A Work In Progress
By Paulspatch
21 Feb, 2016
6 likes
Work has stalled somewhat in recent weeks, on my front garden. The tiny area was covered in slate chips when we moved in (Dec 2014) but with no membrane, so we were constantly weeding. Just after Christmas, I started work but what with the weather, some work and also illness, most recently a horrible bug that I seem to have picked up when working at Family Fun Parks last week (it really has knocked me for six unlike any bug I've had for many years), less progress has been made than hoped for. I removed all the chips and dug some small beds to accomodate some cuttings I brought from our last garden and , hopefully, a few new plants.
Yesterday, I hoped to finish digging the beds and relaying the slate (with membrane) but, just an hour's work made me feel so ill that I had to stop. But, progress is being made, with the removal of an incredible amount of builders rubble, the installing of some metal edging, digging in of manure and topsoil and the laying of half of the membrane and slate. (I had to laysome of the slate down before finishing digging the beds, in order to free up some rubble bags(which were holding the slate chippings) for all the rubble I removed.
Hopefully, I will get it finished very soon and planted up.I will then put up a blog showing the before, during and after!
Comments on this photo
Feeling a little better today, thanks Siris but this bug is a blighter.
Do you have one of those wire brushes on a long handle to scrub the weeds out of the block paving gaps? I use one at my customers' gardens.better than going down on hands and knees to scrape them out!
21 Feb, 2016
There have been some really horrid bugs about this winter that have really hit people hard. Don't force yourself to work out there if you don't feel like it. The job can wait until you feel better and until the sun decides to come out!!
What a miserable winter it has been!
Hope you feel a lot better soon.
21 Feb, 2016
it will look great when it's finished Paul! Take it easy. I had a horrible bug over Christmas and it really knocked me off my perch for a couple of weeks. No point over-doing it, you'll only delay your recovery.
21 Feb, 2016
There's always another day Paul ! Don't overdo it !
21 Feb, 2016
I started a bug over Christmas that turned into bronchitis. Take it easy Paul - the garden will still be there tomorrow.
21 Feb, 2016
Take care of yourself Paul Like Rose says there's always another day hopefully some nice warm spring / summer days when you feel more up to it ...
22 Feb, 2016
Thanks everyone........I must say, the stomach part of my bug seems a lot better today although the head, chest and cough are worse. Hopefully, it's running its course and that course will soon be over. (Fingers crossed)
A bug combined with my symptoms of Fibro myalgia can really knock you for six and it's difficult to distinguish which symptoms are which.
Just a little gentle pruning of my Clematis this morning and I haven't many in this garden so didn't take long.
22 Feb, 2016
Thanks for the advice about the long handled wire brush, I will buy one for OH, (tongue in Cheek!!). Now, you, don't over do it, as everyone has said.
23 Feb, 2016
Over did it cutting a couple of my customers' lawns today....
They have grown so much with all the mild winter weather...they really were a struggle but I need to do them all as soon as I can or they will be even worse in the spring!,
23 Feb, 2016
When will we gardeners learn!
24 Feb, 2016
Hope you get well soon Paul is the bug you have a cough by any chance. Here in the papers our council has admitted we are breathing in toxic fumes from the traffic and the air wont be clean for some years. Right up until 1979 Portodown was dropping and fireing from ships in land and dragging round the streets of the uk germ warefare experimenting on us to use on the Russians when asked if they will do more tests in the future they replied thats their business I know a lot in local towns have got this cough and been ill and none of them smoke.
Jays fluid is great for keeping weeds at bay far better than weed killer. I am sure your front bed will look grest when its finished dont over do it and take your time if your ill. X
12 Apr, 2016
Thanks Dawn.....I got over that horrible bug (stomach, cold, cough, fever) but, then had another cold(I caught it when working at farm park as Mad Hatter for the 2 weeks school holidays) which is just clearing up now.
The beds are pretty well finished, now.I have been planting them up recently but still have some more plants waiting to go in.
When the plants start producing some colour, I shall do a Before, During and After blog.
12 Apr, 2016
Happy to hear your cold is clearing up now.
Yes a great idea before and after shall look forward to seeing it all in colour and bloom.
13 Apr, 2016
Happy to hear your cold is clearing up now.
Yes a great idea before and after shall look forward to seeing it all in colour and bloom.
13 Apr, 2016
Hope you are feeling well enough now to continue, look forward to seeing the finished article.
I am always having to weed our block paving drive and path. OH would just put weed killer down, but it could run onto my Iris borders, besides being environmentally unfriendly.
21 Feb, 2016