Arran's are Chitting

Despite a week away (and it must have been pretty rainy cos the ground is absolutely sodden) things are moving in the greenhouse.  Arran Pilots are chitting nicely in an old egg tray (perfect for this!) just as my Daddy showed me (and he was the best in the whole world!).  The fuchsias are starting to bud up and and the pink cuttings are beginning to put on a bit of growth.  We've had a couple of dry days so I've managed some weeding and dead heading in the lower border.

The chickens tried their best to join me but the netting has prevented their kind of assistance - thank goodness.They have been finding their way along the jet-way today and accessing their food and water in the Hennery with out the need for physical persuasion at the far end - just bribery from the Hennery end with corn!

Every garden needs...........

... these two in flower at this time of year.   

Sarcococca and Snowdrops.  One for it's amazing fragrance from such tiny and insignificant flowers and the other to remind us that spring just has to be around the corner 

Lemon Grass

I was given these -  Bheemul called it Citronella and I explained that I associated that name Citronella with bugs and outdoor candles. I have a strong feeling it's Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus)  I reckon the greenhouse is warm enough and it had quite a bit of root.  Served as in infusion with ginger - it tastes delicious so let's hope it thrives!  (I think I need to grow the ginger next)

Dare we think of spring?

How welcome are these on a cold grey February day?

Challenging Chicken Changes

       Above:  Newland Grange Egglu's

Right: Bluebelle in the jetway

As stated, the holidays are over and it's back to reality but - not just for us! The hens are back from their luxury Hen Hotel at Newland Grange.

http://www.newlandgrange.com/index.htm  They spent a week in an Egglu with Sarah caring for their every need!  It seems she must have spoilt them for they laid as many eggs as ever and all 4 girls have laid today.  However, they're back home and having to acquaint themselves with new arrangements in their own home too.  When let out into the Hennery, they soon found their way out onto the Strip via their new jetway but had a little difficulty retracing their journey!  I put them a temporary ladder and hung a feed bar as a bribe!  It was then a case of lifting each one in just to get them used to going in and out.  Sandy used the jetway to take off into the field and had to be retrieved but so far so good and all four made several journeys to and fro.  I suspect that, come dusk, more help will be needed!  Whilst I was getting the girls acclimatised, Al was busy making a door at the other end of the jetway inside the Hennery.  At night this will be kept closed in order to deter Monsieur Le Reynard.

Above: Al's new door

I know what you're thinking!  What a lot of trouble 4 chickens have caused.  The truth is that it's lots of fun! Now Al's working on an egg stall to hang on the gate! The present one sits on the grass verge in the lane and seems very popular with our neighbours.  Maybe a bespoke one hung on the gate would look smarter!

Gardening Mauritius Style

Some of the gardeners from PTC sneaked off for a week's sunshine and checked out how they grow fruit and veg in Mauritius!  Well!  They grow such a variety  of both all over the island.  Aubergines are widely grown.  Pineapples, bananas (of course) papayas, guavas, mangoes (slurp!) sweet peppers, chillie peppers, sugar cane, coconuts (galore!) onions (very popular) salad veg  of every kind, tomatoes etc etc.  The soil is volcanic, deep, dark and fertile.  The humidity is high and the temperature is consistently hot so many crops in a single season.  Mauritians are very hard working and little land is wasted.  Their mountains ensure decent rainfall.  All the many plots we saw were very well tended and there was no sign of any chickens vandalising precious crops!  In fact this hen and her chicks on a roadside were the only ones we saw.

Chicken Diversions

Top Left: The girls explore their new surroundings                    Top Right: Chris battles with the thorns
Bottom Left: 50 square yards of freedom                                    Bottom Right: The trellis tunnel

Work began on chicken diversions and Saturday became Friday.  Firstly, we erected 2 boundary panels and then we constructed a a trellis tunnel which we linked into the Hennery.  Posts with wire above the tunnel prevents access to the garden.  Now when the girls go out to play, they have direct access to the Gaza Strip via their own jet-way. Not bad for 4 hens.  They can dig, scratch, mine, peck, excavate, preen, dust bathe and lay to their hearts' content and no one will be worried about garden damage (phew!).  Now we have to hope that they don't keep jumping/flying over the fence and that Monsieur Le Reynard doesn't come visiting!