I looked after daughter's 3 children, she was out with friends, it had been booked for ages, they behaved as always, so not hard work for me, playing outside most of the afternoon. 

Random stuff

 I always love every story by this author it's another tale with DCI Roy Grace based in Brighton, he really does find believable people and plots to create a story, this had a very clever start, no one is invincible, this is his newest release in paperback, I could not put this book down. Book 44 read this year.

Another author I love reading, she too is the master of putting people together in believable stories, loads of 'he done it' moments and a final twist I did not see coming, her stories are very easy reading, no gore, clever words. Book 45 read this year.

For a while our community centre has been running a repair cafe once a month, you pre-book your item, it's very popular in the village, and fantastic use of the community centre. We have lived here 16+ years, the centre was rebuilt just after we moved in, now it's always busy with loads of classes and other events.

 

We have summer knitted displays in the village, two of our huge trees have been wrapped, a line of bunting, the post box topper and some of the bollards have hats, all knitted, it's fun to see, and loads of hard work. There is the artisans market here this weekend, loads of lovely things planned, it should be a good time.

I'm making another photo book, this time for my eldest brother, Derek, he has just been placed into a lovely secure home, Martin has been collecting photos, which he was copying and placing into a photo album, I suggested I made a book with thick paper, which can't be easily ripped, I can always order another copy if needed, I have also added everyone's names, it feels good to be able to help, I don't live close to them.

I have been waiting for the postman to delivery my first Kitchen Garden magazine of my renewed subscription, by the end of April it had not arrived, on checking I could not find any confirmation of my payment, checking the bank account no payment had been taken. I found the original email and was very happy to see I could still access the offer, a good price with 50 packs of seeds, mainly veg and herbs and the promise of 3 packets with each monthly magazine. My seeds arrived I will keep 33 packets and donate to school 17 packets.

I've done very little this week, my mouth has been sore rather than painful, we have had a few bits collected and a couple of deliveries, so we have stayed close to home, resting, reading and making plans for my next sewing project. Thank you for kind comments, they were well received, hubby is very good, I'm managing soft food, I'm maybe a bit less chatty and a bit moody, sitting around doing nothing is very tiring. 

After the rain

 The recent rain has done wonders for the garden, all my water buts are now full again, and after the thunderstorm on Saturday, the ground is no longer dusty dry. My back veg section is looking very productive, we are having regular carrots and broad beans, plus salad bits and of course strawberries. My recent planted runner beans are climbing the posts.

I have very little space to walk around, my bags and buckets are already showing loads of good growth, the flowers are growing tall in their two bags, I'm very hopeful to have cut flowers inside this year, I have finally cracked growing sweet peas, I do love to see them inside, I am regularly picking them. 

My one hosta plant has four blooms growing, both are now much bigger, this new larger pot is working, sadly they both have been munched, the yellow begonia is filling out nicely in the middle front, I have moved it along the fence and it now looks much better, the sun does not reach this spot until the evening. 

We have been moving plants again, the olive tree is now in the corner by the extension,  it's a much sheltered spot, I popped most of the pots with it, the metal table and two chairs don't  really have a space anymore, so I think I might try and sell them.

It's been just too wet to be outside much in the past few days, fortunately there is very little to do, I have a few cuttings, in water, in hope I can add a couple different plants along the back fence and fill the gaps, I also dug out roots from my snowberry plants, I have two existing plants and hopefully made another three, I would like them to fill the back section of my daisy bed. My perennials seeds are very mixed in the greenhouse, I am busy reading up on conditions required, and if I should pop any into fridge or freezer to recreate their normal sprouting cycles. 

I have managed to get some new hurdles (low fences) for my two raised veg beds, I am really disappointed with the split willow ones, they were middle range prices, I expected they would last better than just the year I have had them, the ones I would love are just too expensive, I did look into going on a course to learn to weave them myself, again not at all cheap. So I have gone for budget range, with metal and plastic, in hope they look good from a distance, they work so well in keeping cats off my beds and keeping all the produce from flopping over. 

I've had a cracked tooth removed today, it was not to bad, my jaw aches and I've got to take it easy for a few days, no gardening,  that's going to be fun.

I'm wild, grrr

 I'm not a house cat, they want me to be a house cat, I just love their garden, so many exciting things out there and all for me to play with. I do disappear at times, I never go far and always come back. She made me a wonderful water drinking spot, she calls it her wildlife pond.

They got me a new tower recently, I do love it, BUT I'm not going overboard, it's a cat thing, I play a lot when they are out, I'm not sure why Dave the bear is on the top level, I'm not bothered, I don't go on that bit much and I can easily knock him off if I want too. 

They have started leaving my escape route (cat flap she calls it) open later at night, I now realize it gives me complete freedom, I am still kept in over night, I'm not sure why, they keep changing the rules so maybe soon they will stop locking it. I love to sit and look in, and then run away when they open the door, I get them almost every time. 

What is going on with the weather, I can tell you 'I hate the rain' I don't like being wet and it means I have to come inside, the ground stays wet with puddles for so long, I'm not keen on wet paws and all my hiding places drip for ages afterwards. They try to cheer me up, I do like the treats, but not so happy with to many cuddles, I have 'beds' everywhere for me to hide and sleep, I do love to sleep as much as I like to eat treats. 

I have two brilliant outside games, I steal the decorations from his water feature, he chases me for them back, and then I realised I could steal the funny little bags she puts on the green things growing on a plant tower, the little bags help the green things turn red, they then eat them, it was funny playing catch me if you can with her, I did not drop the bag at all, she muttered all the time at me, making the game even better.

I'm being told I'm going to my special place for a couple of days soon, so they can have a break, I do love Jackie, but she keeps me inside which is not so fun, I do get extra treats from Jackie, she takes almost as many photos of me as mum does.

Love Lilly xx

Summer

The garden is looking good, I planted out most of my bedding plants, I had a few too many so I've packed them in, these shelves are now looking empty, soon it will be time to pack them away again, just the smaller of the french marigolds here until they get bigger and a couple peonies.

I have potted on loads of sweet williams, so far no show for aquilegia's and foxgloves, I have also started some lupins, the two begonias will come out soon and be placed back near the seating area, the tomatoes will stay inside, I don't have much room to put the pots outside, I do have one tomato plant in one of my raised beds.

The garden is full, it's extremely pleasing when everywhere is performing, it's been a good start to the season, we are still saving water from the house, for now I throw it over the magnolia or acer roots. Hubby trimmed the climbing rose by the garage, I could not reach the top, he also trimmed the acer in the ground, he was far more gentler than I would have been.

The seating area is looking good, most of the french marigolds will go in the front of this long bed, there are zinnias and asters dotted about which will fill the space with summer colour.  

Tuesday we popped to my favourite garden centre, it was a dull day, the promised rain arrived, I purchased 4 small plants I did not need but liked, and two packets of flower seeds which I will start now for next year, they have started selling seeds in half packets at a lower price which suits me. I have been good doing housework a couple of days, I do try and keep on top of it, on sunny days I prefer to be outside, but the house still gets dusty.

Wednesday I was busy out side, a good day for harvest, more strawberries and rhubarb,  broadbeans enough for two meals, carrots, lettuce, spring onions and another small posy of sweet peas. I started more carrots, mixed salad leaves, spring onions and radishes, everywhere is looking good.

It's raining again this morning, I'm not complaining, the ground is still dry under the surface, my water buts are now almost full again. Later we will catch the bus into town, we are not looking for anything, most of the branded shops have gone, there are now more independent shops opening, it's been a few weeks since we visited, so nice to get out, the buses are very regular and we both use our bus passes.

Sewing.....

is my passion, 

I don't get my machine out often enough, I've had this machine for years, it's basic compared to modern machines, all I want is to stitch neat rows, everything else I can do by hand. Here I have cut 32 pairs of triangles all the same size from a meter of fabric.

My first task is to sew both of the sides, I make a long string of them, they are then seperated and I trim the sides using my pinking shears.

Now I turn them the right way and push the point out using a knitting needle, I'm not fussy for the points to be perfect, this does not require that amount of detail. Each one is ironed to ensure it's good shape.

Next it's a simple task to sew the raw edges to the tape leaving a gap between each one, I don't measure, once the triangle gets to the back of my machine I add another, this is done in one long piece. I then fold the triangles over and ensure it's at the edge of the tape and stitch again.

My final row of stitch is along the bottom of the tape, this seals the raw edge inside and gives strength to the bunting. A nice few hours work.

In it's final place, just to add colour to the little ones garden climbing/slide frame. It's 100% cotton so it can stay out all through winter months. We chose not to place it at the bottom as George would play with them, I've used simple drawing pins to hold them in place, so if they start to play with it and get tangled, it will release and not cause harm to the little ones. 

I really enjoyed making this bunting, I have home made bunting along my side fence, it's faded and a couple years old, it does not need replacing. I would like to do more sewing, I live in jeans, shorts and T shirts, all much cheaper to buy than make, I rarely wear a skirt or dress. When Molly was born I hoped to be able to make her dresses, she loves leggings and shorts, I also hoped to make George's trousers, but he loves slim joggers, so sadly my machine stays unused.

If I decide to make anything, I always have to have a use for it, I can't just put things together and then decide what to do with the finished item. I do like patchwork, but my desire for every join and corner to be perfect, means I'm unpicking often, which takes away all the joy. 

I am planning a new cushion for hubby, I saw lovely ones in the Chelsea Pensioners garden at Chelsea, I have buttons and his rank badge from hubbies time in Welsh Guards, I did get a red curtain sample locally, it's not a perfect match, hubby has found a site who will sell him two meters of tunic fabric, it's more than I need and expensive, but it will look good.

What makes you smile

I was working in the garden when I heard the door bell, Sharon who lives 4 doors away was standing there, we became friendly just after she moved in, she was struggling to sort a wild hedge as we walked by, we popped back home and loaned her our cutting tools, which made the task much easier. She recently got 3 hens (I am so jealous, sadly no space in this garden) and she gifted us 6 fresh eggs.

Hubby made a spiced apple cake for the first time, it really very good, he got the recipe from BBC food pages, it's very simple to make, as taste as good as it looks. As Sharon would not let us pay for the eggs we gifted her some cake. 

I dug out my Japanese onions on Saturday, they are not too big, which is just as hubby likes them, I had very few fails, these grew in half of one raised bed, about a square meter. I will leave them on this camping table to dry out for a couple of days and then store them in our garage. Thanks to Dave for the heads up on the ones to grow. 

I popped runner beans in the vacant bed, with marigolds along the edge and for now shallots in pots down the middle, once the broad beans are finished the shallots will go there. I dug the bed out, added blood, fish and bone to the soil, it was still quite dry below the surface, so I am back to watering most nights. I have redone the net on the cabbage and cauliflower plants, I have 8 of each and they are growing well. 

My first lot of runner beans are growing up the canes in this big tub, the peas are starting to grow in the second tub, I also have new potatoes in bags, two are flowering so soon time to harvest them. 

The strawberries are coming every other day, as I have said before the little net bags are really keeping bugs and mice away from the berries, the lower level of the tower has been left for the nibblers, I had my first raspberry as well, the fruits are always earlier than veg. I have bags and pots everywhere around my greenhouse, two with asters and zinnias in, both for cut flowers, I am picking a small bunch of sweet peas every few days, I keep them close to my seat inside so I can smell their sweet scent every evening. 

The flower beds are coming along, I have a few smaller gaps, I do have loads of bedding plants to fill them, as far as I can see only one plant did not return from last years purchases, so I have one bigger gap to fill, I am thinking maybe another astilbe, I already have a white one, maybe I can get a pink one, my white plant is not big enough to propagate it yet, by splitting, I might just fill the gap and split my existing astilbe later in the year and save money.