Late delivery of pea sticks!

Chris arrives in Mabel

heavily camouflaged as an entire forest

with a very overdue delivery of pea sticks!!

Shed of the Year Entry

"The Studio"

our

2011 Entry

for

Shed of the Year Competition 

http://www.readersheds.co.uk/share.cfm

More winter losses

Slatehenge

Another 2 dead trees removed this weekend!  This now makes the winter losses for 2009-2011 for trees and shrubs total a shocking 13 with another Eucalyptus in the top lawn border looking extremely uncertain.  One dead Pittisporum and a dead Eucalyptus Gunnii were duly removed and in the place of the former, we erected 'slate-henge', out of some rescued slate shelves from a dairy.  These were presents from Chris and had been sitting under the hedge until we found a place for them or had an idea!  Which I did!  Hopefully, they don't look too much like gravestones.  We had thought of making a bench but they are too long and much too precious to cut!  As they are doubtless Welsh slate, it seemed appropriate to plant the 3 Welsh ferns (rescued self sets) - one at the foot of each each slab.   The Cotoneaster behind is looking decidedly untidy because that's exactly where the Pittisporum stood (tall and proud prior the arrival of our glacial winter).  Now there is less shade, the Cotoneaster will fill in and with the benefit of some more planting, hopefully all will look more settled.  Perfectly Pagan!

Anniversary 1st Cuckoo

FIRST Cuckoo of spring heard on our 7th wedding anniversary.  Wish I could say I took this photo but, alas, I didn't.

The Rain Garden Idea Hits Home

Site of proposed rain garden

Border left of left path to be levelle

So I had this idea!  Another idea!! YET another idea!!  It started off as a sunken garden in front of the studio - all rocks and ferns and then it happened.  A rain garden!!  All the rain from the garage/office block flows into the septic tank which shouldn't ever happen.  As we plan to level the Creosote Yard (using the Ebay bargain slabs) what's wrong with building a rill around the outside, redirecting the down pipes and all the run off being directed into the sunken rock garden.  Hey presto!  A rain garden.  We could install a pump/natural water feature in order that any collected water 

Site of proposed bridge

is kept moving and so doesn't stagnate or attract mosquitoes.  Planting might need to cope with/without water so care needed on that one.  We could also build in an overflow channel in case of any great floods.  

We had already planned to terrace the border left of the greenhouse path and have a retaining wall thus making a little bit more level garden.  Whenever one looks in garden magazines or watches any gardening programmes; no one ever talks about gardening on a sloping site and nearly all of this garden slopes!  Now, I'm on the lookout for about a 1000 reclaimed bricks - any suggestions anyone?

Imagine a bridge over  a fern filled sunken garden to the studio

Spring sowing and planting

After all these breaking pictures, it's time to speak of spring planting and whilst we had the unseasonal hot weather and exactly 366 days since I last did it; potatoes, onions, broad beans, artichokes and cabbage plants have all been planted out.  I think I've got my spacing wrong - as usual.  Chris always says I plant my potatoes too far apart but I like to leave room for earthing up.  His approach is a little more agricultural than mine and he earths up at the time of planting.  Needless to say, as the apple trees are coming into bloom, so the weather has turned cold and blustery again.  

The raspberry patch has new canes this year and it looks as if a couple have failed so I'm glad there are a few spares in the corner. Saturday saw the top lawn border weeded and top dressed with compost.  It was a pain digging out all the Bryony but - better out than in!

Aga simmering device available!

Looks what's new! 

A break from the garden to show you a simple device which ensures even simmering on an Aga.  No more saucepans with half the contents boiling rapidly and half not boiling at all.  This is an Eclipse solid stainless steel simmering device and has been made by a Nottingham university student: Chris Lewis.  They are available from him at the_eclipse@live.co.uk  for £15:00.  The advantage of this over using coins is that it can be picked up with no burnt fingers!  Congratulations to Chris for his device.  It deserves success.

Of course, it goes without saying that Aga won't allow their name to be connected as they are far too busy ensuring that their new Aga's are sold with inferior components. This ensures their franchised distributors have to pick up all costs involved in the travelling, call out and parts involved when a brand new and expertly installed Aga (in this case ours!)  by 'Aga trained' experienced, dedicated and concientious engineers keeps going into meltdown!  Thank goodness for brilliant sales support from the distributors, salesman and engineers alike!  Thumbs up to Hill's of Ledbury for their prompt and attentive service on every occasion.  Thumbs very definitely down to Aga!  They deserve to pay all the costs incurred!  What a shame that such a legendary cooker is bespoiled with modern dumbed down components.   Sorry but I felt I deserved a rant after all the inconvenience that has been caused to all involved!

Well done to an innovative student, I hope he makes some money out of such a worthwhile and much needed invention.  I thoroughly recommend his invention.

And now back to gardening....................