Sticks in the mud

hedge plantedI love it when you come in at dusk, wash your hands and discover you are lacerated with scratches on the backs of your hands and wrists, but have no idea why.

That’s gardening for you.

I only managed a half day outdoors, but I came back from town with fifteen carpinus betulus trees. Hornbeams.  They are now going to have to do a valiant job of hiding the hideous bank below the house.  Where our beautiful stone wall once stood.  I bought fifteen plants and of course, curse not buying more.  They look like sticks right now, but hopefully come spring and a bit of care, they will thrive.

I had enough left over to plant four trees up on the upper hedge. I’m considering buying yet more of the fantastic black currant bushes from Cochet later this month.  They are tremendous plants and I have huge spaces up there. grasses cut back

And I have developed a taste for my black currant liqueur. So the three shrubs I bought might not be enough. Well, they will be more than enough, but this farm is so large that plants and trees just get swallowed up in the expanses.

All the eragrostis grasses have been cut back on the steep slope above the swimming pool.  That takes a delicate bit of foot work to balance between clinging on and cutting the huge grasses down to size at the same time.  And it’s never helped by Artur who usually chooses the steepest and most delicate part of the process to demand a lap sit. I usually oblige.

new pool coverBy early afternoon the rain had really let up and the fog came in. It made the mountain a bit of a spooky place. But it’s such a relief to have a watery sun rather than a downpour. We now have a new pool cover. It’s actually green,but you can’t tell in this light.

I also managed to get more gravel onto the potager bed.  That was the bucket work. Only half filled so I didn’t hurt my back, but it took ages; plodding back and forth with buckets from the gravel pile in the courtyard.

Still by dusk I was pleased with the progress.  And best of all, it was still just light by 6 pm.  A sure sign that spring might be on its way.

I have lots of daffodils peeping out of the duck pond area, and the lovely snow drops are still putting on a brave show despite the horrendous rain. We even had a hail storm very early this morning.  When will this mad weather end?

And no, I still can’t work out when I lacerated my hands with bramble scratches.