Eating the Elephant!

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I haven’t been well for quite a while, and that’s bad news when it comes to the garden. It takes all my time to keep it looking good, as it’s a large one – so being unable to get out and get on has been very frustrating.

Hywel said that he thought of the tasks in his garden waiting to be done as being ‘overwhelming’.

My response to him (and to myself) was to think of it as ‘eating the elephant’. It’s obviously impossible to eat that great big animal in one gulp – but you could manage it in small mouthfuls!

So – what’s the first step? Make a list. It doesn’t have to be on paper, it can be in your head, but I find it helpful to write down the priorities and cross them off. I do the same in the last couple of weeks before the garden’s open for charity.

Job 1 – this was really getting me down. The leaves from the vine are falling fast, and there was a carpet of them across the cobbles and right along the paths at the back of the house. Well – I spent a few minutes (between rests) picking some up and putting them in black plastic bags to make leaf mould.

After a couple of days, I had four sacks filled and stored, and one waiting for more fallen leaves. I feel on top of that, now, even though there are lots more leaves yet to fall.

Here’s today’s leaves. Not a problem to pick those up and pop them in the bag.

Job 2 – My containers were looking very sorry for themselves, as the summer bedding faded. Then my box of bulbs arrived!

I couldn’t just leave them there – they needed to be planted. So, remembering the elephant again, I started on one container. Out came the finished begonias and tatty diascia, and in went my lovely Skimmia ‘Magic Marlot’ kept safely potted up all summer. I planted Crocus ‘King of the Stripes’ and surrounded the Skimmia with dark rose pansies.

Oh, it did help to have made a start! It spurred me on to get other containers replanted – gradually!

There’s one more to go – I’ll get it done tomorrow.

Here’s my box of bulbs now. Only a few tulips for the last pot, and some white Brodiaea for the island bed are left inside.

More jobs: Sitting in my chair in the garden room, I could see what needed to be done in the nearest bed. The Aquilegia had dead leaves amongst the new ones, the Catananche had finished flowering and looked a mess.

Well – I could deal with those two jobs quite easily.

That took 10 minutes!

The Catananche? I’m doing this gradually – almost done.

A late-late job! Oh dear – I was so late taking Penstemon cuttings, but better late than never. I collected some jam-jars and clear pots, and took my seed labels and pen round the garden with me. I ended up with a row of pots in the greenhouse, and even if only a few of them grow roots, I’ll be pleased. By the way, I usually get much better results with these cuttings in water, rather than compost.

It’s October – time to plant my sweet peas. If I wanted lovely fragrant flowers next summer, I’d have to get them in.

It didn’t take much time or energy to get them planted in newspaper pots in the greenhouse – three per pot.

There’s also a huge job – (note to self, remember the elephant!)

All the phlox, and other perennials that have finished, need to be cut back…

The phlox look such a mess, as they tend to develop mildew.

I’ve been cutting back one clump at a time, and taking the stems to the compost bin. This task would certainly overwhelm me if I let it – but I refuse to allow it to! There are plenty more to cut back, but I’ll get there, gradually. I usually mulch all the cut-back clumps, too, but there’s plenty of time to do that, again, bit by bit.

Rehmannia angulata

Remember this lovely flower? It has more buds on it at the moment…whether they’ll open, I don’t know – but while I was looking at it the other day, I noticed that there are four seedlings underneath. I think that’ll just be a small ‘bite’ to dig them up, pot them, and put them in the coldframe for the winter.

Looking around the garden, there are lots of jobs I still have to tackle. Look at the island bed – it needs cutting back…

…but I have made a start on it. Another bite taken!

I’m not always thinking about all the jobs waiting to be done, though. That would get depressing! I can admire some beautiful flowers in the garden, and forget about eating elephants for a while.

Colchicum ‘Water Lily’

Butterfly Antirrhinum

Scabiosa ‘Fama’

14 Oct, 2010
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Comments

Whistonlass

You'll feel so much better doing things little by little, Spritz. Your blog makes perfect sense...I've got the list in a book and have also been writing info in about which plants I'd like to have when sorting out new borders next spring.

I hope you can remain patient with yourself and do it all bite by little bite...I like your positive attitude. I'm one of the ones who has a tendency to look at the elephant so your blog is a good reminder! lol

Keep well.

14 Oct, 2010

Mavisc52

Enjoyed your blog Spritzhenry and the way you have tackled you garden,(I took my sunglasses off to look at the colours) Hope you are feeling better take care...x

14 Oct, 2010

Shirley_tulip

I think you've achieved a lot, the bending and stretching involved with gardening can be just too much sometimes, especially if you're not feeling 100%. I love the Skimmia with the rose coloured Pansies in your pot. Sit back and congratulate yourself for the work you've done today ! Remember just how big Elephants are, one bite at a time. Take care of yourself. : o ))

14 Oct, 2010

Annella

I have to set myself one task a night now after work and not get annoyed about having enough time as it gets dark so early, it will be worse soon. I love your blog and your garden Spritz :-)))) Here's to Elephants we can eat them!!

14 Oct, 2010

Lincslass

Its good to hear from you Spritz, I`m so pleased you`re feeling better and you are so right, a bit at a time is so much better than not being able to do any because one is worn out through ill health or overwork, love your elephant idea. Lovely photo`s and thankyou for reminder as to sweetpeas, have to do mine as well.
Hope all is well with Henry......

14 Oct, 2010

Hollyeves

glad you were able to get some things done........ lovely pics ... your tubs look lovely..... i just do what i can when i can due to health problems... but i always feel better when ive been doing things in the garden...

14 Oct, 2010

Silverbell

Enjoyed your blog Spritz. I like the "eating an elephant" analogy - another good one is "yard by yard - much too hard, inch by inch - it's a cinch" :)

14 Oct, 2010

Whistonlass

Clever, SBell...I've written that in the front of my garden diary so I can look at the words when I'm feeling impatient! :)

14 Oct, 2010

Bamboo

I think of it as if I'm Michelangelo - he didn't create his works of art in one hit, he did his sculptures a chip at a time... this was said to me by my mother in law 20 years ago when I expressed doubts about recycling, feeling my bit of recycling would make no difference at all ... I've read this blog with my sunglasses on, its the only way I can concentrate with this glaring white background, lol!

14 Oct, 2010

Marydoll

good blog think we all at some time think it will be too much! then we can look at what we have achieved and can be pleased with ourselves. Sorry youve not been well hope you are on mend. I can sympathise with you. Containers are looking great!

14 Oct, 2010

Mavisc52

Snap Bamboo!

14 Oct, 2010

Cristina

i,am with you spriz....................... one step at a time .lol or is that bite at a time . hope you better soon. i have bin doing a bit each day too. but still have loads flowering, sadly i think the 1st frost will put paid to that . urgggg

14 Oct, 2010

Ian_digs_v2

Your garden will look great after you've finished that elephant! Do you want a slice of bread with it or maybe some gravy? Lol.
Seriously though Spritz, I'm really pleased to see you are feeling much better now. :~))

14 Oct, 2010

Eating the Elephant!

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