Stolen sun
What 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.
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.
So 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.