My Spring Garden - Series 24
I Love My Spring Garden - Series 24. Episode 2. This is my twenty-fourth spring here in the Moosey Garden. Wow. That's plenty of time to learn how to garden sensibly, properly, harmoniously, and naturally... Yes?
So what have I learnt? Hmm... Trees grow? A happy garden equals a happy gardener? My soul has grown strong with twenty-four years of country gardening magic? Hmm...
Lamb in Suit
Friday 21st September
A little unwanted magic in the back paddock. Five months ago, the Moosey Ram was securely fenced and gated in the front paddock with his wether friends. The ewes were safe in the back paddock - past the house, the orchard, and the hay barn. You can probably guess where this is leading. Hmm. Lambs! A pair of twins and one single lamb, so far. A local rogue ram has obviously chanced his luck, busted through a fence, and disappeared into the night before anyone noticed.
Later...
Aha! Slowly but surely! My second potato patch in the Hump is now twice as big. I had to dig out a lot of tree roots. Not a problem. Then I spread twenty-four bags of horse manure around. One for each year, hee hee. Wandering randomly around the gardens with the dogs in the afternoon I removed hundreds of parachute weeds. It's the month of the dirty gardener's bottom. See them, sit down immediately in the dirt, or mud, then pick them out carefully - that sort of thing.
Keeping up with spring...
I've also started pricking out my seedlings. So far I've done lettuces, dwarf blue cornflowers, cerinthe, and blue Lupins. Nice. I've also bought lawn seed, new hose reels, and potting mix. So it's all go, go, go, trying to keep up with spring. I love it!
Apres Weekend...
Wow! A wonderful weekend, tasks varied, much achieved. I remembered lots of little things that needed to be done, and did them. I love it when that happens.
Rosemary
Sunday was an amazing day. In the morning I did a general clean-up in the Island Bed. I trimmed dead stalks of Dahlias and Alstroemerias, tidied up the big flaxes, and pulled out more parachute weeds. There are lots of Delphinium seedlings, around which I wobbled and minced, carefully. Hopefully they are smoky lilac-blue like their parent.
Gnomes
California here we come?
While munching lunch I started painting the next batch of garden gnomes (this happens in the kitchen). Great excitement! My newest colour, a golden tangerine, is a huge hit, possibly because of its name - 'California'. Gnomes (like people) are easily impressed. And rather competitive. One chap got 'California' trousers, so they all wanted 'California' trousers. And vain. Does this colour make my bottom look big?
Two and a half hours before I had to perform (with clean hair and fingernails) in a concert, I made an instant decision (as a semi-seasoned folk-club performer does). The Viburnums behind Pond Cottage looked horrible with their ruined leaves (have been spraying them with oil, but the damage has been done).
So I speed-sawed them down to their ankles (they'll resprout with clean green leaves), lopped up all the branches, and managed to burn the lot. Just enough time - dried my hair and practised my music in my head on the way to the gig.
Waiting for the southerly
Today, Monday, I've shovelled all the garden mix onto my potato patches. A southerly is forecast, with cold rain and snow to 200 metres. Aargh! I've got firewood ready, and the three surprise lambs are snug in woolly lamb-suits, in case things get nasty.
Spring!
My garden is ready for rain, but please! No spring snow.