On my mind . . .

Here is my entry for Rhonda Jean's "On My Mind" Friday over at Down to Earth.

I have never had a greenhouse - until yesterday, when this one presented itself as a bargain to me. It became my birthday present from my family. There was much rolling of eyes from my husband, who is NOT a gardener by any stretch of the imagination and cannot understand my "need" for such a thing, let alone to ever upgrade to a proper polytunnel so I can extend my growing season. As we are hoping that this year is when someone will fall in love with our house and buy it, I am ever-hopeful that the next property might already have a bigger glass greenhouse (or better still, a polytunnel!)

Anyway, as you can see it is already in use. On the left is a big tub with 4 just-bought shrubs in it, which are just soaked and heeled-in until I can plant them up by the driveway (trees to be felled first). They are all white - 2 x Philadelphus, a Spiraea and a Deutzia. The one pathetic length of staging is going to be added to with an old seed-stack in two halves on the opposite side. The plastic covering had degraded too much to use and needed replacing, but instead the greenhouse made more sense. I have 3 trays of little Violas which are going to be planted on top of the double-wall beside the path to the house. Beyond that are pots of Double Strawberries and Cream Nasturtiums, and some Jaguar Peas which are just breaking through the soil. Beneath is my "weeding kit" and kneeler.

As you can see, this is all very much on my mind at the moment, with the start of the gardening season here in Britain. Here in Wales we have had several dry - if cold - days, and I have been able to spend them outside, which is bliss.