Mysterious Holes and Signs of Life

May 2011

It having been over a month since our last post, you might have thought that there would be a dramatic change in the garden since then. However, there doesn't seem to have been a great deal of growth, which could either be down to the complete lack of rain or to mine eyes becoming accustomed to the garden (another reason why this blog is helpful - times they are a'changing (Happy 70th Birthday Bob) at a gradual pace). So before Baby Bean awakes, here goes...

Husband got a bit arty with the euphorbia by the compost bin. Surprised he was able to get that close considering the size of the thistles, which I think are beautiful and he thinks are spiky.

Our first genuine archeological find (aside from tarmac and old wire) was a button from a soldier's uniform:

Housemate Helen came to assist with a backlog of planting out. Here she is putting in some celeriac on Bed B, which had been started in modules a very long time ago BB (Before Bean):

We finally planted in Bed D. The spinach, lettuce and rocket are growing well. Some of the sweetcorn hasn't germinated so the odd one needs to be re-sown but otherwise it's exciting to see. The courgettes are in and scabious have been planted next to them.

Bed A is growing well but having to battle blackbirds digging for grubs around the garlic and pecking the strawberries. Note to self: fix cds to a stick in attempt to ward the birds off. The Pea Beans from the Organic Gardening stall at Hampshire Potato Day are growing well despite the garlic, with two growing from seed planted directly.

Now Bed C is annoying. I struggled with brassicas in a previous garden and this one is no better. The Pak Choi are going to seed (lack of water). The cabbages are being manged (pigeons). The Savoy Cabbage isn't germinating (old seed). The broccoli and brussels sprouts need transplanting but aren't big enough yet and may never get to be big enough. Still, the radish is growing well so if that's all that grows we will at least have nice salads all summer.

Surprisingly, the potatoes planted by Husband in a manky bit of upturned turf are doing rather well. They're a bit more shaded than the official veg beds which may help in this hot weather. Oh, we are watering the garden every other day but that's not the same as a good drenching from the sky. We have a date in the diary for the First Inspection of the potatoes - hehe!

The front garden is south facing and is doing very well, although one of the roses has flopped (Grandpa L says it's normal for some). One of the calla lily bulbs has emerged although it may not survive. Still, much excitement at its debut.

So what are these Mysterious Holes that keep appearing in the soil? Dunno. Something must be digging whilst we sleep, either a cat or a fox we think. Husband has pondered setting up a webcam to track the beastie so we might be able to watch it on YouTube (erm, I got lost during the explanation on the whys and wherefores).

And here is Baby Bean at 5 weeks 3 days old, growing well:

Bean!

Arrival of Baby Bean

Bean sprouted on 6th April 2011. Hurrah!

Baby Bean with Uncle Graham in the garden

Updates on the garden may occur on a monthly basis now we're pretty well up to date with what has gone on in the garden, in between watering BB.

Recruits hard at work

Beginning of April 2011
It being April Fool's Day and Mother's Day, we invited Mum and Dad L to come and do some more gardening. (Perhaps this is a good point to explain that Husband is plumbing in the toilet and sink, so is far too busy to be pleasing the worms as well.) They arrived bearing numerous offerings from the shady side of their garden, and the gardens of Auntie Margaret, Auntie Marian and Grandma (plus meringues). Mum L spent Friday afternoon digging over the dry border under the north facing wall and planting the offerings.


Mum L modelling the latest in garden fashion

Dad L dug over the sunny border against the south facing fence, removed the turf from Bed D, and re-turfed the border and various bald patches in the grass.


Dad L working on the border edging

Brother Mike, having completed his last exam until summer 2012, came over the next day and was put to work on excavating Bed D. It took him and Dad L all day to dig it out as there was mounds of rubble as well as lengths of electrical wiring dumped by builders.

Bro' Mike and Dad L

Dad L with rubble

Mum L spent about 3 hours mulching the entire garden with chips from the eucalyptus and leylandii that had been quietly rotting in corners since October 2010. 

Newly mulched shady border

Mum and Dad J came round for an inspection (and Mothers Day lunch) after the troops had rested. Dad L insisted upon mowing the grass as the finishing touch, aided by Husband with Dad J inspecting.

Dad J skipping with delight at the lovely garden

The garden has really transformed since being a plain lawn with empty beds around the edges, overshadowed by trees and a giant hedge (by-the-by, apparently the leylandii was 10ft high, not a mere 6ft - either seems very tall to me!). Many thanks to all the family for their hard work and numerous plant donations, without which we'd still be drawing plans and dreaming of carrots. Bean did not show up on Mother's Day so perhaps a few more seeds planted might mean the baby deigns to show itself.

Planting and sowing

March 2011 plantings
On 11th March I transplanted strawberry plants from a cheap end of season B&Q hanging basket into the garlic/onion/leek/bean bed (yes, I have since read that beans and garlic don't mix but for this first year they'll just have to try toughing it out). They have taken well and are encircled by onion sets. The onion sets were purchased at Hampshire Potato Day and are starting to show already after some warm weather (writing at the end of March). Leeks sown at the same time are not showing, and it might be because the seed is old. I'll try sowing in a pot to plant out if it germinates. Parsley for this bed has been sown indoors and four seedlings are bravely surviving.


Bed A: strawberries, garlic, leek markers and bean poles

Brussels sprouts, cabbages, radishes and nasturtiums were sown on 15th March in another bed, with some remaining onions at each end to ward off nasties (not sure that fits with crop rotation - think I'm getting confused between strict rotation by type and companion planting). So far the radish and cabbage has made an appearance. After learning that pak choi is a brassica, that was sown on 23rd March.

Early carrots, parsnips, beetroot and rocket were sown in a third bed on 15th March, but so far there's no show. It could be that the weather was just too cold, or that the seed just too old. Still, there's time yet for further attempts.

Tucking up the wee seedies on two frosty nights

On Sunday 20th March, Husband and I bought a Cox's Orange Pippin apple tree at RHS Wisley Plant Centre. It was planted the same day with a hazel rod for a stake and seems to be very happy in its new home. We also got seduced by a variety pack of red dahlias for the sunny flower border which needs a complete re-vamp.

Spring is in the air

March 2011
Diggin' Dad L returned for more action on the garden front half way through the month. Over the course of a short weekend he managed to dig out a strange mound of topsoil from next to the fence. We think it must have been transferred from the area which had a weed suppressant membrane over it, although we'd no idea why they put a new fence in below the level of the soil so that the fencing was already starting to suffer! All this involved some re-turfing as couch grass infested ground was flattened and replaced.

Re-turfing and flattening the mound

Auntie Margaret had kindly donated her box hedge to us in autumn 2010, which we'd just shoved in the borders to overwinter. Dad L dug holes for and planted nine box plants as a suggestion of a path from the gate to the door, as well as a division between the lawn area and more informal veg patches. It will take a few years for the box to be shaped into balls or mounds, but they smell lovely and they make me smile. A visiting two-year-old was so enamoured by them that she hugged a couple with great glee!

Dad L with box

A spare box plant went out into the front garden in a dark corner - perhaps one day it will be a tall rounded lump. Dad L also dug a large hole ready for planting an apple tree in the corner. Grandpa L, Granny L and Uncle John came to visit bearing rhubarb crowns, which went in next to the raspberry canes.

Box 'path' and three of the four island beds

Dad L has been coppicing a hazel in their back garden for a while now, and he kindly donated some very useful rods which will be used to support various climbers. The end island bed in the above picture shows the wigwam where the french beans will be going in a month or so. The rest of the rods are propped against the leaf compost bin (no, it's not a bee hive, although the bees have been investigating).

Making the beds!

February 2011
I started maternity leave on 14th February (the four hour daily commute was getting a bit much by 33 weeks pregnant, plus it was my birthday!) and Dad L came to stay for the week. I'd spent much of the winter concocting an ambitious scheme for the veg patches but had been thwarted by frozen earth for months, so that by the time the thaw arrived I wasn't up for heavy work. Dad L fortunately happens to love digging (mole-like tendencies?) so got to work removing turf and digging over two island beds for a decorative veg patch. He dug out lumps of old tarmac, concrete, bricks, an old pipe and tonnes of stones. I was on stone sorting duty and we now have an increasingly large pile of flints with which to construct a path or edging. Mum L helped to dig a bed after she got back from a CWR course.


Mum L with a fork

The amount of work completed was amazing and I'm sorry I wasn't much use! I did manage to put in the garlic though - four bulbs (one of which is 'pink') purchased from the Hampshire Potato Day event - and sow celeriac, marigolds, various wild flower seeds, basil, sweetpeas and cabbage in modules. We also planted three canes of raspberry 'Autumn Bliss'.


Raspberries along fence; garlic in bed; pile of flint in corner



Front garden

Serious Box Appreciation!

In the usual Spring Madness, I subscribed to Gardeners' World magazine in March 2010. "Joe's plants for problem places" in the April issue was on shallow front gardens, suggesting box balls with roses, allium, iris, geranium and salvia. Having a fondness for the smell of box (roses aren't bad either, just less surprising!), the design seemed appropriate when we found our new house. Funnily enough, Granny J had two box balls that Neighbour Eric gave her that were looking for a home, so of course this concluded the matter.

Dad and Mum L came to visit one weekend in early summer. The rose of sharon was reduced; the laurel-type-thing, the dead climber and the ivy removed. Pah! We're not wasting a good south facing wall with those! Four bags of manure were dumped on the beds either side of the front door and planting began after a trip to Wisley Plant Centre to buy two roses, two iris, a clematis and some lavender. Fortunately we had vouchers as a wedding present (thank you!) and were also able to buy a bird feeder. Dad and Mum L gave us some geraniums, some wee box lumps, more lavender and some verbena. Joe Swift's plan was put into action, with some modifications, and the front garden looked a whole lot more inviting than previously.

Very newly planted front garden

Of course, it will take a while for the plants to spread out and cover all the soil. The mahonia was able to stretch out after cowering under the rose of sharon and is less lop-sided. About two weeks ago (March 2011), three white calla lily bulbs were planted under the window. These were donated in October 2010 by Sister Assumpta from the Bermondsey convent garden and travelled home in a large sack by bus, train and taxi. I potted them into large pots and they survived the winter without rotting - hurrah! For his birthday in March 2011, Husband received three pots of alliums that can go in as soon as possible (he probably really wanted Screwfix life membership or a garden shed but alliums is what he got!).

View front the front door, December 2010

Opposite the front door is a manky bit of fence enclosing some telephone company gubbins. Grandpa L had been growing cuttings of climbing hydrangea and kindly gave us two, one of which has taken off up the fence (the other is in the back garden against the wall next to where the elder was removed). A large box has been planted in a dark corner (thank you Auntie Margaret and Dad L) which will also help to improve the view into the front garden from the kitchen.


Climbing hydrangea, March 2011



Getting ready for action

Autumn 2010

Eucalyptus, October 2010

After our tutting about the state and situation of the eucalyptus, Dryad Tree Specialists came to remove it at the end of October 2010. They cut useful wood into logs and ground out the stump. They also ground out the stumps of the leylandii hedge which Husband had previously taken great delight in decimating with a chainsaw. The goat willow was pruned, having become a bit overexcited, being in danger of knocking down the large garden wall and impeding lorries on the road. A branch of the silver birch was removed as it was rubbing against the main trunk, causing damage. Husband had removed the dying elder a month previously. Dryad shredded all of the smaller twiggy material and left us with a big sackful to be used as mulch.


Pruning the goat willow, October 2010

As an aside, we have a dream of installing a wood burning stove in the kitchen. This probably won't happen since the person we got in to quote never actually supplied one, having had a good nosey all over the house, thus leading us to believe it is way beyond our budget! A log pile is still good for insects and makes use of what will no doubt be yearly culls of the goat willow.


Naked garden!

With the aid of Uni Julie (who was obviously in dire need of entertainment!), we removed a layer of weed suppressant membrane from the patch between the garage and the ground eucalyptus stump. The garden was now laid bare, ready for plans to be put into action. However, frost, ice and snow meant that the garden was nigh on inoperable from November 2010 until February 2011, which was somewhat vexatious.

Veg at the Edge

Small steps, summer 2010

Whilst waiting for inspiration to strike (and time to become available - a four hour daily commute is not condusive to productive gardening!), we planted out a few veg that had started off in pots prior to moving in May 2010.



Runner beans, lettuce, sweet peas

A packet of runner bean 'Scarlet Emperor' had lasted since my days with Housemate Helen so these were planted in the sunny border. The lack of long bamboo canes and subsequent lashing of shorter canes together meant that following a summer storm the wigwam fell over. Fortunately, this enabled Husband to finally admit that he didn't really like runner beans! Still, we ate rather a lot before that (aw, isn't he lovely). The sweetpeas planted with them suffered from a lack of watering but tried their best. We went on holiday just before the few lettuce and rocket plants next to the beans were ready, so they had gone to seed upon our return.


Courgettes (and home brew)

Two courgette plants grown from seeds given by Granny L were planted under a window and did so well that they set off across the lawn. 

Potatoes in sacks didn't do so well, perhaps because of the hot spell in early summer and my not knowing how much water they wanted - considering the rain in Ireland, famed for its potatoes, I should have guessed!

Feeding time in the goat willow

Husband was given chilli seeds as a Christmas present and these were grown in pots in the conservatory. It was a learning process and this year (2011) should see better results.



Bush tomatoes were grown in hanging baskets and pots outside but failed to impress.

Courgette quiche

Bob Flowerdew's book 'Grow Your Own Eat Your Own' provided inspiration for a courgette quiche. Having baked a courgette cake with Housemate Helen, I was not tempted to recreate the soggy if tasty effort!

Homage to She Who Digs

Beginnings

Laylandii hedge, June 2010

Having enjoyed reading She Who Digs' blog and missing her pictures, I am going to try documenting the development of our back garden (the 'Adventurous' bit comes when we leap in after much time spent pondering!).

We moved in almost a year ago and the garden was pretty well a blank canvas. After removing a huge eucalyptus that was shading most of the garden and a 6ft high leylandii hedge that was a hideous dead end, some friends presented us with time from a garden designer that they'd won in a raffle.

Eucalyptus, June 2010

In November 2010, Edward Mairis drew up a design which we liked very much. We have been slowly deviating from the plan as the wind blows and plants get donated from family (erm, sorry Edward!). He got us to think about what we like so that the main elements of his design will still be visible in the long term: an informal veg area; a sunny flower border; some lawn; a woodland border; some decent seating; fruit trees; and a pergola which could be turned into a climbing frame for future adventures.