Full of the joys

Full of the joys

We’ve been wanting to enlarge one of our flower beds for some time and with beautiful weather still on the cards we decided to start work.  The rather rotten wooden edging came out easily along with a few large rocks that we discovered during the process.  With the new edge marked out with a hosepipe we gathered around to discuss details of curve and intricacies of  scale.  With a few tweaks-a sharper turn here, and an extra inch there- we cut along the line with a half moon edging iron and removed the unwanted turf with a spade.   A sharp edge was created by digging down 4 inches and placing the excess soil onto the bed.

Planting will happen in a few weeks time but rather than buying new plants we’re going to split up some of our existing stock.

While creating the bed we had the distinct feeling that spring was in the air.  A female blackbird was collecting nesting material from the beds and flying off towards the copse, early flowering Viola labrodorica was being visited by bumblebees and the crocus were in full bloom filtering the sun through their outstretched petals.  We’re enjoying it while we can; low pressure is on the way and warm hats and waterproof jackets may once again be the order of the day.

Clothes in action today: Women's 3-Season Gardening Trousers in Iron Grey


Modern heroes of horticulture - Manoj Malde

With many British gardens often characterised by muted tones and traditional cottage garden designs, Manoj Malde is undoubtedly a breath of fresh air in the world of garden design.  His...
Read More

Plant profile - snakeshead fritillary

We’ve planted hundreds of snake's head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) over the years.  A member of the Lily family, they’re distinguished by their uniquely patterned cup-shaped flowers and wiry stems.  A...
Read More

Wildlife in the garden - toads

Discovering a toad in the garden is always a moment to celebrate.  It’s almost impossible to spot one and not recount the tale over the dining table that evening.  Who...
Read More