Stolen sun

Nov mow 1What an extraordinary day: over 17 Celsius and guests were sunbathing on the terrace at lunch time.   Of all the things on my list of exciting chores in the garden, I chose one I hadn’t planned at all. Mowing.

Now that the petrol strike seems to be over I have broached the horded petrol and filled the tank of the lawn mower.

And in blazing sunshine I happily raced up and down the terraces, mowing, tidying and cutting back the nettles and generally making it a perfect sward for winter.   Have I ever had to mow this late in the year? I don’t have time to read back through the diary. November mow

After lunch I trotted up to the studio to do some potting up.   I have plenty of cornflowers, clary sage and nigella and winter mache and  salad seedlings that were crowding their little pots.

Artur installedSo with my helpful companion nearby (oh joy of joys) I spent a blissful afternoon doing what I have dreamed of doing for three years.   In a proper potting shed in blazing autumn sunshine, working away at seedlings and having room to do all the pricking out and planning for the winter plants.

It’s not ideal. I am perched on chipboard which is balanced on trestles and the insides aren’t insulated or finished. But it will do.

I have so many cornflower seedlings that I decided to plant them out on the pool bank.   And I was pleased to see that the seeds I broadcast a few weeks back have germinated and are growing on.   Three inches of rain will do that. Studio plants