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| Yesterday morning |
I've had a lot of extra gardening time this month due to it being the 'hungry gap' for voluntary organisations - that awkward period between funding finishing for the financial year end and new or repeat funding being approved to continue the good work. Or possibly not - nothing is certain and there's a fair chance of gardening being my principal line of work after the end of July. Still, this isn't the blog for pondering the whys and wherefores of voluntary sector funding: this is the wholesome, not-too-political look at what's growing in my garden and others in my care or of interest, so let's see what we have...
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| Narcissus 'Blushing Lady' |
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Pride of place, for still being gloriously in flower despite low rainfall followed by sharp frost, high winds (a narrow escape from a 'mini tornado') and now snow showers goes to these 'Blushing Lady' daffodils, growing in pots this year before planting out, after a good feed, in the borders where older 'Salome' bulbs have ceased flowering. They have looked flawless for over a fortnight, despite the best and worst the weather could throw at them. I got them on special offer from T&M last autumn so will be watching for more or another pink or white variety to try in the pots next season.
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| Narcissus 'Thalia' |
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I also have a bucket of 'Thalia' bulbs to replant following their ill-timed eviction from the 'herb garden' during the redesign/rebuild project that's accounted for most of my extra spare time this month. They needed splitting and spacing out anyway, so I'll add some of those to the borders too, in between the hellebores, for a dainty contrast.
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| Hard landscaping (rather than easy landscaping?) |
The herb garden project almost didn't happen. Having got approximate prices for the rope-top edging from the Internet, I dropped in to my local Jewsons to be quoted a price well in excess of what was expected, checked out B&Q's alternative, only to be deeply disappointed by the quality, before unexpectedly finding a decently finished alternative at Homebase, priced at about 2/3rds of the Jewson's cost per section - though with each section around 115mm longer. Great for economy, if a bit of a headache for quantity recalculations. Able to shift no more than eight at a time in the trusty Micra, we're a couple of journeys short of completion at the moment, and we still have to source the corner posts or 'dollies'.
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| Herb garden reloading... |
Homebase don't stock or order them. The manufacturers can supply, but in bulk and with a disproportionately steep delivery cost for small numbers. B&Q do a good deal - if you need a pack of twenty, which I don't. I only need seven; they don't sell them singly. For a premium - the equivalent of twelve at B&Q's price - I can get the number I need at Jewsons. I plan to check out a few other builders' merchants and see what they have and for how much, and watch Ebay for a few weeks, before deciding but if there's anyone reading this in Stoke who needs a 'baker's dozen' brindle Victorian rope top corner dollies, do let me know as I'm sure we can work out a deal!
Meanwhile, after the soggy winter, the allotment has been dry enough this month to work and plant, so all the potatoes are now in, the old brassicas out, broad beans and onions in and plans in place for planting the rest. This year's spuds are a selection of reliable old favourites: 'Foremost' first earlies in the garden at home, 'Kestrel' second earlies in three and a half plots on the allotment, one-and-a-half plots of 'Highland Burgundy Red' and a plot of 'Pink Fir Apple'. I'm hopeful that the slug-resistent qualities of 'Kestrel' will stop them being menaced by the millipedes but the HBRs may prove somewhat vulnerable - we'll have to see. 'Spudwatch' will be running on this blog throughout the year - no sign of growth yet; just as well!
We transplanted some of our surplus daffodils to a small patch there this year which gave us cut flowers and the bees an early food source and we aim to make the small plot immediately in front of the compost heaps a wildlife-friendly bed, with a small pond and some wild flowers and maybe a tree. One of the rogue hazels from the back garden is a likely candidate, as we can pollard it for beansticks for ourselves and our colleagues, although I suspect the local squirrel will make off with the nuts. That's certainly what happens in the garden!
So there are plenty of things to do - but not today, as it's hailing again. Bad news for the plum and pear blossom, of course. I think T S Elliot may have had a point.
