Hedge maintenance.

I borrowed my dads chipper to help get rid of the hedge trimmings. 

It looks much better. Its probably three feet shorter now. Still insanely high at about 7 feet.

It made quite a mess. I spent hours chipping and putting the mulch around the greenhouse.

I'm still not finished but I think I got about 70% of it done. I also took the dogs for a big walk, went to the shop, and made cobs and a loaf. I'm Knackered now.

I

Photos.

The chickens really do love getting to run around. The cat does not appreciate it, as they chase her.  

As you can see the hedge really needed to be cut.

My little garden helpers. 

Poor sad hopefully not smelly shoes.

A very shiny, pretty Troubs, after being brushed. 

Hedge cuttings awaiting the shredder. 

Clematis seeds being watered from beneath.

And the rest of the seeds that I sowed over the last week or so. And its not even March yet!

Sunday.

I've been letting the chickens free range for an hour a day, they do enjoy themselves. I don't like the damage they do to my garden, but at least I am there to supervise them. I'm getting one egg a day at the moment which is a bit dismal for six hens, but we are seeking ways to make them happier. We are going to try moving their coop and giving them a good eight feet by three feet of extra space.

My OH trimmed the hedges along the right side of the garden today, as our next door neighbour was doing her side. It looks so, so much better now. we are now awaiting the arrival of my dads shredder/chipper so that the cuttings can go straight onto the compost pile or soil.

                   This is a picture from Dobies of Clematis pink fantasy.

I also weeded the garlic bed this morning, planted a clematis, "pink fantasy" built a frame for it to climb up using chicken wire and twine. and moved a disgusting, rotting tub of water and vegetables further into the recesses of the compost pile. I managed to pour some onto my leg and shoe whilst moving it so I smell of the most appalling pong. I've had to put my shoes and clothes into the washer, and take a shower. I really hope I can get the smell out. It really was very strong.  

Happily, I've had my first plant germinate today. A pot marigold that I planted about six days ago. :) I still get excited when things germinate.

trugging along.

Planted a three year old gooseberry bush in the Lasagne/permaculture strip in the garden. The soil is beautiful and rich since adding all of the mulch and chicken poop. I'm trying to figure out where to plant my yellow rose and lilac tree now. Not an easy decision when your garden doesn't get much sun when next doors tree goes into leaf.

I weeded all of the dandelion roots out of a second raised bed too, pulled two nice parsnips out with them, just need to rake the bed flat and I'll have two raised beds ready for the spring.

Frustration.

I'm dealing with a lot of frustration right now. I'm frustrated that my greenhouse is old and has many broken panes, letting in the cold. I am frustrated that I have utterly no one to speak to that shares my beliefs, hopes, gardening obsession. I am frustrated by the fact that i cant drive and have panic attacks when i try to learn, I am frustrated that no matter how hard i try to get a new job no one will hire me.
I have no space or energy. No help, no one to do anything fun with. No way to travel to anything fun and too anxious to go on my own.

I sowed seeds today:
purple sprouting brocoli,
regular brocoli,
lettuce,
basil,
thyme,
autumn flowering asters,
Brussels sprouts.
chard,
Japanese anemone.

Bread-a-thon

I think I went a bit mad with the bread.

I love bread! :)

A productive day.

I managed to get the greenhouse cleaned today. I'm a little embarrassed that it took until late February

but it was full of SPIDERS! :'(

I just need to remove the tiny weeds and try to flatten out the floor. I'd love a nice concrete floor but I don't want to put anything so permanent in the garden. I might put a couple of the hens inside too just to have a dust bath and to eat any spiders. :) The yellow flowers are coltsfoot. :)

Leeks

The bed I dug over had my leeks growing in it. They came up with the weeds.

I only had six in total. Never seem to grow many of them.

The amount of waste is always so high! I know I could use the tops to make a sort of stock but I don't really have anything else to make stock with right now nor do I have the inclination.  

I cut the leek tops into small slices and added them directly to the soil. I seem to be creating something of a permaculture/lasagne bed. It should help the soil to become better nourished and more absorbent.  

A start had been made.

I've dug over the paths, or covered them if I thought digging the weeds out would be too disruptive. The parsnips have been sown in the bed with the spade in it, which has been weeded and levelled.

The chickens got all of the weeds and maggots that I found. Happy buggers. :)

The broad beans I sowed in September or November are looking a bit sad but I'll see how they do. I'm debating whether or not to add more broad beans to this garden as well as the allotment. I think I will as they're so good for the soil but I'm not sure where yet. 

First proper look at the new allotment.

Its not bad at the new allotment you know. The soils a bit too heavy to work right now, so I just cleared away a few things and took photographs to help me plan.Strawberry bed, and kale.

cabbages and a strange square building that's blocking the light from getting to the soil. 

the tiniest of the new beds. Yes its lino around it. All of the paths are carpet or lino. Its super slippery and ugly. Probably very polluting as well. Could be staying though as I have no interest in up-keeping grass paths. I've inherited two compost bins.

two water butts, a shed and an incinerator bin. 

I have a little patio area to socialise on. 

And the strange netted room is like a halfway house between a greenhouse and the outside.

I seem to have a gooseberry, current and a mystery plant.

A long bed, which might become my Jerusalem artichoke bed, and peas for this year.

Got some rhubarb. 

and some more.

Its a bit bigger than I first thought, but I'm pretty darn happy with it. :)

Its a really beautiful day today.

The chickens enjoying a nice sunny day.

Please ignore any dog poo. 

This ones name is fool. She is indeed sitting next to me. 

Trouble and Esme say have a Happy Valentines day.