And so to big gardening day three of 2021. The one where it’s not just a freak warm day flash in the pan but the beginning of gardening season for real. There will be more days like this. Most probably tomorrow and the day after and if it rains well you’ll still be out there congratulating your plants on a drink well deserved.
Today I began with a plan to sow my outdoor batch of seeds, three large bags of peat free compost at the ready. What actually happened is that as soon as I approached the front borders it was soon obvious that I had a fare bit of tilling and feeding of the soil to do. We have really clay soil up front anyway so it gets compacted no matter what you do but with all the snow and ice we had not so long ago (feels like forever ago now though), it’s was really tough to turn. Had to get down on my hands and knees and do it with a trowel in between all the perennials that are now pushing up. My back will thank me for that later.
I then managed to dig in pretty much all the compost I’d reserved for covering over my seeds but that’s no bad thing as this soil really needs enriching and this is the time to do it. Also the beds into which I will place my little seeds will be nice and soft and welcoming. Not quite the nice fine tilth they might be wanting as that’s impossible out here but enough texture for some seeds to make it through.
Also moved some Lamium maculatum that I planted last year when the garden was first cleared that’s wonderful and vigorous but was also taking over and making the woodland area look cluttered rather than gently wild. A perfect plant with which to hide the lovely green pipe that Virgin left us when they installed our cable in the autumn.
I also found some hostas pushing up, like clumps of pale green swords and spotted at least ten foxgloves forming their proud basal rosettes. When I get my hands on some more compost the beds, path sides and pond area are now ready for a sprinkling of Ammi majus, Ammi visnaga, Echinacea pallida, Verbena bonariensis, Gaura lingheimi, Mexican daisy, Cornflowers and dill. The weeds are also in check bar a few dandelionsthta were fluttering their manes at me and my botanical garden is go. Happy days.