Hanging Sieve Shelving

I had another idea! This time to use garden sieves (or riddles as they were known) and thought they'd make useful hanging shelving for plants in the greenhouse. I bought lengths of chain and Al and Matt drilled 3 equally spaced holes in the rims of each sieve and inserted lengths of chain from which they could be hung.  So far, they've proved a great success as they allow excess water to drain out ensuring plants don't sit and stagnate. Chains can be lengthened or shortened to suit and, should they be needed, I only have to unhook them for use. Unlike macrame plant hangers, these won't rot in the wet and humid atmosphere of a greenhouse. The smallest galvanised sieve is quite modern and only a few years old whereas the largest is a much older original wooden example. Never to fall of its nail and on my head ever again!!

Cucumber Cornucopia

With white fly well at bay and 2 burgeoning plants, its cucumber city in the Hartley Botanic! Tomatoes too are beginning to ripen and Heliotropes, Geraniums and Fuchsias adding both colur and perfume to the scene. Maybe this why our resident Morse Toad likes his surroundings so much! He patrols beneath the cucumbers and favours sitting among the lettuce plants

Trimming the Topiary Sofa

Before Chris got to work  

Once a year the Yew Sofa gets a haircut and last Saturday, Chris got to work with the hedgecutter. We decided on the shape about 5 years ago when it had no shape at all and was in need of lots of TLC. Yew (Taxus baccata) topiary is not as labour intensive as many people think as it only needs cutting once a year - which is just as well as we have lots more in need of Chris's touch!.

Further Fox-proof Fortifications

Chris's antique danger sign!

Cutting the reinforcing mesh.

Before we can even think of replacing the 2 chickens killed by the fox, we spent much time improving their fortifications.  Dare I say that the Henclosure looks a tad more Auschwitz-like now? Hey ho - one has to be practical when it comes to fox defences! Al added some overhanging brackets to which Chris and I attached 2 strands of (fully tested!) electrified wire. We also added some more reinforcing mesh to a new and higher 8'X4"X4" post raising the fence on the south side of the Henclosure.  Now Monsieur Reynard 'knows' where he can make a return visit with another killing spree in mind, we hope his wet whiskers touch the wire! Hopefully the overhanging Bonica rose softens the otherwise austere appearances.

Al's oak brackets

The newly extended beech hedge

The finished heightened fence 

Savaged to Death by a Fox

Savaged to death by a fox - Marigold & Winifred RIP

Yes - it's happened.  Mr Fox paid a visit on Saturday night. Marigold was silly and didn't go up to their pole house to roost and kept Cicely down below too. Mr. Fox savaged them both. He just beheaded Marigold and ate a little bit of Cicely. Somehow, it wouldn't have been so bad if he had eaten them both or even taken them to feed young but, no it's just the urge to kill for killing's sake. And, to think that hunting is banned........sigh! Al has been busy with more electrified fortifications. Before you even ask, the electric fence was on but he managed to leap over. The Henclosure is full of feathers and Fiona and Winifred are all alone! Thank goodness they had the sense to roost out of harm's way up in the pole house.

Feathers..........

........everywhere.

New door - new sign

A new potting shed deserves a new sign for its door and having a heart shaped window, the heart shaped slate from the kitchen has now found a new use and a new place. Coincidentally it looks pretty identical in size and style. I'm wondering how the chalk pen will stand up to the rain knowing that it can always be over-written. Another bit of garden character!

Meanwhile........

Geranium Frank Headly

......Our seriously wet June has of course made little difference to the lush and burgeoning contents of the new greenhouse. We now have cucumbers coming out of our ears - well nearly! A little more sun would probably help ripen the tomatoes. All tops have been pinched out leaving between 5 and 6 trusses of ever growing fruits. Outside the greenhouse, our new drainage arrangements have well and truly been put to a severe test. Thanks to Chris, excess water no longer floods into the greenhouse beneath the door and, there's no standing water anywhere at all! I

The new gravelled staging is a huge improvement on the previous wooden slatted staging. Pots no longer tip on the slat edges and it's easy to elevate the humidity by damping down the gravel.

Excess rainfall - pros & cons!

Alchemilla mollis (alias Ladies' Mantle)

Mile a minute grass!

Hardly a day without rain and the grass is growing a mile a minute! As much as I enjoy mowing and edging, I HATE mowing wet grass! It sticks, clogs and looks such a mess. Quite the opposite of alchemilla mollis which, if anything looks better for a few (notice I said few!) raindrops. As for the roses, they've taken a bit of a beating and I'm glad not have put many Geraniums out yet. We all know how much they hate rain!

Just a common old Campanula

Making the best of some rare sunshine!

Greenhouse Way.

It may be common but how pretty is this Campanula? It's a joy to pass en route to the greenhouse. Sadly going over now but it bravely withstood several downpours of equatorial rain and obviously enjoys the warmth of the bricks behind as well as their support. I think this one is probably Poscharskyana but don't hold me to it.

Less Space = More Room!

Looking from the potting bench through to the tool shed

Exterior pot storage

Who wouldn't be pleased with their very own potting shed and all the new shelving facilities in the tool shed? I'm not sure which was/is more fun. Building it or using it? The weird thing is -  less space equals more room!  The extra storage is a BIG bonus. Canopies & guttering mean less algae, fewer puddles and less standing water. As for the little oriel window with its lead roof and new views across the orchard and the garden - it's just so lovely! Thanks Chris for all your help.  It was lots of fun and it's perfect to use. More photos

Looking from the tool shed through to the potting shed

New shelving & hanging