Sun shining but am I gardening?

17 comments

well its the 3rd of Jan and I hope you are all well and recovering from the trials [many for some of you] and tribulations of the festive season.
We had a lovely quiet Christmas with just OH and our 2 girls. I was given a new spade [transplanting spade apparently] and fork, some herb cutters and a plant labeller [made by Brother].
But as you know I damaged a ligament in my lower back doing the concrete drive and as yet it isn’t quite right for digging the new border. Progress to date then is slow.
The completed drive

Length of wood to be the edge marker to help cutting a straight edge. The upturned trough is the correct width too so saves on a tape measure. OH insists on straight edges and proper angles. [Remember the revamping of the conifer bed!]

Turf removed/turned, then my back gave up so leaving the sods for the weather to do its job.

The black bags have topsoil from the garden when we dug out the foundations for the drive. they will be emptied back onto the border.

So I have wandered around the garden taking pictures of what is in flower.

Not technically in flower but I. foetida is grown for its berries.

Still haven’t managed to get these cyclamen and violas planted but I can see these from the kitchen window so they give me lots of pleasure.

A wonderful Hellebore that is about 3ft tall and has lime green flowers that last well through the spring and early summer.

Primula ‘woodland walk series’ used as edging in the revamped conifer bed. Cant really say coming into flower as they have not stopped all year.

Another favourite at this time of year is Mahonia ‘Sir Lionel Fortescue’. Such a wonderful shrub but those leaves are vicious.

And the Fuchsia haven’t realised its winter. Both are doing well in pots on the pond wall.

And lastly not plants but the fish are up and feeding still. Not all of them come up at the same time but I did manage to count 17.

So yes sun is shining but am I digging?

NO.
I am doing lab reports ready for work on Monday. Botany of sorts haha.

3 Jan, 2014
13 likes

Comments

Terratoonie

Hi Sbg...
I hope your back is less painful soon ..
your garden is looking colourful, and those straight edges will be impressive ;o)

3 Jan, 2014

Snoopy

lovely row of first earlies down that straight line look a treat.:):):) you did a good job of the concrete it looks well hope the postie is happy with the corner piece

3 Jan, 2014

Steragram

Only you would think of that Snoop. The fuchsias are amazing Sbg,considering how far north you are - ours finished some time ago. Are those cyclamen hardy ones? They are lovely.

3 Jan, 2014

Seaburngirl

my back is much better but I'm not overdoing it TT.
Snoop I'd quite like spuds but the plants will have to be low growing as my daughters car door will open across it.

They are hardy down to -5 apparently and I use them in hanging baskets etc. I find they don't really last well outside. Now in the conservatory they are happy as it is cool but frost free Stera.

3 Jan, 2014

Hywel

Well I'm not a fan of straight lines in a garden, but that new border will look nice I think with a straight edge, to go with the new drive.
I hope your back isn't too painful ...

3 Jan, 2014

Scotsgran

Bewst wishes for a speedy recovery but I think you will have plenty of recovery time if as we all suspect the winter is yet to come. The fishes are looking great. That Mahonia is hard to beat.

4 Jan, 2014

Bornagain

It's all looking great Sbg, hope your back is better soon. I do hope we don't have late seasons again this year, lots of flowers still in the garden:-)

4 Jan, 2014

Hollyeves

All looking good, will be a nice border when planted up...

4 Jan, 2014

Melchisedec

It all looks great! When I went out yesterday to lift the arch which had blown over (again!) I saw that my neighbour's fence had fallen into our garden, taking four Queen Elizabeth roses with it. I shan't be able to assess the damage properly until the fence is lifted. It'll have to be replaced because it is completely rotten. Oh well - just as well we're good friends! It'll probably inspire me to renovate the border, which is a bit past it, I have to say...

4 Jan, 2014

Lincslass

Looking good Seaburn, I was amazed to see your fish up and feeding, ours haven't been up for weeks not even on the odd days when its really warm.......

4 Jan, 2014

Steragram

Hard luck Melchi, but just think how nice it will be to look out at a lovely new fence you haven't had to pay for... and perhaps your roses will be OK with a hard prune after all - lets hope so.

4 Jan, 2014

Melchisedec

Yes, Stera - that's what I'm hoping!

5 Jan, 2014

Seaburngirl

the weather has been bad hasnt it. Like Stera I'm sure the roses will be fine.

as for the fish they havent really stopped feeding, just more torpid with it being cooler. I have 2 wild carp in there too, one is a 'leather' form and the other a 'mirror'. they came as 1" long youngsters from the pond at work. it was being cleaned out and the people contracted to do it didnt notice them high and dry in the drained beds. So they were rescued and broought home with me. they are about 9" long now.

managed a bit of garden tidy up yesterday, well the pavement infornt of the property had ivy encroaching. warmed up first then spent a happy 3hrs giving it a trim.
back seems ok this morning.

6 Jan, 2014

Seaburngirl

Our regular post man back on the rounds today. He told my daughter he liked the 'short cut'.

6 Jan, 2014