An update!
Last week after Sioned and I decided where we wanted the fruit beds to go, I started clearing the bit for the strawberry bed. I kept getting stabbed by the Philadelphus, Buddleia, and flowering currant in the overgrown hedge above me, so I started pruning it back a bit and with one thing leading to another, I ended up completely sorting out this overgrown corner. This is Rosie's plot, named for my first lurcher who died in 2000 and is buried here. It was always a favourite corner of the garden for me, but this was the first time in 12 years I've been able to see the bench here, never mind sit on it!
Rosie's plot by
garynortheast
The second pear tree is now weeded, fed with horse muck, and mulched.
Pear trees by
garynortheast
My eating apple trees are covered in blossom, despite being riddled with canker. They are next in line for the weeding/feeding/mulching treatment. I'm hoping that it will improve their general health and resistance to the canker.
The area in between the fruit trees is going to become a little wildflower area.
Apple blossom by
garynortheast
My heavily pruned gooseberry bushes have fruit on them now.
Gooseberries by
garynortheast
The broad beans are growing well and have flower buds on them already.
Broad beans by
garynortheast
The potato towers are now two tyres high. I need to go for more tyres this week sometime.
Potato towers by
garynortheast
The new bed and walkway is done. The hazel poles for the runner beans are in place too. I need to get more poles put in for the climbing French beans, which will occupy the other half of this bed.
New bed - beanpoles by
garynortheast
Some of the stuff in pots on our south facing drive. I found a self sown clump of alpine strawberries growing on a neglected part of the plot. It split up nicely into 15 or 16 plants, which I've potted on. They all appear to have taken ok.
I also have sunflowers waiting to be planted out, a tub sown with mixed salad leaves (don't know if they will come up as the seeds were pretty old), sweet peas in the big tub, garlic chives, mint, and young blackcurrant and gooseberry plants growing on.
Driveway by
garynortheast
On the other side of the drive I've got Marigolds germinating, a Boysenberry (which will be planted out on the fruit beds and trained along the fence), and sorrel and rocket.
Driveway by
garynortheast
Sitting on the potting bench (as I have nowhere else to put them) are more garlic chives, Romanescu cauliflowers, and leeks. I sowed brussel sprouts in the propagator but not a single seed has germinated unfortunately, and I've no idea why.
Potting bench by
garynortheast
My mini greenhouse is still full of tomatoes, courgettes, cucumbers, and cabbage seedlings.
Mini greenhouse by
garynortheast
Finally, some more stuff in pots - horse chestnut seedlings, acorns, and Rosa Rugosa seedlings.
Oak and horse chestnut by
garynortheast
The garden is a bit too wet to dig the new fruit beds at the moment, but there's plenty more to get on with.