I wrapped up warm and went out to feed the birds a few days ago but the freezing cold got me and by the time I went indoor I was feeling really ill so gardening was the last thing on my mind.
The paved area at the far end of the garden was completely inaccessible when we moved here in 2018. Andy had to hack through the five feet tall nettles then we assumed we had a plot of bare earth to work on.... we did but it was only a few inches deep. It was a lovely surprise to plant my spade in the ground and discover these slabs. Leaves from the overgrown laurel hedge and the neighbour's trees cover this patio every autumn but no one had cleared them for years ... hence the nettles ... and the leaves had composted down to soil. We have tidied the space up but not really utilised it so today I began planning the alterations.
First job was to clear the leaves ...
Sounds quite easy but it took me 3 hours!
Next I have to fix the fence and plant a couple of rambling roses to stop the rabbits coming in.
Then the existing shrubs and honeysuckle need a trim.
I planted a couple of box last year and they are now large enough to trim into ball shapes.
There are a couple of empty planting holes which will be brightened up with a variegated or a flowering shrub and I need to transplant a few foxgloves, lupins, iris or verbena into the border. I planted a few bulbs in there last year but there's no sign of them at the moment ... a couple of pesky nettles have come back though!
Obviously colourful additions are needed in the pots but the main change will be the addition of some solar lights.
There was an electric light in the lych gate but our electrician friend immediately disconnected it as it was a death trap! It was a normal internal light fitting not a safe external one!
I want something like these to stick in the ground ...
First snowdrops are beginning to appear.
Love this time of year!
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