Tuesday 30 May 2023

#36 - Going potty for a watering can

 … or more correctly ordering my Potting Shed and getting a steal on a watering can.



I went to Blackbrooks Garden Centre in Lower Dicker today and ordered my Potting Shed, but forgot to take a photo of it.  Never mind, it will be here in about six weeks.


Whilst I was there I decided to get a new watering can by way of a celebration.  One simply cannot have a nice new area and nit make the most of it, so no more of those horrid plastic ones for me.  This one is a Gro Zone 9 litre powder coated, which is galvanised steel and in the prettiest green.  A green that puts me in mind of the steam strain at Northiam Station in point of fact, it’s a bright olive colour with brass detail.


I love colour, and it makes me happy, but what made me even happier today as the price.  On the shelf they were marked as £29.99, however there was some kind of sale on and it cost just £20.00 … what? … yes placate I will take one right off your hands!

Look how darling it looks snuggled down amongst my Lupin  ‘Russel Mixed’ - sown from seed last year.

Excuse the bed, it’s a work in progress, at the moment it just houses three Lupins, a small Geranium, a spare Heuchera and some random Nerine bulbs from my mother-in law.  My Sweet Peas are too small to go in yet, but getting bigger by the day, so I don’t think they will be too long before they can go out.  I think I’m probably going to add some Cosmos for annual colour and then do a proper planting scheme when I have time.

Despite the fact that I broke my foot recently, the Hubby have been working on one of the seating areas near the house.



It started off just a square with brick border, but was full of evil gravel and random areas of concrete.  So we were pleasantly surprised to find a nice bit of concrete underneath.  The Wickes gravel boards fitted the space almost perfectly, and then we added 20mm pea shingle from Andy Vater Transport in Heathfield.


The shingle doesn’t shift around or spread around, and it’s nice to walk on.



All props to Catherine of #daintydiaries for the idea, she did something similar outside of her greenhouse.


I just need to wire brush the bricks to get off the old uuckk (technical term) and Hubby will re-point the bricks.


I’m too ashamed to show the are just above it, but that is next for a make over.  We are hoping that there is the same concrete underneath it too, but I dread to think how much work will be involved in clearing the rubble, and soil that is on it. Most definitely, it will be harder than this area,  it is going to be well worth the effort.

I will take a deep breath and give you a starting point for it, but please don’t judge it is/was not our mess it was like this when we moved in.

Apart from this, we’ve been working on the vegetable garden, re-locating bathe raised beds etc.  I am waiting for a delivery of 10 mm pea shingle from Andy Vater Transport, along with spent mushroom compost, and will try to remember to take photos as I go - although we have started the project.

Hugs


Kay

#35 - That’s shallot

 EDITED:  I wrote this on 22nd April 2023, but forgot to publish, so please excuse that it is in the past.


Taylor’s Golden Gourmet to be precise.




Planted today into the recently moved raised bed in the Kitchen Garden area.


I also transplanted some stray garlic volunteers that have sprung up into one of the other raised beds.  There is another clump, but as the bed has to be emptied and moved over, I’ll have to dig and store them temporarily in a container or something to do that.


The darling Husband cut the lawn for the first time, and strummed the top garden, whilst I started the enormous task of weeding.  Sadly, our beautiful Hebe hedge has been the major casualty of the appalling and wet Winter we went through.  There are signs of regeneration p, but I fear that it is too little and too late for it to be saved.  Apparently, we are not the only ones who had poor overwhelmed Hebe. 

The season has begun so late here in East Sussex that we are far behind.  Tomorrow we need to search out some early seed potatoes, and get them underway.



Hugs


Kay xx