September
First Spring Bride
September - month of spring stirrings, and my birthday (divisible by three). Hopefully a month of good sense and stamina. One where I stick to my plans, and maybe - just maybe - get everything done that needs doing. Oh yes? Well, I will jolly well try.
Non-Gardening Partner has to play his part, too. He still hasn't 'strimmed' the archway roses, nor has he organised my so-called 'winter' spray (with oil and sulphur, separately). It might even be too late? Isn't it pretty much spring? Hmm...
Sunday 2nd September
Yesterday I used all my available time up spreading more horse manure and leaf mould on the new garden. I spread mulch on the top. Today I am about to present a list. It's going to have sub-headings, and might be a bit scary. It will also be weather-dependant - Non-Gardening Partner tells me (rather nonchalantly) that it's going to rain today, with possible snow later to 200 meters. This. Isn't. What. I'd. Ordered.
Garden Maintenance
- Rake out mess from behind cottage and burn.
- Pull out more old wood from The Hump and burn.
- Add more horse manure and leaf mould to new garden.
- Do some weeding, anywhere!
Plants And Seeds
- Start cuttings.
- Shift and replant Calamagrostis grasses in Stables Border.
- Shift Canna pots from cottage, repot.
- Pot more vegetable seedlings.
- Sow more seeds.
Late Lunchtime...
Well, it's not raining yet. But I've got that bonfire sizzling, just in case. I've trimmed and burnt some Viburnums, cleared rubbish from the fence-line, and raked lots of mess out from behind the cottage.
Gums and Greenery Behind the Cottage
Just in case NGP (a modern countryman, with a weather website) is correct, the glass-house work can come last. He obviously thinks something is imminent - he's foregone the morning Sunday paper to take the tractor mower out into the orchard. Now he's revving up his chain-saw to cut up the last of the Hump logs. Hmm. Better take the hint and keep on working.
White Penstemon
Later...
Yes! I've worked for seven hours. The rain has only just held off, and I only stopped because my feet were sodden and cold. This is the longest and busiest gardening day I've had for a while. I have done lots of little things - like divide and repot pieces of my white penstemon (I love this plant, pictured here on the left) and rescue some purple Heuchera. The bonfire has flamed all day. Oops - I suspect I have burnt my new red secateurs.
And I am definitely NOT going to write a list of things I've not done. That would be rather cruel. All that's been missing is the taking of photographs, and I'll go do that now. What a groovy day.
Monday 3rd September
And a groovy night - rain splattering on the cottage roof, rain which the garden will enjoy. Hope the singing tree frog is OK in the rain (he went strangely silent) And clever me, burning a long bonfire yesterday, and spreading so much organic matter on the new garden.
Great Dixter - photo to come
Ooh goodie! More perfect timing - right at this rainy, indoorsy, wintry-springy morning moment, a friend (wandering around England) is mailing me some of her garden photographs. Oh my goodness! How the other half of the gardening world lives and looks (with a few volunteer under-gardeners to help?).
Great Dixter Sunken Garden
Great Dixter - the sunken garden - loosely informal. But not messy? I'd love someone to say that about my garden, hee hee...