Days continue quiet. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it's pretty dull when I'm making a blog post.
I was determined to make a post, and I had so little to put in, that I actually went into my garden. I keep looking at it and feeling overwhelmed.
That's 'before' but it's not changed much. I spent around fifteen minutes fossicking around, which doesn't sound like a lot but it was a lot more than my back appreciated. Besides, it was getting late and I picked up a couple of nettle stings. But I pulled out some weeds. I didn't pull up many, but it's some. And that was a big deal to me. Fifteen minutes every day could make a big difference, especially as it's such a small garden and I'm planning on putting paving stones or gravel on the central bed and weed suppressing fabric punctured by an overplanting of lavender next to the window, which would cut down considerably on garden maintenance. I managed this small pile.
Which I deliberately didn't bung in a bag for the tip. I want to wait for them to wilt a little which makes them easier to manage, especially the nettles. But going out once or twice a day with a kettle of boiling water will certainly reduce the weeds between the paving stones and I plan to be ruthless with a shovel for the rest of it.
I got nearer to the white rose, which is one that father planted. In the middle of a lot of white roses...
...and the photo doesn't do it justice, was a purple flower.
It's not a brilliant pic because the light was weird. But as far as I can tell, it's a clematis, a relic of one planted years ago that I'd forgotten. I need to get busy there because the glorious rose and the faint echo of the clematis are competing with goosegrass, ivy and brambles and that's going to be a job of work.
I need to deal with this as well.
The camomile is pretty, though I think that the rosemary is done for, but I plan to put some planters out with the herbs that I've grown. The ones on the kitchen windowsill are getting mold on the soil so I need to get them out soon. According to the internet, the plants should be fine once I get them outside.
Speaking of the internet, I googled to see when I should pinch out the tops of the chilli plants. Apparently I should pinch them out when they reach between 8-12 inches. That's a shame as the tallest one is already around three times that height. It's a work in progress.
I think you did a lot, especially in the garden. Pulling weeds is hard work! 10 minutes is about all I can manage before my back and hips complain. How lovely to have the clematis vine flower again! I'm sorry the nettles stung you. Maybe you need to wear thicker gardening gloves when pulling them up.
ReplyDeleteThank you! The nettles were vicious. I swear that they could get through armour!
DeleteI used to pay myself a nominal rate to to my own gardening- how sad is that! I literally put the cash into a little tin. It worked for me. I'd pull up that goosegrass as a priority before the seeds ripen and go everywhere. I found I didn't have to get the roots out if you just pull up the plants every time you see them. That seemed to be discouragement enough.
ReplyDeleteI know goosegrass of old. It comes back again and again, I think that birds drop seeds here regularly. It's always a battle, but apparently you can eat it. I wonder if I could work out a points system so that if I earn enough points, I can buy yarn. Hmm, an incentive!
DeleteIf you lived nearby I'd have that garden licked into shape for you. I can't understand folk that don't want to spend every hour working in the garden.. (I'm joking of course)
ReplyDeleteIf you were nearby I would have begged and bribed you already to tell me what to do with the chilli plants. And possibly bribe you to supervise me.
DeleteWell done with the garden. I need to do something to mine, but before I know it I've spent the day procrastinating and it's still a mess! Husband does keep most of the grass cut. We keep a wild bit at the back of the garden as the birds and deer like it.
ReplyDeleteThat's the thing - it's getting started.
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