Thursday, February 26, 2004

Snow, here at last !!

click here for a larger image1pm Snow has been falling for about 10 minutes, real proper snow, the sort on Christmas cards, I don't suppose it will come to much.


click here for a larger image3pm 4" deep snow now, all the kids sent home from school for massive snowmen building in the back garden. The structures are now well defined.


click here for a larger image3pm Looks really bitter and cold, but the kids managed about an hour outside without the usual crying of freezing hands. The grasses really stand out with the snow.


Just a pretty picture of the brook that runs down the side of the garden.


click here for a larger image5pm Snow has finally stopped, some of the branches really struggling with the weight of the snow. Notice the new structure down by the wall, when we moved in the trees and bushes outside the garden just about blocked the road from view, last year they blocked it completely, so guess what, the council came and cut half of them down, so now the road is in view again. So we've put up the wooden poles to fix stock wire to, and will hopefully train some more roses and climbers along it.

Wednesday, February 18, 2004

Officially SAD

The long awaited polytunnel..We managed to get second hand hoops and bought the new cover. It only took myself and th'spouse 2 days to put up, including all the usual interruptions, I was well impressed.


Even sadder - a view of the inside - the staging is yet to be built, but I'm afraid th'spouse had been volunteered to put a computer suite in at the school during half term. He's requested that I don't volunteer him for anything else, but I'm sure I'll have too - shouldn't be so clever!!


click here for a larger imageSome more of the hellebores are comming into flower now and have made a lovely start to the spring.


click here for a larger imageFor those people out there that think hellebores are boring, just look at the range of colours here !! I'm starting to pot on seedlings that have self sown around, it takes about 3 years to get flowering plants, no wonder they are expensive.


click here for a larger imageA general view of the garden, the lawn is desperate for a cut, there are a lot of plants sprouting already, I've dephiniums, lupins etc already several inches high, hopefully this year will be spectacular.

Wednesday, February 11, 2004

School trip to Painswick Rococo Gardens

Ok the long awaited trip to Painswick, after finding our way through Gloucester eventually, taking the very scenic route around and about we got there. The gardens were nice, we expected it to be a little bigger, apart from the snowdrops there didn't seem to be many other spring flowering plants about. M'spouse who I'd managed to persuade to drive for us (with the promise of food) was not happy at the ploughman’s lunch he was offered, so all in all a little disappointing.

Friday, February 06, 2004

Spring is here..

click here for a larger imageThe snowdrops are in full bloom now, with last years hellebores just starting to open their flowers.


The new thingy joining the two beds, the beds are still well defined, although the stream bed is looking a tad untidy.


click here for a larger imageThe base of the summerhouse still here waiting, the bulbs in the surrounding bed are starting to emerge, I've planted nearly 3,000 bulbs this spring (some of them were tiny)(Oh and my mum did help)so I'm really looking forward to May time with all the tulips.


The start of the long awaited polytunnel - my new home - well th'spouse has his pinball shed. Still got to clear some ground for a flat-ish base. Should have a lot of seeds this year, only hope I have the energy and room to plant them.


click here for a larger imageOne of the many euphorbias in the garden, one day I may have a national collection but then will have to try and remember all their names, I don't think that is possible.


The delphiniums are up and sprouting already, I was unsure how they would overwinter, whilst we have very sandy loam here, where some are planted it has a very high water table and the ground does stay wet in the summer, but they all seem to have made a start, I've also got a few hundred seeds just sown waiting to go in the polytunnel.

Thursday, February 05, 2004

More Work

click here for a larger imageAs the road into Abergavenny was closed due to flooding and I couldn't nip into town for a cooked breakfast, th'spouse very kindly found something for me to do lest I should suffer unduly from boredom. With her help I put up the new wooden structure you can see on the right, despite what seemed like endless interruptions including the man from customs and excise turning up. She tells me the technical term for this lump of wood is a "pergola type abory thingummy" though personally I think she's making it up as she goes along.

Monday, February 02, 2004

Rejected!

If th'spouse doesn't post for a few days then the likelihood is that she is too depressed after her entry to The RHS/Anthony Nolan Trust Garden competition didn't win. The rejection letter arrived Saturday morning but we are all trying not to mention it as we tiptoe around the house.