Two poor nights' sleep have caught up with me today. I felt very tempted to drop everything and have an outing again, because the weather was so beautiful first thing. However, nose to grindstone and some weeding in the garden first, around the French Doors, then up to tear up some old cardboard boxes for the compost heaps. Then more weeding/digging over and removal of heavy duty thugs like Lemon Balm which seems to be all over the garden here. I planted 3 Lupins in the space, one being one I grew from seed last year. The other two are Purple, not sure what colour this will be.
This bed has suddenly gone mad with grass and weeds. The tall Aquilegias are ones that used to be here and then got covered over with membrane which had rotted half away and had to be removed. The pale pink one towards the orange Geum is also one of this ancient sort. I have taken out the grass around/through the Golden Margjoram in the middle. It needs mulching again though after I have weeded it thoroughly. When I arrived, there was one climbing white rose which had reverted, a tumbling down rose support and Lemon Balm and Marjoram.
Free food - the black trays with tomatoes in were grown from an overwintered yellow cherry tomato which had rolled under the tables. It was just a husk of skin with seeds inside. I opened it and shook the seeds onto a pot of compost and all these appeared. I shall have to give most of them away as I don't have room for that many and I prefer the larger salad tomatoes. I have several diffrerent sorts of Cucumbers started in the house, and some Cantaloupe melons for Tam. I won't put them out in the greenhouse just yet as it's meant to be cooler this next few days, though not the 2 degrees tonight I saw on one forecast earlier in the week.
When I went up to vote on Thursday I took a couple of photos of the view before it is totally decimated by gigantic turbines almost the height of the Shard, and marching miles of pylons.
L. Whale is much better now. I took the executive decision to remove his cone yesterday as he kept digging at it with his bad foot and it was taking the newly healed skin off the wound. It looked sore and I gave him Loxicom for the pain and then last night he slept on the bed beside me all night, and was clearly MUCH happier without the wretched cone on.
I have had a couple of sessions spinning today, trying to get the treadling and tension right. It's years since I last spun so almost like starting again.
On the way home yesterday I came over the Eppynts so I could visit Merthyr Cynog church. Not very visually exciting inside, but it has SUCH a history connected with St Cynog, who was one of King Brychan's sons, the oldest I think. Story and photos tomorrow.
I really like your garden, looks like you're doing really well with it, I have lemon balm in my garden too and use it make soaps and skin cream, Have a nice weekend.
ReplyDeleteI spent a lot of time digging and planting, and money on plantings when we first arrived. Now I just get something I really fancy and shoehorn it in. I have scattered Aquilegia seeds over the gravel and they love it here and reward me in May and June. The Lemon Balm here had reached the Invasive stage and I don't use it for anything.
DeleteI sowed tomatoes twice this year and didn't get a single seedling so I bit the bullet and bought some tomato seedlings last week. I was really shocked when they turned out to be £1.95 each. I hope they are good croppers at that price.
ReplyDeleteI usually buy a couple of young plants (when we went to car boot sales regularly, they were always at giveaway prices). Now I have a hot windowsill and can start my own. Cucumbers too. Can't have too many cucumbers!
DeleteI am so envious of all the working in the garden folks. We are still having nights in the 30s and frost warnings.
ReplyDeleteThat's not good for gardening! It was 14 deg. in the house this morning so I weakened and have had the heating on low for an hour. It's been a cold May this year.
DeleteNot wanting to delve into politics or the events of this week, but one good thing might have emerged for us down here in the west, and that is Plaid is dead against DARC. I simply could not begin to imagine the blight on the landscape of dishes the size {allegedly} of Jodrell Bank sitting on the cliffs above Newgale. {look up PARC against DARC on Facebook}
ReplyDeleteThug though it be, Lemon Balm is good for making tea and flavouring cakes.
The Lemon Balm and Marjoram were allowed to spread everywhere, likewise the London Pride, which I am transferring most of to behind the pond where it can just be. Not heard of the DARC plan, but how typical to ruin an area of ONB just because it's there.
DeleteI'm glad to learn that L. Whale is past the worst of his recovery! I've never had a cat in a protective cone after surgery. Poor animals--they've already had a traumatic trip to the vet clinic and then to bumble about with that lampshade effect!
ReplyDeleteSeedlings I attempted to raise in the house after the demise of my little greenhouse, not a success. The basement area with the growlights is okay for overwintering tender plants but too cool for tomato seedlings to thrive. About half of the ones we set out on Thursday immediately fell over and gave up. We are now having April temps in May--and finally some rain--fickle weather!
Me too - such a worry when I was stuck between a rock and a dark place - vet said don't remove as he will lick and infect wound; leave collar ON and he was ripping the wound to bits and a social pariah. He was very upset wearing it on the first night and his breathing so laboured, poor chap. It took me back to nursing Keith, where doing what the nurses said made life worse for Keith . . .
DeleteHave you a cat-free warm windowsill for the tomato seedlings? I hope you are able to buy some started ones locally. Perhaps individual "greenhouses" made from plastic PET bottles, if you have such a thing in the house? Might keep the cats off them too.
Happy for Whale, they are such a nuisance for animals and one feels for them. Young tomato plants paired with English weather are always vulnerable and May is a month of many moods.
ReplyDeleteI had soft donut collars for the girls when they were spayed, and one also fitted poor old Ghengis when he needed one. I would have to buy in a large neck size one for L. Whale. I would do that again if necessary, knowing what I know now.
ReplyDeleteSeedlings still hanging in there but I may have to move into the greenhouse as it's a darn sight warmer in there than my kitchen!!