How silly!

 A beautiful spring biennial.
Purple Honesty

I wonder how many gardeners sit in a holiday house overlooking a beautiful harbour, the table covered with lovely books to read - and then write a list of gardening tasks to do when they get home. How silly!

Wednesday 30th September

Oh yes, I have such a list, written while I was away on the littlest of holidays. First item - trim the ferns in the water race. I'm changing this to 'Start trimming the ferns', because it will probably take all week. My self-grown ferns are forever expanding, and are a bit of a nuisance. Now, while their new fronds are only just popping up, is the time to tidy them up.

Later, Lunchtime...

OK. I've done some weed-spraying of dandelions. To balance things up I've done some hand-weeding, and I've been in the water trimming ferns. Inside now for a foot warm-up, and a cup of tea. Then, in new dry socks, I am helping with the lambs - it's tailing time. No twins this year.

Lamb Report

Hmm... Three merino boys (the biggest already sprouting horns) and one extremely pretty merino girl. It would have been just as likely (and more suitable) to have three girls. Charles the ram is getting rather old, too. He is about fifteen. Old man ram!

 With their mothers and Charles the merino ram.
Lambs 2015

It's turned into October, and all morning I've zoomed around being sociable, with dogs and people. This afternoon my country friend arrived to do some weeding. We fixed up the little garden where the blue wooden seats live. We rescued Lychnis and Foxgloves from the lawn and planted them near the big tree peony.

 Lasting about two day begore the petals open like this
Red Tulip

Cute Three Years Ago...

By the water's edge I dug out a huge coarse green Carex, planted three years ago when it was compact and cute. The little stone wall needs more infill to stand up properly, but the garden is weeded and ready. Yeay! I love having an under-gardener.

Friday 2nd October

I've come inside to talk sternly to myself. Firstly, it is not too hot to do some weeding - it is only the beginning of October, after all. And it is OK - sensible, even desirable - to spot weed-spray the dandelions. And lastly, the production of seedlings in the glass-house should be in full swing. So get in there and do some swinging!

I am suggesting two hours of each, with the promise of some refreshing fruity cider as an end-of-the-day reward. Sunblock and a hat, too, to be worn at all times. Gloves would help the gardening hands and scratched fingers, too. And how about changing into gardening clothes? Hmm...

 The Rosemary has been flowering for ages.
Rosemary in the Herb Spiral

In my defence I have had lovely visitors all morning, and one cannot just wander off rudely to do gardening. I did manage some sneaky Herb Spiral weeding, though, while the Grand-Toddler nipped off bits of herbs to smell and taste. Then the GT helped me plant the first potatoes in the Allotment Garden (Sprouts up! Sprouts up!) and we went into the orchard to meet the lambs, who were scampering about with their mothers. Little people and lambs - awwww...

Later...

Hmm. I think I've worked really hard, then I think of all the things I haven't done. Counter attack! I write a list (or lists, hee hee) of all my little accomplishments. I do not need to include the loss (aargh!) of my new puffy/squirty weed-spray bottle.

Concerning Plant Production...

 Such a pretty yellow! Aargh!
Dandelion

Concerning the Weeds...

And concerning the weeds, the Herb Spiral is finished - paths and garden beds. I've done the dandelions in the perennials garden, and I've made a start on the other weeds therein.

See. I've hardly done anything. Now I feel quite deflated. Hopeless. I need something else to write about and thus feel good about my day. So I'm off outside to trim the edges of the back lawn. Maybe I'll spy, with my little eye, a green puffy/squirty bottle.

I think my new spot-spray dandelion system is a good one (hope I'm not offending anyone organic here). I've never successfully removed a large dandelion tap-root without messing up all the neighbouring plants - and then leaving a little piece of root behind to re-sprout. And to think that this slightly anti-social task wasn't even on my list...