WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY - 2021

I’m confined to the house and garden for the next 10 days, as hubby has tested positive for COVID, having developed symptoms last week. I went for my test this morning, and should hear in the next 24 hours....

So.... having come back from the test centre,
I’ve hand-cut a section of laurel hedge, to try to encourage it to grow to block the view of the neighbours new patio.
I’ve cut out a dead Laurel plant.
I’ve made up 5 bundles of woody bits from the Laurel, some Holly that needed to be cut out of a young silver birch, some buddleia that I cut back last week, and a big bundle of bramble stems.
I’ve weeded about half of the drive bed, so that the spring bulbs stand out a little more.
I’ve admired the first tête-à-tête flowers that are starting to open.
Definitely need a cuppa - but I might be going stir-crazy by the end of the week, as I’m used to doing about a 5km walk every day!

 

I could not find A Chilean Potato Vine so just bought a few plants and a Lavender Bush to replace one that's on its last legs....More weeding and getting into the hang of that now..the more you move and bend the more you can...
Re lined the baskets with new weed suppressant as was not going to pay 9 euros
each for coir liners..and could not find any bags of moss...so the two I have made up
with this fabric cost me less than 1 euro...The compost look really good and had an odour of horsey so 100% for outdoor use. only 2,30 euros for 40 litres in E'Leclerc a popular Super/Hypermarket throughout France....then below my hard work, weeded nearly all that bed, which is our view from our little living area that we use all the time.
Lavender Bush purchased to replace the old one.
Just forgot I also bought a Hypericum..Hidecote which we have had at our other two Homes, it is so reliable, so should give us some long lasting colour and hopefully spread like the others did.....just editing as messed up the photos....Photos in a different order now, but never mind,,,

 

Sorry to read you news Sian in Belgium. Glad you keeping busy with the Garden and hope your Husband does not feel so bad at all....Most people get this mild but it's a lottery..Maybe ride casual style around the Garden..We can with ours as lots of grass expanses..Take Care, Both

 

As it’s been nice here this afternoon decided to fill the big raised bed I’d built not long ago . Worked out it takes 420 litres
Had some spare earth around but had to buy compost to top it up.



Also planted up some primulas

 

A proper early spring day here - warm in the sun and everything! Pruned the roses and group 3 clematis, moved various pots around (the sweetbox is looking and smelling the best it ever has so has been relocated to be by the back door), cleaned out the hens and generally enjoyed being outside.

 

Hi @2nd_bassoon are you still having to keep your hens in/under cover with the bird flu risk?

 

@Sian in Belgium hope everything goes well for you.

 

Sadly yes. We don't have the set up to keep them completely inside, so they're in a roofed run that we've covered over as much as possible. Days like today I'd normally have let them out into the garden to roam while I was out there and they knew it - they spent the entire time standing at the door glaring at me I think it was April before the restrictions got lifted last time so still a while to go yet

 

I saw a Callistemon sieberi Widdicome Gem in our local garden centre and decided although it may not be much different to the other one I have I still bought it and planted it today as the soil is warm.


I lost my Coronilla glauca last year but then potted up one of the many seedlings around and planted that today as well.

 

all day but still a bit of a chill wind. No matter, was outside planting the 6 trays of primulas I bought from hardware store. Put them in pots out front to add a splash of colour around the front door and the baths. Sat on bench for awhile watching birds and rats.

 

More hard graft digging out turf for my extended cutting garden. The weather is been ideal and I've got a friendly robin keeping me company.

 

Weeding this morning, then we'll see.

 

Nothing yesterday at all due to homeschooling and entertaining the kids. The neighbours up our lane have always said there was a good display out the front of our house and I’m beginning to see why, and the importance of not digging up areas before living through a growing season, there are a huge quantity of different bulbs popping up!

 

Nothing today got other things to do.