The work horse weed

workhorse weedFestuca glauca. You can buy them in garden centres and at plant nurseries for serious prices. Here on the mountain they are a weed. Almost a pernicious weed. They self seed so enthusiastically and are a perfect ground cover. Whether you want them or not.

And today I decided they can be put to work. As another barrier along the edge of the road and the hedge.

Well there is no hedge. Yet. First I want to build up the bank with these grasses with the deep roots.

So that was my morning task. Climbing up to the top terrace which is really a nice expanse of prairie, and dig out the biggest, fattest festucas I could find.

Instant hedging. For free.

I’ve done a double barrier along the length of the flooded area. And this afternoon I’ll replant the shrubs. It’s a bit risky; but it’s better than bare soil. the tuesday pile

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But the shrub planting didn’t take place in the hedge area.  I decided there is just too little topsoil there. I need to add more.

And it’s so frustrating; if you had a genie in a bottle who would grant me a wish here it is.  I’d ask him to levitate the huge, huge mound of topsoil sitting too many terraces below where I want it and bring it up on its tarp to the top of the farm.  It’s too much to ask the men to climb up steps with buckets after hauling the stuff out of the depths of the pool.

new shade plantingI did put in a few hours ferrying the buckets of soil (half buckets full I hasten to add) from the pool area up to the shade garden. But it’s very labourious. Excellent exercise of course, but I have so much to do that is not soil related.

I did however manage to get the shade garden planting scheme back. Thank goodness I took good notes and drawings when Andrew placed the plants.

I have added more plants to the areas where the worst of the rain fell last week.  But it closely ressembles the original scheme. But with more viburnum tinus.  ready to replant

Luckily I managed to get almost an hour of Manu’s time ferrying up the good soil from the fallen wall first up as Bernard went to get a pump for the pool.

But it’s thin. A thin spreading of the good stuff. I just have to hope it will do.

new hedge barrierI nipped up to the festuca barrier to add a few more plants. And then realised that I have a ready made solution to the newly rebuilt but bare side of the shade garden bank.

Thyme. I have just removed doezens and dozens of the things from the fallen wall. They’ll do.

All I had to do was wait until a wheelbarrow was free and out they came from what proved to be a very temporary home in the potager. thyme moving

I won’t show you the finished product just yet. I have planted them densely and I’m not sure of the effect.

I’m just so skittish about more flooding that I seem to be overcompensating in the areas that copped the worst damage.