My mini allotment, Little Lotte, has been busily growing leeks, lettuce, winter greens, spring onions, kale, onions and garlic throughout the winter months. Now the weather is improving I’ve planted potatoes and more onions and garlic and I’ve sown runner beans that will ramble up the fences. Now that so much clutter has been cleared …
I’ve lost count of the storms that have torn through the area of late, but thankfully we’ve had little damage. The wooden greenhouse/shed, now formally christened “The Shack” held it’s ground and remained standing. The Shack has been given a coat of preserver externally and now has the potting table installed. The plastic covers protecting …
Read more “Surviving the storms, The Shack and defying the odds”
The laurel and hedging is looking rather pretty at the moment despite the greyness of the days. How I wish these hellebores could raise their sorrowful heads. Suddenly, crocus are everywhere. Touch wood, the rain hasn’t damaged their delicate flowers yet. This little yellow one certainly wasn’t planted by me. I just love the dark …
The sun finally came out and literally dazzled me. The tightly budded crocus rushed to open for the early bees. The entire garden lit up. Seeing the sunlit leaves and grass made me realise that I haven’t seen the sun for months. Even the trees seemed to enjoy basking in the warmth with the sun …
Most of the UK has been swaddled beneath a blanket of snow, yet here barely a flake has fallen, much to my disappointment. Don’t get me wrong, it gets old fast when it lingers and turns to ice, but one deep, transforming fall would be fun. It’s been bitterly cold here of late, as I …
Read more “A snowflake, snowdrops, spring bulbs and surprising things”
Do you remember the bald hedgehog at the rescue? Well, just look at him now. He’s been successfully treated for ringworm and is now sporting a glistening new set of spikes. The little duckling that arrived over Christmas is all grown up too, she’s the duck in the front of this picture, the one behind …
Read more “A little sunshine among the endless wind and rain”
I have a variety of fruit trees, plum, pear, apple, cherry, fig and apricot. To date I’ve never had figs or apricots but a gal can always hope. I’ve always planned on acquiring a damson and now, thanks to a friend, I have three damson saplings that are the great, great grandchildren of her original …
Read more “The great greenhouse cleanup, damson saplings and spring beauties”
Spring seems earlier than usual this year. It’s rather odd as the snowdrops, crocus, iris and daffs are doing very little in the sunnier, south-facing front garden but are bursting into bloom in the back. Usually, it’s the other way round. I absolutely love the iris popping up in all the side planters on the …
The hay run can be quite challenging…everyone wants to be a part of it! As usual, wildlife is full to over-flowing with hedgehogs. Almost 100 at the moment. The really sickly ones need hand-feeding. This little chap has the most awful lung-worm and was close to death when he came in. He’s hanging on, three …
It’s always lovely returning home. I do miss all the critters, at home and at the rescue. It’s odd having nothing to take care of! Orphan chicks are already arriving at the rescue, and I just love hand-feeding them, one of my favourite jobs! Apparently, Curly was an utter nightmare while we were away. Poor Barbara, next …
