Witton Hill Bake Off - Round IV

Hot Cross Buns & Drop Scones

Joan's had pieces of apple in them

Mine had mixed spices

Two different recipes were followed for hot cross buns with work starting at 10:30am.  Both recipes were followed to the letter. Joan followed Paul Hollywood and I followed Mary Berry. Joan's were ready by 4:15pm whilst mine came out of the oven at 6:20pm.  All the waiting for rising and proving took FOREVER!!! Both had different twists and both were really lovely but different.  Moral: allow a lot of time!! It was surprising how much better they looked after applying a glaze.

During the long waiting times, we made two batches of drop scones - sweet and a cheesy savoury version which we ate for lunch with strawberry jam and guacamole.

More baking photos here.

Savoury stilton drop scones

Greenhouse Progress

Chris's injury!

Bill from Travis Perkins unloading

It still feels like demolition at this stage but Chris slaved away ALL day and dug out the trench in readiness for footings for the base wall. However, NOT before the old greenhouse had its revenge! The main reason for replacing our wooden one is because of its low door and because the taller people just KEPT on hitting their heads time after time! Following a major delivery, the drive is now full. The skip is too full and all the wheel barrows are full!  The trench is finished and all as neat as can be - well done Chris! 

A very full drive (and skip!)

We're praying for dry weather and await the arrival of the other Chris on Thursday evening (with cement mixer and hose pipes at the ready!)

More photos here

Finished trenches.

Operation New Greenhouse

Evacuation & Dismantling

Chris & Kyle removing the roof panes

Covering Dave's electrics & a lonely tree fern!

It's all very well ordering a new greenhouse BUT: when is a good time to do it when one's current greenhouse has to be emptied of its tender contents and dismantled? Add to that all the constraints and restrictions of space, dates, extraordinarily busy builders, exacting building requirements, very precise measurements, deadlines, designs......I could go on and on!. There's a zillion things to think of. No gardener wants to miss a growing season - the thought of no home grown tomatoes is too sad. In the end, we were forced to have a bespoke design because the standard sizes just didn't fit. The nice man at Hartley Botanic has come up with a new design to the guttering which will allow us to retain our two water butt system - one inside and one outside.  As I type, the conservatory looks more like a plant sale with everything squeezed inside and more in the porch and the garage.  We now have a skip on the drive and tomorrow, bricks, sand and cement are expected to join the skip!  We're really hoping for dry weather during the building process .....................shiver! 

Chris G's new greenhouse!

Dave was the first to arrive at 8am sharp to disconnect the greenhouse electrics.  Chris & Kyle arrived shortly after and following coffees all round, operations commenced under some welcome spring sunshine. Typically, it soon clouded over and the glacial temperatures of Saturday made a most unwelcome return! Time for the gardener to change to baker! Six loaves are now proving on the Aga. I must mention that my much cherished antique tiles now have even more meaning. We discovered that they once belonged to Kyle. Kyle's tiles!!

Triumphant Kyle!

More photos of Chris & Kyle's exploits here!

No particular reason...

Mosses among the Sempervivums

For some reason, I just like this photo taken in the early morning sun! We have an old cast metal table and chair, with shallow pots of Sempervivums and laid like a dining table.  An old beet hook is the knife and trowel for the spoon...etc. This is a large bowl which looks like the main course and contains Stone crops and an ancient grey squirrel's skull - it just caught my eye this morning.

Viola Villa!

Chinese pots near the porch

One of 3 urns near the old chimney

With spring around the corner, it's time to brighten up all the pots and tubs with some violas. For the past couple of years, I've given up an universal winter Pansies.  I have found that they succumb to blackspot and other fungal diseases so, rather than see plants struggling to make it through the winter, I have been leaving planting up until the worst of the winter weather is over,  I also find that Violas are a little more disease resistant than Pansies and aren't completely flattened by high winds or heavy rains!

Carpentry in Arctic Conditions & Turf Laying.

Door progress

Despite f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g weather, work continued on the Secret Steps door. Dull, overcast and glacial temperatures really didn't help but it now has its arched top and, most importantly, door studs!  Placing door studs proved a tad confusing but thanks to Chris's endless and precisely accurate mathematical calculations, we got there in the end!  Not so when it came to fitting the latch as, I had been sold 2 catches but no latch or keeper - sigh!  That has now been rectified but, to stop the biting north wind, Chris fitted a temporary turn key.

Chris removing worn turf

Meanwhile down towards the compost heap, the other Chris was laying surprise turf on what had been a very worn and uneven path.  I say surprise because it was beautiful quality but unwanted turf!  There was enough to do the whole path and a couple of rolls this side of the granite sets.  how lucky are we? As time ran out, and after checking on the watering situation (!) Chris returned on Sunday afternoon to finish the job.  The weather had warmed up hugely and we worked without coats.  I finished all my creosoting so now, all garden seats have had a coat and also the compost slats have all been done.  Smugness all round!

Lush new path!

  Another big thank you to Chris!

Reshaping Borders.

Taken from the top of the Lion Steps

Taken from a bedroom window

I've been tidying lawn edges and doing some reshaping.  Attaining the perfect kidney shape without eating into grass is pretty impossible. What's the point of increasing a border size and create more weeding?  I know you can use hose pipes to get a line but I've found a better way to view a border is   from a bedroom window.  Even standing on the steps wasn't high enough.The dog leg on the right is intentional because of the little conifer. Narrow strips of dead grass where overhanging plants have obscured the light have been removed and neatened.