I managed to pick the best weather to be at the Plot this long weekend. Since then we’ve had biting east winds and snow storms. I’d wondered that I had imagined the blue sky from Saturday unless I had photographic evidence!
It’s that time of year when everything is sprouting and new shoots are fresh and bright.
Let’s start with the fruit tree blossom. The cover photo is the conference pear which had a very late (January) pruning. I used the cut branches as support for the peas in the polytunnel about a week later. I didn’t expect the blossom on those branches to continue to open but they have. The rest of the blossom is where I’d expect it to be – still attached to the trees.
Greensleeves apple Red Sensation pear Beth and Merton Pride pears
Staying in the polytunnel, things are starting to take off and it is looking more productive with lettuce, rocket, spring onions, spinach and beetroot as well as peas and broad beans.
The dahlias are waking up from their winter hibernation and pushing up fresh shoots – even Cafe au Lait.
The spinach has provided masses of leaves for me and the neighbours
The plot flowers are not to be outdone.
Perfumella is getting ahead of herself and the rest aren’t far behind Peonies and pyrethrum
The raspberries emerging from under their mulch blanket
The tulips and allium bed is full of green. I’ve already had two vases from the tulips.
I got interested in sempervivums a few years ago and they have hatched lots of chicks!
Back at Gulag HQ, there was a LOT of Lawn to be mown both front and back and all I had was my trusty strimmer and a hand mower. I bravely (foolishly) tackled the front lawn, discovering along the way it is very uneven. The end result was more hacked than mown. As soon as the bulk of the building work is complete, that lawn is coming up and I’ll replace it with a simple parterre design. Fortunately my lovely next-door neighbour loaned me a petrol mower for the back lawn. The trouble with me and petrol mowers is the pull cord is often bigger than me, however eldest son had sniffed the heady mix of petrol and oil and took no persuading to take charge, even attempting stripes. The upside of so much grass is the unending supply of activating greens for the compost bin but this time next year, there will be substantially less grass and many more plants. Hedge clipping looks like being my next trick…
