Thyme Square

 Such perfection & precision in hedge cutting deserved another post!!

Open Gardens Preparations!

 With the veg plot all planted, it was tme to tidy up the surrounding area including Thyme Square. Conditions were damp and drizzly meaning slippery sleepers and leaves sticking to all surfaces!  Andrew was unfazed as he carefully trimmed the niches of Lewd, Rude and Nude: the three statues which line 2 sides of the veg patch. Having left the hedge perfectly manicured, Andrew cleaned out the Potting shed gutter, removing winter leaves from the roof and continuing hedge trimming all the way down to Cato's Corner.  We cleared either side of the stump seat steps and trimmed the Laurel & Berberis.  Needless to say, a major clear up operation ensued!!  Anyone would think Open Gardens are imminent!!

Elsewhere in the garden, the Wisteria on the house is looking pretty spectacular!!

Planting Preparation in the Vegetable Patch.

 

Today was the annual most noteworthy day in our gardening calendar here at PTC!  Vegetable patch preparation! It was also Andrew's first time as Head of Operations!  We cleared it of weeds, lifted the remaining Autumn King carrots and Andrew set to work.

Starting at the studio end and working off a plank to ensure zero compaction, Andrew dug away removing all roots from a nearby wild cherry tree.  He dug in chicken manure pellets, bonemeal and NPK.  

He did a spectacularly thorough job and left it looking immaculate - the best ever!  Now it's all ready for planting up with Arran Pilots (1st early potatoes) and Aquadulce broad bean plants which I've been given.  

Guess what I'll be dong tomorrow!!!

More cold feet!

 

Well, I did say it was a dangerous addiction!!  Despite a return to freezing cold weather and a biting wind, I braved the elements - and the cold water again.  This time it was seriously ambititous as I decided to power wash the creosote yard.  A much larger area than the previously done 3 garden paths.  I started in the middle and went round in circles spiralling outwards.  Unlike garden paths, it was horrendously messy working so closely to exterior walls.  Not just any colour either!!  White painted brick walls.  All the sludge and muddy debris splattered everywhere.  My fingers ached from the constant pressure on the trigger which doesn't lock!  Persistance paid off and no more green, slipper algae to be seen anywhere - not even on the galvanised Hosta planters! Furthermore, it looks much better in reality. than in either photograph.

Dangerous New Addiction!

 Who knew that power washing could be so addictive??

  

Having transformed the Arbour Path in absolutely no time at all, I moved on to the Conifer Path.  Another transformation!!  Gone was the darkgreen/black and slippery algae as the glittering granite setts sparkled in the sunlight.  Even the entrance to Noah the Mower's house was transformed.

  

There was no stopping me as I moved on to the Swing Seat path - yet another transformation.  The colours of the lovely old recycled bricks are now fully restored.  Even my freezing cold feet (due to the constant flow of icy water) seemed a small price to pay.  As well as looking so cosmetically pleasing all 3 paths have now lost their slippery surfaces and are so much safer to walk on. 

It was all so effortless!  Now......what to power wash next......?   

New King!

We have a new KING of Compost!!  Andrew has done an amazing job of sorting old from new!  Our two compost bays were in chaos with new on top of old and newest on top of oldest.  He patiently moved new across to new to make the old accessible then carted it around the garden to neatly mulch borders.  Not a spec was dropped anywhere in the garden and not a tyre mark did he leave! 

                            

 Having done all that, he patiently forked the new off the top of the one bay into the bottom of the bay now in use leaving the right bay silently turn into beautiful useable mulch next season!  Well done and thank you Andrew!

Wisteria Additions

 

PTC garden is home to two more Japanese Wisterias.  Somewhat potbound as they were less than half price but they were just tempting!  One is Violacea plena - AKA Black Dragon.  The other is a Jissai. Another hybrid from Japan but  naturallyhybridised.  It has bicolour flowers.  They've been planted at either end of the trellis so wil hopefully meet in the middle over the arch!

Other news: the Acacia dealbata is blooming beneath is protective veil and looks as if it's made it through the winter.  Hopefully I'm not tempting fate by saying that!!

The snowdrops have been a real show this year but are just beginning to go over now. Cyclamens and narcissus are also a fabulous show, The newest Camellia from Ashwoods: Lavinia Maggi has its first flower along the Fernery Path.  We've enjoyed such clear sunny weather for several days, the garden looks an absolute treat!  It's worth having a look here:  Winter Flowers!