Remember the ex-patio wall that the workies so kindly dumped in the side flower bed belonging to her upstairs ? Well I thought I'd move it. So I've been bashing around with a hammer and chisel trying to prize the mortar from the bricks. I misjudged it a couple of times and took a direct hit once. Still, the upside is that the wall is now in moveable pieces and is laid up the side of the house waiting for somesome to come and steal it. Any volunteers ?
So I took advantage of the situation and dug over the bed ready for whatever I feel the need to sow in it next season. As it technically doesn't belong to me, I don't feel inclined to improve it very much, so I've just given it a good old turnover and will leave good old mother nature to do the rest for me.
Have no idea what the bush is in the middle of it, but neighbour has two of them, so I gave them both a good haircut, as I did last year, and it didn't seem to hurt them then, just kept them under control. This has pretty much filled up the 4th compost bin. This is also the bed that was overrun with orange alstroemeria and quite a few roots got raised to the surface, so I've taken two and planted them up in pots, stuck a poly bag over them and will wait to see if anything happens.
This is the result of the digging. For solid clay, I was surprised to find that it was quite diggable, apart from close to the bush which was solid with roots. So a good workout by Mr Frost and another turnover and rake next year should be good for some annuals.
While I was out there, I put an overcoat over two of the more waterlogged fruit trees to stop them getting too sodden and also got rid of the early psb so now the far bed is empty and ready for the peas and beans.
The aquadulce broad beans are doing well in the cold frame. One has been nibbled already so I've surrounded them with the contents of my hairbrush !
Then the rain started so I've finished for the day now. I've had quite a profitable morning, and now have to do this damn application form for work (unless I can find something else to amuse me). :-)
Oh......... just remembered yesterday ......... spent most of the day digging out two seriously dead looking shrubs from the communual border (well another bit of her garden). They might have looked dead on top but once again the root system took a fair bit of hacking at before they came out. That bit of the border (just this side of the bath), is heavily waterlogged so I've covered it all in polythene in an attempt to dry it out a bit before excavating the whole lot and putting in a drainage layer. I found a pipe (gasp, thank goodness I didn't put the spade through it) and quickly covered it up again. When I've got a bit more energy, I'll remove as much sodden soil as I can, investigate the pipe a bit further and if it looks "live" will use some of the broken guttering to try and protect it from enthusiastic gardeners i.e. me ! I'm thinking "broad beans" for that particular bit of the plot.
Right, back to the form!
2 comments:
Hope the finger isn't throbbing too much!! Looks like you are still keeping busy in the garden. Loads of rain here as well butluckily have got lovely soil so although the lawn is a bit muddy(dog main reason) the rest of the garden is still workable.Mind you I should think by now Welney Wash is flooded and people will have to make a long detour.
How is the form going??
Lorna
You know that wall of yours? You ever thought that a wall is a footpath with aspirations above its station? Them there bricks are as good as gold ingots when you get your lottie, so if they've not been half-inched by now....keep 'em!
Post a Comment