Spring time sunburn

My fingers may be grubby, nails knackered, arms aching.   But it was a productive day.   And I even have a spot of sunburn. Fancy.

The day started with the first watering of the garden this year.   The hedge needed some attention and I watered all the way along the garden en route.   And the beans and peas in the potager needed their first drink.   Amazingly, the whole process took just under three hours. Possibly because there isn’t much water pressure, but also because it was so much fun.   It’s the only way you can actually get to inspect the garden up close.

I’m still shuddering when I look at most of the calabert plants, but it’s less scary when so many other plants survived.

And it’s so fun to see plants emerging – I had completly forgotten where I put Andrew’s lilies.   They are up here in the potting shed terrace bank.   Along with the baby teasels I grew from seed in the autumn. Most of them came through.

In the late morning I had to decide what to do: seeds or lavenders? Lavenders won.   I have to get all plants living in pots into the garden today and tomorrow; and there were seven (or was it eight?) plants left.

So out came the fork, compost, water and the plants.   Kneelers for aching knees and off I went. And I have to confess that I had to reposition three of the lavenders no less than three times. Those pesky straight lines again.   I went up to the terrace to take the photos: they look more fun looking down on them than inspecting them up close.

It’s such a relief they are done. I have no idea how many plants are in this long bank; but there are enough. Well, actually I am about a dozen short.   But that’s for next month.

Hiding from the blazing sun I decided to do some seed sowing in the potting shed rather than the planned potato planting. And I can chirpily say it’s a mess in there now. I didn’t finish until 7pm when the setting sun really put a stop to production.

Seed sowing is such a rhythmic and relaxing task, but I was multi tasking and trying to water all the seed trays of seedlings at the same time. Hence the mess.   But I realised that I needed to pot on the climbers and shrubs I brought out with me from London.   They were crawling out of their pots.   So next size up, lots of lovely compost and they look safe for a few weeks yet.

I did plant out the virginia creepers – they are going on the west side of the potting shed and will hopefully clothe the building one day.   In the soil and climate we have you have to be an optimist.   The little plants were hilariously pot bound. I felt like I was inspecting a Chinese womans’ bound feet from the 19th century. The roots were wound round and round the tiny pot and eventually were trying to peep out the top.   Here’s hoping they will have a happier life in my soil rather than the confines of the tiny plastic prison.