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| neighbour's magnolia tree |
Yesterday was warm and spring like so we did some work in the garden. It took us nearly two hours to get a deeply rooted stinging nettle out of the flower bed; it had wrapped itself around a rose bush and invaded a shrub peony so it was tricky to remove without damaging the other plants. It was hard work but it was good to be outside. The birdsong around here is incredible, probably due to the number of blackbirds that are nesting in the hedges. There seems to be a huge population of ladybird bugs this year, they were all busy bonking yesterday.
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| bonking ladybirds |
Earlier in the week we visited the local garden centre and bought some new terracotta pots and a couple of climbers – a clematis (Madame Bouchard) that is very hardy and doesn’t mind a north facing wall and a summer flowering Jasmine to climb over the patio trellis. Paul has also made a start on a herb garden and planted thyme, parsley, sage, chives and mint.
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| herb garden |
The fence around the vegetable plot is finished and has a smart picket gate. Rick has already discovered he can just hop through the wooden bars of the fence.
Paul needs to add some chicken wire to the new fence or alternatively you could put Rick on a chain. Also, I must say that I was little shocked to discover that you are into voyeurism but i guess it takes all sorts!
ReplyDeleteThey were being very brazen.
DeleteNothing like good old Lincolnshire growing weather.
ReplyDeleteThe soil is good here too.
DeleteSince when has a ladybird been a bug?
ReplyDeleteSince he went to the ugly bug ball.
DeleteYou are making great progress in your new home, do you feel like it's "home" now ?
ReplyDeleteMost definitely, I even know where the light switches are in the dark!
DeleteWe may know one or two bloggers who would have taken the opportunity to call this post 'Heavy Bonking in the Garden'. But 'one' does have some decorum and adheres to a certain standard. Hehe!
ReplyDeleteIt did cross my mind!
DeleteYour garden is coming along so fast! Is your stinging nettle edible? I bought a bag of it once at a market, having only read about it but never actually seen it. I was intrigued. It didn't taste like much after all the precautions required to prepare it but it's supposed to be full of vits & mins.
ReplyDeleteI think the tops of the nettles are edible but I don't fancy eating them. You can make wine and beer from them too.
DeleteNettles have many uses: ropes,rennet for cheese, army uniforms, attracting butterflies. I make a garden with them and feed the tomatoes and cucumbers. I enjoyed your post.
Delete...garden tea.
DeleteWe've made garden food with them in the past, it stinks like billy-o!
DeleteI think I'm going to add a clematis this year also. Our soil is full of shale so it takes a lot of work to dig in it and then a lot of soil prep. Paul certainly seems like a good guy to have around!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how well ours will grow because we want it to cover a north facing wall. Time will tell.
DeleteLizards are running around here; very springlike. 20 C today, 21 C tomorrow; it's looking good.
ReplyDeleteI should add that early mornings are still a bit frosty!
DeleteNo, I'm not jealous. Not a bit!
DeleteI did think that the fence didn't look very " dog proof" !!
ReplyDeleteYou put me to shame with all the gardening. Only done " cutting back "so far in the garden...not warm enough yet to get into the soil !
He knows he's not supposed to go past the fence so I'm hoping he will learn.
Deletea little wire fencing inside the fence will keep Rick out. Your garden is looking fabulous!
ReplyDeleteWe might well do that if he keeps getting through.
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