Back to Basics

Kiosk & Maureen's Harvington Hellebore

Soft colours in the Woodland Border

After the excitement of the arrival of the new kiosk and for the first time for a month, it was back to proper gardening!  Two sunny days on the trot meant that we could get on with lots of seasonal jobs which included pruning fruit trees, laying in cable for the kiosk light, pruning the Choisya and conifer around the kiosk, moving some stray snowdrops from the orchard to join all the others in the Woodland Border (whilst we could see them!).  Other stuff was done too such as turning and moving the compost from one bay to another.  Frankly, I think this is a lot of lumbering and heavy work for little reward!  Yes I know Monty Don rabbits on and on about stirring his compost every five minutes but, for goodness sake, it's going to rot anyway and what's wrong with having a little patience?  Anyway, I was out voted on this one and it so happens that it's actually easier to reverse up to the now empty compost bay with the ride-on than it is to the now full one so I didn't complain too loudly!

An Ashwood's special!

This (futile) activity left me able to work in the Woodland Border and cut off all last year's Hellebore leaves and dead fern fronds. I'm always surprised how such a seemingly inconsequential job makes such a transformation to both the plants and the border as a whole.

Tony's elegant brass plaque

Chris G. came and finished the glazing on the telephone kiosk ensuring it's now watertight and Chris P. planted Maureen's Harvington Hellebore to its side having removed all the shuttering from around its concrete base.  When the ground dries up a little more, I'll edge along the lawn so it all looks tidy but natural - well, as natural as an old red telephone box can look in a garden!