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.